CNN
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Thousands of people lined the streets on Tuesday as the funeral procession turned soccer into a big deal. Pele to his eternal resting place.
had started with Urbano Caldeira Stadiumhome to Pele’s former club Santos, and his coffin was carried through the streets of the city of Santos, including the street where Pele’s 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes, lives.
It continued to the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica Cemetery, where a private funeral service was held for the family.
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.
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.
Later, as the Brazilian’s coffin passed by, a large crowd lined the streets, waving flags and applauding.
Pele’s sister, Lucia, was seen tearfully waving from the balcony to the crowd that had gathered outside her mother’s home.
president of brazil Lula da Silva Santos told CNN that he arrived at the wake on Tuesday morning with police security “extremely” heightened to accommodate the president’s attendance.
“Pelé is unique as a footballer and as a person,” Lula told Reuters.
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. We must know and remember who the
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 on his four occasions and won three times, but his legacy extends far beyond his trophy wins and notable scoring record.
“Just as Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint, I was born to play football,” Pele famously said.
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.