| For the King of Football… | Mangalam

Santos: The funeral of Pele, the legendary footballer of Brazil, has begun.

The body, which was taken from the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, was laid to rest for public viewing at Santos Football Club’s Via Belmiro (Santos Stadium) stadium at 10am local time. Santos officials have clarified that the body will be kept at the stadium until this morning for fans from different parts of the world.

Tens of thousands also paid their respects in front of Pele’s seaside residence, the Peaks. The replicas of the three World Cups he won were placed near Pele’s grave.

Three huge flags were installed at the Santos Stadium the previous day. One flag also features a picture of Pele wearing Brazil’s number 10 jersey. Pele’s fans are coming to Santos, 75 kilometers from Sao Paulo. Pele is buried in the 14-story complex of the Memorial Necropolis Ecumenical Cemetery in Santos. The complex includes 14,000 arches, a waterfall and a car museum. 82-year-old Pele died on Friday.

Pele was suffering from cancer and was undergoing palliative care in Sao Paulo. Urinary ailments and heart ailments plagued the legend. Pele’s 100-year-old mother, Celesta, and her son, Edinho, arrived at the stadium. FIFA President Giovanni Infantino was the first person to arrive. Infantino visited Pele’s wife, Marcia Aoki, among others. His son Edinho was the first to place a wreath on the dead body.

A total of 1281 goals were scored in 1363 games (approx). It was Pele who gave Brazil the World Cup for the first time. President Jair Bolsonaro stepped down after declaring three days of official mourning in the country. The ceremonies will be as per the wishes of the legendary footballer.