Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, the former striker who will turn 80 in October 2020, now requires a frame to help him walk after suffering from years of hip trouble.
Many of his recent public appearances have been in a wheelchair, with his son saying that his father is reluctant to leave the house due to his shame about being unwell.
Edison told Globoesporte, a Brazilian football publication, that, "He’s pretty fragile, he had a hip replacement, and didn’t have an adequate or ideal rehabilitation.”
He further stated; "So he has this problem with mobility and that has set off a kind of depression. Imagine, he’s the king, he was always such an imposing figure, and today he can no longer walk properly. Only with help. He is very shy, very embarrassed about it.
"It improved a little compared to that of recent times when he was in a wheelchair, but he still has a lot of difficulties walking.
"He’s embarrassed, he doesn’t want to go out, be seen, or do practically anything that involves leaving the house. He is reclusive."
Pele made 1,281 appearances and scoring 1,091 goals at a Brazilian football club, Santos. To date, he still holds the record as Brazilian leading goalscorer with 77 and played an influential role in the South American nation’s domination at the international level between 1958-1970, where they lifted the World Cup on three occasions.
