Cancer and a respiratory disease aggravated by COVID continue to afflict the 82-year-old. There was just one word on the banner – ‘Pele! ’ – alongside a picture of the Brazil great on the Stadium 974 pitch following their comfortable victory.
Fans also held up a banner of their own, featuring an image of Pele with the number 10 on his back and the message: ‘Get Well featuring just one word: ‘Pele! ’
Pele had earlier sent a message to his compatriots ahead of the match.
The three-time World Cup winner said on social media he would be watching the game from the hospital in Sao Paulo where he was admitted last week.
There were grave concerns over the 82-year-old’s health when news outlets in Brazil reported that he had been moved to palliative care.
However, an update from doctors about his treatment for colon cancer was followed by a message on Pele’s Instagram page that he was “strong” and which called for calm.
His daughter, Kely Nascimento, also told Fantastico: “About three weeks ago he got COVID. He is vaccinated, with all the vaccines, but because of the cancer medicine, the chemotherapy, which is fragile, he got a lung infection.
“That’s why he went to the hospital, because of the lung infection. Is he serious? It’s serious, because he’s a certain age, he’s treating cancer.”
Ahead of Monday evening’s last-16 tie, Pele recalled memories of his World Cup debut in 1958, when the 17-year-old helped Brazil lift the Jules Rimet Trophy in Sweden.
He wrote on Twitter: “In 1958, I walked the streets thinking about fulfilling the promise I made to my father. I know that today many have made similar promises and are also going in search of their first World Cup.
“I’ll be watching the game from the hospital and I’ll be rooting for each one of you. Good luck!”