The Brazilian Pelé was operated on last September 4 for a “suspicious” tumor in the colon, we learned on Monday.
Aged 80, Pelé is “recovering” in intensive care, said Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo. A tumor had been discovered in her during her routine examinations. A biopsy will be performed.
The three-time world football champion nevertheless wanted to reassure his fans. On Instagram, he thanked the surgeons for their work and said he felt “very good”.
“Fortunately, I am used to celebrating great victories by your side,” he wrote. “I will face this match with a smile on my face, optimism and joy of life, surrounded by the love of my family and my friends”, added “the King”.
Pelé’s health has been worrying for several years. The man who many consider to be the greatest football player in history has undergone several operations, his last hospitalization dating from 2019. He had at the time been treated urgently because of a serious urinary tract infection.
Albert Einstein Hospital said in a statement that Pelé should be released from intensive care on Tuesday, September 7.