Neymar calls on Pele

Ailing three-time World Cup winner returns home after spending six days in hospital

April 09, 2019 10:43 pm | Updated 10:44 pm IST - PARIS

Fique bem logo, amiga:  Neymar visited Pele at a Paris hospital before the all-time great was discharged.

Fique bem logo, amiga: Neymar visited Pele at a Paris hospital before the all-time great was discharged.

Neymar paid a visit to legend Pele, who had been hospitalised in the French capital since April 3, before the three-time World Cup winner was discharged late on Monday and returned to Brazil on Tuesday.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward posted a photo on his Instagram account on Monday of himself alongside a smiling Pele in his hospital bed with the two holding hands.

Pele left the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos airport in Brazil in a wheelchair and was taken away by van, an AFP reporter said.

“Once again, thank God, everything went well. I'm alive. Long live Brazil,” said Pele, a gold cross hanging around his neck, after he arrived in Brazil’s biggest city.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Brazilians and all those who called the hospital, who called me, for my operation, to wish me a rapid recovery,” he added.

Pele has had several health issues in recent years. A similar infection put him in intensive care in November 2014. In 2016, Pele, who played 1,363 professional matches, scoring 1,281 goals, was unable to light the flame at the Rio Olympics because of severe pain in the hip.

In January 2018, he cancelled a trip to London fearing a “stressful” and “tiring” journey.

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