Brazilian football icon Pele, who died in December 2022, allegedly had a child his family did not know about.
Maria do Socorro Azevedo, 60, claims to be Pele’s eighth child and wants a share of his inheritance.
She says she should get a part of the 60% of his assets allocated to his seven children.
Reports suggest Pele mentioned in his will the possibility of having an eighth child, a daughter he never met.
Pele’s recognised children agreed to a DNA test, which initially returned negative. Another test is reportedly underway, Sky News reported.
Maria’s lawyer has asked for Pele’s body to be exhumed for a paternity test, a move the star footballer reportedly agreed to before his death.
The lawyer representing Pele’s widow labelled the exhumation request unreasonable and unlikely to take place.
In her first public statement, Maria revealed that her mother never informed Pele of her pregnancy.
Her requests for paternity tests began in 2019 but were delayed due to Pele’s health issues and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pele’s son, Edinho, the overseer of the inheritance, has stated that Maria is not his sister, based on previous laboratory tests.
The football legend’s reported fortune is around £12-million (R288-million), with his will awarding 30% to his widow, 60% to his seven children, and 10% to two grandchildren.
Compiled by staff writer
Pictured above: Pele.
Image source: Fifa
