Medicine is powerless in his situation. Pele is living his last days in the hospital. Tears in the eyes of the fans
Brazilian football legend Pele ‘has been moved to palliative care’ in hospital and is ‘no longer responding to chemotherapy’ in his fight against bowel cancer.
Reports in Brazil said the 82-year-old, who went into hospital last week, is receiving measures to relieve pain in an ‘end-of life palliative care’ ward.
His former club Santos, Brazilian ex-player Rivaldo and the France international forward Kylian Mbappe were among those tweeting good wishes, joining fans around the world.
He was admitted into the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Tuesday suffering from ‘general swelling’ and ‘heart failure’.
An update on Thursday said the three-time World Cup winner was in a ‘stable’ condition in the hospital with his daughter Kely insisting there was ‘no cause for alarm’.
However, a report by Folha de Sao Paulo on Saturday, said Pele isn’t responding any longer to the chemotherapy treatment he has been undergoing since last September to treat his bowel cancer.
They said he is now in palliative care and won’t be subjected to invasive tests or treatment. Palliative care is for patients with potentially life-threatening diseases or conditions and end-of-life care.
Pele – whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento – is regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time.
He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, and scored 643 goals in 659 official matches for the Brazilian club Santos. He scored 77 times in 92 games for his country’s national team.
Social media was flooded with messages from footballers past and present wishing Pele a speedy recovery.
The France international forward Kylian Mbappe, tweeted ‘pray for the King’.
Pele’s former club Santos wrote: ‘It’s the whole world wishing you well, King Pele.’
The current Brazil star Vinicius Jr posted pictured fan banners from Friday’s World Cup match against Cameroon and said: ‘Força rei’ [literally, ‘strength to the King’].
Speaking at the start of the BBC’s coverage of the Netherlands vs United States World Cup game, German legend Jurgen Klinsmann said of Pele: ‘He is always nice to every fan walking up to him and obviously he is Pele, the outstanding personality of world football.
‘Obviously this is very, very sad news and let’s just pray for him and hope for the best. But it is sad news.’
On Friday, the Albert Einstein Hospital released a statement saying Pele had been diagnosed with a ‘respiratory infection’ that was being treated with antibiotics.
The update said the former player is expected to remain in hospital for continued treatment in the coming days but said his condition was ‘stable’.
In a post on Pele’s Instagram account on Friday, he responded to a ‘Get well soon’ message that was projected onto a building in Qatar, where the World Cup is taking place.
He wrote: ‘Friends, I am at the hospital making my monthly visit. It’s always nice to receive positive messages like this. Thanks to Qatar for this tribute, and to everyone who sends me good vibes.’
Pele recorded a video for Instagram on his 82nd birthday back on October 23 and accompanied it with the message: ‘On my birthday, I just want to express my gratitude. Life is good. Turning 82 with my family, in good health, is the best gift. Thank you for everything I have received.’
The Thursday update from the hospital had said Pele was in a ‘stable condition’ and ‘in full control of vital functions’ having not been admitted to an Intensive Care United [ICU].
A statement issued to the Brazilian media said: ‘After medical evaluation, the patient was taken to a common room, without the need for hospitalisation in a semi-intensive unit or ICU.
‘The former player is in full control of vital function and [in a] stable clinical condition.’
The hospital confirmed Pele had been taken into hospital ‘for a reassessment of the chemotherapy treatment of the colon tumour identified in September 2021.’
There is no time frame on Pele’s hospital stay, and his wife Marcia Aoki and carer are by his bedside.
However, Pele’s daughter Kely Nascimento, who is not in Brazil, had insisted on Tuesday that there was no need for alarm and that her father’s hospital admission is ‘no surprise or emergency’.
She posted on Instagram: ‘Lots of alarm in the media today concerning my dad’s health. He is in the hospital regulating medication.
‘There is no emergency or new dire prediction. I will be there for New Year’s and promise to post some pictures.’
