Doha — Brazilians in Doha for the World Cup were saddened by the news on Wednesday that their compatriot and football hero Pele had been admitted to the hospital back home in Brazil.
"It is really scary for us. He is our hero. He's like the king of football for us," said Brazilian fan Jordana from the southern city of Novo Hamburgo. "I don't want to jinx but if we ever lose him, it's going to be very painful, especially during this time of World Cup which is a lot of happiness and should be cheerful so let's hope for the best."
The Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo said in a statement Wednesday that Pele is in stable condition after he was admitted to hospital on Tuesday to re-evaluate his cancer treatment.
Pele's daughter Kely Nascimento had said on Instagram that there was "no surprise or emergency" regarding Pele's condition.
Nascimento's remarks followed an ESPN Brasil report that Pele had been admitted to the Albert Einstein Hospital with "general swelling" and was undergoing several tests for a more in-depth assessment of his health issues.
The 82-year-old had a tumor removed from his colon in September 2021 and has since been in and out of the hospital for treatment on a regular basis.
Reuters