Pel was absent on the first day of Brazil's existence.
The greatest footballer of all time, who won three World Cup, died on Thursday at the age of 81.
The landmarks in the South American nation were lit up with Pelé's face on them. The fans were dressed in his shirt.
Three days of national mourning have been declared by the Brazilian government.
On Friday, the front pages in Brazil were all about Pelé. For Brazilians, Pelé is their eternal king.
When Queen Elizabeth II passed away, national mourning was declared. Pel was the closest Brazil had to royalty.
The supporters gathered outside the Albert Einstein hospital in So Paolo when they heard of his death.
Pel had been treated for colon cancer. Brazilians had been thinking about his life and legacy for weeks.
He is an icon who will be sorely missed by many.
His death was confirmed by the hospital in a statement.
The hospital said it shared the suffering felt by the family and everyone over the loss of their beloved King of football.
A man standing outside of the Fiesp building in So Paolo spoke of his feelings for Pel.
Guimares told the news agency that it was "incredibly difficult to say what we are going through here."
Football was only a sport before the death of Pel, according to Brazil's Neymar.
Pelé made a big difference. Football was turned into art by him. He gave a voice to those in need.
His legacy will never be forgotten according to his Paris St-Germain team-mates.
Pel had a 21-year career in which he scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 appearances and 77 goals for his country.
Pel, the only player to win the World Cup three times, was named the player of the century in 2000.
He was also a cultural icon.
Pel rose to the status of national treasure in a country with a deep history of slavery and legacy of segregation that still exists.
He faced a lot of monkey chants and was referred to as a racist. Pel once said that if he had stopped every game after a monkey taunting, he would have had to stop them all.
Pelé was important in carving out space for black people in Brazilian football, but he was not involved in the fight against racism, according to his biographer.
So Paulo state authorities say their period of mourning will last for a week. Brazilians will not stop grieving for a long time.
Pel's wake will take place on Monday at his home stadium.
His body will be taken through the streets of the coastal city ofSantos before being buried.
This weekend was expected to be momentous in Brazil as Luiz Incio Lula da Silva returns to the presidency, 20 years after his first term in office.
A man who represented this entire footballing nation will be remembered by Brazilians.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
