Pele’s two daughters were joined in the hospital by the footballer’s son Edinho, who had previously refused to visit his father. On December 22, doctors reported that Pele’s condition worsened, he will meet Catholic Christmas in the hospital ward
Фото: Anthony Ghnassia/Getty Images
Family members of the legendary Brazilian footballer Pele began to gather on Christmas Eve at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, where the 82-year-old three-time world champion has been staying since the end of November. About it informs AP.
Pelé was hospitalized on November 29 with a respiratory infection complicated by COVID-19, and he also needed a reassessment of cancer therapy.
On December 22, doctors reported that Pele’s condition worsened – the cancer progressed, the former footballer needed increased attention due to kidney and heart dysfunction. It was noted that Pele will celebrate Christmas in the hospital. There was no new information about his health status.
One of the footballer’s daughters, Keli Nascimentou, said on Instagram (owned by Meta Platforms, Moscow’s Tverskoy Court recognized the company as extremist and banned its activities) that she and her sister Flavia spent the previous night in the hospital “in struggle and faith.”
Keli later posted a photo from the hospital with her son Pele Edinho and his daughters. Edinho works at a football club in the south of the country and previously said he would not go to visit his father. Keli Nascimentou added that she herself does not leave anywhere and “no one will take her out of here.”
Pele was diagnosed with a colon tumor in 2021, he underwent surgery, his daughters admitted in December that they had not yet been able to achieve remission.
Pelé (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) is the only three-time world football champion (1958, 1962, 1970). He has 92 caps and 77 goals for Brazil. Together with the Argentinean Diego Maradona, Pele was recognized as the best football player of the 20th century according to FIFA.
Pele married three times and has seven children.