Dona Celeste
Mother of Pelé and a Brazilian centenarian
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Celeste Arantes (20 November 1922 – 21 June 2024), better known as Dona Celeste, was the wife of the footballer Dondinho, and mother of Pelé.[1]
Dona Celeste | |
|---|---|
| Born | 20 November 1922 Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Died | 21 June 2024 (aged 101) |
| Occupation | Housewife |
| Known for | Mother of Pelé |
| Spouse |
Dondinho
(m. 1940; died 1996) |
Biography
Born in Três Corações, Minas Gerais, Celeste married Dondinho while he was playing for Atlético Clube Três Corações, and with him she had three children: Edson (Pelé), Jair (Zoca) and Maria Lúcia.[2] Celeste was always against the idea of her children following a career as footballers, as she understood how difficult it was to move from place to place all the time.[3] She outlived Pelé by nearly two years, dying at the age of 101.[4][5][6]
She is also embodied as a character in Mauricio de Sousa's comic strips Pelezinho.[7]