Fans gather outside hospital where the ‘king of football’ died in Brazil

Fans have gathered outside the hospital in São Paulo where Pelé died on Thursday. Paying their respects to the legendary player, some brought banners that read “eternal king”.

Some of those gathered cried and some others showed their own football skills dressed in the yellow and green uniform that Pelé made so famous.

“To me, Brazil loses its history, a legend. It’s very sad. We lost the [last] World Cup and now our king of football. But, life moves on, there’s nothing we can do, it’s in God’s hand,” Marcio Pereira da SIlva said with tears in his eyes.

Another fans, Marcolino Olimpio de Oliveira said the legend has been immortalised, “football will have to go on, it cannot stop. Pelé’s memory continues. Pelé didn’t die, Edson died, Pelé is still alive, for us here, for everyone, he is still alive, he is eternal, he is immortal.”

With his big smile and warming attitude Pelé was adored not only by his fans at home, but around the entire globe. Feared on the pitch, outside it Pele’s genius managed to transcend football.

Treated like royalty wherever he went, the ‘king’ was arguably the best-loved footballer of his or any other generation, the eternal master of the beautiful game. 

Watch the video in the player above.