31-foot Pele statue unveiled in Mexico ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup

Guadalajara: A monumental statue of soccer legend Pele was unveiled on Thursday in Guadalajara to honour his historic accomplishments with the Brazilian national team.

Pele, who passed away in 2022 at age 82, secured one of his three career World Cup championships on Mexican soil during the 1970 iteration of the tournament.

"This monumental figure of this great player, who played here and scored a great goal, is a great gift to the people of Jalisco and to all visitors," Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus said. "Pele loved Guadalajara, and the Brazilian national team fell in love with it because the Mexican public gave them everything in 1970."

A New Urban Landmark

The sculpture stands 9.5 meters, or 31 feet, tall and is situated in a public square known as Plaza Brazil. The site is located directly outside Jalisco Stadium, a venue that hosted matches during both the 1970 and 1986 World Cup tournaments.

Throughout its dominant 1970 championship campaign, the Brazilian squad played its opening-round fixtures, quarterfinal, and semifinal matches at the stadium before ultimately defeating Italy in the final at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.

"People who come to the Jalisco Stadium now will stop to take pictures. This statue will be a landmark, especially since it depicts a football star like Pele," Lemus noted. "It's a great gift for the World Cup."

Upcoming World Cup Schedule

The unveiling arrives as Guadalajara prepares to serve as a host city for the 2026 World Cup. The municipality is scheduled to stage four opening-round matches next month.

The local lineup features South Korea playing the Czech Republic on June 12, followed by a matchup between Mexico and South Korea on June 18. Colombia will face the Congo on June 23, and Uruguay will compete against Spain on June 26.

With inputs from AP