Pele has been laid to relaxation.
Hundreds lined the streets of Santos, the Brazilian coastal metropolis the place he performed a lot of his profession, to pay their respects to the soccer legend, extensively thought to be the nation’s biggest ambassador and a core determine in its growth.
An estimated 230,000 mourners, together with the nation’s new president, had filed previous his open casket within the Vila Belmiro stadium, house of Santos Soccer Membership, to pay homage in a 24-hour wake.
Pele, who died final week on the age of 82 after enduring colon most cancers for a yr, performed for Santos from 1956 to 1974, scoring greater than 1,000 objectives.
After a mass his coffin, draped in a Brazilian flag, was positioned atop a fireplace truck. It was then pushed by means of the streets for 4 hours atop a fireplace truck.
Younger and previous embraced because the funeral procession wound its approach by means of the streets, with some followers in tears and others cheering and chanting for a nationwide hero who rose from barefoot poverty to develop into one of many biggest and best-known athletes in trendy historical past.
Probably the most transferring moments got here when the procession halted outdoors the house of his 100-year-old mom Celeste, who survives him. Crowds there applauded and chanted “Pele is our king,” earlier than holding a minute’s silence.
Pele’s sister Maria Lucia Nascimento, 78, watched in tears from a balcony and thanked the crowds in a short TV interview.
Newly sworn-in President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had arrived by helicopter on the stadium, the place he stood for about half-hour subsequent to Pele’s casket.
“It is an irreparable loss for Brazil,” the president stated. “Pele, along with being the perfect soccer participant on the earth, was a humble, easy man.”
Solely two of the 67 dwelling Brazilian world champions attended the service – 1994 World Cup winner Mauro Silva, who works for the Sao Paulo state FA, and 1970 champion Clodoaldo, who works for Santos, prompting criticism from some commentators within the nation.
His coffin was then taken into the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery as bands performed the Santos staff’s official track, and a Catholic hymn.
He was then buried in a non-public ceremony.
The mausoleum the place Pele now lies might be open to the general public inside seven days, the cemetery stated.
Pele’s son, Edson Cholbi Nascimento, addressed the gang by the cemetery.
“I needed on behalf of the entire household to thanks for all of the love, the respect,” he stated. “It is an honour, it is an incredible delight. As soon as once more thanks. Now he’ll relaxation.”
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