“I just came to express my gratitude to him, to the whole family, may God receive him with great affection, this person who has been working for humanity since he was seven years old,” said Pele’s lookalike Ribeiro on Tuesday.
Ribeiro took on the mantle of Pele lookalike in 2002 after being confused for the soccer star in the U.S.
WATCH: ‘I just came to express my gratitude to him, to the whole family’: Pele’s lookalike pays final respects to the late soccer legend in Santos, Brazil https://t.co/wcjm0FtNtv pic.twitter.com/u5TD0lZx46
— Reuters Sports (@ReutersSports) January 4, 2023
“I arrived in the United States, without a beard, without glasses, I had had cataract surgery, the Americans saw me and said, ‘Excuse me, please, photo, Pele, Pele.’ After some time, it was believed that I looked like Pele. I was in a very strong depression, and, on March 8, 2002, on Women’s Day, I became a double of King Pele and I still am today.”
The Brazilian coastal city of Santos, which sporting giant Pele turned into a byword for soccer brilliance during a glittering club career, started bidding goodbye to its hero on Monday with a 24-hour wake.
Mourners lined up to see Pele’s body in an open casket in the center of the field at the Vila Belmiro stadium, home of the Santos Football Club. Pele died on Thursday at 82 after battling colon cancer.