Pele finally succumbs to colon cancer and passes away at the age of 82 in Sao Paulo

BRAZILIAN footballing icon Edson Arantes Do Nasemento popularly known as Pele has passed away at the age of 82 in a Sao Paulo hospital after finally losing an ongoing battle against colon cancer.

Revered as arguably the greatest footballer ever, Pele helped Brazil lift the World Cup three times in 1958, 1962 and 1970.  Pele had been having treatment in hospital since November 29 for worsening a colon cancer condition as well as heart and kidney problems, as he has been battling cancer since September 2021.

Early this evening, his manager confirmed the devastating news that the footballing legend has passed away. Pele's family had gathered around his bedside at a Sao Paulo hospital since Christmas Eve.

Last week, the hospital caring for the footballing icon announced that his cancer was showing progression and that he also needed more extensive care to treat kidney and heart failure. Pele was hospitalised in Sao Paulo in late November for what was said to be a re-evaluation of his chemotherapy treatments.

He had been receiving treatment since having surgery to remove a colon tumour in September 2021. His family joined him over the festive period at the Albert Einstein Hospital, with his son Edinho posting to Instagram a picture of him holding his dad's hand.

Edinho posted a message with the caption: "Father, my strength is yours," While daughter Kely Nascimento wrote: "One more night together," with a picture of her hugging her father. That was followed by a picture of Pele's wife Marcia Aoki and other family members at the hospital.

Kely posted a message under that picture saying: "Almost all of us. Merry Christmas. Gratitude, love, union, family. The essence of Christmas. We thank you all for all the love and light you send us."

Pele scored 77 goals for the Brazilian national team during a career which spanned between 1958 and 1970.  He burst on to the scene in 1958 as an unknown 17 year old featuring for Brazil in the World Cup in Sweden and from then, went on to become one of the world's greats.