Hundreds of thousands of highly emotional mourners gathered for the 24-hour memorial wake to pay their final respects to Brazil legend Pele who is lying in state at the Urbano Caldeira stadium – home of his former club Santos, in Sao Paulo.
His coffin was placed in the centre of the pitch as fans lined the streets to get inside the ground, with a procession through the streets of Santos to a private family burial set for today.
Thousands upon thousands of fans gathered on the streets as the hearse arrived at the stadium, with some queuing overnight to see the coffin.
Brazil's government declared three days of national mourning after Pele's death. Attending the memorial, FIFA president Gianni Infantino, said: "We're going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele."
Former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto and Pele's son Edinho helped carry his coffin while floral wreaths were sent by Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid.
Brazilian journalist Ricardo Seyton, who worked closely with Pele during his career, said it was going to be an "intense" day.
"It is the people of the streets, the public, who are making this day so beautiful," he said. “It is amazing to see people in football shirts from all around the world - that is the legend of Pele."
Shortly after the announcement of his passing, Pele’s daughter Kely Nascimento shared a picture of his family’s hands resting on the late footballer’s, writing: “Everything we are is because of you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.” Tributes poured in to the footballing great from politics to sport, with Brazil forward Neymar – the only man to match Pele’s national goal scoring total – praising the “eternal” star.
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, considered alongside the likes of the late Pele and Diego Maradona to be the greatest footballer of all-time, added his condolences, simply saying: ‘Rest in peace Pele.’
Five-times FIFA Ballon d'Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo said: “A mere ‘goodbye’ to the eternal King Pele will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently embracing.” Brazilian President, President-elect Lula, said: “Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did.”
Current Brazil superstar Neymar posting an emotional tribute to his icon on Instagram, writing: ‘Before Pele, 10 was just a number. I’ve read this phrase somewhere, at some point in my life. But this sentence, beautiful, is incomplete. I would say before Pelé, football was just a sport.
‘Pele has changed it all. He turned football into art, into entertainment. Gave voice to the poor, Blacks and mostly: Gave visibility to Brazil.
‘Soccer and Brazil have raised their status thanks to the King! He’s gone but his magic remains. Pele is FOREVER!!’
On Twitter, former US president, Barak Obama, also wrote: ‘Pelé was one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game. And as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, he understood the power of sports to bring people together. Our thoughts are with his family and everyone who loved and admired him.’
England and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand said: ‘The legend who stood tallest among legends… always had time for everyone!
‘I had the pleasure of playing for him (charity match) and interviewing him – equally rewarding. The player, The man, The icon’, whilst current England captain and Tottenham striker Harry Kane also paid tribute, writing: ‘Pele was a true inspiration and one of the greatest to ever play the game. Rest in peace.’
Undoubtedly the world's greatest ever player, the three-time World Cup winner had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer since 2021. His final resting place will be the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery, where the funeral parade will end.
Pele is reported to have purchased a tomb on the ninth floor, in tribute to his late father and fellow footballer Dondinho, who wore a number nine shirt. The cemetery is less than a kilometre from the Vila Belmiro Stadium, where the legend arrived as a 15-year-old in 1956, at the start of his journey to being the greatest footballer of all time.
He died on December 29, 2022, age 82.