Soccer Legend Pelé Passes Away, Brazil Declares National Mourning

Image by user2415731 on Freepik

Brazil has declared a three-day national mourning period following the death of Pelé, the iconic soccer player widely regarded as the greatest of all time. Pelé, who was 82 years old, had been battling colon cancer and was hospitalized in November in Sao Paulo. He was surrounded by family members at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo when he passed away.

Pelé was the only player in history to win three World Cup titles (1958, 1962, 1970). In response to his death, one of his daughters, Kely Nascimento, wrote on Instagram, "We love you infinitely, rest in peace." The Brazilian government has declared an official three-day mourning period "as a mark of respect after the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé."

A public vigil will take place on Monday for 24 hours at the Santos FC stadium, where Pelé played from 1956 to 1974. The funeral will be held privately on Tuesday, with a procession following the coffin through the streets of Santos, a port city about 80 kilometers from Sao Paulo that has declared a seven-day mourning period.

Tributes to Pelé have poured in from the soccer world and beyond, with many noting his contributions to the sport and his status as a cultural icon. Many have taken to social media to express their sadness and share memories of Pelé, who is remembered for his skill and sportsmanship on the field and his larger-than-life personality off of it. The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the Maracana stadium were both illuminated in honor of Pelé, and fans gathered outside the hospital in Sao Paulo where he died, holding a banner that read, "Eternal King Pelé".