SANTOS – Mourners began to pay their respects to Pelé in a solemn procession past his coffin at Vila Belmiro Stadium in his hometown of Santos on Monday.
That The Brazilian soccer star died on Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 82.
Pelé’s coffin was placed on the field where he scored some of the best goals of his career. Mourners walked past his coffin at the 16,000-seat stadium outside of Sao Paulo. His funeral will take place on Tuesday in a cemetery just 600 meters away.
Fans descended on the stadium in the early hours of Monday morning to pay tribute to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known worldwide as Pelé.
One of them was the Brazilian Supreme Court Gilmar Mendes.
“It’s a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the true importance of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes told reporters. “My office has shirts signed by Pelé, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a large collection of his.”
Mendes also said that despite his worldwide fame, Pelé is a humble man and that he deserves every tribute.
Pelé’s coffin is led through the church Streets of Santos before his funeral. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and other dignitaries are expected.
Pelé has been treated for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he was hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.
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