Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer to be honoured on Thursday in Zurich

Within the framework of its Centennial celebrations, FIFA has decided to confer the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit on two of the greatest personalities to grace the beautiful game, Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer.

The award ceremony was originally scheduled to have taken place in May in Paris on the occasion of the FIFA Centennial Congress, but Pelé could unfortunately not attend for health reasons and had to accept the award in absentia.

Both football legends will therefore officially receive together the FIFA Centennial Order of Merit at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, 23 September 2004 at 11.00, in presence of FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter, FIFA General Secretary Dr Urs Linsi and the members of the FIFA Football Committee, which gathers together former world-class male and female football players.

In addition, immediately following the presentation, President Blatter and General Secretary Linsi will join Pelé and a select group of members of the FIFA Football Committee (including Michel Platini, Roger Milla and Charmaine Hooper) to act as a jury to choose their three favourite FIFA Centennial stamp designs from over 70 submissions from postal services of FIFA member associations across the world.