Brazil said a final farewell to Pele on Tuesday, burying the legend who unified the bitterly-divided country.
Newly inaugurated President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Santos’ Vila Belmiro, the stadium where Pele played for most of his career.
Pele died last week at age 82 and was laid to rest in Santos, the city where he became famous after moving there at age 15 to play for Santos FC. The funeral Mass was held at the team's Vila Belmiro stadium before his black casket was driven through the streets of the of Santos in a firetruck.
It was taken into the cemetery as bands played the team's official song and a Roman Catholic hymn. Before the golden-wrapped casket arrived, attendees sang samba songs that Pele liked.
Legends missing
Some Brazilian football legends weren't there.
"Where's Ronaldo Nazario? Where's Kaka, where's Neymar?" asked Claudionor Alves, 67, who works at a bakery next to the stadium. "Do they think they will be remembered like Pele will? These guys didn't want to stop their vacations, that's the problem."
Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in a three-hour line to view Pele's body as it lay in repose. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pele's name.
"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 said.
People follow the funeral procession of Brazilian football legend Pelé as his coffin is transported through the streets of Santos on the way to his final resting place at Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica cemetery on January 03, 2023 in Santos, Brazil. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in the 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," Zalke said.
Putting Brazil on the world stage
Pele in the 1960s and 1970s was perhaps the world's most famous athlete. He met presidents and queens, and a civil war in Nigeria was put on hold so people could watch him play. Many Brazilians credit Pele with putting the country on the world stage for the first time.
Rows of shirts with Pele's No. 10 were placed behind one of the stadium's goals, waving in the city's summer winds. 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) recorded by him.
The crowd was mostly local, although some came from far away, and many mourners were too young ever to have seen Pele play. The mood was light, as people filtered out of the stadium to local bars, wearing Santos FC and Brazil shirts.
Claudio Carrança, 32, a salesman, said: "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 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."
‘Name stadiums after Pele’: FIFA’s Infantino
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told journalists 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."
Pele had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical centre where he had been hospitalised said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.
Pele led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the team's all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pele's record during this year's World Cup in Qatar.
