FOOTBALL : CHAPECOENSE TRAGEDY - - SKIES CRY IN BRAZIL AS NATION PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES ! - Sports | Sports 24

FOOTBALL : CHAPECOENSE TRAGEDY - - SKIES CRY IN BRAZIL AS NATION PAYS TRIBUTE TO FALLEN HEROES !

The skies are crying in Brazil as the country welcomes home their fallen heroes -- their bodies in coffins draped in white and green -- amidst rains and tears from the grieving public.

The President of Brazil, Michel Temer, leads military honors as the caskets were slowly marched in, the townspeople of Chapeco -- still in shock and sheer disbelief -- watched with glum and somber looks in their eyes.

The haunting images reverberate around the world on TV, and on the internet.

The Chapecoense football team -- white and green , their official team color -- was almost entirely wiped out in a tragic plane crash en route to the biggest match of their lives -- the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana Finals -- a momentous event that could have been their greatest glory but rather was turned into a shattering tragedy.

Their plane, a charter flight from Bolivia bound for Medellin in Colombia, plunged into a mountainside shortly before destination.

Medellin, its team 'Atletico Nacional', was supposed to be the host and the opposing side against Chapecoense in the Cup Championship Finals.

Of the 77 people on board, 71 were killed, including 20 journalists.

Chapecoense had lost 19 players, and its coach.

Six people, 3 of whom are Chapecoense football players, had miraculously survived.

The plane reportedly ran out of fuel and was in total electrical failure, causing the disaster.

Brazil and Colombia were supposed to be 'enemies' in the Championship Finals.

But in pain and tragedy they had become united.

And so is the world of football.

Thousands of mourners pay their respects before send-off in Colombia, and thousands took to the streets in Brazil to welcome the return of their befallen champions.

'Guerreiros' (Warriors), reads one among the sea of signs carried by grieving fans.

'Eternos Campeões' (Eternal Champions), reads another.

The painful tragedy had touched the lives of millions, beyond words.

But tragedy, at times, -- indeed -- could bring out the best in men.

Football fans from across Brazil stood united at Chapecoense's ground to pay tribute.
Watch the @BBCNews report: https://t.co/Czl7eNU2O6 pic.twitter.com/0aFIftSke9
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 3, 2016

Fans united in grief as #Chapecoense team comes home https://t.co/aXjCn0LpLP pic.twitter.com/Rl11o4ct2B
— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) December 3, 2016

(AI) Presidente Michel Temer participa da cerimônia às vítimas do acidente aéreo com a delegação da @ChapecoenseReal. #ForçaChape pic.twitter.com/0FNizIIJ2K
— Michel Temer (@MichelTemer) December 3, 2016

Brazilian President Michel Temer leads military honors for Team Chapecoense.

#ForçaChape pic.twitter.com/ewwhzaAxKI
— Michel Temer (@MichelTemer) December 3, 2016

Brazilian President Michel Temer leads military honors for Team Chapecoense.

(AI) Presidente Michel Temer participa de cerimônia fúnebre e agradece solidariedade ao povo brasileiro https://t.co/pKqDVEht4N pic.twitter.com/c5NEAJ4MeP
— Michel Temer (@MichelTemer) December 3, 2016

Brazilian President Michel Temer leads military honors for Team Chapecoense.

(AI) Cerimônia de homenagem às vítimas do acidente aéreo com a @ChapecoenseReal. Assista https://t.co/Mdd1b1EPDU #ForçaChape pic.twitter.com/fwOQcvcd66
— Michel Temer (@MichelTemer) December 3, 2016

Brazilian President Michel Temer leads military honors for Team Chapecoense.

Féretros llegan al Arena Condá #Forçachape pic.twitter.com/Ey7GjOjaxo
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) December 3, 2016

Chapecó dijo adiós a sus héroes con multitudinaria ceremonia fúnebre en el Arena Condá: https://t.co/cRkL4FotJH #Forçachape pic.twitter.com/Q3tMAhbsnl
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) December 3, 2016

Inicia ceremonia fúnebre en el Arena Condá #Forçachape pic.twitter.com/KwnGa0POuI
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) December 3, 2016

11 #Chapecoense players walk together at the vigil held for the tragic death of their Brazilian teammates. 🙏
(via @donriddellCNN) pic.twitter.com/cpT4fQuvWj
— go90Sports (@go90Sports) December 1, 2016

Procuramos uma palavra para agradecer tanto carinho e encontramos várias.#ForçaChape pic.twitter.com/9rcFItsIlP
— Chapecoense (@ChapecoenseReal) December 3, 2016

#Chapecoense crash: Victims' bodies flown home;Brazil President likely to attend club funeralhttps://t.co/5RfXgD5RRl pic.twitter.com/ri02Q5NLvY
— FirstpostSports (@FirstpostSports) December 3, 2016

#Messi, #Ronaldo, #Barcelona and Real Madrid honor #Chapecoense before El #Clasico https://t.co/EtouTo3vVA pic.twitter.com/VP4g786pOI
— CBS Sports Soccer (@CBSSportsSoccer) December 3, 2016

Surviving #Chapecoense goalkeeper comes to terms with the hand he's been dealt by fate https://t.co/UiMrAH9ofK pic.twitter.com/QRPpJKuPd2
— CNN (@CNN) December 2, 2016

Her wedding was planned for Friday. His funeral was Sunday. Grieving #Chapecoense fiancee bids farewell. https://t.co/T6Vu9Ysvur pic.twitter.com/0kOE3r2zZO
— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) December 4, 2016

How incredible would this be? One of the survivors of the Chapecoense plane crash may be able to play football again. Helio Hermito Zampier Neto is in a stable condition after surgery on a lung, a knee, a wrist and his head. #forcachape
A photo posted by BBC SPORT (@bbcsport) on Dec 2, 2016 at 3:43am PST

Players of @chapecoensereal paid tribute to their teammates killed in a Colombia plane crash. #ForçaChape
A photo posted by FIFAWORLDCUP (@fifaworldcup) on Nov 30, 2016 at 5:11pm PST

Minuto de silencio y brazalete negro en todo el mundo en memoria de Chapecoense En respuesta a la tragedia aréa que el lunes golpeó al equipo brasileño Associação #Chapecoense de Futebol, el Bureau del Consejo de la #FIFA ha pedido que se guarde un minuto de silencio antes de cada partido de fútbol que se dispute este fin de semana. También se ha solicitado a todos los jugadores que porten un brazalete negro en memoria de las vidas perdidas en esta tragedia. #FuerzaChapecoense #ForçaChapecoense
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 2, 2016 at 10:32am PST

#Chapecó, bajo la lluvia, despide a sus héroes. #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 6:16am PST

El #ArenaCondá repleto recibe a sus leyendas para decir adiós. #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 6:45am PST

Féretros llegan al #ArenaCondá #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 7:23am PST

Inicia ceremonia fúnebre en el #ArenaCondá #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 7:42am PST

El Alcade de #Chapecó, Luciano Buligon, agradeció a todos quienes apoyaron a Associação #Chapecoense de Futebol y en especial al pueblo colombiano.
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 8:21am PST

El Presidente de la #FIFA, Gianni Infantino, acompañado del Presidente de la #CONMEBOL, Alejandro Domínguez, presentes en el #ArenaCondá. #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 8:36am PST

Familiares de las víctimas realizan su último recorrido en el #ArenaCondá. #Forçachape
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 9:47am PST

En todo el mundo se registraron homenajes al #Chapecoense. En todas las ligas hubo un minuto de silencio en cada uno de los partidos jugados el sábado y los habrá también el domingo. En #elclásico de España jugado en el #CampNou los equipos del #Barcelona y #RealMadrid, encabezados por sus capitanes Lionel #Messi y #SergioRamos, rindieron dicho homenaje al equipo brasileño.
A photo posted by CONMEBOL (@conmebol) on Dec 3, 2016 at 1:02pm PST

Eles chegaram, os campeões estão de volta, nosso país parou para recebê-los, de hoje em diante não existirá título nenhum no nosso futebol que seja mais reconhecido como esse, e pode ter certeza o que você está vendo nessas imagens nessa triste transmissão não é chuva, são lágrimas caindo do céu, tristeza misturada com orgulho, mas todos eles cumpriram sua missão, e Deus quis que esses campeões fossem jogar ao lado dele no céu, eternos, eles se eternizaram em nossos corações e mudaram nossas vidas, parabéns guerreiros, fiquem na santa paz de Deus que estaremos sempre aqui, a parir de hoje a Chapecoense será o 2º ou até 1º clube de todos os brasileiros, somos todos Chape, somos todos eternos campeões! #ForçaChape #EsporteDeLuto #EternosCampeões #Luto #Chapecoense #Brasil 🙏🏻💚😔
A photo posted by Patrycia Aquino (@patryciaaquino12) on Dec 3, 2016 at 3:21pm PST