Pele: Brazilian Football Icon Hospitalized for Tumour Treatment

Pele: Brazilian Football Icon Hospitalized for Tumour Treatment

Rene Otinga
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:53 PM
  • Pele is back in hospital again but doctors say it is for routine treatment
  • The Brazilian had a colon tumour discovered in September and treatment started immediately
  • According to his doctors, he is in stable condition and should be discharged momentarily

Legendary former Brazilian footballer Pele is once again in hospital, this time for treatment of a tumour.

Pele, Brazil
Pele has been in and out of hospital since September 2021. Photo: Getty.
Source: Getty Images

According to his doctors, the 81-year old football icon has been admitted to Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo for follow-up treatment on a colon tumour that was discovered in September 2021.

Back in September, doctors operated the tumour, and Pele was hospitalized for the next month before being released once again.

His publicist recently told AFP as per Tico Times:

“He went in for chemo. He always has to go to the hospital for the treatment.”

Doctors further said his condition was stable and he is expected to be released “in the coming days”.

In his latest rare public appearances, the three-time World Cup winner has been spotted using a walker.

Despite being very absent from the public eye, Pele remains active on social media.

He recently shared a congratulatory message to Lionel Messi for winning a seventh Ballon d’Or, while on November 23, he posted a tribute to Maradona, one year after the death of the Argentinian.

A few weeks after his last stint in hospital, Pele said this on social media:

“Friends, it’s been a while since we talked about this. I want to let you know that I’m fine,” he wrote. “I feel better every day. I don’t think even the mask for my protection can hide my happiness. Thank you very much to all of you who send me good energy daily.”

Pele’s health history

The first major public health scare for Pele was in 2015 when he had prostrate surgery. He was admitted again in 2019 for a urinary infection.

Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele remains the only human in history to win three World Cups, and is still largely regarded as the greatest football player of all time.

During his career, he scored more than 750 goals (or 1000 goals depending on who you ask), and was recently surpassed by Lionel Messi in terms of official goals in history. He retired in 1977.

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Rene Otinga
Rene Otinga is a sports journalist with over eight years of working experience in digital media. Rene's experience includes working as a Copywriter at X News Kenya and TUKO.co.ke.
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