Brazil’s football legend Pélé continues to have major health problems. The 82-year-old, who was admitted to a Sao Paulo hospital on Tuesday for ongoing cancer treatment, developed a respiratory infection during his stay.
Pélé is in a stable condition and “is showing a general improvement,” his doctors said on Friday.
In September 2021, a tumor on the colon was surgically removed from the three-time world champion, since then Pele has been undergoing chemotherapy. This should be reassessed in the past few days, the doctors said. The infection is now being “treated with antibiotics,” the hospital said in a statement.
Pélé is “stable and his health is improving,” it said. He will remain in a standard room and will not be transferred to the intensive care unit. The idol must also spend the next few days in the hospital.
On Thursday, Pélé thanked Instagram for the numerous support. He posted a picture from the World Cup host country Qatar on the social network, on which his face was projected onto a building and the message “Get well soon” could be read. “Thank you to Qatar for this honor and to everyone who sends me good news,” Pélé wrote.