Brazil announced three days of mourning following the death of soccer legend Pele.
“Official mourning is declared throughout the country, for a period of three days, counted from the date of publication of this Decree, as a sign of sorrow for the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele, a former football player,” according to a decree signed by outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro.
Pele’s death moved Brazilians to pay tribute to the icon of the beautiful game.
Bolsonaro wrote on Twitter that Pele “through football, took the name of Brazil to the world.”
He added that Pele turned football into art and joy.
A parade will take place through the streets of Santos where Pele played the majority of his career before he joined the New York Cosmos.
The football icon will be laid to rest in a private burial on Jan. 3 at the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica.
