Celeste Arantes, the mother of Brazilian football legend Pelé, has died at the age of 101, outliving her famous son by 18 months, the family announced on Friday. Arantes was 17 when she gave birth to her first child on October 23, 1940—a baby who would grow up to be widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time.
“Rest in peace, grandma,” Pelé’s eldest son Edinho wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of him hugging his grandmother.
No details were provided regarding the cause of death. According to local media, Arantes had been hospitalized for eight days before passing away on Friday.
When Pelé died, family members mentioned that Arantes, suffering from cognitive difficulties, was unaware of her son’s passing.
Arantes married Pelé’s father, Joao Ramos do Nascimento, at the age of 16. Besides Pelé, she had another son, Jair, who passed away in 2020 due to cancer—the same illness that claimed Pelé’s life.
A devoted stay-at-home mother, Arantes dedicated her life to caring for her children.
“From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace,” Pelé wrote on Instagram for her 100th birthday, sharing three pictures of them together at different stages of life.
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