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SAO PAULO — Brazil will celebrate a national "King Pelé Day" on Nov. 19 every year, marking the date the soccer great scored what he considered to be the 1,000th goal of his career in 1969. The Brazilian government's official publication said Tuesday that President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had passed a law sanctioning the national tribute to the three-time World Cup winner. The Brazilian soccer great died on Dec. 29, 2022, at the age of 82. The date picked for the festivities is a reference to the day Pelé scored Santos' winner from the penalty spot in a 2-1 win against Vasco da Gama at the Maracana Stadium in 1969 — although some soccer historians question whether that actually was the 1,000th goal of his career.
