The condition of ex-Brazilian soccer player Pelé, who was hospitalized for almost a month, has worsened in recent days. According to the medical team, the colon cancer he suffers from has caused him kidney and heart problems. “Edson Arantes do Nascimento shows progression of oncological disease and requires more care regarding renal and cardiac dysfunction. The patient continues to be hospitalized in a common room, with the necessary care from the medical team,” read the brief statement released on Wednesday by the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo.
Pele, 82, has been hospitalized since November 29, when he arrived at the medical center for a routine post-chemotherapy visit and was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. Weeks earlier he had contracted Covid-19. Since then, the player has responded well to the respiratory infection, but no longer responds to chemotherapy. The cancer is progressing and now he is receiving palliative care to relieve pain and shortness of breath.
One of his daughters, Kely Nascimento, who always tends to downplay the most pessimistic information about her father’s health published by the Brazilian press, confirmed on social networks that the family will spend Christmas in the hospital. “It’s better that we stay here,” he suggested, while joking that they would turn the room into a “sambadrome” and that there would even be caipirinhas. “As always, we appreciate all the love that is being sent to us here in Brazil and around the world. Your love for him, your stories and your prayers are a tremendous comfort to us because we know we are not alone,” added the ex-footballer’s daughter.
Before the last medical bulletin, which confirmed the deterioration of his health, the last official information was published on December 12. At this point, doctors determined that Pelé was continuing to improve and was still in a normal room, conscious and with stable vital signs.
In recent years, Pelé has had three surgeries: once to insert a hip prosthesis and two more for corrections. He also feels severe pain in his knees, which is why he has been using a walker for some time. But his health slowly began to deteriorate in August 2021 when doctors discovered a tumor in his colon during a routine check-up (which should have been in 2020 but was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic).
Since then, his visits to the hospital have been uninterrupted. When he was last admitted, the world was already watching the World Cup in Qatar, adding to further tense emotions. Fans of Santos, the club where he accomplished most of his performances, held a vigil in front of the hospital. The Brazilians dedicated the win against South Korea to him and huge flags were displayed in the stands, calling for improvements. There were projections of the football star and even drones in the sky in the Doha skyscrapers, forming the ten of his mythical jersey. When Mbappé asked to “pray for the king,” Pelé responded on Twitter, thanking him and rejoicing that he was breaking some of his records.
Pelé has been following the competition from the hospital, at least that’s what the long texts he published on his social networks suggest. As Brazil bowed out of the World Cup after losing to Croatia, they paid a long tribute to Neymar, whose goal in that match, according to FIFA’s record, equaled Pele’s record 77 goals with the national team shirt. A great guru and idol of the masses, he even took the liberty of consoling the fans after the Canarinha’s untimely departure. “Despite the pain we feel with our elimination from the World Cup, I ask Brazilians to remember what earned us the first five stars that we have on our chests. Love is what binds us together,” he said.
He also celebrated that Neymar, Vinicius, Richarlison and Co. managed to unite the country, at least temporarily. With Brazil split in two following general elections, the World Cup was a balm for many and an opportunity to regain the national colors that Bolsonarismo had appropriated. In this deeply divided Brazil, Pelé is a consensus, and his character acts as a rallying point for patriotism whenever someone on the outside dares open the hackneyed debate about who should be crowned the best player in history. After Argentina lifted the trophy in the most exciting final in living memory, Pele congratulated Messi on ending his career, Mbappe on his four goals and Morocco on an incredible season. “Congratulations Argentina, I’m sure Diego is smiling now,” he posted.
Follow EL PAÍS Deportes on Facebook and Twitteror sign up here to receive our weekly newsletter.