Pele’s funeral in pictures: Brazilians pay tribute to legendary footballer
Brazilians have turned out in huge numbers to pay tribute to Pele ahead of the legendary footballer’s funeral today.
Crowds lined the streets of Santos, in Sao Paulo state, to see the three-time World Cup winner’s coffin carried through the city.
Earlier, his body lay in state at the Vila Belmiro Stadium for 24 hours to allow well-wishers to pay their last respects.
He is due to be interred later on Tuesday in a family-only ceremony at a vertical cemetery in Santos.
Pele died in hospital on Thursday, aged 82, after a long illness with colon cancer began affecting his other vital organs.
The iconic former Brazil No10 is widely regarded as one of the best and most-loved footballers of all time.
He is the only man to have won the World Cup on three occasions, having been part of Brazil’s successful campaigns in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
He spent almost his entire career at Santos, playing more than 600 games and helping the club to win six Brazilian league titles.
Pele finished his career in the US playing for the New York Cosmos.
