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Pelé’s coffin is carried by ex-footballer Ze Roberto and son Edinho (both in the front row).
A nation mourns the loss of one of its greatest sons. And with the Brazilians, the whole world bows to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, in short: Pelé, who closed his eyes forever on December 29 at the age of 82. The man who did whatever he wanted with the ball with ease and grace died of colon cancer at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo. His loved ones were by his side until the end.
On Monday, the world said goodbye to “Rei do Futebol”, the king of football, who raised the game to an art form and has since inspired, amazed and delighted all generations – whether in the stadium, on television or on YouTube. He will be laid out in the FC Santos stadium for 24 hours.
Ex-Bayern star among the pallbearers
At 10 a.m. local time (2 p.m. Swiss time), his body was transferred, accompanied by the police and fire brigade, and many lined the streets to wave their king one last time, wave flags and set off fireworks. Reverent, reserved, loving.
Among others, his son Edinho (52) carried the coffin into the stadium, but also Zé Roberto (48), the former Bundesliga professional from Bayern, Leverkusen and Hamburg, who played for FC Santos in between, the club for which football life was determined by Pelé.
FC Santos is Pelé and vice versa
What would FC Santos, the club from the Atlantic coast, be without Pelé? He put him on the football map and pushed him out of the shadow of the big clubs in Rio and Sao Paulo, out of the shadow of Flamengo, Fluminense, Corinthians and Palmeiras.
Tricks and dribbles: Pelé has shown it to all the greats(02:01)
Santos won 26 national and international titles with Pelé, including two World Cups and the Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent of the Champions League. Santos is currently 12th in Serie A, the top division. Forever, however, he enjoys the eternal unique selling point: being the club of the greatest of all footballers.
Pelé scored more than 500 goals for Santos in whose stadium he was laid out in tears for 24 hours. And everyone mourns: whether white or black, poor or rich, young or old. For all of them, Pelé was both an idol and an inspiration. Human and athletic.
Infantino and Brazil’s head of state bid farewell
The coffin of the three-time world champion is under a pavilion. 80 chairs were provided for family and friends. The fans can pass the coffin on a catwalk at a distance of around five meters to say “Adeus”.
Tears flow, wreaths are laid. On site, club and association bosses from Brazil pay their respects, Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, but also Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (77), the Brazilian President who has just been sworn in. Neymar (30), the greatest Brazilian player of the present, or veteran star Romario (56) also commemorated him with messages.
Brazil’s icon is dead: The unique career of Pelé in the video(01:53)
Franz Beckenbauer (77) is one who would have liked to come and also has his place on the Olympus of football for sure. The “Kaiser” played with Pelé at Cosmos New York in the 70s. Beckenbauer has heart problems and is blind in one eye after a heart attack. His health no longer allows a flight to Brazil. So he sent his greetings from home to Brazil. “Football has lost the greatest in its history – and I have lost a unique friend.”
Pelé’s mother “unconscious”
On Tuesday, after the public wake, Pelé will be taken on a funeral procession through Santos, past Channel 6, where Pelé’s mother Celeste lives to this day. She is 100 years old. How much she perceives of the funeral services is uncertain. According to Pelé’s sister, however, “she is not conscious”.
Afterwards, Pelé will be buried in the “Memorioal Necropole Ecumenia” with the immediate family, a 14-story high-rise building. It is the highest cemetery in the world. Probably nobody in this world would not consider this place not appropriate. (mis)