Paris, April 9: Brazilian football legend Pele was reportedly discharged from a hospital in Paris after recovering from a urinary infection, and is on his way back home to his native country, media in both France and Brazil reported.
The 78-year-old, was admitted to the hospital in Paris last week with a fever after attending an event in the city with French World Cup-winner Kylian Mbappe.
Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar was among those who visited Pele in hospital. The pair smiled as they posed for a photo that was uploaded to social media.
Neymar is himself undergoing rehabilitation from a metatarsal injury and recently returned to PSG training.
Pele, considered by many as the game's finest player and the winner of three World Cups, was treated with antibiotics and had said recently that he was feeling much better.
Though there was no immediate confirmation of the discharge from Pele's press office in Brazil, media reports say, he will return to his native country 'soon.
"I want to thank you deeply for your positive thoughts and get-well wishes," Pele said in a statement cited by Brazilian news website Globo Sport.
"Thanks to the great affection of the medical team at the American hospital of Paris, I am travelling home soon."
Brazil's G1 reported that Pele had intended to come out of hospital to return to Brazil but had been delayed by further tests.
The infection was not serious and was under control, members of Pele's entourage had said.
"Thank you so much for all the love! The antibiotics are working," Pele had tweeted. "I'm feeling much better and I think I'm ready to play again!"
Thank you for all your love! The anti-biotics are working and the tests are all ☑. I feel so much better, I think I'm ready to play again!
— Pelé (@Pele) April 5, 2019
Pele has had several health issues in recent years.
A similar infection put him in intensive care in November 2014.
In 2016, Pele, who played 1,363 professional matches, scoring 1,281 goals, was unable to light the flame at the Rio Olympics because of severe pain in the hip.
In January 2018, he cancelled a trip to London fearing a "stressful" and "tiring" journey.
(With Agency inputs)