The family of the Brazilian soccer icon Pelé fears for the life of the 82-year-old.
On Instagram, his daughter Kely Nascimento posted a picture from the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, where Pelé is currently being treated.
She captioned the photo, "We continue here, in struggle and in faith.
One more night together.«
Pelé will have to spend the Christmas days in the clinic.
According to the doctors treating him, his health has deteriorated drastically, the hospital announced on Wednesday evening.
Accordingly, the cancer is progressing, Pelé suffers from "kidney and heart dysfunction", but is "still in a normal room, where he receives the necessary care".
Chemotherapy was no longer effective
The football legend has been in the hospital since November 29 to adjust chemotherapy for a colon tumor.
According to media reports, Pelé's chemotherapy has recently failed.
Brazil soccer star Neymar paid tribute to Pelé in a video that Kely Nascimento posted on Instagram.
"As you know, Pelé is part of my story," said Neymar, among other things.
The Paris Saint-Germain attacker said he had been nominated by a sponsor to honor Pele with a "player of history" trophy.
There is only one such player.
"King, our love and respect for you," said Neymar.
With Brazil's selection, the 30-year-old was eliminated in Qatar in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
The record world champion missed out on winning the sixth title that went to Neymar's PSG teammates Lionel Messi and Argentina.
Pelé was world champion three times in his career (1958, 1962, 1970).
The former attacker is considered by many to be the best footballer in history.
Two years ago, on Pelé's 80th birthday, SPIEGEL editor Danial Montazeri addressed the question of how good the player really was - and how he would do today.
Read the analysis here.
mrk/dpa