São Paulo

From nme.com, October 17, 2024:

A shirt signed by late football legend Pelé has been gifted to Paul McCartney. It comes as a Brazilian football shirt was recently rediscovered, which Pelé signed back in 2019, intended as a gift for the iconic singer-songwriter. He was meant to present McCartney with the gift that same year, but the chance for them to meet never materialised. After that, Pelé’s long-term manager, Pepito Fornos, and the footballer’s sister, Luiza Nascimento, sought a way to get the shirt to its rightful owner.

Now, ahead of his second stadium show in São Paulo, held as part of his 2024 ‘Got Back’ world tour, McCartney has been presented with the shirt – five years after it was first signed. In a photograph, the Beatles icon can be seen holding up the shirt, which reads: “Paul, keep the ball rolling. I love you. Pelé.” […]

From For Whom The Bell Tells: ‘GOT BACK’ Central and South American Tour 2024, January 13, 2025:

[…] This time around, Paul received further notable visitors, this time bearing gifts. It had come to light that, back in 2019, football legend Pelé had hoped to cross paths with Paul when his ‘Freshen Up’ tour landed in São Paolo that March, but unfortunately, it had not come to pass. Pelé had signed and dedicated a shirt to Paul, but was unable to deliver it in person, and he sadly died in 2022.

Tonight, Pelé’s longtime manager, Pepito Fornos, and the Brazilian icon’s sister, Luiza Nascimento, made it their mission to ensure the shirt – which reads, “Paul, keep the ball rolling. I love you. Pelé” – finally got to its rightful owner. Five years after its intended delivery, Paul was so moved to hold it in his hands, just hours before his second performance of the week. He duly dropped a note to Luiza and Pepito thanking them for the shirt and letting them know he’d treasure it. Our tour photographer, MJ, got a quick shot of Paul holding the shirt, and it immediately went viral.

My Google news alerts weren’t the only thing buzzing in São Paolo – still clearly on a high from an awesome gig and receiving that unique gift, Paul and Nancy toasted the conclusion of two nights there by inviting everyone to an afterparty, where the fun continued late into the night. Inspired by some of the moves that Paul was laying down on the dance floor, even the tour accounting team got involved and started throwing some shapes!

Caught up in the party spirit, Paul even went so far as to play us some of the new material he’s been working on recently… but my lips are well and truly sealed!

Stuart Bell – Paul McCartney’s publicist – From For Whom The Bell Tells: ‘GOT BACK’ Central and South American Tour 2024, January 13, 2025