“This is no sacrifice,” said a man who had waited hours for a chance to attend Pelé’s 24-hour wake. Officials estimated 230,000 people filed through the stadium.
While fans around the world grieve Pelé’s death, in Santos, Brazil, where he first made his mark, residents recall a friend and neighbor who never forgot them.
Pelé’s reign atop the most popular sport on earth began in an era defined by political struggles against colonialism and racial inequity around the world.