Brazil’s president, thousands of mourners line streets to pay final respects to legendary soccer player Pelé

Brazil mourned Tuesday as legendary soccer player Pelé was laid to rest.

Tens of thousands of mourners from fans to dignitaries, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, visited Santos to pay their final respects to the soccer legend. 

Pelé’s coffin was transported by the fire department from Vila Belmiro stadium to his final resting place. 

The procession passed the house of Pele’s 100-year-old mother.

Pelé’s mother, Celeste Arantes, did not make an appearance, but his sister, Maria Lucia, was seen waiving from a balcony. His mother celebrated her 100th birthday in November at the beginning of the 2022 World Cup.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the first lady of Brazil, Rosangela “Janja” da Silva, attended the open casket service and were seen embracing Pelé’s widow. A moment of silence was observed at the service for the late soccer player.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino also visited Brazil to bid farewell to one of the greatest soccer players of all time.

A funeral procession began at the Vila Belmiro stadium where his coffin had been placed with one stand draped in a banner that said “Long live the King,” Pelé’s nickname during his playing days.

Some of the most remarkable moments of Pelé’s career happened on the field of Vila Belmiro stadium. The stadium was adorned with Brazilian flags and No. 10 Pelé jerseys.

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Fans waited up to three hours to view the coffin inside the stadium in the middle of the field.

Lula da Silva was recently re-elected to his third term as Brazil’s president. Brazil’s government previously declared three days of national mourning after Pelé’s death.

“Pelé is incomparable as a soccer player and as a human being,” Lula said shortly after arriving at the stadium.

Pelé’s name became synonymous with the sport of soccer. He played for Santos from 1956 to 1974 and was known as the “King of Soccer.”

After attending the memorial Monday, FIFA’s Infantino noted he would ask soccer associations in every country throughout the world to name a stadium after Pelé.

“The most important in any case is to pay tribute to King Pelé, and whilst I humbly suggested that throughout our 211 member associations at least one football stadium or venue is named after him, we will set the example by giving the pitch in our headquarters the name ‘Estádio Pelé,” Infantino said.

Some soccer stars attended the wake, including former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto, who helped place Pele’s coffin in the center of the field Monday.

Brazilian television was suspended to ensure that only the procession was being broadcast at the time, similar to Argentina’s media treatment of Diego Maradona’s death.

At his peak, Pelé was arguably the most well-known athlete on earth. He met with world leaders, from presidents to queens. At one point, a civil war in Nigeria was temporarily suspended to watch Pelé.

A diverse crowd came from near and far to get a glimpse of Pelé’s coffin Tuesday. Many of the mourners may have never seen Pelé play, but they wanted to bid the legendary athlete a farewell.