The procession began at the Urbano Caldeira stadium, home of Pele’s former club, Santos, and his coffin was carried through the streets of Santos city, including through the street where Pele’s 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes, lives. increase.
It continues to the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica Cemetery, where private funeral services are held for families.
Thousands of people lined the streets, waving flags and applauding as the coffin of the great Brazilian figure passed.
Pele’s sister, Lucia, was seen tearfully waving from the balcony to the crowd that had gathered outside her mother’s house.
Pele is buried in the city where he grew up, became famous, and helped him become the world capital of his sport.
A mass was held at the Vila Belmiro Stadium before a black coffin ran through the streets of Santos on top of a fire truck.
It was taken to the cemetery as the band played the Santos team’s official song and a Catholic hymn. Before the coffin arrived, the attendees sang Pele’s favorite samba songs.
The three-time World Cup winner died Thursday at the age of 82 from multiple organ failure due to progression of colon cancer.
Since then, tributes have poured in from around the world, and people of all ages gathered for his 24-hour public engagement that began Monday at the 16,000-seat stadium in Santos, popularly known as ‘Vila Vermiro’. rice field.
More than 230,000 people attended the wake, many wearing Brazil’s iconic yellow jerseys, Santos said.
17-year-old Geovana Sarmento waited in line for three hours to see her body lying peacefully. She came with her father wearing a Brazilian shirt with her Pele name on it.
“I’m not a Santos fan, nor is my father. But this guy invented the Brazilian national team. He made Santos stronger and bigger. How can you not respect him? He’s one of the greatest people of all time and I salute him,” she said.
Engineer Caio Zalke, 35, stood in line wearing a Brazilian shirt.
“Pele is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made the sport important to Brazil and Brazil important to the world,” he said.
A row of Pelé’s number 10 shirts lay behind one of the goals and fluttered in the city’s summer breeze.
The speaker “Eu sou Pelé” (“I am Pele”) was recorded by the Brazilian himself.
Most of them were locals, although some came from far away. Many mourners were too young to see Pele play. The mood was lightened as people in Santos FC and Brazil uniforms walked out of the stadium into local bars.
Salesman Claudio Carranza, 32, said: “He’s important. I know some Santos fans have kids who support other teams. But that’s only because they haven’t seen Pele play. If they were watching, they would feel this gratitude that I feel right now.”
Among those present at the stadium was Pele’s best friend Manoel Maria, a former Santos player.
“If I had all the wealth in the world, I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family.
“He was a great player as well. The greatest of all time. His legacy will outlive all of us. You can see it in this long line with people of all ages here. can.”
According to CNN’s team at the scene, the doors to the stadium were closed with thousands of mourners still lined up, and people were forced out.
Brazilian president’s overnight visit
Brazilian President Lula da Silva arrived at his wake Tuesday morning, and police security was “very much” increased in response to the president’s presence, Santos told CNN.
“Pele is a matchless footballer and a human being,” Lula told Reuters on Tuesday.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also visited Brazil on Monday to pay tribute.
“Pele is forever,” Infantino told reporters, according to Reuters.
“FIFA will rightfully honor the ‘King’.
“We have asked all football associations around the world to observe a moment of silence before every match and will ask 211 countries to name their stadiums after Pele.
“Future generations need to know and remember who Pele was.”
For over 60 years, the name Pele has been synonymous with football. He is the only player in history to have won the World Cup three times with his four appearances, but his legacy goes far beyond his trophy wins and incredible scoring record.
“Just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint, I was born to play soccer,” Pele famously said.
In the 1960s and 70s, Pele was probably the most famous athlete in the world. He met presidents and queens, and the civil war was put on hold in Nigeria to see him play.
Many Brazilians believe that he put the country on the world stage for the first time.
Born in Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history, and his death was followed by a three-day national memorial service in Brazil.
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