Road leading to legendary Maracana stadium in Brazil to be renamed 'Pele Avenue'

• Brazil legend Pele has died
• Tributes to icon planned
• Road around Maracana to be renamed

WHAT HAPPENED? City mayor Eduardo Paes has announced that the road leading to Rio de Janeiro's legendary Maracana stadium will be renamed Pele Avenue in honour of the Brazil icon who has died at the age of 82. The road is currently known as the Avenida Radial Oeste (West Radial Avenue) but will officially be renamed Avenida Pele on Wednesday.

WHAT THEY SAID: "The Avenida Radial Oeste that surrounds Maracanã will be renamed Avenida Pelé tomorrow! The decree will be published in tomorrow's Official Gazette!" Paes wrote on Twitter.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: The Maracana is one of the most famous football stadiums in the world and played host to two World Cup finals in 1950 and 2014. It is named after journalist Mario Filho who campaigned for it to be built back in the 1940s. There have previously been calls for the ground to be renamed after Pele but no changes have yet been made.

IN TWO PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT? More tributes to Pele are already being planned. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has already revealed plans to ask every country in the world to name a stadium after the Brazil legend.