Former Real Madrid and Brazil legendary international left-wing back Roberto Carlos reassured fans on Thursday via his personal Instagram account that he had recently undergone successful heart surgery and is recovering well.

In his post, Carlos refuted rumours circulating online which claimed that he had been rushed to the hospital due to a heart attack, clarifying that he was simply told by doctors during a health check that he had some heart problems and needed preventative surgery.

He said that his surgery was successful and he is now recovering well under the careful care of medical staff, looking forward to a speedy recovery and returning to work in top condition.

Finally, Carlos thanked all the fans, journalists, family, friends, former teammates, and coaches who sent their best wishes during his hospitalization and apologized for causing concern.

Furthermore, according to reports from Brazilian media outlets, Carlos was initially admitted to the hospital for leg discomfort and a routine health check, but unexpectedly, a minor heart problem was discovered, requiring preventative surgery.

After his recovery, Roberto Carlos is expected to resume his work as Real Madrid's global ambassador and occasionally attend commercial events around the world.

About Roberto Carlos

The 52-year-old Carlos was born on April 10, 1973, in São Paulo, Brazil. He is 1.68 meters tall, plays as a left wing-back, and holds dual Brazilian and Spanish citizenship.

Carlos previously played for Atlético Mineiro and Inter Milan before joining Real Madrid in July 1996 for €3.5 million.

During his 11-year spell at Real Madrid, Carlos, known for his free-kick goals, helped the club win four La Liga titles, three Supercopa de España, three Champions League titles, two Intercontinental Cups, and one UEFA Super Cup. He is the most capped foreign player in Real Madrid's club history.

In the summer of 2007, Carlos joined Fenerbahçe as a free agent.

During his two-and-a half-year spell with Sarı Kanaryalar, Carlos won the Turkish Super Cup once.

In January 2010, Carlos joined Corinthians as a free agent.

The following summer, Carlos joined Anzhi Makhachkala for €10 million, but retired in August 2012.

After retiring, Carlos served as manager of Anzhi Makhachkala, Sivasspor, and Akhisar successively, but with limited success.

In July 2015, Carlos briefly returned to coaching as player-manager at Delhi Dynamos, but retired again the following summer.

Internationally, Carlos represented Brazil 125 times between 1992 and 2006, winning the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

Meanwhile, his free kick goal during Brazil's match against France in 1997 is still widely regarded as one of the best free kick goals in football history.