Pele released from hospital but will continue tumour treatment

Pele (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

Brazilian football great Pele has been released from a Sao Paulo hospital but will continue being treated for a colon tumour.

“Edson Arantes do Nascimento was discharged from the Israelita Albert Einstein on Thursday,” the hospital said in a statement.

“The patient remains stable and will continue having treatment on the colon tumour that was identified in September.”

Pele, 81, was admitted to hospital at the start of December for sessions of chemotherapy.

As I promised you, I will spend Christmas with my family. I’m coming back home. Thanks for all the kind messages

He was also previously admitted to hospital for almost a month after having surgery to remove the tumour.

Later on Thursday, Pele posted a picture on social media from his younger days and said “the smiling photo is not for nothing. As I promised you, I will spend Christmas with my family. I’m coming back home. Thanks for all the kind messages”.

Pele helped Brazil win the 1958, 1962 and 1970 World Cups and is his country’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals in 92 matches.