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European leagues to honour Pele with pre-match tributes
Top flight football matches in England, Italy, France will all honour Pele before each match in the upcoming round of games, it was announced Friday.
"In tribute to Pele, Premier League clubs will remember his contribution to football during Matchweek 18 (Dec 30-Jan 1) by holding a minute's applause prior to kick-offs," said a statement on the English Premier League's Twitter feed.
"Players and match officials will wear black armbands," it added.
A similar announcement was made by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).
"On the occasion of all the friendly matches scheduled for today, Friday December 30, and on the 16th day of the Serie A on Wednesday January 4, the FIGC has arranged a minute's silence to remember Pele," it said in a statement.
Games in France's Ligue 1 will be preceded by a minute's applause while a photo of Pele with the World Cup is shown on the big screens in the stadiums, said the Professional Football League (LFP).
In Spain, La Liga announced on Thursday evening that a minute of silence would be observed before each match, starting with Thursday evening's encounter between Atletico Madrid and Elche.
Brazil started three days of national mourning Friday for Pele, the three-time World Cup winner widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, who died Thursday following several years with cancer.
The death of "O Rei" (The King) triggered a wave of tributes from around the globe to the man who both transformed football and transcended the sport.
L. Andersson--BTZ
