Brazil pays tribute to Pelé and remembers the joy the idol brought to the country.

SÃO PAULO/SANTOS (Reuters) - Brazil mourned on Friday the death of one of its brightest stars, football legend Pelé, who died at age 82 after battling colon cancer for just over a year.

Outside the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, where Pelé was being treated, fans gathered to honor the king of football, displaying Pelé memorabilia on a clothesline at the entrance.

"I will never forget the king of Brazilian football," said Antonio da Paz, 67. "He brought us joy even in our saddest moments."

Pelé's death united the country after a polarized and tense election. President Jair Bolsonaro, who leaves office on Sunday, declared three days of mourning. "Few Brazilians have carried the name of our country so far," said President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who takes office on Sunday.

Monuments were illuminated to honor the three-time world champion with the national team, including the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and the Corinthians stadium in São Paulo, where the opening match of the 2014 World Cup was played.

Edson Arantes do Nascimento passed away on Thursday at 15:27 PM "due to multiple organ failure, a result of the progression of colon cancer associated with his pre-existing clinical condition," the hospital said in a statement.

Pelé's wake will be held on Monday at Vila Belmiro, the stadium of Santos, the club where he played for almost his entire career, located on the coast of São Paulo state, 72 km from the capital.

Outside Vila Belmiro stadium, the only activity this Friday consisted of journalists, cameramen, and photographers on a cloudy and rainy morning in Santos.

Inside, staff set up the structure for the wake, and the electronic scoreboard displayed the message "Thank you, Pelé," next to a wreath to honor the king of football.

The organization anticipates that the wake will extend until Tuesday morning, when a procession with his coffin will pass through the streets of Santos, ending at the Memorial Necrópole Ecumênica cemetery, in a ceremony reserved for family members.

More than 5 people visited the Pelé Museum in Santos this Friday between 9 am and 18 pm, a record for a single day, according to the museum's press office.

According to two sources close to President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the Workers' Party member is considering attending the wake on Tuesday morning, but a final decision has not yet been made.

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