Pele’s mother, who is still alive at 100 years of age is unaware if her son is dead

Pele's mother, Celeste, will have an opportunity to say a final goodbye to her son, after initially being tragically unaware the Brazilian legend had died.

The Brazilian player, who won three World Cups with his country, died in late December. He had been getting treatment at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital, and his daughter, Kely Nascimento, wrote an emotional tribute following her father's death.

Pele's wake will take place at Estadio Urbano Caldeira (also known as Vila Belmiro), the home of Santos, the club where he spent the majority of his iconic playing career. After that, his coffin will travel through the streets of Santos, passing the neighborhood of his 100-year-old mother to allow her to say goodbye.

Maria Lucia do Nascimento, Pele's sister, cares for her mother and revealed Celeste was unaware of Pele's death. “We talk but she doesn’t know the situation. She’s in her own world,” Maria Lucia said.

“She opens her eyes when I mention his name and say, ‘we’re going to pray for him', but she’s not really conscious of what I’m saying.”

Celeste turned 100 in November, with Pele sharing a message on social media to mark the occasion. "Today, we celebrate 100 years of Dona Celeste's life," he wrote at the time.

"From a young age, she taught me the value of love and peace. I have well over a hundred reasons to be thankful for being her son. I share these photos with you, with great emotion to celebrate this day. Thank you for every day by your side, Mom."

Pele's funeral will begin at Santos' stadium, with fans waiting up to 14 hours to join the front of the queue. The coffin will remain there for 24 hours before a parade will take the body of the footballer through the streets of Santos.