Farewell to 'The King': Pele arrives at his final resting place in the world's ... trends now
The coffin of Brazilian football legend Pele has arrived at its final resting place after a massive procession through the city of Santos which saw more than 200,000 people line the streets to pay their respects to the fallen legend.
Pele's casket, draped in the Brazilian flag and that of his longtime club, Santos FC, arrived atop a red firetruck at the Santos Memorial Cemetery, near the stadium where 'The King' began his rise to become what many consider the greatest footballer of all time.
It was then gingerly lowered onto the shoulders of National Guard soldiers who carried him into the vertical cemetery which stands a whopping 14 stories high.
Pele's remains will be interred in a mausoleum at the cemetery following a private ceremony this evening.
It comes after the great one's coffin was cheered through the city streets, having been carried out of his beloved stadium as thousands of mourners came to pay tribute to their footballing icon.
Pele's coffin was gingerly lowered onto the shoulders of National Guard soldiers who carried him into the vertical cemetery which stands a whopping 14 stories high
Members of the National Guard carry the casket of Brazilian soccer legend Pele to the cemetery
Pele's coffin has been cheered along the streets of Santos after being carried out of his beloved stadium as thousands of mourners including new president Lula came to pay their respects to the Brazilian footballing icon
A flood of fans, politicians and football dignitaries have flocked to pay their respects to the player known as 'The King' in the southeastern city of Santos
Fans of the late Brazilian football star Pele gather on the street as a firetruck transports Pele's coffin to the Santos' Memorial Cemetery
Pele's sister Maria Lucia Nascimento makes a heart sign to the huge crowds gathered below her mother's house as the procession goes past
Pele's sister Maria Lucia Nascimento, family members, and friends bid farewell to the Brazilian football legend
Huge crowds of fans almost brought the procession to a standstill as it moved from the Vila Belmiro stadium to the burial site
Tens of thousands of fans, political leaders and football dignitaries including FIFA president Gianni Infantino have filed through the stadium since the wake began Monday morning
Members of the National Guard are pictured as the casket is covered in flowers during the procession through the streets of Santos
Fans are pictured with banners as the casket of Brazilian soccer legend Pele is transported
Pele, the only player in history to win three World Cups, scored a world record 1,281 goals during his more than two-decade career with Santos
Draped in the flags of Santos and Brazil, the coffin was then hoisted to the top of a bright red fire truck for a massive funeral procession through the streets of Santos
The funeral cortege will end at the port city's Memorial Cemetery, where a Catholic funeral service will be held
Throngs of fans, bikers and drivers honked their horns and tried to touch the fire engine carrying the coffin, almost bringing the procession to a standstill as it moved from the Vila Belmiro stadium to the burial site, passing the beach and the house of Pele's 100-year-old mother.
His grieving sister Maria Lucia appeared on the balcony and waved to the throngs below but his mother Celeste Arantes did not make an appearance.
Earlier, Brazilian president Lula and his first lady, Rosangela 'Janja' da Silva, were visibly moved at the open casket service and paused before the coffin, and embraced Pele's grieving widow, while a minute's silence for the triple World Cup winner was also held.
Before today's procession and service, an estimated 230,000 people stood in hours-long queues to visit his open casket following the death of one of the world's greatest ever footballers aged 82 on December 29 after a long battle with cancer.
Pele's coffin has been cheered along the streets of Santos after being carried out of his beloved Santos stadium
Throngs of fans, bikers and drivers honked their horns and tried to touch the fire engine carrying the black coffin
The casket was draped in the flags of Santos and Brazil as it was carried through the thronging crowd in Santos today
A mourner reacts as Brazilian soccer legend Pele is transported by the fire department
The black coffin was draped in the flags of Brazil and Santos as it was carried on the back of a fire truck through the streets
The woman wearing a Santos shirt could not control her emotions as Brazil continues to mourn one of its most famous sons
Fans threw white petals during the emotional procession through the streets of his boyhood club Santos
In this aerial picture fans of the late Brazilian football star Pele gather on the street as a firetruck transports Pele's coffin to the Santos' Memorial Cemetery
Fans pack the streets and hold up Pele football shirts to pay tribute to their iconic star
More than 150,000 people including President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva paid their respects to the Brazilian soccer great Pele in the coastal city of Santos
Pele's coffin has been carried out of his beloved Santos stadium after thousands of mourners including new president Lula came to pay their respects
Pele's coffin was carried out of the stadium this morning by pallbearers dressed in black
Many were decked out in Santos colours to honour the club's hero as the streets were filled with crowds of mourners
A vicar wearing a dog collar and a shirt featuring multiple pictures of Pele throughout his footballing career salutes the procession
Pele's mother 'Dona Celeste,' as she is known in Brazil, celebrated her 100th birthday on November 20 - the day the 2022 World Cup kicked off in Qatar.
She was 17 when she gave birth to her first child on October 23, 1940, a baby who would grow up to be the man widely considered the greatest footballer of all time.
Family members say she has cognitive difficulties and is unaware her world-famous son has died.
'She's doing well, but she's in her own little world,' her daughter, Maria Lucia, who lives with her in the southeastern city of Santos, told ESPN on Friday.
Mourners began paying their respects to Pele in a solemn procession past his coffin at the Vila Belmiro Stadium in his home town of Santos on Monday.
Pele's coffin was placed on the Santos field where he scored scored some of the best goals of his career. Thousands of mourners draped in Pele shirts and flags walked past his casket in the 16,000-seat stadium outside Sao Paulo.
Vila Belmiro was decorated with Brazilian flags and No 10 shirts
