Sports
Pele’s Burial Arrangements Rolled Out, Body To Be Taken To His 100-year-old Mother

… Tributes Showered On King Of Football
The burial of the late football legend Pele has been set for Monday and Tuesday.
The wake will be held on Monday and his body will be laid to rest on Tuesday at his Santos home, where he enchanted the world, according to his former club.
“The wake for the greatest footballer of all time will be held in Urbano Caldeira Stadium, better known as the Vila Belmiro, where he enchanted the world,” Santos football club said in a Thursday statement, adding that Pele would then get a funeral procession through the city’s streets before a private burial ceremony.
READ ALSO: Pele The King, The GOAT: Historic Milestone & Legacy Of A Football Legend
The body of Pele, who died at the age of 82 on Thursday, will be taken from the Albert Einstein Hospital to Estádio Urbano Caldeira in Vila Belmiro Monday morning, and the coffin will be placed in the centre of the pitch. The wake is expected to begin at 10am.
Those who want to pay their last respect to the King of Football will enter through two gates and separate to politicians and the authorities.
The ceremony, according to a Daily Mail UK report, will continue until 10am on Tuesday, January 3, when the parade will take place through the streets of Santos.
It will pass through Canal 6, where Pele’s 100-year-old mother, Celeste, lives, before heading to the Ecumenical Necropolis Memorial for the private burial reserved for family members.
The press will have access through gate 20 and prior registration will be required, by email, with the rules informed on the club’s official website, according to Daily Mail UK.
Pele, who had been in hospital since late November, died at the age of 82 following a long battle with colon cancer.
The legend’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirming Pele’s passing wrote in a social media post, “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”
There was a message to the three million followers on Pele’s official Twitter account, too: “Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love and love, forever.”
READ ALSO: He Gave Voice To Blacks, Turn Football Into Art – Neymar Reacts To Pele’s Death
Tributes have continued to flow in for the only man to win the World Cup three times, first as a 17-year-old in 1958, again in Chile four years later and then the iconic third win in Mexico in 1970.
Pele scored 1,282 goals in 1,366 games in his football career, which included 77 in 92 appearances for his country.
Sports
Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard

Barcelona legend, Gerard Piqué has said that Brazil legend, Neymar could have won the Ballon d’Or had he remained at the Catalan side a little longer.
Neymar left Barça for PSG in 2017, becoming the costliest player in the world.
Pique said that the move stopped the Brazilian from winning the Ballon d’Or.
READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: Why Neymar Didn’t Win Award – Gerard
He said that the superstar footballer actually deserved to win the France Football award in his career.
Speaking on the PodPah podcast, Pique, who was Neymar’s teammate for many years at Barcelona, said he tried to convince the Brazilian not to make the move but the former PSG star did not listen to him.
“I’m convinced he deserved a Ballon d’Or. I think going to PSG hurt him. We tried to convince him not to go, we did everything possible.
READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: Barcelona’s Flick Responds To Yamal’s Second-place Finish
“Everyone thought he was going to stay, even me, but it seemed that it was already decided. In the end, he had an incredible career,” he said.
The Brazilian was at Camp Nou until 2017 when he decided to move to PSG who were willing to activate his €222 million release clause.
He left for Al-Hilal in 2023 and returned to Brazil with Santos in 2025.
Sports
Lionel Messi Names 10 Best Young Players Currently

Argentina and Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi, has named the 10 players he sees as future stars.
The legendary attacker has players from Chelsea and Liverpool in his list.
As part of an Adidas campaign, the 8-time Ballon d’Or winner was asked to name the players he deems the next big stars in the game.
READ ALSO:Messi Ruled Out Of Miami’s MLS Clash With Orlando
The Inter Miami goal king partnering with Adidas Football for the ‘Messi+10: Season 2’ campaign named his 10 best rising stars.
He named Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha, Chelsea’s Andrey Santos, Kendry Paez, also of Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder, Brajan Gruda.
Others are Nico Paz (Como), Rodrigo Mora (Porto), Mika Godts (Ajax Amsterdam), and Kader Meite (Stade Rennes).
READ ALSO:I Don’t Hate Ronaldo, Messi Is A Better Player – Wayne Rooney
He named two female players, Barcelona’s Clara Serrajordi and Olympique Lyon’s Lily Yohannes.
Messi made a similar selection in 2024 to include Lamine Yamal, Antonio Nusa and Kenan Yildiz.
Sports
2026 World Cup: Why ‘England Can’t Win Trophy’ – Paul Scholes

Former England international, Paul Scholes, has said that the country stands no chance of winning the 2026 World Cup to be hosted in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
England became the first European country to qualify for the World Cup on Tuesday after beating Latvia 5 goals to nothing.
Scholes said Thomas Tuchel’s team has ‘no chance’ of winning the tournament unless the German gaffer brings his ‘three best players’ back into the squad.
Tuchel will now be hoping to lead England to their first major trophy in men’s football since 1966.
READ ALSO:Nigeria Vs Lesotho: What Super Eagles Must Do To Qualify For 2026 World Cup
The former Chelsea manager was appointed as Sir Gareth Southgate’s successor last year.
England made it to two European Championship finals and two World Cup semi-finals under Southgate but failed to lift those trophies.
But former Manchester United midfielder, Scholes believes that England has ‘no chance’ unless Tuchel brings his ‘three best players’ back into the fold.
Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish were left out of the team for their last matches.
READ ALSO:FULL LIST: 17 Nations Secure 2026 FIFA World Cup Spots
“I was a little bit surprised. Those three players, they have to be in his squad and they will be in his squad for the World Cup,” Scholes said on The Overlap.
“If you look at the squad now, you would say they have virtually no chance of winning the World Cup. Even with those three players it’s still a big ask but it gives you more of a chance of winning the cup.
“Jude Bellingham has missed a little bit of football but he’s fit now so I would have brought him back in.
“Thomas Tuchel hasn’t got many games left now until the World Cup actually starts, it’s only the November break and then the March one and then we’re there so we need to get these players playing.”
While announcing his squad for the last international break, Tuchel insisted he had ‘no problem’ with the omitted players, especially Bellingham.
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