The funeral of former FIFA President Havelange took place in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (16th August).

Joao Havelange, who as president of FIFA for two decades transformed soccer's governing body has died. He was 100 years old.

Havelange, who was suffering from a respiratory infection, died early Tuesday in Rio de Janerio, according to the Samaritano Hospital.

In 2009, Havelange led off Rio's bid presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen by inviting the members to vote to "join me in celebrating my 100th birthday'" at the 2016 Games in Brazil.

A Former athlete and friend of Havelange's, could hardly hold back the tears:

"It was 70 years of a friendship, and I could not avoid to say goodbye to Dr. Joao Havelange because what he represented for the Brazilian sport and mainly for his friends"

He organised six World Cups as FIFA president from 1974 to 1998.

Yet Brazil's former football president, Ricardo Teixeira, said his dream was to deliver a Rio Olympics:

"It was his (Havelange) dream, his dream was to bring the Olympics here, to see the Olympics in Brazil and -according to him- to be alive."

Sepp Blatter said of Havelange will always be synonymous with the expansion of soccer and turning it into the "universal language."