After undergoing an operation for enlarged prostate, 74-year-old football legend Pele, also known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, is doing well in recovery on Thursday.
The athlete was admitted at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sau Paulo, but his doctors have yet to declare how long he's supposed to stay.
In a statement released to the press, Pele was said to have had a Transurethral Resection of the Prostrate (TURP) procedure. This involves "cutting away a section of the prostate gland," according to the NHS UK site. The procedure is necessary and commonly done for treating enlarged prostate.
Media from Brazil are reporting that the surgery was done as a preventive measure, as the star player had a health scare back in November 2014 due to a urinary tract infection. His recovery took two weeks, according to CNN.
During that same period, the three-time World Cup winner was hospitalized at the same facility for kidney hemodialysis. He currently only has one functioning kidney, having had part of his kidneys removed while he was still playing professionally.
Upon his release in December, Pele was reportedly in high spirits, joking to reporters that he will be preparing for the Olympics next.
Born in Tres Coracoes, Pele was nicknamed "O Rei" (The King) by soccer fans. He started playing professionally at 15-years-old and played in his first World Cup tournament two years later.
Pele is the only player to have achieved three World Cup titles. In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him the Athlete of the Century. He has achieved 1281 goals in his entire sports career.
Brazil regards Pele as a national hero and remains a brand endorser and ambassador for football, also known as soccer in other parts of the world.
