Pele, 80, in hospital for last six days after Brazilian football legend denied reports he had fainted

FOOTBALL legend Pele has been hospitalised with an undisclosed health problem.

The 80-year-old is said to not be seriously ill, but has been inside for six days now.

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Pele is in hospital for an undisclosed condition[/caption]

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Pele, pictured here with the 1970 World Cup, is regarded by many as the greatest ever[/caption]

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Pele has been in hospital for six days now – but it is not believed to be serious[/caption]

The Globo news site said Pele was undergoing routine examinations in Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Hospital when the undisclosed issue was detected.

Pele’s business manager Joe Fraga said there was no cause for concern.

He said: “Full battery of tests, scans, colonoscopy, blood etc. He doesn’t do everything in one day.”

The scare came a few days after Pele was forced to dismiss reports he had fainted.

In an Instagram message accompanied by a smiling picture of the three-times World Cup winner, Pele wrote: “Guys, I didn’t faint and I’m in very good health.

“I went for my routine exams, which I had not been able to do before because of the pandemic.

 

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Pele appeared frail as he spoke on stage in 2018 in his homeland[/caption]

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Pele scored 77 goals in just 92 games for Brazil[/caption]

“Let them know I don’t play next Sunday!”

Earlier this year Pele left fans concerned after he cut a frail figure during the new documentary looking back at his glittering career.

The 80 year old was the star in a Netflix show charting his life from childhood poverty to the 1970 World Cup winner.

But viewers were left concerned by Pele‘s physical stature after he was seen using a zimmer frame and a wheelchair at various points of the show.

In the opening scene, Pele is only able to reach his seat in front of the camera with the use of a walking frame, before shoving it to one side.

And later on in the show, the goal-scoring icon is spotted arriving at a barbecue in a wheelchair.

Pele underwent hip surgery in December 2015 – with his son, Edinho, admitting the legend is ‘pretty fragile’ due to a lack of rehabilitation after going under the knife.

The football legend officially scored 757 career goals, only behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Josef Bican in the all-time list.

However his old club Santos – and legions of fans in Brazil – claim the number is nearer to 1,000.

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Pele swapped shirts with fellow football legend, England’s Bobby Moore after their game in the 1970 World Cup[/caption]

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Brazil revere their footballing hero as the greatest ever[/caption]