Good news from the world football legend, Pele! Legend has it that he is “strong with a lot of hope” as he is being treated at a hospital in Sao Paulo. In a statement released on Saturday, he said messages of support, as well as watching Brazil at the World Cup, had given him “energy”.
Earlier, the hospital had said that he was “still in treatment and remains stable”. After a report in Brazil that he was starting end-of-life care after failing to respond to chemotherapy.
“My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive,” he said in a statement on Instagram. “I am strong, very hopeful and following the treatment as usual, I want to thank all the medical and nursing team for all the care I received.
“I have a lot of faith in God and every message of love I receive from you all over the world keeps me energized. And to watch Brazil in the World Cup too! “Thank you so much for everything.”
The 82-year-old three-time World Cup winner has been in hospital since Tuesday and on Thursday evening he said it was a “routine monthly visit”. He had a tumor removed from his colon in September 2021.
A statement from Israelite Albert Einstein Hospital on Saturday said Pele “had a good response to treatment for the care of respiratory infections”. He added that he was undergoing a “re-evaluation of his chemotherapy treatment”. The legendary striker was diagnosed with a respiratory infection and on Friday the hospital said he was in a stable condition.
On Saturday, the new statement said his condition had not deteriorated in the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, messages of support have been sent in from around the world. ‘He’s an inspiration’ – Speaking on Saturday, England captain Harry Kane said: ‘We’re very sad to hear the news that he’s ill but we wish him well, not just me but the whole England squad. He is an inspiration, an extraordinary person.”
Former German World Cup-winning striker Jurgen Klinsmann, speaking on BBC One’s World Cup coverage on Saturday, said: “Pele is just such a wonderful person. The extraordinary personality of world football. We can just pray and hope for the best.”
Former Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta added on BBC One: “It’s very sad news to hear about Pele. He has been a true inspiration to all of us, on and off the field. He has always been a great man.” “Pray for the King,” French forward Kylian Mbappe wrote on Twitter.