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German football legend Franz Beckenbauer will not attend the funeral of the late Brazilian icon Pelé. “I would like to, but unfortunately my health does not allow such a long flight. I will accompany my friend in my heart on his last journey,” said 77-year-old Beckenbauer in an interview with Bild am Sonntag.
The Telegraph
Pelé and Beckenbauer played together at New York Cosmos in the 1970s. According to the German former defender, who became world champion with Germany as a player in 1974 and as national coach in 1990, Pelé called him “my white brother.” “He was also like a brother. We had less contact in recent years because we were both sick, but such a friendship lasts a lifetime. The beautiful memories remain.”
In the Brazilian city of Santos, preparations for the vigil of Pelé, who died last Thursday, are in full swing. The coffin containing the body of the 82-year-old football legend will be placed on Monday in the center of the Urbano Caldeira stadium of his old club Santos. Brazilians then have 24 hours to say goodbye to the folk hero. The funeral of Pelé, the only footballer with three world titles, will take place on Tuesday.
