Celeste Arantes, the mother of legendary footballer Pelé, passed away on Friday at the age of 101 in the Brazilian city of Santos, according to the Pelé Foundation, which announced the news. Pelé himself had died in December 2022.

The Pelé Foundation did not disclose the cause of death but expressed sorrow over the loss of Arantes, affectionately known as Celestinha, praising her as a "model mother" who instilled "human values" in her son.

"We will be eternally grateful for her existence," stated the foundation of the Brazilian football icon on social media.

When Pelé died at the age of 82, the funeral procession passed by Arantes' house in Santos as a mark of respect since she was too frail to attend the funeral.

Arantes, originally from Tres Corações, a town in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais where Pelé was also born, followed her son's dazzling sports career and eventually settled in Santos.