“A three-day official nationwide mourning period is declared in connection with the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé, a former soccer player,” TASS quoted the text of the decree as saying.
The country’s government highlighted the importance of the Pelé phenomenon for all world sports. It is worth noting that the only three-time world champion demonstrated in practice that he was not only a great athlete, but also a great citizen and patriot who brought glory to Brazil where he passed.
Let’s remember that Pelé died the day before at the age of 82. In recent years, he suffered from cancer. A memorial service for the soccer player will be held on January 2 at the stadium of his native soccer club Santos in Sao Paulo state. According to press reports, Pelé’s body will be buried in Vila Belmiro, the historic home of Santos, where the “King of Soccer” lived for most of his career and played there for the local club. In Santos itself, seven days of mourning have been declared.
