Pele's funeral: Brazil legend given joyous send-off - BBC

If Monday's aftermath for Brazilian shot fable Pele was a time of reflection, Tuesday's ceremonial cortege was 1 of carnivalesque proportions.

The 82-year-old, who galore regarded arsenic the world's champion shot player, died connected 29 December.

His coffin arrived successful Santos connected Monday, wherever thousands of mourners came to wage their respects astatine the crushed of his erstwhile nine - immoderate adjacent queued overnight.

On Tuesday, supporters' nine Torcida Jovem gathered extracurricular the Urbano Caldeira stadium up of the casket leaving. Fans waved immense achromatic and achromatic banners, the colours of Santos Football Club. Many wore the fig 10 garment that Pele made truthful famous.

"Only Pele, 1,000 goals," they repeatedly chanted arsenic radical bushed drums and danced successful the street.

His assemblage was past accompanied for 7 kilometres done the streets of Santos portion helicopters flew overhead. His coffin was carried connected a occurrence engine, arsenic is accepted successful authoritative parades.

It travelled on the oversea beforehand and past Pele's mother's location - she turned 100 past year. There, a comparative asked for a minute's soundlessness and the enactment ambiance hushed instantly arsenic Doña Celeste clutched her hands successful prayer.

These past fewer days person halted the engaged coastal metropolis of Santos.

"He was important for the full world, for young radical too," said Marcia Simões, who was lasting with her sons Eduardo and Mario astatine the roadworthy starring to Pele's burial place. "I'm prouder than ever to beryllium from Santos."

That was a feeling echoed by truthful galore mourners - that helium was the champion of Brazil.

"Everyone successful Brazil wants to beryllium a shot subordinate to imitate him," said Thiago Silva, 1 of the past radical successful the queue earlier the aftermath ended. "Of course, cipher can."

"My begetter was a Pele fanatic," said Sandra Garcia, who was with 11-year-old Enzo. "I got truly affectional remembering my begetter - if helium was alive, nary question helium would person been present crying. I grew up praising Pele, talking of him and telling stories astir him - truthful it's important to beryllium here."

Even for idiosyncratic of Enzo's young age, Pele was a almighty influence.

"No question, helium beats Cristiano Ronaldo by a agelong way," helium said. "He's the champion subordinate of each clip implicit respective decades."

Beyond football, Pele agreed Brazilians by being their ambassador. In a state profoundly divided politically and economically - radical person lone had bully things to accidental astir him.

The aforesaid could not beryllium said of the country's caller president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who lone this week took bureau for a 3rd term. He arrived to wage his respects soon earlier the aftermath ended and cheers for him competed with calls that helium should beryllium successful prison.

President Lula was released successful 2019 aft spending 18 months successful jailhouse for corruption. His convictions were annulled successful 2021.

The coming unneurotic of a federation successful grief has been a invited alleviation for truthful galore successful what has been a turbulent fewer months since the statesmanlike elections.

"Pele agreed each of us," said Deofilo de Freitas, waiting successful the queue. He was the archetypal 1 successful the enactment connected Monday but wanted different accidental to spot his idol earlier helium was laid to rest. "Not lone was helium the champion subordinate successful the world, helium was a marvellous quality being."