Pele says he’s ‘strong, with a lot of hope’
Brazilian football legend Pele said on Saturday that he feels "strong, with a lot of hope" despite medical problems that have kept the 82-year-old sports icon in the hospital with a respiratory infection.
Pele was hospitalized earlier this week amid ongoing colon cancer treatments.
"My friends, I want to keep everyone calm and positive," Pele said in an Instagram post. "I'm strong, with a lot of hope and I follow my treatment as usual."
Pele "has had a good response to care without any worsening in the clinical picture in the last 24 hours," doctors at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital said in a statement.
Doctors made no reference to media reports earlier on Saturday that the three-time World Cup winner was receiving end-of-life care.
Pele was admitted to hospital earlier this week for what doctors said was a "re-evaluation" of the chemotherapy he has been undergoing since surgery to remove a colon tumor last September.
At the ongoing World Cup in Qatar, players expressed their support for Pele.
France striker Kylian Mbappe on Saturday tweeted: "Pray for the King."
England captain Harry Kane offered his support for Pele at a press conference ahead of his team's last-16 tie against Senegal.
"We send our best wishes to him and obviously all his family as well," said Kane. "He is an inspiration amongst our game and an incredible footballer and person. We wish him well."
Pele is the only footballer in history to win three World Cups -- 1958, 1962 and 1970 -- and is one of the most successful and popular sports figures of the 20th century.
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