Football King and legend, Pele has passed away but his legacy will endure thanks to the 738 Peruvian babies born last year who have been named after him.
A total of 738 infants had their names recorded as Pele, Rey Pelé, Edson Arantes, or Edson Arantes do Nascimento, all real names of the triple world champion, according to a list released by the Peruvian National Civil Registry at the end of 2022.
At the stadium of Brazilian team Santos, where he played from 1956 to 1974, thousands of football fans and dignitaries gathered on Monday to say their final goodbyes to the player who passed away on December 29 at the age of 82.
The footballer, who many consider the greatest in history, is not the only celebrity who passed away in 2022 to whom Peruvians wanted to pay tribute.
In Peru, however, the name that tops the list is Portuguese football star Ronaldo or Cristiano Ronaldo (31,583).
Far behind are those of the Argentinian Lio Messi or Messi – the reigning football world champion – given to 371 newborns and of the French star Mbappé or Kylian Mbappé to 229 children.
