24-hour funeral processions begin in Brazil for football legend Pele
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The coffin carrying the remains of "O Rei" (The King) is displayed in the center of the field of the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele's club Santos, where hundreds of fans began lining up.
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Funeral processions begin for football legend Pele (Sky News)
Brazil is preparing to pay its final goodbyes and respects as the funeral for football legend Pele begins, and a 24-hour wake is planned at the stadium where the world first learnedhis name.
The coffin carrying the remains of "O Rei" (The King) is displayed in the center of the field of the Vila Belmiro, home to Pele's club Santos, where hundreds if not thousands of fans began lining up Monday. A funeral procession and private burial are scheduled for Tuesday, which Brazilian star Neymar Jr. is expected to attend.
The football world -- from current stars to his former teammates -- honored the man who scored a world record 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches during a career spanning more than two decades.
Three-time Brazilian world football champion Pele died at the age of 82 on December 29, according to his daughter Kely Nascimento. In September 2021, Pele was diagnosed with a colon tumor and was hospitalized a year later twice for the treatment of three malignant tumors and a urinary tract infection.
Last month, Pele underwent non-elective hospitalization with general swelling of the body, including heart failure. It was later reported that his body stopped responding to chemotherapy and that the football legend was provided with palliative care.
Per the legend's sister, his mother is unaware that her son has passed away. Pele's lone surviving brother was yet to inform Celeste, who recently turned 100 and is being cared for by her daughter Maria Lucia do Nascimento, that her famous footballer son has succumbed to colon cancer.
