Pele returns home for Christmas as treatment for tumour continues

The three-time World Cup winner provided an update on his health via Instagram on Thursday with a post that included a picture of him smiling.

Pele was admitted to hospital at the beginning of December for treatment on a colon tumour.

He said on social media: “The smiling photo is not for nothing. As I promised you, I will spend Christmas with my family. I’m coming back home. Thanks for all the kind messages.”

Back on September 6, Pele revealed a “suspicious lesion” had been detected during tests and prompted surgeons to operate on the former Santos forward.

After he spent most of September in hospital, including a few days in intensive care, the 81-year-old returned home before earlier this month he was required to be admitted again.

“Edson Arantes do Nascimento was discharged from the Israelita Albert Einstein on Thursday,” the hospital said in a statement.

“The patient remains stable and will continue having treatment on the colon tumour that was identified in September.”

Pele, who is considered football’s first world superstar, helped Brazil win the 1958 World Cup as a 17-year-old, repeating the feat in 1962 and 1970.

Officially, he scored 757 goals during a glittering career – club Santos claim his tally was closer to 1,000 – leaving him behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Josef Biscan on the all-time list.

Press Association