Football | Afcon

Edson Arantes do Nascimento © Reuters

Pele's arrival for Afcon final creates buzz



Football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka Pele arrived in Gabon’s capital Libreville on Tuesday to grace the final of the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations on February 12.

The Brazilian is a special guest of Gabon’s president Ali Bongo Odimba, who earlier promised to offer an exciting surprise for the final of the showpiece.

The Brazilian national team visited the central African nation last year to play a friendly match against the Panthers on November 10, meant to inaugurate the newly constructed Stade Amitie in Libreville, where Sunday’s Afcon final will hold. The Canarinho carried off the encounter with a 2-0 score.

This is not the first time Pele is visiting Gabon. In 1974, while playing for Brazilian club Santos, he led his team to Libreville for a friendly against Gabon national team.

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