Pelé’s funeral: Saying goodbye to the best soccer player of all time

Edson Arantes do Nascimento died on December 29 at the age of 82.

Pelé, one of the best soccer players of all time, lost a long battle with cancer.

His legacy will live on forever.

Twenty twenty-two could not have had a worse end than the death of a man who many consider the best soccer player of all time: Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pelé. He is the only player who has managed to win three World Cups (Sweden ’58, Chile ’62 and Mexico ’70), but how did the Brazilian star die?

According to the Los Angeles Times, O Rei lost a long battle with cancer. Before his death, he was undergoing chemotherapy after the removal of a colon tumor in September 2021. The cause of his death? Multiple organ failure, the result of the progression of colon cancer.

Rest in peace Pelé

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Edson Arantes do Nascimento’s family decided that Brazilian soccer player’s funeral, which took place on Tuesday, January 3, would have an open coffin. Pelé’s body was embalmed one day beforehand. The procedure that was performed on him is known as thanatopraxia, which is done to make the deceased person look more lifelike.

It should be noted that, two decades ago, the Brazilian star chose the Ecumenical Necropole Memorial to be his resting place for all eternity. His brother’s remains are already there. This cemetery has been built vertically and it holds the Guinness Record for being the highest in the world, according to infobae. (Filed Under: Pelé’s funeral)

Pelé is buried in the city he made world famous

Photo: AP

Brazil bid a final farewell to Pelé, the legend who united a deeply divided nation in mourning. O Rei was buried on Tuesday, January 3, in the city that he transformed into a world soccer capital. The star’s death devastated his millions of fans inside and outside Brazil.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who just took office, paid tribute to Pelé at Vila Belmiro, the stadium where he played for most of his career. Pele lies in Santos, the city where he grew up and became famous. A mass was held at the stadium before a fire truck carried the coffin through the streets to a nearby cemetery. (Filed Under: Pelé’s funeral)

«Where is Ronaldo Nazario? Where is Kaka? Where is Neymar?»

Photo: AP

Upon the arrival of the procession at the cemetery, bands performed the official song of the Santos club and a Catholic hymn. Shortly before, the attendees chanted samba songs that Pelé liked. No renowned Brazilian footballers attended the funeral. «Where is Ronaldo Nazario? Where is Kaka? Where is Neymar?» asked Claudionor Alves, 67, who works in a bakery near the stadium.

“Do you think they will be remembered as Pele? These guys didn’t want to call off their vacation. That’s the problem.» Another notable absentee was Jair Bolsonaro, whose term as president ended on December 31. A day earlier, he had left the capital Brasilia on a flight to Florida, shirking the ceremonial duty of handing Lula the presidential sash. (Filed As: Pelé’s funeral)

Pelé «is one of the greatest people in history»

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Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited for three hours in line to say goodbye to Pelé. The young woman arrived with her father, who was wearing a Brazilian team shirt bearing the star’s name. “I’m not a fan of Santos, nor is my father. But this player invented the Brazilian national team. He strengthened and magnified the Saints. How not to respect him? He’s one of the greatest people in history and we must honor him,” she explained.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Pelé was perhaps the most famous sportsman in the world. He met with presidents and monarchs, and a civil war in Nigeria was put on hiatus so combatants could watch him play. Many Brazilians consider that he first placed their country on the world stage. With information from the AP. (Filed Under: Pelé fuenral)