Different sports and political figures have arrived at his wake in the city of Santos, who have taken the opportunity to pay tribute to the footballer.
Five days after the death of soccer legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, his departure continues to generate reactions in the world of sports and politics. During his wake, at the Vila Belmiro stadium of the Santos club in Brazil, various personalities have taken the opportunity to continue paying tribute to the so-called ‘king’ of football.
Early in the morning, Gianni Infantino, president of the International Association Football Federation (FIFA), arrived at the funeral. dedicated some emotional words to Pele.
“Pele, I think he has had the quality and the luck to do something that very few people in the world can do, touch people’s hearts. There are no words. It has given us all a great emotion and we have to remember him for that,” declared the FIFA headline.
Infantino also revealed that a request will be made for the 111 member countries of the Association to name a stadium in honor of Pele, with the purpose of future generations knowing who the former Brazilian star was.
For his part, Alejandro Dominguez, president of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), also reported that in the upcoming matches of the Copa Sudamericana and the Libertadores a minute of silence will be observed in honor of Pele.
“Anything that Conmebol does to pay tribute will be little for what the king gave to South American and world football,” said the manager.
Other personalities who went to Vila Belmiro in the morning was the judge of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, Gilmar Mendes, who mourned the death of the soccer player and stressed that in his office he keeps various shirts autographed by him, as well as video discs, photos and other collectibles.
Numerous figures have also sent floral arrangements dedicated to the soccer player, such as Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar Jr., as well as the famous Brazilian television hosts and sportscasters, Silvio Santos and Galvão Bueno, according to local press reports.
They have also been joined by former soccer player and current senator for Rio de Janeiro, Romario de Souza Faria; the president of South Korea, Yoon Suk-Yeol; the Brazilian Football Confederation, the Brazilian Olympic Committee, the São Paulo club and Real Madrid.
In the afternoon, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to attend the funeral, after meeting with various foreign politicians.
The body of the three-time world champion will be veiled all Monday and until Tuesday morning, to later be buried in the Necropole Ecumenica memorial, a cemetery in the city of Santos. Only the player’s relatives will attend this event.
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Source: RT
