Pele hospitalised in Paris but full recovery expected

April 5 – Brazilian football legend and three-time World Cup winner Pele has been admitted to a Paris hospital with an infection, but is expected to make a full and quick recovery.

Earlier this week Pele joined Kylian Mbappe at a sponsor event in Paris in a first-meeting between the Brazilian football great and the PSG player, who at the age of 19 won the World Cup with France.

“He won the World Cup at the age of 19 and I did it when I was 17 years old,” said Pele. “I teased him saying he had almost equalled [what I did}, but I think he can become the new Pele and I don’t say that as a joke.”

After the meeting with Mbappe, Pele fell ill overnight and had to be admitted to a Paris hospital as a ‘precautionary measure’ according to his representatives. The situation was not life-threatening.

He was diagnosed with urinary infection, but Pepito Fornos, Pele’s spokesman and close friend said that “everything is under control” and that Pele will need to remain a few more days in the hospital.

Mbappe and Pele had been scheduled to meet late last year but the event at the time had to be postponed because of Pele’s health.

Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1711687917labto1711687917ofdlr1711687917owedi1711687917sni@o1711687917fni1711687917