By Victor Kanayo
Football legend Pele‘s cancer has advanced and now requires treatment for heart and kidney trouble, a medical report has revealed.
The three-time World Cup winner has been in hospital for three weeks.
According to his daughter who spoke via her Instagram page, the football great would spend Christmas in the facility.
The Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo said in a statement Wednesday that Pelé’s cancer has advanced and that the 82-year-old Brazilian soccer great is under “elevated care” related to “kidney and cardiac dysfunctions.”
Pele had a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021 and has since had regular treatment.
“Our Christmas at home has been suspended,” wrote Pele’s daughter, Kely Nascimento.
“We decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us.”
Just after he was admitted, a statement issued by the hospital said Pele “had a good response to treatment for respiratory infection care” and added he was undergoing a “reassessment of chemotherapy treatment”.
The hospital did not mention any signs of the three-time World Cup winner’s recent respiratory infection, which was aggravated by COVID-19.
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, who is globally known as Pelé, is undergoing chemotherapy in his fight against cancer since he had a colon tumor removed in September 2021.
Neither his family nor the hospital have said whether it had spread to other organs.
Newspaper Folha de S.Paulo reported Saturday that Pelé’s chemotherapy is not working and that doctors had decided to put him on palliative care. Pelé’s family denied that report.
Pelé led Brazil to victory the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups and remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals.
Neymar tied Pelé’s record during the just concluded 2022 World Cup.
