Brazil are making plans to change three of their five stars on their jersey emblem to hearts to pay tribute to legend Pele, who is currently cancer-stricken
The 82-year-old legendary footballer was hospitalized due to swelling over his body following an ongoing battle with cancer.
Why Will Brazil Football Team Replace The Three Stars On Its Jersey With 3 Hearts
Pele is currently suffering from bowel cancer and reports state that he is no longer responding to chemotherapy.
Pele Provides An Update
Following his negative response to chemotherapy, Pele was put on end-of-life care earlier this month. However, the legendary footballer recently provided a positive update on his health. He admitted on his social media post that he is in fact feeling “strong” and “full of energy”.
He shared a post on Instagram with a long caption sharing about his health and wishing his best for the national team:
“My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive.”
“I’m strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual.
“I want to thank the entire medical and nursing team for all the care I have received.
Brazil National Football Team Pay Tribute
The Brazil national football team paid tribute to Pele in response to his wishes online. The team held up a banner with his name and photo of him lifting the World Cup following their last-16 victory over South Korea.
And it doesn’t end there, as the Selecao are making plans to change three of the five stars on their shirt emblem. The five stars originally represent the five World Cup trophies that they’ve won, which is more than any other nation.
Notably, the three hearts will represent the three World Cup wins that came with Pele in the team. Pele won the World Cup back in 1958, 1962 and 1970 respectively with the Brazil national team.
Following their knockout at the hands of Croatia, Brazil will now begin their road to the 2026 World Cup. With the next World Cup qualifiers set in March, the opponent for their first game is still unknown. However, what’s for sure is that they will be able to wear the new jersey for the first time.