New Brazilian President Lula joins thousands paying their respects to Pele at stadium funeral
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Brazil’s new president, Lula, joins thousands of people paying their respects to Pelé at the stadium’s funeral and comforts his widow, hours before the Santos procession and private burial.
- The Brazilian star passed away on December 29 at the age of 82 after a battle with cancer
- His body currently lies in state in the stadium of his former club Santos.
- Lula, who took power on January 1, was seen passing Pelé’s coffin on Tuesday.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Pelé’s open casket on Tuesday, in one of his first actions as the country’s new head of state.
The Brazilian star died on December 29 at the age of 82 after a long battle against cancer, and was mourned this Monday and Tuesday at the stadium of his former club Santos, where thousands of people came to see him off.
Lula, who took office on Sunday in a ceremony that began with a minute’s silence for Pele, stood before the coffin of the man considered the greatest soccer player of all time and hugged his widow and other family members.
Lula will lead the tributes as Brazil bids its last farewell to the soccer legend and his most famous son at the end of a 24-hour wake this morning, before a procession carries Pelé’s coffin through the streets of Santos for a private burial.
Pictured: Brazil’s new president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, comforts Pelé’s widow at the wake for soccer stars in Santos, Brazil, on Tuesday.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (left) greets the late Brazilian soccer legend Pelé’s son Edinho (right) during his wake at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Santos, on January 3.
Mourners began to pay their respects to Pelé in a solemn procession in front of his coffin at the Vila Belmiro Stadium in his hometown of Santos on Monday.
Pelé’s coffin was placed in the Santos field where he scored some of the best goals of his career. Thousands of mourners dressed in Pelé T-shirts and flags filed past his coffin at the 16,000-seat stadium on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.
Vila Belmiro was decorated with Brazilian flags and number 10 jerseys that became popular after Pele started wearing them for Santos and Brazil.
The stands were filled with bouquets of flowers placed by the mourners and sent by star clubs and players -among them Neymar and Ronaldo- from all over the world while a song called Eu Sou Pele (I am Pele) sounded from the loudspeakers, which was recorded by Pele himself. Brazilian. .
His funeral was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time, with burial to take place in a vertical cemetery 600 meters away later on Tuesday.
Fans waited in three-hour queues around the Urbano Caldeira stadium to see his coffin in the center circle of the pitch.
Brazil’s new president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (photo center), visited Pelé’s open casket on Tuesday, as one of his first actions as the country’s new head of state.
The Brazilian star died on December 29 at the age of 82 after a long battle against cancer, and was mourned this Monday and Tuesday at the stadium of his former club Santos, where thousands of people came to see him off. Pictured: Pele’s son Edinho stands with mourners as the body of Brazilian soccer legend Pele is seen in his coffin as he lay on the field of his former club Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium.
Soccer fans line up to attend the funeral of the late Brazilian soccer legend Pelé at the Vila Belmiro stadium in Santos, Brazil, early Tuesday, January 3.
Pictured: Brazil’s Pelé celebrates victory after winning the 1970 World Cup in Mexico
An hour-long Catholic Mass will be held in the stadium at 12am GMT before a funeral procession at 4pm. death. Pelé will be taken to burial in a nearby cemetery for family and close friends at 5:00 p.m.
The triple World Cup winner has reportedly chosen a special burial-place mausoleum on the ninth floor of a nearby cemetery that will allow him to keep an eye on the stadium.
Former Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto and Pele’s son Edinho were among those who placed his coffin on the pitch during a ceremony before fans and supporters could pay their respects.
The Brazilian government had declared three days of national mourning after Pelé’s death.
Lula took office on January 1, beginning his third term as Brazil’s president.
One of Lula’s first decisions in office was to repeal policies by the far-right government of Jair Bolsonar that diluted environmental protection and helped contribute to deforestation that reached its highest point in 15 years, including a measure that encouraged the mining on protected indigenous lands.
Lula also reopened the Amazon Fund.