The coffin of the late Brazilian football star Pele is transported to the Santos’ Memorial Cemetery after the funeral procession in Santos, Sao Paulo state, Brazil on January 3, 2023. – Brazilian football legend Pele’s remains arrived Tuesday at the cemetery where he will be interred in a mausoleum, after three days of national mourning, a 24-hour wake and a massive funeral procession. Pele’s casket, draped in the Brazilian flag and that of his longtime club, Santos FC, arrived atop a red firetruck at the Santos Memorial Cemetery, near the stadium where “The King” began his rise to become what many consider the greatest footballer of all time. (Photo by CAIO GUATELLI / AFP)
World football bid him farewell The casket bearing the body of the late Brazil football legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, was draped in the Brazilian flag, as the body was moved round major streets before his burial yesterday in Sao Paulo.
The casket left Santos’ stadium on a fire engine for the procession with thousands of mourners lining the streets.
Pele was laid in the vault at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica – just half a mile away from the stadium that made him famous.
Pele spent a long time thinking about where he wanted to be buried deciding on his final resting place by paying homage to his father, Dodinho, who died in 1996, wearing the No 9 shirt.
In a mark of respect to his father, Pele chose to be buried on the ninth floor of the world’s tallest, vertical cemetery.
His fans believe that this resting place will mean Pele can watch over his favourite football pitch for eternity.
The vertical cemetery was built in 1983, and has more than 14,000 vaults. It has a tropical garden, restaurant and even a classic car museum.
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