SAINTS, Brazil.
Thrilled, thousands of Brazilians and soccer authorities bid farewell to Pelé, who died on Thursday at the age of 82, at a wake at the Santos stadium, the team where he forged part of his legend.
The fans, many from other cities in Brazil, lined up in front of the Vila Belmiro stadium and chanted “Pelé, Pelé!”, waiting to enter the field, where the open coffin was placed surrounded by wreaths of white flowers.
Through tears, his third wife, Marcia Cibele Aoki, was one of the first to reach out. Dressed in black, she passed her hand over the head of the star, whom she married in 2016. At least three -Edinho, Kely and Flavia- of the six living children of the unforgettable 10 were also present.
Neymar’s father, who emerged from the Peixe youth academy, attended dressed in a blue suit on behalf of the family of the new 10 of the selectwho will not travel to Brazil.
“Pelé inspired all generations, he has always been a benchmark,” said Ney’s father, who in Qatar 2022 matched o rei as the top scorer of the five-time champions (77 goals).
His followers were also full of praise for the footballer who made them vibrate like no other while they waited to enter the stadium.
“My childhood was marked by what Pelé did for Brazil in the World Cup matches,” explained Carlos Mota, 59, who traveled from Rio de Janeiro with his 12-year-old son Bernardo.
“I always told my son that there are three things that are not discussed: that the ball is round, the grass is green, and Pelé is the biggest,” added this worker from the banking sector.
Pelé’s remains arrived at dawn in a caravan from the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where he was hospitalized from November 29 until his death.
Several flags of different sizes decorated the stands of Santos: one with oh king from behind, showing the 10 shirt that he immortalized, and others with the messages “Long live the king” or “Pelé, 82 years old”.
Entry will be allowed “uninterrupted” until today, at 10:00 a.m. locals, after which a procession will begin through the streets of Santos, 75 kilometers from Sao Paulo.
It will end in a mausoleum in the city with a religious ceremony and a burial reserved for the family.
In that same cemetery rest the remains of Pelé’s father, brother and aunt.
The funeral caravan will pass by the house of the mother of the legendary ex-soccer player, Doña Celeste, 100 years old, who does not know of the death of her son.
Thousands endured hours of waiting under a hot sun to bid farewell to the man who made Brazil famous.
Some even entered more than once, in an act held in a solemn atmosphere, with less displays of passion than those exhibited at the wake of Argentine star Diego Maradona in November 2020.
“He is the greatest in soccer, we had to pay tribute to him,” said Guilherme Lombardi, a 23-year-old Santista fan who waited with a bottle of water in his hand for the advance of the line, which stretched for several blocks.
Other tributes took place in Brazil, mainly during the inauguration ceremony on Sunday of leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in Brasilia, which began with a minute’s silence in his memory.
Lula will attend Santos today, at Pelé’s wake, reported an official statement.
The Brazilian president “will pay his respect and pay homage to Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé,” and will express “his solidarity with his family” at 9:00 a.m. locals, shortly before the end of the wake at the Vila Belmiro stadium of the Santos club, in the state of Sao Paulo.
Legacy
“I baptize you as Pelé”
In Peru, 738 children were registered last year with the name of the soccer legend.
LIMA.- The world lost the king of soccer, Pelé, but his name will continue in 738 Peruvian children who were born last year.
According to a list published by the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) of Peru at the end of 2022, the babies were registered as Pelé, Rey Pelé, Edson Arantes or Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
Among Peruvian girls, 551 were baptized as Queen Elizabeth, Elizabeth Segunda or Elizabeth II, title of the monarch of the United Kingdom who died in September 2022.
In Peru, the famous name that led the list was that of the Portuguese star Ronaldo or Cristiano Ronaldo (31,583). There are also 371 with that of the Argentine Lio Messi or Messi, and 229 with that of the French star Mbappé or Kylian Mbappé.
Among those born last year there is also one with the name of Qatar, the host country of the 2022 World Cup.
Tribute
Presence in each nation
FIFA will ask all member countries to name a stadium “Pele”.
APD
MADRID.- The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, said that he will ask all countries to dedicate a stadium to the memory of Pelé.
“Pele is eternal. Of course, from FIFA, we will honor oh king as it deserves Now we are going to ask all the federations in the world for a minute of silence at each match. What I can say is that we will also ask the 211 countries to name a stadium after Pele. In every country in the world there should be a stadium with the name of Pelé, ”he confirmed upon arrival at the wake.
The president of soccer’s governing body believes that this measure will help his memory endure.
“Young people around the world, future generations, have to know and remember who Pele was. In 20, 30, 50 years, when the children score goals in the Pelé stadium and ask who he was, they will know that he was a great footballer who moved us, ”said Infantino.
Copyright law strictly prohibits copying, in whole or in part, the Excelsior materials without first obtaining prior written permission and including a link to the original text.
