Celeste Arantes, the mother of Brazilian football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, popularly known as Pele, has died.
The family announced the sad development in a statement on Friday, noting that Arantes passed away at the age of 101.
“Rest in peace, grandma,” Pele’s eldest son, Edinho mourned Arantes via his social media page on Friday, attaching a photograph of him and his grandmother.
Naija News reports that the bereaved family has not made public further details regarding Arantes’ burial at the time of filing this report.
Arantes was said to be 17 years of age when she gave birth to her first child (Pele) on October 23, 1940.
Reports had it that at the time of her son’s death, Arantes had cognitive difficulties and was unaware her world-famous son had died.
Recall that Pele, who is considered by many as the greatest footballer of all time, died on 29 December 2022, at 82 years old.
Arantes, who married Pele’s father, Joao Ramos do Nascimento, at the age of 16, also had another son, Jair, who died in 2020 of cancer, the same illness that claimed Pele’s life.
“From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace,” Pele wrote on Instagram on his mother’s 100th birthday, along with three pictures of them together at different stages in life.
Days after celebrating his mother, Pele was admitted to a hospital in Sao Paulo, where he later died of cancer.
His funeral procession included an emotional stop at his mother’s house.
Pele was the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).
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