FIFA World Cup 2026: Brazil honours legends Pele and Mario Zagallo

Brazil football honoured legends Pele and Mario Zagallo ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Morocco, marking the first World Cup since their deaths. The team urged fans to 'believe' and chase a record sixth star in their memory.

Brazil football paid a tribute to two of their biggest legends, Pele and Mario Zagallo, ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Morocco on Saturday.

The official handle of Brazil football noted how this tournament marks the first FIFA World Cup after the deaths of Pele (in December 2022) and Zagallo (in January 2024). The post encouraged the fans and players to "believe" and chase the record-breaking sixth star on their shirt, for the legends who wore the team's vibrant yellow colours at the height of their success.

"Today begins another World Cup. The first without Pele. The first without Zagallo. But every time the yellow-and-green takes the field, they enter with it. And get this: today is the 13th. So you already know. Let's believe. Let's go after the sixth star. For Brazil. For them," posted the Brazil football handle on X. Hoje começa mais uma Copa do Mundo. A primeira sem Pelé. A primeira sem Zagallo. Mas toda vez que a amarelinha entrar em campo, eles entram junto. E olha só: hoje é dia 13. Então já sabe. Bora acreditar. Bora atrás da sexta estrela. Pelo Brasil. Por eles. 🇧🇷⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/CfAEa39CyS — brasil (@CBF_Futebol) June 13, 2026

Pele's World Cup Legacy

Pele won the FIFA World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970 editions, making it the most FIFA WC wins by a single player. He scored a brace in the 1958 World Cup final against Sweden, winning the match 5-2 and scored six goals in the tournament, second-highest next to France's Just Fontaine (13). While Pele could score just one goal in the next edition, Brazil managed to make it back-to-back WC titles with a 3-1 win over then-Czechoslovakia. In the 1970 final, the legendary Brazilian scored the opening goal in the country's 4-1 win over Italy in the final. He scored a total of four goals in the tournament. He passed away at the age of 82 following a cancer battle.

Zagallo's Unique Record

On the other hand, Zagallo captured the 1958 and 1962 FIFA World Cups with Brazil as a player, the 1970 edition as a manager and the 1994 edition as a coordinator with the team. Zagallo scored his lone goal of the 1958 edition in the final, while he also found the net once in the next edition of the tournament. The Brazilian legend passed away in January 2024 at the age of 92 and was the last surviving member of the 1958 final team before his death.

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