Brazilian football legend Pele expressed his happiness on Sunday celebrating his 82-year-old "healthy", despite his health problems in recent years.
The only three-time World Cup winner (1958, 1962 and 1970), born on October 23, 1940, said in a video he posted on his Instagram account, "My friends in Brazil and in the whole world, I am happy, very happy to be with you and that God has Give me health so I can thank you all for what I got."
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A post shared by Pelé (@pele)
"82 years is a gift from God. I hope we can spend a lot of time together, and God willing, another 82 good years," added the former international striker, who scored 77 goals in 92 games for Seleção.
Pele, whose real name is Edison Arantes do Nascimento, is considered by many to be the best player ever in the world of football, and he has suffered from health problems in recent years.
Between August and September 2021, he was taken to hospital in São Paulo to have a colon polyp removed.
Since then, his family and the doctors caring for him have indicated that his health is stable, and that he has to go to the hospital regularly to undergo chemotherapy sessions as part of the treatment protocol.
The "king", who did not mention the disease in his video, suffers from kidney and hip problems that have reduced his ability to move and forced him to use a walking aid or a wheelchair.
Despite significantly reducing his public appearances, Pele remains active on social media.
Many Brazilian football stars, such as Ronaldinho, Neymar, Ronaldo and Rivaldo, participated in the "King" Pele on his birthday.
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A post shared by Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (@ronaldinho)
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A post shared by Ronaldo (@ronaldo)
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A post shared by Rivaldo Ferreira (@rivaldo)