Football legend Pele moved to end-of-life care in hospital: Report

Pele 'is moved to end-of-life care' in hospital, as doctors stop chemotherapy with his body not responding to it in the fight against colon cancer

Sao Paulo: Football legend Pele ‘is moved to end-of-life care’ in hospital, as doctors stop chemotherapy with his body not responding to it in the fight against colon cancer, reports a Brazilian daily newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo.

On Tuesday, the 82-year-old Pele, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was admitted into the Albert Einstein Hospital here after suffering from ‘general swelling’ and ‘heart failure’.

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An update on Thursday said the three-time World Cup winner was in a ‘stable’ condition. However, a report by Folha de Sao Paulo on Saturday stated that Pele isn’t responding any longer to the chemotherapy treatment he has been undergoing since last September.

“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,” said the report.

Pele 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. Throughout his career and in his retirement, Pele received several individual and team awards for his performance in the field, his record-breaking achievements, and his legacy in the sport.