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Pele feeling 'calm' after night in hospital, no discharge date - staff

Football great Pele will remain in hospital indefinitely while he is treated for a urinary infection, but says he's feeling "calm," according to a member of his personal staff.

The 78-year-old spent the night at the American Hospital in Paris and will remain there until the virus has been fully treated. He is then expected to immediately fly back to Brazil after cancelling a scheduled trip to the United States due to the infection.

Pele, considered the greatest footballer of all time, was hospitalised in Paris on Wednesday following a meeting with Kylian Mbappe in the French capital.

His spokesperson, Pepito Fornos, told The Associated Press the three-time World Cup champion would be in hospital for up to two days.

"He was a little shaky and they detected a urinary infection," Fornos said on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, Brazilian TV network Globo said Pele had a cold and was medicated at his hotel on Tuesday. He woke up still feeling ill and was taken to a hospital later that day.

Pele and Mbappe, the French forward who has drawn comparisons with the Brazilian great after helping France win the World Cup last summer as a teenager, met as part of their ambassador roles for a Swiss watchmaker.

Pele has frequently been admitted to hospitals in the last few years for kidney and prostate procedures.

Pele's meeting with Mbappe had initially been planned for last November but was postponed because of the Brazilian's poor health at the time.

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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