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A large statue of football great Pelé was unveiled in the Mexican city of Guadalajara on Thursday to commemorate his exploits with the Brazilian national team.
Pelé, who died aged 82 in 2022, won one of his three World Cup titles in Mexico during the 1970 edition of the tournament.
“This monumental figure of this great player, who played here and scored a great goal, is a great gift for the people of Jalisco and for all visitors,” said Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus. “Pelé loved Guadalajara and the Brazilian national team fell in love with it because the Mexican public gave them everything in 1970.”
May 21, 2026, Mexico, Guadalajara: inauguration of the “La Canarinha” sculpture in honor of Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento (“Pelé”) in front of the Estadio Jalisco. Guadalajara, venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pays tribute to Pelé in the run-up to upcoming sporting events with this nine-metre-high statue in Plaza Brasil. Photo: Fernando Carranza Garcia/dpa (Photo by Fernando Carranza Garcia/photo alliance via Getty Images)
The 9.5 meter tall statue is located in a public square called Plaza Brazil, outside Jalisco Stadium, which hosted matches at the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. For its title run in 1970, Brazil played its first round, quarterfinal and semifinal matches at the stadium before beating Italy in the final at Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium.
“People who come to Jalisco Stadium will now stop to take photos. This statue will be a monument, especially since it represents a soccer star like Pelé,” Lemus said. “It’s a great gift for the World Cup.”
At the 2026 World Cup, Guadalajara will host four first-round matches: South Korea vs Czech Republic on June 12; Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18, Colombia vs. Congo on June 23 and Uruguay vs. Spain on June 26.
Associated Press reporting.
