Brazil Celebrates Pele as Soccer Legend Buried in Santos

Brazil and the soccer world have lost a real legend as soccer great, Pele, real name Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was finally laid to rest in the city he made famous, Santos.

Pele's funeral procession was akin to a royal funeral, as the BBC reported that his body was accompanied for seven kilometers across the streets of Santos with helicopters. It was carried by a fire engine, complete with his own guards. This was traditional practice for official parades in Brazil.

Fans lined up across the streets, many waving the flags of Santos FC, the club that Pele has played for almost his entire career, as well as the team he made famous worldwide. This was a time of national unity in Brazil, and this comes at a time when the country was divided politically.

As the funeral procession passed through the streets, a band was playing Santos FC's official theme song, as well as a Catholic hymn.

Fans Attended Pele's Public Wake in Santos, Including New President Lula

Before his funeral, Pele had a public wake at the stadium he played his entire career in, the Vila Belmiro stadium in Santos, which was once considered the center of all soccer when the Brazilian legend was still alive.

Fans lined up from all over Brazil to pay their last respects to the man who was declared a National Treasure by the Brazilian government. Important figures also attended, including newly-elected President Lula, who personally paid his respects to the soccer legend inside the Vila Belmiro stadium.

Some fans were a bit disgruntled as several soccer legends were notably absent.

IOne fan, Claudionor Alves, 67, told the Associated Press, "Where's Ronaldo Nazario? Where's Kaká, where's Neymar?" He added, "Do they think they will be remembered like Pelé will? These guys didn't want to stop their vacations, that's the problem."

Former President Jair Bolsonaro was also notably absent. While he had supported Pele, the former president flew to Florida and refused to attend Lula's inauguration and ceremonially hand over the Presidential Sash.

However, while the country's previous president was not present, FIFA's current president, Gianni Infantino, was. He told journalists during the wake that every country should name a stadium after Pelé. He added that he came to the stadium with a lot of emotion and sadness, but said that he was there because Pelé also brought him a lot of smiles.

"As FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the 'King' and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence," he told journalists.

Pele Laid to Rest in a Cemetery in Santos

A mass was held at the Vila Belmiro Stadium before the funeral procession began. It moved east so that it could pass by the home of Pele's 100-year-old mother, Celeste Arantes, according to The Guardian.

As the procession ended, his body was Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica, which is located near Vila Belmiro. As his coffin was carried inside, the Santos FC theme song was played once again, before he was finally laid to rest during a private burial ceremony attended by family.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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