Football's first world superstar Pele was laid to rest on Tuesday after thousands turned out to pay their final respects.
Brazil's three-times World Cup winner, who died on 29 December at the age of 82, was interred on the ninth floor of the vertical Memorial Necropole Ecumenica - reportedly at his own request so he could look over the nearby Urbano Caldeira stadium, the home of former club Santos - amid an outpouring of affection.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who was known throughout his career as Pele, had lain in state for 24 hours in an open coffin draped with both Brazil and Santos flags on the pitch at the stadium in the city's Vila Belmiro neighbourhood to allow fans and dignitaries to file past.
The country's newly-installed president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was among them on a day when a country deeply divided by politics united to celebrate the life of perhaps its most famous son.
"Pele is incomparable, as a soccer player and as a human being," said President Lula who arrived by helicopter at the stadium on Tuesday morning. He stood for about 30 minutes next to Pele's casket, draped with a Brazilian flag, in the center of the soccer field.
The procession through the city for the private burial halted outside the home of his 100-year-old mother, where crowds lining the streets applauded. Pele's sister watched in tears from a balcony.
People had formed long queues outside the stadium in Santos, the city where Pele lived for most of his life, and waited for up to three hours to pay their respects even overnight, according to Santos Football Club.
"Long live the king," a giant banner read inside the stadium. Dubbed the 'king of soccer,' Pele played for Santos from 1956 to 1974, scoring more than 1,000 goals.
Lula comforted Pele's family members and listened to a Catholic ceremony alongside First Lady Rosangela da Silva.
"The most fantastic thing is that Pele never held his nose in the air, he treated everyone the same," Lula told Santos TV.
Celebrities and authorities also paid their respects. FIFA President Gianni Infantino was one of the first to attend the memorial on Monday and said he would ask football associations around the world to name a stadium after Pele, the only man to win the World Cup three times as a player.
Some soccer stars attended the wake, including former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto, who helped place Pele's coffin in the centre of the field on Monday.
But only two of the 67 living Brazilian world champions attended the service - 1994 World Cup winner Mauro Silva, who works for the Sao Paulo state FA, and 1970 champion Clodoaldo, who works for Santos, prompting criticism from some commentators.
Infantino released a statement on the day of Pele's death which began: "For everyone who loves the beautiful game, this is the day we never wanted to come. The day we lost Pele."
The head of football's global governing body has been criticised for apparently taking a selfie with other mourners while standing beside Pele's coffin.
Infantino issued a response to the criticism on Instagram, stating that he "would never do anything that would be disrespectful in any way whatsoever" and that former team-mates of Pele had requested that he take the selfie with them.
"I am dismayed after having been informed that I am apparently being criticized by some people for having taken a selfie and pictures at the ceremony yesterday," he said.
"I would like to clarify that I was both honoured and humbled that team-mates and family members of the great Pele asked me if I could take a few photos with them. And obviously I immediately agreed.
"In the case of the selfie, Pele's team-mates asked to do a selfie of all of us together but they didn’t know how to do it. So, to be helpful, I took the phone of one of them and took the photo of all of us for him."
Infantino added: "I hope that those who published or said things without knowing and without seeking information could have the decency and courage to admit they were wrong and correct what they said."
Additional reporting: PA
