Everyone is preparing to host the 2026 World Cup next year… even the stadiums that won’t be hosting matches. Jalisco Stadium is preparing to place a statue of the legendary Brazilian player Pelé, who, alongside Brazil in 1970, won the World Cup in Mexico. Above all, he was embraced by the city of Guadalajara as the home of one of the most memorable national teams in history, featuring players such as Jairzinho, Tostao, Gerson, Rivelino, and Carlos Alberto.
Pablo Lemus Navarro, governor of Jalisco, announced that the goal of this monument is to create a Philadelphia-style tourist attraction, where one of the main attractions is the statue of the character Rocky Balboa.
“I’ll give you a sneak preview: we commissioned a large sculpture of King Pelé from his 1970s era when he played at Estadio Jalisco. It will be a 6.5-meter-high sculpture, just Pelé, plus the pedestal it will have. We’re thinking of making this place as emblematic as Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky sculpture in Philadelphia. We want to hold an event very similar to that, for the World Cup itself, although the World Cup won’t be in Jalisco, but for the stadium to have an additional attraction.”
In addition, the Jalisco governor explained that the Calzada area will be renovated so that, in addition to the statue, it will become a tourist attraction.
“We will be renovating the parking lot in the Calzada Independencia area so that this sculpture can have a public space with benches, free internet, and lights. It will be a very photographable, Instagrammable place, like TikTok, so that people can take a photo with King Pelé,” he explained.
In 2023, Enrique Alfaro, then Governor of Jalisco, proposed that the Coloso de la Calzada Independencia be named Estadio Rey Pelé, however, it remained a mere idea and was not well received by some members of Clubes Unidos, the building’s administrators.
Source: milenio
