Legendary footballer Pele is reportedly too embarrassed to leave his house due to his declining health - according to his son.
The Brazilian legend is regarded as one of the world's greatest ever players and had been hospitalised last year with a urinary infection.
He also requires a walking frame and has made numerous public appearances in a wheelchair due to a hip issue.
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His son Edinho told Brazilian outlet TV Globo:
"He is very sheepish, reclusive."
"Imagine, he's the King, he was always such an imposing figure and today he can't walk properly," Edinho explained.
"He's embarrassed, he doesn't want to go out, be seen, or do practically anything that involves leaving the house.
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"He's pretty fragile. He had a hip replacement and didn't have an adequate or ideal rehabilitation. So he has this problem with mobility and that has set off a kind of depression.
"He can't walk normally. Only with the walker. It even improved a little compared to that recent time (when he appeared in a wheelchair), but he still has a lot of difficulty walking."
This June will mark the 50th anniversary of his third World Cup win with the 'Selecao' who's 1970 team is regarded as one of the greatest ever.
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The former Santos and New York Cosmos forward himself also admitted it could have been the best team he ever featured in.
He told GQ back in 2018:
"Ever? The 1958 team had some very special players like Garrincha and Vavá. But I think it was the 1970 team - that was the most complete team.
It was my last World Cup and we had so many great Brazilian players to choose from. There were too many!
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"When it came to picking the squad, I remember we had three world-class players for almost the same position: the number 10. We had Gerson, Rivellino and Pelé.
"And all the papers said, 'This is not going to work. There are too many players for the same position.' But it ended up the best Brazil team that ever played. That is football."
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Santos, Football, Pele, Brazil