Brazil Football Legend Pele’s Family Gather at Hospital Bedside

In this file photo taken on March 09, 2014, Brazilian football legend Pele poses with the FIFA World Cup trophy during a press conference, outside the Hotel de Ville in Paris. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on March 09, 2014, Brazilian football legend Pele poses with the FIFA World Cup trophy during a press conference, outside the Hotel de Ville in Paris. (AFP)
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Brazil Football Legend Pele’s Family Gather at Hospital Bedside

In this file photo taken on March 09, 2014, Brazilian football legend Pele poses with the FIFA World Cup trophy during a press conference, outside the Hotel de Ville in Paris. (AFP)
In this file photo taken on March 09, 2014, Brazilian football legend Pele poses with the FIFA World Cup trophy during a press conference, outside the Hotel de Ville in Paris. (AFP)

Brazilian football legend Pele's family members gathered at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo on Saturday, where the 82-year-old, widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, has been since late November.

Doctors said this week that Pele's cancer had advanced and that he requires care related to renal and cardiac dysfunction. His family said he would remain in a Sao Paulo hospital over Christmas.

Pele has received regular medical treatment since a tumor was removed from his colon in September last year.

"Almost all of them. Merry Christmas. Gratitude, love, togetherness, family. The essence of Christmas. We thank you all for all the love and light you send," his daughter Kely Nascimento wrote on Instagram with a picture of their family in the hospital.

Pele's son Edinho, who played in goal for Santos in the 1990s, posted a picture of himself holding his father's hand to Instagram on Saturday, with the caption "Father... my strength is yours."



Struggling Valencia Hires West Brom Manager Carlos Corberan as Its New Head Coach

15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
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Struggling Valencia Hires West Brom Manager Carlos Corberan as Its New Head Coach

15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)
15 December 2024, United Kingdom, Watford: West Bromwich Albion coach Carlos Corberan, reacts during the English Football League championship soccer match between Watford and West Bromwich Albion at Vicarage Road. (Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa)

Relegation-threatened Valencia has hired West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan as its new head coach through June 2027.

Valencia fired Rubén Baraja on Monday after another setback in La Liga left the Spanish club stuck in the relegation zone and sparked renewed protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim.

"Carlos Corberan has been appointed as coach of Valencia CF, signing a contract through to 2027," a statement on Valencia’s website said early Wednesday. "A buy-out option in his contract with West Bromwich Albion was taken up to allow him to leave."

No official figure was given but the compensation for the former Valencia youth player was reported to be in the region of $3 million.

The Spaniard, who also briefly coached Greek side Olympiakos, led West Brom to its current seventh place in England's second-tier Championship. He worked in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr before making his debut as a first-team manager with Doxa Katokopias of Cyprus.

West Brom earlier said in a statement that the 41-year-old Corberan "is set to return to his homeland with the club’s gratitude and best wishes following a two-year tenure at The Hawthorns."

Chris Brunt, Damia Abella and Boaz Myhill "will oversee first-team duties until further notice."

Valencia’s next Spanish league match will be against Real Madrid at home on Jan. 3 in a game postponed from October because of the deadly floods that hit Valencia.

Valencia is winless in its last four matches.

Corberan wrote on X that "the decision to leave (West Brom) has been the hardest of my life."

"There will ALWAYS be a place in my heart for this special club and I hope one day I can return to thank you all for your incredible support," he said.