Brazil great Pele 'recovering very well' after readmission to intensive care following surgery
Pele has said he is "recovering very well" after surgery to remove a tumour from his colon earlier this month.
The three-time World Cup winner had surgery to remove a tumour from his colon this month and was initially released from intensive care on Wednesday.Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital later confirmed the Brazil legend was readmitted "as a preventative measure".
"My friends, I am still recovering very well," Pele wrote on Instagram.
"Today I received visits from family members and I continue to smile every day. Thank you for all the love I get from you."
Hours before, his daughter Kely Nascimento, who was one of his visitors on Friday, had revealed the latest on her father’s progress following the procedure in September.
“There’s already a lot of anxiety roaming the world these days and we don’t want to be the reason for more,” she wrote on Instagram in a post which included a picture with her dad in hospital.
“This photo was taken just now. He is wearing a vest because he is Santista and the cold in SP bothers him! He is recovering well and within normal range. Promise!"
Pele has suffered from several health problems over recent years- he underwent prostate surgery in 2015 and was admitted to hospital for a urinary infection in 2019.
Media outlets in Brazil reported that he was readmitted to intensive care as a precautionary measure because of his age.
Confirming speculation, the Albert Einstein Hospital said: "After stabilisation, the patient was transferred to semi-intensive care. He is currently stable from a cardiovascular and respiratory point of view."
The former striker revealed on September 6 a “suspicious lesion” had been detected during tests, prompting surgeons to operate, but vowed to tackle it “with a smile on my face”.
On Tuesday after thanking fans for their well-wishes, he added on Instagram: “I have already left the ICU and I am in my room.
“I continue every day happier, with a lot of disposition to play 90 minutes, plus extra time.”
Perhaps football’s first world superstar, he rose to international prominence when he helped Brazil win the 1958 World Cup as a 17-year-old, repeating the feat in 1962 and 1970.
Officially, he scored 757 goals during a glittering career – club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000 – leaving him behind only only Cristiano Ronaldo and Josef Biscan on the all-time list.