Soccer legend Pele's health has taken a turn for the worse ... with local doctors announcing his cancer has advanced, and he is currently receiving "elevated care" for kidney and heart issues, according to the AP.
The 82-year-old's daughter shared an update on Tuesday ... saying the family will remain with Pele at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo over the Christmas holiday "for various reasons."
"We, as always, thank you for all the love you show us here in Brazil as well as around the world!