Celeste Arantes, Pelé’s mother, turned 100 on November 20, the day the World Cup kicked off in Qatar. Although he knows nothing about his son’s death, the funeral procession will pass his house this Tuesday.
Dona Celeste was 17 years old on October 23, 1940 when she gave birth to her eldest son, who for many would become the best footballer in history with 1,283 goals (according to the former footballer) and the unprecedented feat of winning three World Cups.
She married João Ramos do Nascimento at the age of 16. After Pelé, she was the mother of Jair (“Zoca”), who died in 2020 of cancer, the same disease that killed the “King” last Thursday, and Maria Lúcia, with whom she lives in Santos.
Dona Celeste has always devoted herself to taking care of her three children. “She is fine, although in her own little world (…) she is aware (that her son) is not present,” Maria Lúcia told ESPN on Friday.
Pelé’s tribute on his mother’s 100th birthday
After Pelé’s death at the age of 82, many were surprised to learn that his mother was still alive and that the funeral procession will pass by Dona Celeste’s house before heading to the cemetery, where he will be buried.
Thousands of Brazilians have joined the wake of the former athlete on the lawn of Vila Belmiro, Santos stadium, since this Monday.
“Since I was a little kid, she taught me the value of love and peace. I have more than a hundred reasons to be thankful to be her son. I share these photos with you, with great emotion to celebrate this day. Thank you for all the days by your side, mom,” Pelé wrote on his Instagram account on Nov. 20.
Pelé published three photos of mother and son at different times, showing a little lady, with great resemblance to the former footballer.
Nine days later, the player was admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, where he would eventually die.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Pele (@pele)
A World Cup as a gift
Pelé lost his father, known as ‘Dondinho’, in November 1996. The football star used to say that he promised his father that he would win a World Cup after seeing him cry after the ‘Maracanazo’: Uruguay’s 2-1 against Brazil in the final of the 1950 World Cup, played in Maracanã, in Rio de Janeiro.
Besides winning the first World Cup for the Brazilian team in Sweden, in 1958, Pelé donated ‘Dondinho’, also a former player of clubs like Atlético-MG, and the Brazilians two other World Cup trophies: Chile, in 1962, Mexico, in 1970.
Despite his incomparable journey, Pelé learned the virtue of humility from his parents.
“I never thought I was better or more than anyone. It’s the education I’ve had,” explained the king of football in the Netflix documentary “Pelé”.
Source: DN
