This archive report was first published on 9 September 2021.
On September 4, 2021, Brazilian football legend Pele underwent surgery for a suspected colon tumor at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.
According to a message posted on social media, Pele, 80, said, "I am recovering well." The surgery was carried out on Saturday, and the hospital treating him initially reported that he was recovering in an intensive care unit on Monday.
However, in an update on Wednesday, the hospital did not confirm if Pele was still in the intensive care unit. The tumor was detected during routine tests, according to the hospital.
Pele has been in poor health in recent years, with various hospitalizations, including a severe urinary tract infection in April 2019 in Paris.
Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Pele is the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970).
He burst onto the global stage at just 17 with dazzling goals, including two in the final against hosts Sweden, as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time in 1958.
