Pele recovering in hospital following removal of tumour

March 1987 file photo, Pele, left, and Diego Maradona, hold trophies during an awards ceremony in Italy. [AP]

Brazil soccer great Pele said on Monday that he was recovering in hospital from surgery to remove a tumour from his colon.

Pele, the only player to win three World Cups, did not say whether the tumour was malignant but the 80-year-old former Santos and New York Cosmos player said he was feeling good.