This archive report was first published on 24 October 2021.
On October 23, 2021, Brazilian football icon Edson Arantes do Nascimento, affectionately known as Pele, marked his 81st birthday amidst ongoing health concerns.
As he celebrated, Pele took to social media to share a photo of himself smiling and enjoying a cake iced like a soccer pitch with a massive football in the middle, writing, 'My birthday is coming! They have already prepared the cake …'
The tributes poured in on Saturday morning, with Santos, the club where Pele played from 1956 to 1974, wishing him 'a long life' and 'a happy birthday.'
The club also prepared a special celebration for their game against America on Saturday, featuring a shirt with a patch in tribute to the king of Brazilian soccer and a song planned for the 10th minute, a nod to Pele's traditional jersey number.
Pele, the only player to win three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970), has been undergoing chemotherapy after being admitted to hospital on August 31 for routine examinations that detected a 'suspicious' tumor in his colon.
