Brazilian sports legend Pel茅 is being buried Tuesday, with his nation of more than 200 million people and the world watching.
Newly inaugurated President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva paid his respects at Vila Belmiro, the stadium where Pel茅 played for most of his career.
Pel茅 is being buried in the city where he grew up, became famous, and helped make into a global capital of his sport. Mass is being celebrated at the Vila Belmiro stadium before the casket is ushered through the streets of Santos to a nearby cemetery.
Geovana Sarmento, 17, waited in the three-hour line to view his body as it lay in repose. She came with her father, who was wearing a Brazil shirt with Pel茅B次元官网网址檚 name.
B次元官网网址淚 am not a Santos fan, neither is my father. But this guy invented BrazilB次元官网网址檚 national team. He made Santos stronger, he made it big, how could you not respect him? He is one of the greatest people ever, we needed to honor him,B次元官网网址� she said.
Caio Zalke, 35, an engineer, wore a Brazil shirt as he waited in line. B次元官网网址淧el茅 is the most important Brazilian of all time. He made the sport important for Brazil and he made Brazil important for the world,B次元官网网址� he said.
A notable absentee was Jair Bolsonaro, whose term as president ended Dec. 31. A day before, he departed capital Brasilia on a flight to Florida, shirking the ceremonial duty of passing the presidential sash to Lula. Bolsonaro is staying in a condominium complex outside Orlando and has been filmed speaking to neighbors.
In the 1960s and 70s, Pel茅 was perhaps the worldB次元官网网址檚 most famous athlete. He met presidents and queens, and in Nigeria a civil war was put on hold to watch him play. Many Brazilians credit him with putting the country on the world stage for the first time.
Rows of shirts with Pel茅B次元官网网址檚 number 10 were placed behind one of the goals, waving in the cityB次元官网网址檚 summer winds. A section of the stands was filling up with bouquets of flowers placed by mourners and sent by clubs and star players B次元官网网址� Neymar and Ronaldo among them B次元官网网址� from around the world as loudspeakers played a song named B次元官网网址淓u sou Pel茅B次元官网网址� (B次元官网网址淚 am Pel茅B次元官网网址�) that was recorded by the Brazilian himself.
The crowd was mostly local, although some came from far away. Many mourners were too young ever to have seen Pel茅 play. The mood was light, as people filtered out of the stadium to local bars, wearing Santos FC and Brazil shirts.
Claudio Carran莽a, 32, a salesman, said: B次元官网网址淚 never saw him play, but loving Pel茅 is a tradition that goes from father to son in Santos. I learned his history, saw his goals, and I see how Santos FC is important because he is important. I know some Santos fans have children supporting other teams. But thatB次元官网网址檚 just because they never saw Pel茅 in action. If they had, they would feel this gratitude I feel now.B次元官网网址�
Among those at the stadium was Pel茅B次元官网网址檚 best friend Manoel Maria, also a former Santos player.
B次元官网网址淚f I had all the wealth in the world I would never be able to repay what this man did for me and my family,B次元官网网址� Maria said. B次元官网网址淗e was as great a man as he was as a player; the best of all time. His legacy will outlive us all. And that can be seen in this long line with people of all ages here.B次元官网网址�
FIFA President Gianni Infantino told journalists that every country should name a stadium after Pel茅.
B次元官网网址淚 am here with a lot of emotion, sadness, but also with a smile because he gave us so many smiles,B次元官网网址� Infantino said. B次元官网网址淎s FIFA, we will pay a tribute to the B次元官网网址楰ingB次元官网网址� and we ask the whole world to observe a minute of silence.B次元官网网址�
Another fan and friend in line was Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes.
B次元官网网址淚t is a very sad moment, but we are now seeing the real meaning of this legendary player to our country,B次元官网网址� Mendes told journalists. B次元官网网址淢y office has shirts signed by Pel茅, a picture of him as a goalkeeper, also signed by him. DVDs, photos, a big collection of him.B次元官网网址�
Pel茅 had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021. The medical center where he had been hospitalized said he died of multiple organ failure as a result of the cancer.
Pel茅 led Brazil to World Cup titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and remains one of the teamB次元官网网址檚 all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Neymar tied Pel茅B次元官网网址檚 record during this yearB次元官网网址檚 World Cup in Qatar.
B次元官网网址擬auricio Savarese, The Associated Press
