Fans gathered near the hospital in São Paulo after the death of the famous footballer, many of whom wore shirts with the number 10, which was Pele’s number, writes the BBC.
It was a moment that was inevitably approaching, but which everyone was dreading. Pele had already been in hospital for a long time and suffered from colon cancer. After his passing, the hospital said that the hospital staff was in mourning with Pele’s family and all who mourned the loss of the king of football.
Pele was a bright star in the world of football, but he meant much more to the Brazilians. The newly elected president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, said that he had the honor of watching Pele on the field and that it was not just playing football, but a show. In a post on Twitter, da Silva wrote:
«Few Brazilians took the name of our country as far as he did.»
Older generations of Brazilians remembered Pele as a player, while younger Brazilians were told about the footballer’s phenomenal skills and talent. Pele’s status was so important to the country’s self-pride that in 1961, Brazilian President Janio Quadros declared him a national treasure, which meant that the footballer could not be «sold» to foreign clubs.
The story of the king of football is also a story of incredible success in a country where racism and social class differences were and still are dominant – Pele was a black man who came from a poor background. The footballer himself was often criticized for not speaking much about the problems of racism, but he always emphasized that football can unite all Brazilians, regardless of origin.
Pele did not get involved in politics, and for that, he used to come into the crossfire of criticism, too. Many felt this was a sign of weakness, given the enormous influence of the footballer. At the same time, in a country regularly divided by politics, the silence allowed Pele to rise above political controversy and become a beloved figure among Brazilians.