By Shaun Murphy-
Thousands of mourners lined the streets as Brazilian football legend Pele was laid to rest in Santos, the city of his former club.
Pele had been lying in state for 24 hours in the centre of the pitch at the club’s Urbano Caldeira stadium for the public to pay their respects.
Pele died at the age of 82 on the 29th of December, having been receiving treatment for colon cancer since 2021. He is regarded by many as the best football player ever.
As though fated to be the god of football, Pele’s name has a meaning of enormous significance. In the Hebrew language, Pele means miracle, wonder, and he displayed several moments of miraculous wonder during his time as a footballer.
The legend’s coffin was paraded through Santos on a fire truck in line with the Brazilian tradition as his multitude of adorable fans accompanied the cortege chanting “Pele, 1,000 goals”.
Pelé was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government in order to fend off large offers from European clubs and ensure that he remained in Brazil. On November 19, 1969, in his 909th first-class match, he scored his 1,000th goal.
The coffin was carried by ex-Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto as well as Pele’s son Edinho, with floral wreaths sent by Neymar, Vinicius Junior and Real Madrid.
Hundreds of people waved huge banners wearing the number 10 shirt he was well known for by the footballing world.
Adored by Brazilians, many of whom regarded Pele as their King, his death was both a special and celebratory moment for all fans of football globally.
The declaration of three days of national mourning after his death by the country’s new president – Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who also travelled to Santos to pay his respects showed just how great Pele was, and the significance his footballing days had on history.
His impact on the footballing world was incredible, his magical skills and finishing touch was largely unrivalled, only Maradona coming close.
Pele’s coffin is escorted on a fire truck through Santos where fans are lining the streets
The coffin was escorted through heaving Santos streets on a fire truck
Pele’s coffin was escorted through Santos streets on a fire truck before a crowd of fans
Pele’s coffin, covered with a Brazilian flag. was carried on a fire truck through the packed roads of fans.
The procession also passed by the house where his 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes, who suffers from dementia currently resides,. Sadly, she is unaware of her son’s death because of her condition.
A section of the stands filled up with bouquets of flowers placed by mourners and sent by clubs and star players — Neymar and Ronaldo among them — from around the world as loudspeakers played the song “Eu sou Pele” (“I am Pele”) which was recorded by him.”
Among those at the stadium was Pele’s best friend Manoel Maria, also a former Santos player.
“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 said. “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 told reporters that every country should name 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,” Infantino said. “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 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 told 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.
Over 230,000 people had attended his 24-hour wake in the Vila Belmiro stadium, where a steady stream of mourners continued through the night.
The funeral cortege ended at the port city’s Memorial Cemetery, where a Catholic funeral service was held before Pele is interred in a 10-storey mausoleum .
His stardom was so high globally that when he visited Nigeria in 1967 during the bloody Biafran war, a 48-hour cease-fire in that nation’s civil war was called to allow all to watch his magical skills.
Pelé was also the recipient of the International Peace Award in 1978.
Two years later in 1980, he was named Athlete of the Century by the French sports publication L’Equipe, and he received the same honour in 1999 from the International Olympic Committee. In 2014 the Pelé Museum opened in Santos, Brazil.
Football talent throughout history is never in short supply, but very few of today’s best players can even confidently put their name up to be measured against the one and only Pele.