Sao Paulo (AFP)

Pele "throws his fists in the air," he said on Sunday, in celebration of the fact that he feels "a little better every day" after a brief return to intensive care on Friday.

"Good humor is the best medicine and I have a lot of it. It couldn't be different," Pele, 80, added on his Instagram account.

In the photo accompanying this message, Pelé is sitting in an armchair, his fists raised, at the Albert-Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo.

His condition is "stable," said the establishment.

The former footballer, triple winner of the World Cup with Brazil (1958, 1962, 1970), had been operated on September 4 for a "suspicious" tumor in the colon discovered during routine examinations.

He remained in intensive care until September 14, before being transferred to a normal room, but made a brief return to an intensive care unit on Friday "as a preventive measure" because of a small "respiratory instability" .

"I received so much kindness that I have a heart full of gratitude," added the legendary striker to reassure his many fans.

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