In Qatar, fans wished Pele well in Brazil’s group stage match against Cameroon on Friday
Brazilian soccer legend Pelé has reassured his fans around the world that he is “strong and full of hope” as he continued his treatment journey at a hospital in São Paulo.
In a statement released on Saturday, Pele said the messages of support, coupled with watching Brazil’s World Cup matches, gave him “energy”.
Earlier, the hospital announced that Pele “was still receiving treatment and his condition remains stable”.
It follows a report in Brazil by ESPN that Pele was placed in end-of-life care after failing to respond to chemotherapy.
In a statement via Instagram, Pele said: “My friends, I would like everyone to enjoy the calm and optimism. I am strong, full of hope and continuing my treatment journey as usual. I would like to thank the entire medical team for all the care with which they overwhelmed me.
Pelé added: “My faith in God is great, and every love letter I receive from you from all over the world fills me with energy, which I also get from watching Brazil’s World Cup matches!”
Pele concluded his statement by saying, “Thank you so much for everything.”
Pele, 82, a three-time World Cup winner, has been in hospital since Tuesday and said Thursday evening it was a “routine monthly visit”.
In September 2021, Pelé underwent surgery to remove a polyp in his colon.
A statement released by Albert Einstein Hospital on Saturday said Pele was “responding well to treatment for a respiratory infection.”
The statement added that Pelé had undergone a “reevaluation of chemotherapy”.
Pele was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. On Friday, the hospital said she was in stable condition.
On Saturday, the new statement said Pele’s condition had not worsened in the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, messages have arrived from all over the world in support of the Brazilian legend.
“Inspiration”
England captain Harry Kane said on Saturday: “We are saddened to hear the news of his illness but wish him well. It’s not just me who is hoping for it, but all of England. He is an inspiration, an outstanding personality.”
Speaking to the BBC on the sidelines of their World Cup coverage on Saturday, former World Cup-winning Germany star Jurgen Klinsmann said: ‘Pelé is a wonderful person. He is an outstanding figure in the world of football. We can only pray for the best.”
As former Argentina defender Pablo Zabaleta told the BBC: “It’s very sad to hear about Pelé (illness). He has always been a true inspiration to all of us, on and off the pitch. He has always been a great man”.
On Twitter, France striker Kylian Mbappe tweeted: “Pray for the king.”
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Doha’s Torch Tower was lit up with an image of Brazilian legend Pele supporting it
Qatar, which is now hosting the World Cup, showed support for Brazilian legend Pele on Saturday by lighting up buildings with a message of ‘wishes for a speedy recovery’.
Doha’s Lusail Stadium, which will host the World Cup final on December 18, has also been decorated, and the Torch Tower near Khalifa Stadium has been decorated with images of Brazilian legend Pele, wearing his famous No. .
In a tweet on Twitter, Brazilian club Santos, for whom Pele played, said: “The whole world wishes you safety, King Pele.”
