The Brazilians bid farewell to King Pelé, and to pay homage to him, what more symbolic enclosure than that of the Santos stadium in the state of Sao Paulo, where Pelé played from 1956 to 1974 and gradually forged his legend. The icon’s body arrived in the city on Monday morning before being placed in the center of the lawn for a 24-hour public vigil.
With our special correspondents in Santos, Annie Gasnier and Richard Riffoneau
The sun is already very hot above the Vila Belmiro district, but the queues are getting longer in front of entrance number 2 of the Santos club, the one reserved for people who want to personally pay their last respects to Pelé.
Some have been waiting since Sunday evening at the gates of the stadium which has seen this footballer and his legend grow up. At the door reserved for personalities, a crowd of Brazilian and foreign reporters watching the comings and goings. We expect the president of Brazil, Lula, but also the president of the International Football Federation, Fifa, Gianni Infantino.
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” We arrived home »
Pelé’s body arrived in the middle of the night from Sao Paulo in a funeral vehicle. Santos supporters and onlookers were in the street to welcome the procession, greeted by applause and firecrackers. Relatives of King Pelé accompanied the coffin, such as his son Edinho, who wrote on social networks: “ We arrived home “.
► Read also: Brazilians bid farewell to legendary footballer Pelé