Pele, the Brazilian legend, whose full name was Edson Arantes do Nascimento, died Thursday at the age of 82 after a long battle with cancer, sparking an outpouring of tributes from around the world.
His body will go straight from the Albert Einstein Hospital to Estádio Urbano Caldeira in Vila Belmiro at dawn on Monday and the coffin will be placed in the centre of the pitch. The public wake is expected to begin at 10 am.
The ceremony will continue until 10 am on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, when the parade will take place through the streets of Santos.
Pele died at the age of 82 following a long battle with colon cancer. He had been in hospital since late last month.
Pele had a colon tumour removed in September 2021. Neither his family nor the hospital has said whether it had spread to other organs.
He returned to the Albert Einstein hospital on November 29 with Covid-19 and a respiratory infection.
Daughter Kely Nascimento confirmed his passing with a social media post that said: ‘Everything we are is thanks to you. We love you infinitely. Rest in peace.’
There was a message to the three million followers on Pele’s official Twitter account, too: ‘Inspiration and love marked the journey of King Pele, who peacefully passed away today. Love, love, and love, forever.’
A public memorial service will be held at the stadium, where fans will have 24 hours to say goodbye CREDIT: Matias Delacroix/AP
In his playing career, he scored 1,282 goals in 1,366 games, which included 77 in 92 appearances for his country.
Pele led Brazil to World Cup victory in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals.
Santos, where Pele spent the vast majority of his career, is currently observing a week’s mourning. The club have added a crown to their crest, between the stars representing the Intercontinental Cup titles he helped them win in 1962 and 1963.
Flags at Fifa headquarters will be flown at half-mast for the next week too while some fans have also called for Fifa to rename the World Cup trophy.
