The stadium, which has seen Brazilian legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento(Pele) dominate opponents and score goals in many occasions, will now serve as a place for the public to pay tribute and say goodbye to the great player who ever lived.
Farewell to Pele
Vila Belmiro Stadium, home of FC Santos, the team where the great player spent most of his career, will host the funeral on Monday and Tuesday, just outside of Sao Paulo. Pele lost his long battle with cancer this Thursday at 82. The story of Santos FC cannot be told without talking about the legendary Brazilian, which is why they have announced that the casket containing the body of their late superstar will be placed in midfield on Monday 2nd January starting at 10am.
This funeral service will last 24 hours, until 10 am the next day, and the coffin will be carried through the streets of Santos, eventually passing in front of the house of Pele’s mother Celeste. Despite media reports that Pele’s mother is in bed and not very conscious these days and she is 100 years old. The body of the legendary Brazilian will be buried in the Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica, a vertical cement plant in Santos, but only the family will be allowed inside.