Pele’s funeral rites begin today at ex-club, Santos

The funeral of Brazil legend, Pele will be held today at the home of his former club, Santos, after the World Cup winner died at the age of 82, with president Jair Bolsonaro declaring three days of mourning after the news.

Pele, a world champion in 1958, 1962 and 1970, had been treated for colon cancer in recent years. He passed away on Thursday at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, and tributes have come flooding in from across the footballing world.

The forward played the bulk of his career with Santos in his homeland, scoring more than 600 times for the Brazilian side. It is there that fans will be able to pay their respects to Brazil’s all-time joint-top scorer.

“The body of the greatest football player of all time will be laid to rest at Estádio Urbano Caldeira, in Vila Belmiro, where he enchanted the world,” a statement from Santos read.

“The body will go straight from the Albert Einstein Hospital to the Stadium at dawn on Monday (today) and the coffin will be placed in the center of the lawn. The public wake is expected to begin at 10 am.”

The club shared details of how the public and press can pay their tributes, while also sharing information on a private burial, reserved for Pele’s family members. The ceremony is expected to continue until tomorrow morning, with a parade passing through the streets of Santos.

“Santos FC deeply regrets the death of the best football player of all time, the man who took the name of Alvinegro Praiano to the world, our greatest idol, who immortalised the number 10 shirt and turned it into a work of art,” the club had earlier announced on Thursday.

“Any tribute is small compared to the greatness of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, our eternal King Pelé.”

Born Edson Arantes do