Thousands of mourners have gathered to pay their respects to Brazilian legend Pele as he is laid to rest at the grounds of his former club Santos.

Pele's coffin was placed in the middle of the pitch at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Sao Paulo and fans lined the streets to get inside the ground.

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

On Tuesday, a procession to the private family mausoleum will take place on Santosova Street.

"We will ask every country in the world to name one of its football stadiums after Pelé," said FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who was present at the memorial.

After Pele's death, the Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning.

Pele, arguably the world's greatest player of all time, has been undergoing treatment for colon cancer since 2021.

Brazilian legend Pele has died at the age of 82

Phil McNulty: 'The greatest player in the history of football'

WATCH: Pelé's seven greatest moments

Thousands of fans lined the streets when the Horses arrived at the stadium on Monday morning, with some queuing overnight to see the coffin.

Former Brazil midfielder Jay Roberto and Pelé's son Edinho helped carry his coffin, while Neymar, Vinicius Jr, and Real Madrid laid wreaths.

"We're talking about a global icon, so it's going to be a huge global event," South American football journalist Tim Vickery told BBC 5 Live.

"Pele is a source of great pride for Brazil. He is not from Santos, but it is the city where he has made his home and he belongs to them - but also the world."

Brazilian journalist Ricardo Sitton, who worked closely with Pele during his career, said it would be an "intense" day.

"The people on the street, the public, who make this day so beautiful," he told BBC 5 Live.

"It's amazing to see people from all over the world in football jerseys - that's the legend of Pelé."