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Undergoing chemo, Pele thanks fans for birthday wishes

Former Brazilian soccer player Pele, not long out of the hospital after surgery to remove a tumour, thanked his fans on Saturday for wishing him a happy birthday as he turned 81.

"I want to take this opportunity to thank all my Brazilian friends and not only from Brazil but from all over the world, who wished me the best, wished me happiness on my birthday,'' Pele said in a video posted on his Instagram account.

To mark his birthday, photos of Pele were displayed at the CBF (Brazilian Soccer Confederation) headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.He did not give any details, but the former Brazil, Santos and New York Cosmos player, has been in poor health for some time.

He is undergoing chemotherapy following September's tumour surgery.