By Samindra Kunti in Sao Paulo
January 6 – Following a media storm, Ricardo Kaka has failed to explain why he did not attend Pelé’s funeral procession. Kaka, Ronaldo and other World Cup-winners as well as Neymar have been heavily criticized for failing to pay their last respect to Pele in Santos.
January 5 – Online bookmaker EstrelaBet, who before Christmas sealed a deal with the Brazilian federation (CBF) for sponsorship of all its futsal clubs, has now moved into mainstream Brazilian football becoming the main sponsor of América Futebol Clube.
By Samindra Kunti in Santos, Brazil
January 4 – On Tuesday Santos and Brazil bode farewell to Pelé, the nation’s greatest icon. Almost a quarter of a million mourners and supporters, including newly sworn-in president Luiz Inacio da Silva, filed past Pele’s coffin in a serene funeral procession before a private internment.
By Samindra Kunti in Santos, Brazil
January 3 – From former legends to a supreme court justice, Brazilians mourned the passing of Pele on Monday at the Vila Belmiro, the stadium where he exploded into life and became the greatest player of all time. Today, Pele’s final journey will include a cortege through the city before a private burial.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 30 – Brazil has declared three days of national mourning as tributes poured in from across the globe to mark the death of Pele, arguably the greatest player ever, at the age of 82.
By Samindra Kunti
December 28 – For Angelo Anastasio, an immigrant from Polistena in Southern Italy, June 10, 1975 turned out to be an unpleasant day. On that day, the defender was cut from the New York Cosmos roster. And while no football-minded soul genuinely expressed any interest in Anastasio’s fate, that move signified a seismic shift in the American football landscape. The end of the Stone Age had arrived.
December 30 – In a deeply polarized country, Pelé’s passing, an event Brazilians and football fans at large had hoped would never arrive, has provided a moment of rare national unity.
December 22 – Pelé’s health has worsened during attempts to regulate his cancer medication, his doctors have admitted, and his family say he will remain in hospital over Christmas.
December 21 – Argentina’s World Cup heroes were forced to abandon an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires on Tuesday as millions of ecstatic fans brought the city to a standstill.
December 12 – The South American confederation, Conmebol, is stepping up its campaign to host the 2030 World Cup despite a likely counter-bid from Europe.
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
December 11 – Brazil coach Tite has stepped down following his team’s heartbreaking quarter-final elimination on penalties by Croatia, but he refused to accept criticism that the Seleçao conceded a crucial late equaliser in extra-time because of disorganisation.
December 8 – In the bookmaker race to pick up football sponsorship assets in Brazil’s fast evolving betting markets, EstrelaBet has completed a sponsorship for all of the country’s futsal teams until 2025 with the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).
December 7 – FIFA’s first betting sponsor Betano has added the naming rights for the Copa do Brasil to its sponsorship portfolio.
December 7 – Brazil great Pele’s condition is improving in hospital, according to his doctors.
December 5 – Pélé and his doctors have reassured the public after Brazilian media had reported that the football legend was no longer responding to chemotherapy and had been moved to palliative care.