Pele’s coffin has arrived at his closing resting place as tens of millions of followers in Brazil and around the globe mourned the soccer legend.

Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Vila Belmiro, the stadium the place Pele performed for many of his profession.

Pele was being buried within the metropolis the place he grew up, grew to become well-known, and which he helped make into a world capital of his sport.

Mass was held on the Vila Belmiro stadium earlier than the coffin was pushed by way of the streets of Santos.

A notable absentee was Jair Bolsonaro, whose time period as president ended on December 31.

A day earlier than, he departed the capital Brasilia on a flight to Florida, shirking the ceremonial obligation of passing the presidential sash to Mr Lula.

Mr Bolsonaro is staying in a condominium complicated outdoors Orlando and has been filmed chatting with neighbours.

Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited within the three-hour line to view Pele’s physique because it lay in repose.

She got here along with her father, who was sporting a Brazil shirt with Pele’s title.

“I am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented Brazil’s national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honour him,” she stated.

Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in line.

“Pele is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made the sport important for Brazil and he made Brazil important for the world,” he stated.

In the Sixties and 70s, Pele was maybe the world’s most well-known athlete.

He met presidents and queens, and in Nigeria a civil warfare was placed on maintain to look at him play.

Many Brazilians credit score him with placing the nation on the world stage for the primary time.

Rows of shirts with Pele’s quantity 10 have been positioned behind one of many targets, waving within the metropolis’s summer season winds.

A bit of the stands was filling up with bouquets of flowers positioned by mourners and despatched by golf equipment and star gamers – Neymar and Ronaldo amongst them – from around the globe as loudspeakers performed a tune referred to as Eu Sou Pele (I Am Pele) that was recorded by the Brazilian himself.

The crowd was principally native, though some got here from distant.

Many mourners have been too younger ever to have seen Pele play.

The temper was mild, as individuals filtered out of the stadium to native bars, sporting Santos FC and Brazil shirts.

Claudio Carranca, 32, a salesman, stated: “I never saw him play, but loving Pele is a tradition that goes from father to son in Santos. I learned his history, saw his goals, and I see how Santos FC is important because he is important. I know some Santos fans have children supporting other teams. But that’s just because they never saw Pele in action. If they had, they would feel this gratitude I feel now.”

Among these on the stadium was Pele’s finest good friend Manoel Maria, additionally a former Santos participant.

“If I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family,” Maria stated.

“He was as great a man as he was as a player; the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.”

Fifa president Gianni Infantino advised journalists that each nation ought to title a stadium after Pele.

“I am here with a lot of emotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,” Mr Infantino stated.

“As Fifa, we will pay a tribute to the ‘King’ and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence.”

Another fan and good friend in line was Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes.

“It is a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,” Mendes advised journalists.

“My office has shirts signed by Pele, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.”

Pele had undergone therapy for colon most cancers since 2021.

The medical centre the place he had been in hospital stated he died of a number of organ failure because of the most cancers.

Pele led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and stays one of many staff’s all-time main scorers with 77 targets.

Neymar tied Pele’s report throughout this 12 months’s World Cup in Qatar.