Brazil mourns the loss of soccer legend Pele
STORY: Brazil is mourning the death of one of its brightest stars, soccer legend Pele, who died at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer for just over a year.
Pele's death has unified Brazil, a country starkly divided by a bruising presidential election.
Outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro on Friday declared three days of mourning for Pele.
“... In my first term (as a congressman), when I started in 1991, I had the pleasure of talking to him for a few minutes. A simple person, everyone knows that, but who took the name of Brazil to the four corners of the world. Today, the whole world mourns the death of Pele and we mourn him here too.”
Outside Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein hospital, where Pele had been undergoing treatment, fans gathered to mourn the loss of one of the greatest players ever of the "beautiful game," displaying Pele memorabilia on a clothesline by the entrance.
PELE FAN, ANTONIO DA PAZ: ''I even saw Pele play for (New York) Cosmos. I remember his goal number 1,000 while living in Bahia. I heard Pele's goal (goal number 1,000) and on the radio. Pele is treasured. Pele is a heritage that Brazil has, all players in Brazil will always miss him and they will never forget King Pele. Pele is a legacy of our country, Brazilians and the world.''
Media around the world, from Africa to Italy paid tribute to the sports trailblazer on the front pages of their newspapers.
Flags flew at half mast at FIFA headquarters in Switzerland, and London's Wembley Stadium arch was lit as a tribute to the soccer legend.
Pele's wake will take place on Monday, after the inauguration of President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in the center of the field at the stadium of Santos, his hometown club.
On Tuesday, a procession carrying his coffin will pass through the streets of Santos, ending at the Ecumenical Memorial Necropolis cemetery, where he will be buried in a private ceremony.
