In this article, FreeKickSEO explores how Pele died, giving you a full picture of the medical reasons, timeline, and official reports. Pele, one of football’s most legendary figures, passed away on December 29, 2022. The immediate cause of death was multiple organ failure, with that condition emerging as complications from his long battle with colon cancer.
The illness timeline
Pele’s health problems were widely reported in his final years. Here are the key events chronologically:
- In September 2021, Pelé was diagnosed with colon cancer. He underwent surgery to remove a tumor located on the right side of his colon.
- After surgery, he entered chemotherapy treatment. Over the next months, the cancer was regularly monitored, but it became clear it was progressing in his body. edia)
- In November 2022, Pele was admitted to São Paulo’s Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein. Doctors noted a respiratory infection, swelling, and other complications. They also observed kidney (renal) and heart (cardiac) dysfunction.
- By early December 2022, it was reported that the chemotherapy was no longer effective, and his medical care shifted toward palliative support.
Medical cause of death: multiple organ failure from colon cancer progression
The official medical bulletin from his hospital stated that Pele died at 3:27 p.m. local time on December 29, 2022, in São Paulo. The cause of death was recorded as multiple organ failure resulting.
“Previous clinical condition” refers to the general decline in health related to aging and the cumulative effects of his illness. As cancer advanced, the tumour burden, treatment side effects, and other complications placed stress on various organ systems. The hospital’s death certificate also lists kidney failure, heartronchopneumonia, and colon adenocarcinoma among the medical findings.
What is colon cancer and why it can lead to organ failure
To understand how Pele died, it helps to know what colon cancer does in advanced stages, and why it can lead to multiple organ failure:
- Colon cancer may be asymptomatic for longer. Tumours can grow quite large before causing noticeable issues.
- As cancer spreads, it often affects vital organs such as the liver, lungs, and kidneys. Impairment of these organs can lead to systemic effects — liver dysfunction, renal (kidney) failure, respiratory distressfections (like pneumonia).
- Treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, etc., while intended to fight cancer, can strain the body, especially in older age. When cancer becomes resistant, treatments may no longer halt its progress, leading to worsening organ damage.
In Pele’s case, as cancer progressed, his body started having renal and cardiac dysfunction, respiratory complications, and infection, all of which contributed to organs being unable to sustain essential functions. These cascading failures are what is medically referred to as multiple organ failure.
Context: Impact, age, and other health aspects
Several additional factors played into how Pele died:
- Age: Pele was 82 years old. As people age, recovery becomes harder, immune response weaker, and organs less resilient.
- Past health: Prior clinical health conditions made managing aggressive cancer and its complications more difficult. “Previous clinical condition” was noted in the official statements.
- Hospitalisation in final weeks: Pele had been in hospital since late November 2022, with symptoms worsening — pneumonia risk, infections, organ stress. In mid-December hospitals flagged that cancer was progressing and care for cardiac and kidney issues increased.
Official statements and family confirmation
- The hospital (Albert Einstein Israelita, São Paulo) confirmed the cause of death as multiple organ failure.
- Pele’s daughter, Kely Nascimento, also shared that the cancer had progressed and that his later stage treatment had shifted to palliative care.
Key statistics
- Pele’s age at time of death: 82 years.
- Time since diagnosis to death: about 15 months (diagnosed September 2021 → died December 2022).
- Tumour removal: surgery in 2021, followed by chemotherapy.
- Organs failing included: kidneys, heart; presence of pneumonia; cancer type: colon adenocarcinoma.
Misconceptions and clarifications
- Was it COVID-19? While Pele had respiratory issues, there is no credible report that COVID-19 was the cause of death. The primary medical cause was complications.
- Did cancer spread to other organs? Yes. The progression included spread/metastasis to at least lungs and possibly liver, contributing to organ dysfunction.
- Was it sudden? No. His decline was gradual over months. After treatment became ineffective, medical care shifted toward comfort (palliative), showing that the outcome was anticipated once the cancer advanced.
Why this matters
Knowing how Pele died is not just about facts — it’s about understanding the vulnerability even of legends. It raises awareness about colon cancer, screening, early diagnosis, and how age and comorbidities can shape outcomes. For fans, it’s also a reminder of the human behind the myth: someone with health limits like everyone else, despite greatness on the pitch.
Conclusion
How Pele died can be summed up as follows: he passed away due to multiple organ failure, which was a result of the progression of colon cancer, complicated by age and other health conditions. Let us celebrate his life by staying informed — share this article, follow for more biographies and histories, and don’t overlook the importance of health as you cheer for your heroes.
