The coffin of soccer legend Pele has been carried by means of the streets of Santos in Brazil as the general public paid their last respects to the sporting icon.
Thousands of followers gathered to look at the procession to say their final goodbye to the three-time World Cup winner forward of his personal burial.
The casket, draped in a Brazilian flag, handed by means of the neighbourhood the place Pele’s 100-year-old mom lives, as mourners gathered.
The former Santos FC star, initially named Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died on Friday aged 82, after a battle with colon most cancers.
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The star, extensively thought-about as the best footballer of all time, will likely be buried at present within the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery overlooking the Santos stadium.
His final want was choosing the ninth ground of a cemetery in his dwelling metropolis – in tribute to his father who wore the quantity 9 shirt as a participant.
Brazil noticed three days of nationwide mourning after his demise, as 230,000 folks went to view his open casket within the 16,000-seat stadium the place he lay in state for twenty-four hours.
Pic: Marcello Zambrana/AGIF/AP
‘Thank you for all the pieces you probably did for the sport’
Football followers and sporting icons around the globe have continued to pay tribute to the star.
Former England striker Gary Lineker tweeted: “Goodbye Pele. Thank you for everything you did for the game that you made so beautiful.”
Pele’s casket carried into the cemetery
However, FIFA president Gianni Infantino got here underneath hearth for taking a selfie whereas visiting Pele’s coffin, which some critics on social media described as “shameless”.
Mr Infantino defended his actions and mentioned in an Instagram put up that Pele’s teammates requested to take a photograph with him, including that he’s “dismayed” by the criticism.
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Fans of their hundreds queue to see hero Pele’s coffin
Pele had undergone therapy for colon most cancers since 2021. The medical centre the place he had been handled mentioned he died of a number of organ failure because of the most cancers.
During his worldwide profession, he received three World Cups – in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – the one participant to attain this.
Nicknamed the “king of football”, Pele performed for Santos from 1956 to 1974, scoring greater than 1,000 targets.
He performed nearly his complete membership profession at Santos, a satellite tv for pc metropolis of Sao Paulo, the place he grew up.
Source: information.sky.com”
