Pelé has been in hospital for six days after routine tests

RIO DE  JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Former Brazilian superstar soccer player Edson Arantes do Nascimento “Pelé” has been in a São Paulo hospital for six days after undergoing a series of routine examinations, one of his representatives confirmed to local media.

Pelé, 80, reported on August 31 that he went to a hospital in São Paulo to undergo a series of routine examinations that had been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic but assured his social networks that he was in good health.

However, according to reports on Monday, “O Rei” has remained in hospital since then, although the exact reasons for his stay at the prestigious Albert Einstein hospital in São Paulo were not confirmed.

When contacted by Efe, the hospital has yet to comment on the player’s state of health.

According to several local media, some alterations were detected during routine examinations, and the medical team decided to admit the player considered the best player of the 20th century.

The health of the three-time World Cup champion has weakened in recent years, which, together with the pandemic, has kept him practically confined to his home on the coast of São Paulo with his family and closest friends and away from the media spotlight.