Former Brazilian football star Pele has been moved to end-of-life care due to chemotherapy treatment no longer having the expected results to treat him for colon cancer, according to a report.
The Folha de S. Paulo newspaper claims that chemotherapy treatment has now been suspended for the 82-year-old, who is widely viewed as the greatest footballer of all time.
Pele was admitted to hospital this week to re-evaluate his cancer treatment and was later diagnosed with a respiratory infection as confirmed by medical reports.
On Friday, a medical report said that Pele, who is being treated at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo, responded adequately to an antibiotic treatment “with general improvement in health status.”
Pele attempted to put fans’ fears at rest on Thursday when he said he was at Albert Einstein for a “monthly visit.” The Santos academy product had a tumor removed from his colon in September last year, and has received further treatment on a regular basis.
Pele’s post included a photo of his picture being projected onto a building in Qatar where the World Cup is being held with the message: “Get well soon.”
“Praying for your life, for health and a great recovery,” Kaka wrote in the comments section, after referring to Pele as ‘the King’.
Elsewhere on social media, however, many football fans have already started fearing the worst, after it was reported on Saturday that Pele is now in palliative care.