At Pele’s funeral on Monday in Brazil, Infantino announced as much, claiming that renaming a stadium after “the king of football” is a respect to him.

Pele died on December 29, 2022 and his country had three days of national mourning for him.

Brazil also started a 24-hour public wake at Santos Urbano Caldeira Stadium on yesterday.

Pele, loved by many as undisputable greatest of all time (GOAT) in the world of football, was three-time World Cup winner scoring more than 1,000 goals in his lifetime.

Speaking about honouring Pele, FIFA President said, “We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele.”

Pele battled colon cancer before he died at the age of 82.

Pele had been treated for colon cancer, following surgery to remove a tumour in September 2021, and had required regular medical treatment.

After being admitted back into the hospital at the end of November to re-evaluate his cancer treatment, he was diagnosed with a respiratory infection before subsequently being moved to palliative care when his body became unresponsive to chemotherapy.

Pele died on Thursday at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo and his daughter, Kely Nascimento, confirmed the news on Instagram, writing: “Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.”

Pele made his international debut at the age of 16 and announced himself to a global audience in 1958, when, still only 17, he scored six goals in four games as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time. He scored twice in a 5-2 final win over Sweden in Stockholm.

He would win the World Cup on two more occasions, in 1962 and 1970, when the Selecao produced arguably the greatest final performance in the competition’s history, defeating Italy 4-1 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico. Pele won the Golden Ball for the tournament’s best player.

During the tournament, ex-Manchester City boss Malcolm Allison, working as a TV summariser, asked, “How do you spell Pele?” Counterpart Pat Crerand responded, “Easy: G.O.D.”

His 1970 teammate Tostao remarked, “Pele was the greatest – he was simply flawless. And off the pitch, he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pele.” Sir Bobby Charlton, part of the England side beaten 1-0 in the group stage of that tournament by Brazil, remarked later in life, “I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player.”

Pele scored 757 goals in 831 games during a glittering career from 1957 to 1977, although his long-time club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000.

The 82-year-old is under “elevated care” and will now spend Christmas at the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, his daughter Kely Nascimento later confirmed in an Instagram post.

“Our Christmas at home has been suspended,” she wrote. “We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us.”

“We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here,” she said, posting from Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paulo.

She added, “We, as always, thank you for all the love you show here in Brazil as well as around the world! Your love for him, your stories and your prayers are a HUGE comfort because we know we are not alone.”

Pele has been fighting colon cancer since his diagnosis in September 2021 and was hospitalised three weeks ago after Covid aggravated a respiratory infection.

The 80-year-old, three-time World Cup winner has been in the Alberto Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo since doctors removed a tumour from his colon earlier this month.

‘He is doing well post-surgery, he is not in pain and is in a good mood (annoyed that he can only eat jello but will persevere!). He will move into a regular room in the next day or two and then go home,’ Nascimento said on Instagram.

‘He is strong and stubborn and with the support and care of the brilliant team at Einstein and all of the love, energy, and light that the world is sending, he will get through this!’

His suspected tumour was detected during routine tests, and Pele underwent successful surgery. After the procedure, his medical team said he was ‘conscious, conversing actively and is maintaining normal vital signs.’  Further providing a positive update on his health, Pele posted an archive image of himself on Instagram.

He wrote: ‘My friends, with each passing day I feel a little better. I’m looking forward to playing again, but I’m still going to recover for a few more days. While I’m here, I take the opportunity to talk a lot with my family and to rest. Thanks again for all the loving messages. We’ll be together again soon!’

Pele, the former Santos forward, has struggled with health issues for several years.

He required surgery on his prostate in 2015, having been admitted to the hospital twice in the space of six months.  In 2019, he was admitted again for a urinary infection.

The Juventus and Portuguese superstar overtook the Brazilian’s total last weekend by netting a hat-trick in his side’s 3-1 victory Cagliari to take his own tally to 770 goals.

Before the Old Lady’s Serie A fixture with Benevento on Sunday, March 21, which they lost 1 – 0 at home, Ronaldo was handed a shirt with ‘G.O.A.T 770’ on the back, claiming that the Portuguese forward is the ‘Greatest Of All Time’.

The presentation was done by Juventus president Andrea Agnelli.

On achieving the milestone in his career, Ronaldo wrote on Instagram: ‘Today, as I reach the 770th official goal in my professional career, my first words go straight to Pele. There’s no player in the world who hasn’t been raised listening to stories about his games, his goals and his achievements, and I’m no exception. And for that reason, I’m filled with joy and pride as I acknowledge the goal that puts me on top of the world’s goal-scoring list, overcoming Pele’s record, something that I could never have dreamed of while growing up as a child from Madeira.’

Pele responded to Ronaldo’s comments, posting: ‘Congratulations on breaking my record of goals in official matches. I admire you a lot, I love watching you play and this is no secret to anyone. My only regret is not being able to give you a hug today.’

Ronaldo’s tally of goals includes 668 at club level, including 188 for Manchester United and 450 for Real Madrid, while he has also scored 120 goals at the international level for Portugal.