Thousands of mourners queued through the night to pay respects to Brazil legend Pele, who is lying in state at the Stadium of his former club Santos.

There will be a procession through the streets of Santos from 12:00 GMT, before a private family burial.

Pele – a three-time World Cup winner – died at the age of 82 on 29 December.

Arguably the world’s greatest ever footballer, he had been receiving treatment for colon cancer since 2021.

Brazil’s government declared three days of national mourning after his death, and the country’s new president – Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – will travel to Santos to pay his respects as the 24-hour vigil draws to a close.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino attended the memorial on Monday, and said: “We’re going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele.”

‘There will be no-one else like Pele’ – fans pay tribute

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.

“I had the opportunity to see him playing in the stadium many times,” Joao Paulo Machado, who lives in Santos, told BBC South America correspondent Katy Watson.

“He’s the number one ambassador of this country in the world, in my opinion. If you travel abroad, the first thing people say is: ‘You are from Pele’s country.'”

Former Santos FC president Marcelo Teixeira said Pele was a “fantastic human being”.

He added: “He had a generous heart, not just because he was the athlete of the century. He always looked after people in a really sincere, humble way.”

Beatrice woke up at six in the morning to travel with her husband from the city of Soracaba to Santos, and had been waiting for more than two hours in the queue.

“I’m determined to pay my final respects to him,” the 56-year-old told the BBC.

Marcela Buono, a Santos native who now lives in Miami, also returned to pay her respects.

“We grew up with him,” she said. “He used to go to the supermarket here every day. That was normal for us. He was always fantastic, giving autographs for the kids. He was an amazing person, an inspiration.”

Wilson Genio queued with his 13-year-old son Miguel, carrying white roses and a Santos flag signed ‘To the family Genio, your friend Pele’.

The Genios had travelled overnight with the hearse carrying Pele’s body from Sao Paulo.

‘The whole city is drawn to the stadium’

The BBC’s Frances Mao in Santos

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 pass through the centre to pay their final respects – sometimes a smattering of applause breaks out as they pass 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.

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