Pele funeral procession through the streets of Santos
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The streets along Santos beachfront are packed as Pele's funeral procession continues.
The procession will also go past the house of Pele's mother, 100-year-old Celeste Arantes. It will end at Santos's Memorial Cemetery for a private burial service.
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I fell in love with football listening to my dad and his memories of the legend called Pele. Although I was never able to watch his matches with my own eyes, I became enthralled by so many of his amazing stories and achievements. Pele helped and still helps me connect with my dad. And for obvious reasons made our entire family support Santos FC and forever love the eternal king of futebol. Thank you for everything you did for Brazil, Pele.
Daniele Silva
Keep your Pele thoughts, memories and condolences coming, we'll share as many as we can.
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I wish I was at Santos today. It's my hometown and I wouldn't be the same without Pele playing for my football team. Sending my love from the UK is the best I can do this time. Pele forever.
Vinicius Mirassol da Costa
The crowd break out into spontaneous applause as Pele's coffin continues its procession through Santos. Some even cheer and sing, while others are visibly upset as they catch sight of his coffin passing by.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesCrowds are fathering with thousands of Pele shirts on show, from Santos and Brazil.
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At only nine years old. I fell in love with football after watching Pele and Brazil win the 1970 World Cup. I vowed to attend the next World Cup held in Brazil. This I did in 2014 at the age of 53. 44 years later. Thank you Pele (King of Football) on and off the field. Rest in Peace
Michael Pennycooke
Here are some more images of Pele's coffin leaving the stadium to begin the procession, with many of the mourners lining the streets wearing Santos shirts.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, ReutersPele's coffin, draped in the Brazilian flag, leaves Santos' stadium on a fire engine to begin the procession as thousands of mourners line the streets.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
Image source, ReutersMalu Cursino
BBC News
Image source, Getty ImagesPelé, o Rei, has died.
Brazil and the world are grieving, and many of us mourn an idol we never saw on the pitch.
Being 23 years old, I was not around during the start, middle, or even the end of his glowing football career. But that does not matter. Pelé was and always will be a household name.
Growing up in Rio de Janeiro, a city of exuberance and vibrancy, football played a crucial role in our life.
Maracanã, where Pelé scored his thousandth goal, was emblematic of my day-to-day routine until I moved to the UK, aged 11.
We were always nearby. The buzz and frenzy during match days could be felt across the city. Traffic would be slower, restaurants busier, and the streets much louder.
Following the news of king Pelé's death last night, as I was writing for the BBC's tributes live page, my family group chat kept buzzing.
Four generations, all devastated in equal measure by the death of an idol. Words, emojis and GIFs expressed our shock - we are Brazilian, after all, and emotions tend to run high.
But what stuck with me was a comment from my aunt. She highlighted that Brazilian media, while discussing Pelé's life, used the phrase: "Our king is black."
Read Malu's piece in full here.
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Fans, many wearing or holding up Santos shirts bearing Pele's name, have gathered on the streets ahead of the procession.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, ReutersPele's coffin has now left the Vila Belmiro Stadium for a procession through the streets of Santos.
Image source, Reuters
Image source, Reuters
BBC Radio 5 Live
Brazilian journalist Ricardo Setion has been paying tribute to Pele.
I’m inside the stadium and behind me, the priest is doing the prayer before they close the coffin.
In this moment I am very touched because I can see some street cleaners, six of them in yellow, which is the most humble profession. They are in the line, which closes [shortly].
The president of Brazil arrived. It’s touching what’s happening. You can hear the applause. We are getting close to the end of the funeral. In 30 minutes everting will be closed.
He will be taken on a fireman’s truck through the city of Santos where he lived, loved and played. The day will be very hard for us. Imagine the importance of this. The president of Brazil here at the same time as street cleaners.
The BBC's Frances Mao has been in Santos as Brazilians gathered to pay their respects to Pele.
It is baking hot - about 30 degrees in Santos - but it feels like the whole city is drawn to the heart of Vila Belmiro stadium, where Pele's coffin lies.
A steady stream of mourners passed through the centre to pay their final respects - sometimes a smattering of applause broke out as they passed his coffin. People from all over Brazil - and the outside world - have come. I spot a Mexican flag, a Dutch pin.
There are several news helicopters buzzing overhead. People are dressed in the striped black-and-white jerseys of Santos Football Club - Pele's team - or in Brazil's national team yellow jersey.
Pele's voice blasts over the stands in the stadium - his 2006 song Meu Legado (My Legacy) is playing on repeat.
Outside the stadium, a queue of thousands snakes for kilometres across half a dozen city blocks.
Men have taken off their shirts to wrap around their heads like bandanas. Others are fanning themselves with the tribute newspaper printed just for the day. Some have come prepared with hats, umbrellas and their tributes.
Sometimes a Mexican wave ripples through. There are occasional chants of 'Pele! Rei!' But mostly, the crowds are patient in the heat, waiting for their turn to say goodbye.
Image source, ReutersPele is now beginning his final journey as the Brazilian great's coffin, flanked by members of the military, leaves Santos' stadium to near silence.
There will now be a procession through the streets of Santos, before a private family burial.
Katy Watson
South America correspondent in Santos
Lula drove into the Vila Belmiro stadium to the sound of boos and cheers.
His critics were shouting "thief, you belong in prison", and his fans chanting his name.
This is a deeply divided country but the one man who united them was Pele.
Thiago Silva was one of the the last to see Pele before the wake ends and the funeral cortège begins.
“Everyone in Brazil wants to be a football player to imitate him,” he says. “Which of course nobody can.”
Also waiting in the queue was Deofilo de Freitas. He was the first one in the queue on Monday but wanted another chance to see his idol before he was laid to rest.
“Pele was the Pele of the people, he joined all of us,” he says. “It’ll be hard to find someone else like him.”
Deofilo said Pele united everyone.
“In addition to being the best player in the world, he was a marvellous human being.”
Thousands of fans gathered on the streets as the hearse carrying Pele's coffin arrived at the stadium on Monday.
Former Brazil midfielder Ze Roberto and Pele's son Edinho helped carry the coffin, with floral wreaths sent by Brazil internationals Neymar and Vinicius Junior, and Real Madrid.
There were tears and applause, and some people fell to the ground in worship of the man who revolutionised football and made Brazil famous.
Image source, ReutersNew Brazilian president Lula da Silva has joined mourners paying their respects as Pele's coffin is prepared to be moved from the stadium and through the streets of Santos.
Lula, who took office Sunday in a ceremony that began with a minute's silence for Pele, paused before the Brazilian great's coffin and embraced his widow and other family members.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images