Santos, Brazil – Tributes poured in from across Brazil and beyond Friday for football legend Pele, as the country held three days of mourning for the player widely regarded as the greatest of all time after his death at age 82.
Emotional Brazilians flocked to the Sao Paulo hospital where “O Rei” (The King) died Thursday, and to the Vila Belmiro stadium in Santos, the city where he played most of his career – and where his wake will be held Monday.
That will be followed on Tuesday by a massive funeral procession through the southeastern city – including past the house of Pele’s mother, Celeste, who is still alive at 100 – and then a private burial ceremony.
President Jair Bolsonaro declared three days of national mourning through Saturday, as condolences flooded in from football superstars, global dignitaries and fans from all walks of life.
In Pele’s hometown, the southeastern city of Tres Coracoes, house painter Marcelo Cazone proudly brandished an autographed picture of himself as a boy with Pele, which he snagged by cutting school to follow his idol around town in the 1980s.
“I treasure it to this day,” he told AFP. “His death is devastating for this whole town, for all of Brazil, for the entire world.”
In Santos, 46-year-old Caroline Fornari was among those who flocked to the stadium where Pele first dazzled the world.
“He’s part of our history. My father was a huge fan, he talked about him from the time I was little. Pele is our greatest pride,” she said of the three-time World Cup winner -- the only player in history to achieve the feat.
Sao Paulo’s Football Museum reported double its usual attendance, as it displayed rarely seen relics including Pele’s jersey from the 1970 World Cup final.
Visitor Cristina Vidal, a 41-year-old journalist, said of her late hero: “God doesn’t die. He’s just gone back to Olympus.”
The football world also paid emotional tribute to the man who both transformed the sport and transcended it.
Brazil star Neymar, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi were among those who bowed to his legacy, while Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola called him “eternal.”
The football leagues of England, Spain, Italy and France all announced they would honor Pele before upcoming matches.
In a testament to his influence, international figures including US President Joe Biden and former leader Barack Obama, Brazilian music legends Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil, International Olympic Committee chief Thomas Bach and FIFA President Gianni Infantino also paid tribute.