GUADALAJARA, M茅xico (AP) 鈥� A large statue of soccer great Pel茅 was unveiled Thursday in the Mexican city of Guadalajara to commemorate his achievements with the Brazilian national team.
Pel茅, who in 2022, won one of his three titles in Mexico at 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 to the people of Jalisco and to all visitors,鈥� Jalisco Gov. Pablo Lemus said. 鈥淧el茅 loved Guadalajara, and the Brazilian national team fell in love with it because the Mexican public gave them everything in 1970.鈥�
The 9.5-meter-tall (31-foot) statue is located in a public square called Plaza Brazil outside the Jalisco Stadium, which hosted matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cups. For its 1970 title run, Brazil played its first-round, quarterfinal, and semifinal matches at the stadium before beating Italy in the final at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
鈥淧eople 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 Pel茅,鈥� Lemus said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great gift for the World Cup.鈥�
In 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.
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