Brazilian football legend Pelé has been hospitalized to receive treatment for an ongoing medical condition, his daughter Kely Nascimento said on Instagram.
She captioned the post after reports emerged that Pelé’s health deteriorated, saying, “Hello Friends. The media is freaking out again and I want to calm down the rumors here. My dad is hospitalized, he’s receiving treatment. I’m not rushing to a flight to get there.”
She went on to say, “My siblings are in Brazil and I’m going there for New Year’s. This is not a surprise nor an emergency. We thank all the kindness and love you all send to us!!”
Pelé has been hospitalized at Albert Einstein Hospital in central S?o Paulo, according to CNN affiliate CNN Brasil.
The Albert Einstein Jewish Hospital confirmed in a statement that Pelé was taken there for a “re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over the colon cancer identified in September 2021” and that he is in “stable clinical condition.”
“After medical evaluation, the patient was taken to a regular ward, with no need for a semi-emergency unit or an ICU.
“The former player is in full control of his living functions and stable clinical condition,” read the statement.
In December 2021, Pelé was hospitalized and underwent chemotherapy treatment. In September of that year, he underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his right colon, which doctors found during routine examinations.
Pelé is widely considered to be one of the greatest soccer players in history. He played in four World Cups, winning three (1958, 1962, 1970) and scoring 12 goals in 14 games. He scored 1,281 goals in his professional career in 1,363 games.