Pele Death: Brazil President declares three days of national mourning

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Brasilia, Dec 30: As Brazil prepares to bid farewell to one of its most iconic personalities, Pele, the state has declared three days of national mourning to honour the legendary football player.

Brazil's outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro has signed a decree in which the country will observe national mourning as a mark of honour for Pele.

National mourning in Brazil

According to Brazilian news portal G1, a decree signed by outgoing Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reads, "Official mourning declared throughout the country, for a period of three days, counted from the date of publication of this Decree, as a sign of regret for the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, a former football player."

The legendary footballer's funeral and burial will happen in his hometown of Santos in Sao Paulo. As per reports, the stadium where the Brazilian legend played some of the best matches of his career will also hold his funeral on Monday (January 2) and Tuesday (January 3).

Fans will get to pay final respects to Pele

Pele's club Santos said in a statement that fans will be able to pay their final respects at Vila Belmiro Stadium in Sao Paulo.

Santos said the coffin carrying the three-time World Cup winner will leave Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo early Monday (January 2) morning and will be placed in the centre circle of the field.

Visitation will start Monday at 10 AM Local Time and finish 24 hours later. Pele's casket will be carried through the streets of Santos and will pass in front of the home of his 100-year-old mother, Celeste.

Later, only the family will attend the burial that will take place at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica, a vertical cemetery in Santos. Pele has a home in Santos, where he lived most of his life. He spent his last years in the city of Guaruja.

Pele, who won a record three World Cups and became one of the most commanding sports figures of the last century, was a standard-bearer of "the beautiful game" and had undergone treatment for colon cancer since 2021.