Celeste Arantes, the mother of the legendary Brazilian footballer Pele, has died at the age of 101, surviving her famous son by 18 months, the family confirmed on Friday.
On October 23, 1940, when Arantes was 17, she gave birth to her first child, a boy who would go on to be celebrated as the greatest football player in history.
“Rest in peace, grandma,” Pele’s eldest son Edinho wrote on Instagram, along with a photo of him embracing his grandmother.
The cause of her death was not disclosed. According to reports, Arantes had been hospitalized for eight days before passing away on Friday.
At the time of her son’s death, family members mentioned that Arantes was experiencing cognitive difficulties and did not know her world-famous son had died.
Arantes married Pele’s father, Joao Ramos do Nascimento, at 16 and had another son, Jair, who passed away from cancer in 2020, the same illness that took Pele’s life.
As a homemaker, she dedicated her life to raising and caring for her children.
“From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace,” Pele wrote on Instagram for her 100th birthday, sharing three photos of them together at various stages of life.
Nine days later, Pele was admitted to a hospital in Sao Paulo, where he died of cancer.
His funeral procession made a heartfelt stop at his mother’s house.
Known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele remains the only player in history to win three World Cups – 1958, 1962, and 1970.
