Many waved flags and boisterously chanted songs proudly recognising Pele’s incredible 1,091 goals for Santos. Others wept softly, lost for words as they passed the open coffin.
A couple of fans took off their shoes to pay tribute to Pele’s poverty-stricken start in football when he had to play in bare feet as the family was unable to afford boots.
Parents brought young children –some dressed in their Sunday best. Here in Santos, Brazil, I watched hundreds of thousands come to pay their respects to “The King”.
A river of people, at times more than a mile long, snaked through the streets of the coastal port city before reaching the pitch. Here, and across Brazil, it was a day of extraordinary raw emotion and yet joyful celebration at the same time.
As lorry driver and Santos fan Rodrigo Belem, 63, said: “It’s a funeral but also it’s a carnival. We are here to celebrate the life of the greatest player ever to grace a football field.”
Pele’s face was clearly visible in the coffin placed in the centre circle of the Vila Belmiro stadium under a large white tented structure. He looked at peace as his devoted family and former team-mates stroked his face.
Police told the Mirror his mum, 100-year-old Dona Celeste, who is suffering from ill health, felt strong enough to attend. Helped by relatives she walked on to the Santos pitch to pay her respects.
She still lives in the local neighbourhood and on Tuesday her son’s funeral cortege will pass her home before heading to the vertical cemetery overlooking the stadium where he will be laid to rest. Only family and close friends are expected to attend.
Pele’s body will be interred next to that of his dear father Dondinho on the ninth floor.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino flew in to lead the tributes from the world of football. At one stage he could be seen comforting Pele’s wife Marcia and his son Edinho. Earlier speaking outside the main entrance he said: “We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele.”
At 10.04am, four minutes late, as noisy helicopters hovered overhead, the stadium’s gates were opened. Some of the supporters had queued overnight to lay claim to being the very first to file past the coffin.
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The Mirror spoke to the first five supporters in line who arrived outside the Santos football stadium 14 hours before the gates opened.
Rubbish collector Saulo Duarte was at the front of the queue. Saulo, 36, had made the two-hour journey from Sao Paulo by bus to pay his respects to the football icon.
He said: “Pele was Brazil’s greatest player and I wanted to be here to pay tribute to him. I never saw him play but my grandfather did and it’s the right thing to do.”
The group in line just behind him were Lourivaldo Honorato, Emilio Carmo, Antonio Da Penha and Francielson De Assis.
Carmo, 67, was the only one who had actually seen Pele on a football pitch. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” he said.
“It was Santos v Palmeiras and the match ended 1-1 and I was so pleased I was able to see Pele play a proper competitive match.”
He added: “I didn’t know any of these guys until we met this morning.
“It’s going to be a special and emotional 24 hours. We will be friends always.” They each had barely five seconds to walk slowly past Pele’s body. Now they have a bond forever.
The Brazilian summer sun was so hot that many supporters sheltered under umbrellas and parasols in the queue.
Fans streamed in wearing the yellow and green of Brazil or the black and white of Santos. But dozens of clubs were represented. I saw several Argentina shirts as age-old national rivalries were put aside.
There were so many huge floral wreaths Santos had to specially open up one of the stands to place them. Makeshift stalls were set up selling Pele shirts, beer, water and even umbrellas.
Outside the popular Confraria do Alemao bar fans drank gallons of ice-cold Brahma beer and reminisced about their favourite memories of Pele.
The owner Alberto Francisco, who has a tattoo of the Santos badge on his forehead, knew Pele as he has worked at the bar for 50 years. He said: “This is a day we will remember forever.”
The authorities had been making preparations for yesterday for many years.
The club president said he would never be forgotten.
“Pele did not die, Pele is eternal and he will live in our hearts forever,” Andres Rueda said.
