Brazil will observe three days of national mourning beginning on Friday. The passing of “The King,” who went beyond football, sparked a global outpouring of tributes from the sports world as well as from influential political and cultural figures. After a protracted fight with cancer, Pele passed away on Thursday at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo. “We love you indefinitely. Rest in peace, “Kely Nascimento posted on Instagram. Neymar, a star for Brazil, claimed that Pele “transformed football into an art.” Both Kylian Mbappe of France and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal referred to him as an “inspiration to millions” and remarked that his legacy “will never be forgotten.” Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina that won the World Cup, merely wrote: “Rest in peace.” While president-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is set to take office on Sunday, stated that “there had never been a number 10 like him”. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who announced three days of national mourning reportedly said that Pele “turned football into art and joy.” In honour of Pele, Rio de Janeiro’s iconic Maracana stadium and the Christ the Redeemer statue that guards the city were both lit up. Pele continued to be the “immortal king of football”.
