The Kashif and Shanghai Organisation has finalized the details surrounding the visit of Edson Arantes do Nascimento and Stabroek News understands that the legendary Brazilian footballer will arrive in Guyana on a Lear jet December 12.
According to a source close to the organization, Pele will be accompanied by a small delegation of around four persons.
He will be met at the airport by a several dignitaries including the Brazilian ambassador to Guyana Luis Gilberto Seixas de Andrade and Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony.
At a meeting held at the Brazilian embassy yesterday, Ambassador de Andrade lauded the efforts of the organisation in getting Pele to Guyana.
The visit by Pele, who will be here for the opening ceremony of the 20th annual Kashif and Shanghai football extravaganza, is already taking the country by storm.
Last evening some cars in the city were adorned with stickers emblazoned with the slogan `King Pele for Kashif and Shanghai,’ and the Brazilian embassy as well as the Brazilian community in Guyana are very upbeat about the legendary star’s visit.
The Brazilian football phenomenon is the guest of honour at the launching ceremony of this year’s Kashif and Shanghai Football extravaganza which is scheduled for December 13 at the Guyana National Stadium at Providence.
According to the source, an advance party is set to arrive in Guyana and with them would be Globo Communicacao e Participacoes S.A (TV Globo) – a network out of Brazil which has won the broadcast rights for the 2016 Olympic Games.
TV Globo is currently the largest network in Latin America and the fourth largest in the world, just behind the US networks ABC, CBS and NBC, being viewed by 120 million people daily.
“TV Globo is expected to acquire footage of Pele’s stay in Guyana, footage of Guyana in general and scenes around Georgetown,” the source said.
“These elements will make up a feature film on Pele’s visit here,” he added.
While it is not clear whether Pele will receive a red carpet welcome, three separate functions one by the Ambassador Andrade, one by the government and one by the Guyana Football Federation will be held for the `King’.
Pele, who is currently in South Africa and is expected to return to Sao Paulo the night before he travels to Guyana, is also expected to meet with Mayor Hamilton Green on his arrival in Georgetown.
It is understood that a meeting is to be held today with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to put all systems in place befitting a VIP’s visit.
It is felt that the opening at the National Stadium will see support from the sizable Brazilian community living here along with crowds of locals flooding the international venue just to get a glimpse of the man who has changed the face of football ever since his first showing with the 1958 winning World Cup team as a 17- year-old.
In a previous interview with Stabroek Sport, Muhammad said that while they are still struggling with sponsorship for the massive tournament, having King Pele in Guyana was worth more than what money can buy.
He said that having Pele in Guyana has nothing to do with making money on their behalf, while noting it was a hefty cost to get the Brazilian to Guyana.“This is more than a dream come true for us because looking back at where and how we started to what we have accomplished now is more than what money can give us and we see this as a gift to the Guyanese people because getting Pele here is no easy task. I can tell you that, it’s a lot of work and so on, so we are happy to have Pele as a guest of honour for our tournament,” Muhammad had said.
Pele played 1,363 matches and scored 1,281 goals in his career, and this stands as a world record today.
He is also an ambassador for FIFA and is Brazil’s all time goal scorer, winning three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970), wearing 92 caps and scoring 97 goals.
According to ESPN classic sport writer Gentry Kirby, Pele is a name short in length, but long in significance.
“There are many stories that explain where the name came from, but none can explain the phenomenon.”
