CONMEBOL urges Brazil to change 3 jersey stars to hearts to honour Pele's glorious career

Pele has been battling cancer of late and was briefly admitted to the hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, CONMEBOL has decided to honour his legendary career and urged Brazil to change three stars on its jersey to hearts.

Image credit: Getty

Legendary former Brazilian striker Pele has had health concerns of late, as he has been diagnosed with cancer while undergoing treatment and having some regular hospital visits. He visited the hospital during the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar, allowing his followers, the entire Brazilian team, and the nation to send out best wishes for him and pray for his recovery. In the meantime, South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) is planning on paying tribute to the sport's legend and has requested the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) to alter three of the five stars on its jersey to hearts to honour his legacy.

Image credit: Getty

Sending out a statement, CONMEBOL reported, "A hundred people gathered this Sunday, December 11, at the CONMEBOL Tree Of Dreams in Doha, Qatar, to honour Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known sportingly as Pele, the only player in soccer history to win three world titles. It is in honour of this unprecedented event that the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) proposes to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) that they change three of the five World Cup stars that appear on the chest of their shirt for three hearts in recognition of Pele."

Image credit: Getty

"Another central focus of the act was the message of encouragement and great strength to Pele, admitted since November 29 at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he is recovering satisfactorily from a lung infection, according to the doctors," added CONMEBOL. The five stars on Brazil's jersey represent its five WC title triumphs.