Pele 'super strong' as he recovers from tumor, daughter says

March 1987 Pele, left, and Diego Maradona, hold trophies during an awards ceremony in Italy. The Argentine soccer great who was among the best players ever and who led his country to the 1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine use and obesity, died from a heart attack on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020, at his home in Buenos Aires. He was 60. AP

Soccer legend Pele is at home and "super strong" as he recovers from a colon tumor, his daughter said on Saturday in what appeared to be a rebuttal of media reports that his condition had worsened.

The 81-year-old former Santos and New York Cosmos player was discharged from hospital on Thursday after undergoing two days of chemotherapy treatment.

Pele had surgery to remove a colon tumor in September 2021 and has been in an out of the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo in the months since.

His daughter Kely Nascimento said in an Instagram post her father was doing well.

"I don't know what came out where but everybody is sending me messages, everybody is worried," she said, before adding, "Nothing has changed."

"There is nothing new to report. My father goes to the hospital every month. So these things are going to come out now and again, sometimes he'll go twice a month. But nothing has changed, he is at home, he's good, recovering well, and is super strong."

Sports TV network ESPN had reported the cancer had spread and that the three-time World Cup winner was diagnosed with a tumor in the intestine, one in the liver and the beginning of another in a lung.

His business manager declined to confirm or deny those reports.

Widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele has suffered from a series of health issues in recent years, including hip surgery that left him with recurring pain and trouble walking unaided.

He has reduced his public appearances but remains active on social media.