B
razil legend Pele has re-entered an intensive care unit at Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Hospital, according to reports in Brazil.
Pele, who is 80, had previously been in hospital after undergoing surgery on a tumour on his colon.
His daughter, Kely Nascimento, posted on Instagram a picture of the 80-year-old football great smiling from his bed at the Alberto Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo earlier this week. She said he was “doing well” and that he would “get through this”.
But on Friday night, ESPN Brasil reported that Pele has re-entered an ICU at Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Hospital in an apparent deterioration of his health after he left the unit earlier this week.
Pele with the World Cup in 2015
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Pele with the World Cup in Mexico City, 1970. Pele scored the first of his team’s goals in the match
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Pele shoots for goal vs Czechoslovakia in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico
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Pele dribbles past Italian defender Tarcisio Burgnich during the World Cup final on 21 June 1970 in Mexico City. Pele scored the opening goal for his team as Brazil went on to beat Italy 4-1 to capture its third World title after 1958 (in Sweden) and 1962 (in Chile)
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Brazilian striker Pele
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Brazilian forward Pele dribbles past a defender during a friendly match vs Malmoe in 1960
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Pele as a goalkeeper during a training session in 1963
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Pele stands by a display to celebrate his 1000th professional goal in 1969
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Pele embraces Brazilian goalkeeper Ado at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City after Brazil beat Italy 4-1 to win the 1970 World Cup
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Brazilian football legend Pele in a game against England during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Brazil won 1-0
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Brazilian footballer Pele surrounded by press in 1971 as he arrives at Orly Airport, Paris, he is with Secretary of State Jacques Baumel
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Pele holds the Jules Rimet Cup after Brazil beat Italy 4-1 in the 1970 World Cup Final in Mexico
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Pele the famous Brazilian footballer gives the thumbs-up in 1971 during a press conference in Paris for an exhibition match
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Brazilian football star Pele getting fitted with a French fashion designer Renoma
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Pele with George Best in 1987
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Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele plays the ball during a friendly soccer match to celebrate his 50th birthday in 1990
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Pele scores the equalizing goal for the Allied POW’s during the match against Germany in Paris featured in the filming of ‘Escape to Victory’
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Pele of Brazil in action during a training session in 1980
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Pele at Cannes International Film Festival in 1981
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Brazilian footballer Pele lining up for New York Cosmos in 1997
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Pele carries the Olympic Flame inside Maracena Stadium during day ten of the Athens 2004 Olympic Torch Relay
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Former International soccer players England goal keeper, Gordon Banks (left) with a picture of his famous save from Brazil striker Pele in 2004
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Edson Arantes do Nacimento known as Pele chats with Head coach of the Austrian team Josef Hickersberger (C) and Austria’s soccer federation President Friedrich Stickler 01 December 2006 during his visit at the Vienna Sport festival in Austria
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Pele with Nelson Mandela and Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o in 2007
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Cristiano Ronaldo receives congratulations from Brazilian football legend Pele after receiving the FIFA world footballer of the year 2008 award on 12 January 2009 in Zurich
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Brazilian football legend Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as ‘Pele’, poses with his six Brazil’s champion medals on 22 December 2010 during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro
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Wayne Rooney receives from Brazilian football legend Pele the FIFA/FIFPro World XI award in 2012
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Pele with Romeo, Cruz and Brooklyn Beckham with Pele in 2014
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Brazilian football legend Pele answers journalist’s questions next to the FIFA World Cup trophy during a press conference, on March 9, 2014 outside the Hotel de Ville in Paris
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Pele with former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly (L) at a press conference in Kolkata on 12 October 2015
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Diego Maradona and Pele pose after a football match organised by Swiss luxury watchmaker Hublot at the Jardin du Palais Royal in Paris on 9 June 2016
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Pele, uses a walking frame to stand on stage, during the opening event of the 2018 Carioca Football Championship at Cidade das Artes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 15 January 2018
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Pele talks with Robbie Keane and Gianluca Zambrotta at the Dubai Opera gardens prior to a friendly football game in Dubai on April 15, 2018
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Brazilian football great Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pele, arrives at Guarulhos International Airport, in Guarulhos some 25km from Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2019
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Pele in 2021
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Reuters report how the hospital and Pele’s representative in Santos said they could not confirm the news.
ESPN Brasil said the three-time World Cup winner was re-admitted to the ICU due to acid reflux.
After he had been moved out of the ICU on Tuesday, Pele posted a picture on Instagram with the message he was ready for “90 minutes, plus extra time.”
The 80-year-old is regarded as one of, if not the greatest, footballers of all time after winning three World Cups with Brazil.
He retired from football in 1977, and his health has been a source of concern to family and fans in recent years.
Pele has suffered from hip problems for years and cannot walk unaided. In 2014 he spent some time in the ICU due to a severe urinary tract infection.
