Sao Paulo: Brazil Soccer Great Pele said on Monday that he recovered at the hospital from the operation to remove the tumor from his intestine.
Pele, the only player to win three World Cups, did not say whether the tumor was fierce but the former Santos and New York Cosmos Player aged 80 years said he felt good.
“Last Saturday I had surgery to remove suspicious lesions in the large intestine,” he wrote at the social media post.
“Tumor was identified during the test I mentioned last week.” Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo said in a statement that they maintained Pele in intensive care but was expected to move it to the room on Tuesday.
Tumors have been sent for tests, he added.
“Fortunately, I used to celebrate a big victory with you,” Pele wrote.
“I faced this match with a smile on my face, a lot of optimism and happiness to be surrounded by my family love and friends.” The news came just hours after Brazil’s news outlet said Pele spent six days in the hospital after entering his annual medical.
It also came a few days after Pele denied his report fainting and 18 months after his son Edinho said his father was depressed, something he denied quickly.
Pele is famous as a player to be rarely injured but he has suffered hip problems for years and cannot walk without help.
His public appearance had been cut before the Covid-19 pandemic and since then he has made some unnecessary browsers outside his home near Santos.