London, June 23 : Brazilian football legend Pele was robbed by an armed gang while on his way to his seaside home in Santos, Brazil.

Pele was robbed of his gold necklace, cell phone and a watch vat gunpoint.

As many as 10 people are reported to have been involved in the robbery, but Pele was unhurt in the incident.

The robbery - which took place on June 13, was not made public until now. It occurred near the city of Santos in southern Sao Paulo state, The Telegraph reported.

Pele was riding in the passenger seat of a car when it was stopped near a slum by at least 10 young men armed with pistols and knives, the report said.

When the assailants approached his car, Pele rolled down the window and told them who he was, but they robbed him anyway, according to the Veja report.

Estado de S. Paulo reported the robbers gave back some of the items after learning of their victim's identity.

Both Veja and the Estado de S. Paulo newspaper quoted an unidentified Pele spokesman as saying that the 67-year-old star told friends about the robbery while attending last week's football match between Brazil and Argentina.

Pele, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, helped Brazil win three of its five World Cup titles.

He was declared a national treasure by the Brazilian government and in 1999 was voted Athlete of the Century by the world's national Olympic committees.

Pele did not report the crime to police.

ANI