CELEBRITY
Pele to stay in hospital due to urinary tract infection
Brazilian football great Pele will remain hospitalised for a urinary tract infection in a Sao Paulo hospital, where he was already receiving chemotherapy for a colon tumour, the facility said on Monday (Feb 21).
The 81-year-old former player known as “O Rei” (The King) was initially admitted to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo on Feb 13 to continue his treatment for a colon tumour detected in September.
He has remained hospitalised since then.
Eight days after being admitted, the hospital said it had detected a urinary tract infection during routine exams, which would extend Pele’s stay.
“Clinical conditions are stable, and hospital discharge should occur in the next few days,” the hospital said in a statement on Monday.
Pele underwent surgery for the tumour on Sept 4, spending a month in the hospital before being discharged to continue chemotherapy.
It is the latest in a string of health troubles for the ageing star, whose public appearances have grown increasingly rare.
Considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time, Edson Arantes do Nascimento – Pele’s real name – is the only player in history to win three World Cups (1958, 1962 and 1970).
He burst onto the global stage at just 17 by scoring dazzling goals, including two in the final against hosts Sweden, as Brazil won the World Cup for the first time in 1958.
He went on to have one of the most storied careers in sport, scoring more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.
“As I have been doing monthly, I am going to the hospital to continue my treatment,” Pele said on his social media platforms on Feb 13.
-AFP
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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