Sports
Brazil says final farewell to ‘King’ Pele
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva led the tributes Tuesday as Brazil said its final farewell to football legend Pele, widely regarded as the greatest player of all time.
After holding three days of national mourning, Brazil has been paying its last respects to the player known as “The King,” who died Thursday at age 82 after a battle with cancer.
Lula, who took office Sunday in a ceremony that started with a minute’s silence for Pele, will travel to the southeastern city of Santos to “pay his respects and tribute” as the 24-hour wake for the late icon draws to a close at 9:00 am (1200 GMT), his office said.
Thousands of fans and football dignitaries, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino, have already filed past Pele’s black coffin at the stadium where he first dazzled the world, the Vila Belmiro, home to his longtime club, Santos FC.
“Pele is eternal. He’s a global icon of football,” Infantino told journalists on Monday, saying football’s governing body would ask all member countries to name a stadium in the player’s honor.
Antonio Carlos Pereira da Silva, a 36-year-old artist, said he had arrived at midnight to be among the first inside when the wake began Monday morning.
“If I said I didn’t cry when he died, I’d be lying,” he told AFP.
“Pele taught us so much. Not just Brazil, but the whole world.”
A man wears a jersey of Brazilian football legend Pele as people queue to get in the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in his honour is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
Neymar, Real Madrid
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele exploded onto the scene at age 15, when he made his professional debut with Santos.
He went on to win the World Cup three times with Brazil, in 1958, 1962 and 1970 — the only player in history to achieve the feat.
Tributes have poured in from around the world since his death, with a Who’s Who of current and former football greats hailing his genius for the “beautiful game.”
The wife of late Brazilian football legend Pele, Marcia Aoki (R), places a rosary on his coffin during his wake at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil on January 2, 2023. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
A stream of athletes, politicians, dignitaries and fans have traveled to Santos for the ceremony, though turnout may be dented somewhat by the New Year’s holiday weekend.
Pele’s coffin was carried into the stadium Monday morning by pallbearers dressed in black, led by his son Edinho.
A vendor sells posters of Brazilian football legend Pele outside the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in his honour is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
The late icon’s widow, Marcia Cibele Aoki, his third wife, whom he married in 2016, cried before his open casket as she reached out to touch his head. She also placed a rosary in his coffin.
The casket was draped in the flags of Santos and Brazil and was surrounded by white flowers, including bouquets from the likes of Real Madrid or current Brazil star Neymar, whose father was in attendance.
Mourners queue to get in the Urbano Caldeira stadium, also known as Vila Belmiro, where a wake in honour of Brazilian football legend Pele is being held, in Santos, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by CARL DE SOUZA / AFP)
Last parade
Other tributes have come in from around Brazil.
At the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Confederation in Rio, a giant poster with Pele’s image bears the word “eternal.”
Pele had been in fragile health, suffering from kidney problems and then colon cancer.
But he remained active on social media, cheering on Brazil from his hospital bed in Sao Paulo during the World Cup in Qatar and consoling the pre-tournament favorites when they were eliminated in the quarter-finals, three weeks before his death.
EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A flag of Brazil and a flag of Santos are seen on top of the coffin of Brazilian football legend Pele during his wake at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on January 2, 2023. (Photo by NELSON ALMEIDA / AFP)
The funeral procession through Santos will go past the house of Pele’s mother, 100-year-old Celeste Arantes, who is still alive.
It will end at Santos’s Memorial Cemetery, where a Catholic funeral service will be held before Pele is interred in a special mausoleum.
Real Madrid produced a spectacular comeback against Bayern Munich to reach the Champions League final with Joselu striking twice late on, earning them a 2-1 win on Wednesday to progress 4-3 on aggregate.
Alphonso Davies smashed the visiting German giants ahead in the second half but record 14-time winners Madrid produced a sensational comeback with Joselu netting in the 88th and 91st minutes.
Bayern Munich’s Canadian midfielder #19 Alphonso Davies scores his team’s first goal in spite of Real Madrid’s Ukrainian goalkeeper #13 Andriy Lunin during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP)
Spanish champions Real Madrid face another German side, Borussia Dortmund, in the Wembley final on June 1, after they stunned the team they call their “black beast”.
Squad player Joselu, on as a late substitute, wrote his name in Madrid’s history books with his last-gasp brace.
Bayern Munich’s English forward #09 Harry Kane reacts to their defeat after the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
“There have been a lot of times we have looked dead and buried, but we have that mentality of never say die,” said Real midfielder Jude Bellingham.
“Joselu deserves it all, he has been an amazing squad member this season.”
Madrid had enjoyed the better of the match but it seemed Davies’ superb strike had set up a repeat of the 2013 all-German final in London.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel made three changes from the first leg, benching veteran Thomas Mueller and Leon Goretzka.
Dani Carvajal started for Madrid after missing the first leg suspended and was heavily involved as the hosts dominated the opening stages.
Real Madrid players celebrate their second goal scored by Real Madrid’s Spanish forward #14 Joselu during the UEFA Champions League semi final second leg football match between Real Madrid CF and FC Bayern Munich at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on May 8, 2024. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)
Rodrygo Goes was inches away from converting Carvajal’s low cross and the Spain defender then cleverly set up Vinicius Junior with a pass nutmegging a defender, and Manuel Neuer tipped the Brazilian’s shot against the post.
The rebound fell to Rodrygo but his effort was weak and with a desperate arm Neuer was able to claw it out to complete a fine double save.
Bayern’s Serge Gnabry limped off injured with Davies replacing him before Harry Kane’s first flash of danger.
Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was alert to push the England captain’s vicious long-range volley around the post.
Neuer palmed away a Vinicius free-kick as the teams ended a high-intensity, relentlessly frantic first half level.
The second period was just as fraught, with Davies’ cross deflecting onto the roof of Lunin’s goal.
Vinicius was unplayable down Madrid’s left and Rodrygo prodded his low cross agonisingly wide of the far post.
The 38-year-old Neuer made superb saves to deny both Brazilian forwards again before the hour mark as Madrid controlled the game and ratcheted up the pressure.
However just as in Munich, when Los Blancos were at their strongest, Bayern pounced.
Kane fed Davies and the Canada international cut inside from the left and smashed a shot beyond Lunin into the far top corner after 68 minutes.
Madrid thought they had levelled moments later through Nacho but after a VAR review the strike was ruled out as the defender had grabbed Joshua Kimmich’s face before shooting.
Tuchel took off Kane in the final stages to try and hold on to victory but it slipped through his fingers as Madrid produced more indelible European memories.
Neuer, who had been sublime to this point, fumbled what appeared a simple Vinicius strike and Joselu gratefully bundled home from close range.
With Bayern reeling Madrid struck again, decisively. It was Joselu once more, the striker on loan from second division side Espanyol, turning home after Antonio Rudiger cut the ball back to him.
The goal was ruled offside but officials overturned the decision after review, and after nearly 15 minutes of stoppage time, Madrid earned the chance to go for their 15th Champions League trophy.
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