Pele, who is also being treated for a respiratory infection, remained in a regular hospital room with stable vital signs and was conscious, medical staff at Sao Paulo's Albert Einstein Hospital told reporters on Tuesday.

The news backs up comments from his family on Monday dismissing media reports he was close to death.

"He is sick, he is old. But at the moment, he is there because of the lung infection. And once he feels better, he will go home again," said his daughter Kely Nascimento then.

"He is not saying goodbye in a hospital at the moment."

One of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele had a tumour removed from his colon in September last year and has been receiving medical care for ailments on a regular basis.

"The patient continues to show progressive improvement in his general condition, in particular the respiratory infection," doctors said in a statement.

On Monday, Pele took to social media to show his support for Brazil's national team in their World Cup round of 16 match against South Korea, saying he would watch the game from hospital.

The heavily favoured Brazilians beat the South Korean squad 4-1 on Monday night to advance to the quarter-finals.

During the game, Brazil's players unfurled a banner on the pitch with a photo of the soccer great during his 1970 World Cup win that simply read: "Pele!"

The former striker played for Brazil and club sides Santos and the New York Cosmos, helping lead his country to three World Cup championships - in 1958, 1962 and 1970 - a feat no other player has achieved.

Australian Associated Press