Soccer Great Expected to Recover From Infection

A Brazilian hospital says Pele's condition is improving as he undergoes temporary kidney treatment in an intensive care unit.

The Albert Einstein hospital says the 74-year-old Pele is "lucid" and breathing normally without any support.

The Brazilian soccer great has been hospitalized since Monday because of a urinary infection. He had surgery to remove kidney stones on Nov. 13.

On Thursday, Pele denied that he was put into an intensive care unit. He and his staff had said he was only transferred to a special unit where he could have more privacy while being monitored.

They could not immediately be contacted on Friday.