Pele’s family gather at his hospital for Christmas

Members of Pele’s family have gathered at the hospital where the footballing great is being treated over Christmas.

The 82-year-old was hospitalised on November 29 with complications related to colon cancer, and the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein said on Wednesday that his cancer had advanced and that he required care for renal and cardiac dysfunctions.

On Saturday, his son Edinho travelled from Londrina, which is 540km east of Sao Paulo, to join two of Pele’s daughters, Kely Nascimento and Flavia Arantes do Nascimento, by his bedside.

Kely Nascimento posted an Instagram on Saturday, saying:

“Here we go, in the fight and in faith. One more night together.”

Edinho shared a post that read: “Dad … my strength is yours.”

The three-time World Cup winner has been receiving regular treatment after having a tumour removed from his colon in September 2021.

However, having been admitted to hospital in late November, his condition worsened in the lead-up to Christmas, with the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein releasing a statement earlier this week saying that Pele “presents cancer disease progression and requires greater care related to renal and cardiac dysfunctions”.

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His daughter Kely said at the time that the family “decided with the doctors that, for various reasons, it would be better for us to stay here with all the care that this new family at Einstein gives us.”

Pele is widely considered one of the best footballers of all time and is the only player to have won the World Cup three times.