Pele 'in very good health' despite hospital stay

RIO DE JANEIRO - Football legend Pele has moved to reassure fans that he is feeling fine after being taken to hospital in Brazil.

The 80-year-old's wellbeing was the subject of speculation earlier on Tuesday after it was revealed he had been admitted to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo.

"Guys, I didn't faint and I'm in very good health. I went for my routine exams, which I had not been able to do before because of the pandemic," Pele said on Twitter.

The three-time World Cup winner has rarely been seen in public since undergoing hip replacement surgery in 2012.

He has since battled a series of prostate and kidney problems that have often required treatment in hospital.

Last year, Pele's son Edinho said his father was battling a "kind of depression" because of his fragile health and declining mobility.

Pele scored a world record tally of 1,281 goals in a 1,363-match professional career that spanned 21 years. He was capped 91 times for Brazil and scored 77 international goals.