Former legendary footballer Pelé, 80, was released from the hospital where he was admitted a month ago on Thursday and had a “suspicious” tumor removed, but will have to undergo chemotherapy.
“Edson Arantes do Nascimento was released from the hospital this Thursday morning. His state of health is stable and he will undergo chemotherapy after his operation to remove a colon tumor on September 4, ”the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo said in a statement.
Even though this medical bulletin does not mention the word “cancer,” chemotherapy is usually used to treat this disease.
“I am very happy to come home, thank you to all of you, who made my life happier with all these messages of love”, published Pelé on his Instagram account, a message illustrated with a photo of him smiling, a beret on his head, alongside his wife and the medical team.
Intensive care
The three-time Brazilian world champion was admitted to hospital on August 31 for routine examinations where a “suspicious” colon tumor was detected. He was operated on four days later.
The result of the tumor biopsy has still not been made public.
The “King” of football then spent ten days in an intensive care unit, where he returned briefly a few days later due to breathing difficulties. The hospital has issued very few official bulletins and there have been many rumors about the state of health of the one many consider to be the greatest footballer of all time.
One of his daughters, Kely Nascimento, then decided to reassure fans with photos and videos showing her father, still smiling and full of humor despite apparent fatigue. In a documentary about his life released in February by Netflix, he is seen moving with difficulty using a walker.
The former Seleçao number 10, who will be 81 on October 23, has worried his fans on several occasions due to his fragile health. In April 2019, he was hospitalized in Paris due to a severe urinary tract infection. Back in Brazil, he had a kidney stone removed. At the end of 2014, Pelé had already suffered from a serious urinary tract infection and was placed in intensive care and on dialysis.