As the last tribute to Pele, the coffin of the football legend was carried by the public through Santos, Brazil.
Many thousands of people watched the procession as they said goodbye to the three-time World Cup winner before he was buried in private.
As mourners gathered, the casket was draped in a Brazilian flag and passed through the neighborhood where Pele’s 100 year-old mother lives.
After a long battle with colon cancer, the former Santos FC player, originally called Edson Arantes do Nascimento , died Friday at the age of 82 .
The legendary footballer will be buried in the Ecumenical Cemetery Memorial Necropolis today, overlooking the Santos Stadium.
His final wish was to select the ninth floor in a cemetery in his hometown. This was in tribute of his father, who wore the number 9, as a player.
Brazil observed 3 days of national mourning following his death. 230,000 people gathered to view his open casket at the 16,000-seat stadium, where he was laid in state for 24 hours.
“Thank you for all you did for this game”
Fans of football and other sporting icons all over the world continue to pay tribute.
Gary Lineker, former England striker, tweeted: “Goodbye Pele. We are grateful for all that you did to make the game so beautiful.
Gianni Infantino, FIFA president, was criticized for taking a selfie in Pele’s coffin. Some social media critics called it “shameless”.
In an Instagram post, Mr Infantino stated that Pele’s teammates requested a photo and that he was “dismayed” at the criticism.
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Since 2021, Pele had been treated for colon cancer. According to the medical center where he was treated, he died from multiple organ failure due to the cancer.
He was the only international player to win three World Cups during his career – in 1962, 1970, and 1958.
Pele, nicknamed “king of football”, played for Santos between 1956 and 1974 and scored more than 1,000 goals.
He spent almost all of his club career at Santos in Sao Paulo. This is where he was born.
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