The A-Leagues will pay tribute to Pele with a moment of applause before each men's and women's game across the weekend following the Brazilian soccer legend's death.
An A-Leagues spokesperson told AAP the leagues felt applause was a more fitting way to celebrate Pele's career than a traditional moment of silence.
During the applause, an image of Pele, the only man to win three FIFA World Cups, will be projected on stadium screens.
Ahead of Friday night's game between Western United and Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park, United defender Leo Lacroix, who is Swiss but of Brazilian descent held up a Brazil shirt during the moment's applause.
Western United coach and Socceroos great John Aloisi reflected fondly on seeing Pele at Adelaide's Rundle Mall as an eight-year-old.
"I remember being so excited," Aloisi said.
"My first ever school project was about Pele, because he was the most well-known player around the world.
"... The first movie I went to go see at the cinema with my family was Escape to Victory and him scoring the bicycle kick. I practiced the bicycle kick so often I ended up getting a sore back from it.
"(That's) what he did for me, so you can imagine what he did for everyone that loved the game."
Macarthur FC coach and former Manchester United forward Dwight Yorke said he was privileged to have crossed paths with Pele.
"In the football fraternity, it's a huge loss for us because he's been not just iconic but certainly a role model for all of us," Yorke said.
"Obviously winning three World Cups, I don't think that will ever be repeated again. He was not just that, but also an individual with great integrity and a great human being.
"Pele set the benchmark for all of us to try and emulate."
Brazil's top-ranked male tennis player Thiago Monteiro said Pele would be in his heart and his teammates' as they contested the United Cup, the new mixed-gendered tournament that started in Australia this week.
"We try to get his spirit," the world No. 71 said.
"Today was a sad day for us and for Brazil. He was our biggest idol in sports. He did so much for the country to show Brazil to the world. We had a lot of respect for him.
"He was the first athlete in Brazil where we had a reference for how to get passion for what we are doing and what we have to do to achieve our dreams."
Pele played his one and only match in Australia half-a-century ago but the occasion is still remembered.
Pele played for Santos, his club side, against the Australian national team in Sydney in June 1972 at the old Sydney Sports Ground.
Nearly 32,000 watched a 2-2 draw in which the Socceroos denied Pele a goal, though he did create one for the visitors.
After his retirement, Pele made several trips to Australia, usually in a promotional capacity.
In 1990 he was mobbed in Sydney and Melbourne with fans queuing for hours to buy autographed books.
A $200-a-head black tie dinner at the Sydney Football Stadium was attended by Craig Johnston and Johnny Warren - who was involved in the Australian arm of Pele's kids' soccer schools - as well as cricket's Chappell brothers.
Ian Chappell said at the time: "I have been fortunate to meet with and socialise with many great sportsmen and women, and play against them, but think he is the most impressive sportsman I have ever come across in my life."
