São Paulo (AFP) - Brazilian soccer legend Pele, who was hospitalized this week and is continuing treatment for a colon tumor, has developed a respiratory infection, but is in stable condition and "showing general improvement," according to the report. What his doctors revealed Friday.

The 82-year-old icon, who has been in fragile health in recent years, was hospitalized Tuesday in São Paulo for what doctors described as a "re-evaluation" of the chemotherapy he'd been undergoing since surgery to remove a colon polyp in September 2021.

A hospital statement said, "The medical team diagnosed him with a respiratory infection and is being treated with antibiotics."

"The patient's response was sufficient, and he remains in a regular room, not in intensive care," the statement added.

He continued, "He is stable and his health is improving in general. He will remain in the hospital in the coming days to continue his treatment."

Pele thanked the messages of support he received after entering the hospital.

And he posted on his Instagram account, showing his picture displayed on a lighted tower in Qatar, and on the last side of the phrase "We wish you a speedy recovery" in English.

And he added the picture with a comment, "Dear friends, I am in the hospital doing my monthly visit. It is always great to receive positive messages. Thank you Qatar for this gesture and everyone who sends positive feelings."

Ranked by many as the greatest footballer of all time, Pele has suffered from increasingly poor health in recent years. He has been undergoing regular chemotherapy treatments since he was diagnosed with colon cancer last year. He also underwent surgery to remove the tumor in September 2021, and spent a month in the hospital.

Pele is the only player in the history of football to win the World Cup three times (1958, 1962 and 1970) and score more than 1,000 goals before retiring in 1977.

Although Pele does not appear in public much, he is active on social media, as he recently wrote to the Brazilian national team, who wished him a speedy recovery, that he was counting on him to "bring this cup home" in the World Cup in Qatar.