His ability to manipulate the opposition with his movement off the ball and penchant to find a defence-piercing pass made him the quintessential number 10, playing behind the likes of Jorge Valdano and Gustav Dezotti for Argentina. Maradona accuses Pele of being part of the establishment, while claiming that he is a man of the people. Who knows if Pele and Diego Maradona’s bodies would have coped with the demands of modern-day football like Ronaldo and Messi have been able … Both players appeared at four World Cup tournaments, with Maradona making more appearances overall. The pair have certainly had their ups and downs, at the battle to be recognised as football’s greatest ever player led to a fierce rivalry between them. Pele also has 10 Campeonato Paulista titles and four Torneio Rio-Sao Paulo titles (which are not included in the above table). Maradona scored eight goals in 21 World Cup games, including four in Argentina's successful 1986 campaign, though never in the final. Pele did it as a 17-year old back in 1958, an astonishing feat. Unlike Ronaldo and Messi, the pair's competition was more with words off the pitch than with the ball on it, something that fans would have liked to see regardless of which side of the debate they leaned towards. It was one of the earliest cases of a mass online poll being held and Maradona won it by a handsome margin. Since his retirement, Brazil has produced the likes of Zico, Romario, Rivaldo, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho and yet his 77 goals in 92 appearances keeps him at the top of the all-time goal scoring records for the five-time world champions. On November 25, as news spread around the world of Maradona's death, Pele indicated that it is something he desires as well. Comparisons with Pele was probably the most unsurprising by-product of Maradona's rise. On October 1, 1977, Brazilian football superstar Pele was handed the microphone to address the crowd ahead of a friendly between New York Cosmos, the team he had played with for over two years, and his beloved Santos, where his career started and reached dizzying peaks. South American Championship (Copa America) Best Player. Maradona scored over 300 club goals, while Pele struck over 700 club goals. The Pele and Maradona met for the first time in 1979 and while they were initially friendly to each other, the constant comparisons coupled with the deeper rivalry between Argentina and Brazil, and Maradona's own fiery personality, meant that frictions were bound to happen. Pele thought Maradona was gauche and undignified and Maradona thought Pele was a sell-out. The infamous 'Hand of God' was followed by an outrageous solo goal which was hailed as the 'Goal of the Century'. Young Diego Armando Maradona set stadiums alight around the country and took his performances to international football in the light blue and white of Argentina. Pele and Maradona often vie … Comparisons with Pele was probably the most unsurprising by-product of Maradona's rise. Pele, on the other hand, spent the majority of his career in Brazil with Santos before a swansong in North America with New York Cosmos. the debate over which player is the greatest of all time was dominated by Pele and Diego Maradona. Among the sold out crowd at the Giants Stadium in New Jersey was boxing legend Muhammad Ali and England's World Cup winning former captain Bobby Moore, apart from Pele's father and wife. Perhaps the most prominent flashpoint between the two was FIFA's 'Player of the Century' award in 2000. Argentina's World Cup-winning coach Cesar Luis Menotti could be forgiven for giving his compatriot the vote, but he suggested that Pele was better than Maradona. The infamous 'Hand of God' was followed by an outrageous solo goal which was hailed as the 'Goal of the Century'. The Brazilian and Argentine are considered two … Diego Maradona and Pele are heralded by many as the two greatest footballers of all time Pele paid tribute to his fellow all-time great Diego Maradona after the Argentina legend's death at … Maradona and Pele were two of the greatest football (soccer) players of all time. So who really was better between Pele and Maradona? In 2017, Pele said that the two of them should not be compared to each other while saying that they had finally found friendship. Both players have been awarded a host of unofficial individual awards and magazine accolades over the years. Football has always been an escape from social ills for the Argentinean people and amid the poverty and destruction that came with the Dirty War in the late 1970's and early 1980's, Maradona -- the boy who rose from the slums of the national capital -- was increasingly deified. He attended the ceremony, picked up his award, dedicated it to his wife and Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and stormed off the stage, leaving Pele to pick up his award by himself. FIFA then added a second poll in which a "Football Family" committee composed of football journalists, officials and coaches was the one who voted. With Pele, no. Nevertheless, despite playing fewer games, Pele scored more goals than Maradona in the World Cup, with 12 strikes in 14 games (including goals in the 1958 and 1970 finals). "Love is more important than what we can take in life," he told the crowd before commencing the game, in which he played for the Cosmos in the first half and Santos in the second. The Pele's goalscoring record for Brazil is vastly superior to Diego Maradona's for Argentina. Pele was the overwhelming winner this time, the Footballer of the Century award was shared between him and Maradona and the latter was not too happy about it. Almost exactly a year before that, a diminutive 15-year-old made his senior debut for Argentinos Juniors, becoming the youngest to play in Argentina's top flight. *Pele and Maradona shared the prize in 2000. Copyright © 2021 Goal (United States) All rights reserved. The skills and the cleverness with which he manoeuvred on and off the ball on the pitch convinced coaches before long that they needed to make their teams block passing routes to Maradona as much as possible. BOOM found that the original photo is from a stock photo website iStock and shows an unidentified man kneeling in front of an unmarked grave. He said: "Today there are so many strong players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the things I have seen Maradona do I have never seen anyone else achieve in football history". But what do others within the game think? Both players have won the World Cup Golden Ball, while they shared FIFA's Player of the Century award. Like Comment Share. While Pele was an advanced forward, Maradona was an attacking midfielder who dropped deep into his own half in order to initiate attacks. Pele won more titles than Maradona during his playing career. 1 Comment. The stats, of course, don't always tell the full story, but they are useful metrics nonetheless. Argentine football legend Maradona died on November 25 due to a heart attack aged 60. Pele was part of three World Cup-winning teams (1958, 1962, 1970), while Maradona won the title just once (1986), though he lost in the final in 1990. The information contained in Goal (United States) may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without the prior written authority of Goal (United States), They weren't direct rivals, but the perception of being the absolute best was something that meant a lot to the two South Americans, Cade Cowell: Future USMNT teenage sensation linked with Barcelona, Emi Buendia: Arsenal target at Norwich who is keeping Dybala out of Argentina squad, Messi to miss Barcelona's last game of the season with future undecided, 'I am not satisfied with myself' - Gnabry reflects on disappointing campaign at Bayern Munich. Esta página esta dedicada a aportar datos, información y estadísticas sobre los jugadores Top del mundo del fútbol. Pele joined countless mourners on social media, grieving the unfortunate loss of a friend and legend. Pele was part of three World Cup-winning teams (1958, 1962, 1970), while Maradona won the title just once (1986), though he lost in the final in 1990. Maradona's passing was confirmed by his attorney and was also preceded by a brain surgery Due to the conflicting reports of Pele's goal tally, with some including goals from non-competitive games, it's impossible to get an exact comparison, but all of the Brazilian's tallies still far surpass Maradona's. As well as three World Cups, the Brazilian won the Copa Libertadores twice with Santos, along with two Intercontinental Cups and one Intercontinental Supercup. That view has also been expressed by former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs, who believes that Maradona is "the best of all time". The debate about who was better between Pele and Maradona has been ongoing for decades and the pair have even traded barbs on the subject. Maradona was not the only player that all but single handedly won a World Cup for his country. Although he shares the former with Maradona, it doesn’t change how good he was during his playing days. Pele This position is strengthened with his award as the FIFA Player of the century and the Athlete of the Century which he received in 1999. For me he was a great player, just that you can't compare Maradona with Pele. The recent bickering between the two has put the bed the good feeling that was fostered between the two when Pele Quotes kept flying from one camp to the other over the course of the next few years, even after the two made peace with each other. I always say to him: 'Maradona, you can be level with Pele when you have scored more than 1,000 goals.' Brazilian legend Pele paid a heartfelt tribute to Diego Maradona on social media after the 60-year-old passed away last week. Pele is the national hero of Brazil and a prolific scorer who scored 77 goals in 92 caps for Brazil. Non ci sono parole, addio leggenda... . The fact also remained that while Pele had recently been appointed sports minister of Brazil, Maradona's downward spiral since the end of his playing career had continued and his alarming weight gain and a heart attack dominated the news. He was a goalscorer, just as Pele was, although he played a deeper role than the Brazilian and was often involved in the defensive side of the game. Football's global governing body had thrown the vote that would decide the award open to the public, who could have their say on its official website. There is still much to be said, but for now, may God give strength to the family members. Pele is, together with Diego Maradona, one of football's all-time greats and the Brazilian has sent a special message to his fellow legend after his passing on Wednesday. One day, I hope we can play ball together in the sky," Pele said in his tweet. Pele's exploits for Brazil and Santos earned him the nickname O Rei, or 'The King', as he helped the Selecao light up the football world from the late 1950s into the early 1970s. "In 2000, I won the Player of the Century award thanks to the people. Goal takes a look at the numbers and more in the eternal debate. Naturally, Maradona is of the view that he was superior, while Pele told Goal in 2017: "I always say to him: ‘Maradona, you can be level with Pele when you have scored more than 1,000 goals.’, "And he says: ‘I can’t now, but it doesn’t matter!’". In Pele's biography, written by sports writer Harry Harris that released in the same year, the Brazilian's close friend Celso Grellet alleged that Maradona was the source of speculation surrounding Pele's sexuality. "Now, we can't say that Maradona was a great header. And he says: 'I can't now, but it doesn't matter!'". The Brazilian scored 77 goals for his country during the course of his international career, while Maradona hit the back of the net 34 times. SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Retired Brazilian soccer star Pelé mourned the death of Argentine great Diego Maradona on Wednesday, following confirmation he had died of a … Pele, who was one of the first high-profile names to pay his respects to Maradona last week, also starred in two other World Cup winning teams -- in 1962 and 1970. Long before it was 'Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo?' Both players played roughly the same number of games, which emphasises Pele's goalscoring superiority, the Brazilian having a goals-per-game record of 0.84 to Maradona's 0.37. There is very little between Pele and Maradona when it comes to individual awards. JEFF POWELL: Football has been blessed with a panoply of brilliance down the ages but when it comes to the all-time supremacy there are only two true contenders: Maradona and Pele. "I lost a great friend and the world lost a legend. . conflicting reports of Pele's goal tally. While Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi may be the argument that has dominated the game since the turn of the century, the focus was mostly on Pele vs Maradona before that. Maradona on the other hand still had plenty to give when he returned home from Italy to play for Boca Juniors. Pele may not have been too involved defensively but he was a prolific goalscorer. Furthermore, Maradona won the youth equivalent of the World Cup - the FIFA World Youth Championship. Pele turned 80 on October 23 and Maradona 60 on October 30. ", Pele concluded by saying that the pair are now "friends". Maradona passed away in November 2020 following a heart attack at his home in Buenos Aires. Maradona, Pele highlight the GOAT debate (2:01) Gab Marcotti weighs the merits of Diego Maradona's and Pele's careers to decide which player shined … A viral photo showing Brazilian football legend Pele kneeling in front of Diego Maradona's grave is morphed and fake. Diego Maradona vs Pelé comparison. "That means, in my opinion, he can't be compared to Pele. Maradona was twice named the South American Footballer of the Year and Pele never had the honour because the award only began in the 1970s. As well as winning the Golden Ball in 1970, Pele was named the best player in the old South American Championship (now Copa America) in 1959. 55. 6.3m Followers, 95 Following, 545 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Pelé (@pele) However, any comparative analysis must take into consideration the variables, including position and clubs represented. Brazilian football star Pele has mourned the death of fellow football great Diego Maradona, who passed away on Wednesday. Gary Lineker now views Lionel Messi as the best of all time, but prior to that it was Maradona who was "the greatest player of all time, by a long way". Maradona, 60, had recently battled health issues and underwent emergency surgery Brazilian soccer star Pele mourned the death of his fellow great Diego Maradona on Wednesday as he said that it is sad to 'lose friends this way'. The message came a week after Maradona wished Pele a happy birthday on his 80th, joining what he called "the universal tribute to the King." That Maradona had to navigate his way in Italy's Serie A, which was packed with clubs that were renowned for their defensive nous, and Spain's Primera Division, which at the time featured a number of notoriously tough defenders, must be acknowledged. "The best of all was Pele, who is a mixture of Di Stefano, [Diego] Maradona, Cruyff and Leo Messi", he said. Instagram. Pele was second. At Barcelona, the Argentine won the Copa del Rey, Copa de la Liga and the Supercopa de Espana, while at Boca he won the Argentine Primera Division Metropolitano. You can also support us with a one-time payment. Pele’s touching tribute after death of arch-rival Diego Maradona goes viral Pele has paid a touching tribute following the death of his friend and often arch-rival Diego Maradona. Injury curtailed Pele's involvement in the 1966 World Cup, which affects his tally. Over the years, allegations have flown from both sides of trying to undermine the other. PELE hates his own nickname - and instead wanted to be known by his real name Edson as he admired Thomas Edison. Brazil's Pelé mourns passing of Argentine soccer great Maradona. Pele called the Argentine, who struggled with addiction, “a bad example” and a whole lot more. His most memorable World Cup goals came in the same game - a quarter-final showdown with England. Pele was part of three World Cup-winning teams (1958, 1962, 1970), while Maradona won the title just once (1986), though he lost in the final in 1990. Before age and addictions started affecting his fitness, Maradona was known for his work rate apart from his skills. See also Mágico González vs. Pelé. On the other hand, Maradona has less goals in his score list. "We are always joking. The South American pair did not play in the same era, like Ronaldo and Messi, with Maradona taking up the mantle in the 1980s into the 1990s, but that didn't stop the comparisons. And Pele showed his class by being among the first to pay tribute to the Argentine hero. The Argentine also plied his trade in a greater variety of leagues, playing for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona among others. Pele is among the sporting stars to wish Diego Maradona happy birthday as he turned 60 years old on Friday. Maradona enjoyed a degree of success in Argentina, Spain and Italy, with his most successful period coming at Napoli, where he won two Serie A titles, a Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and the UEFA Cup. The Brazilian icon, 80, is one of the most recognisable faces - and names - … Observers complained that the fact that the poll was carried out online meant that users may have been biased as most may have not actually seen Pele play while Maradona had only recently finished his playing career. Pele turned 80 on October 23 and Maradona 60 on October 30. “As a player he was great… but he thinks politically,” Maradona said, in one of his kinder criticisms. France Football conferred each player with an honorary Ballon d'Or, but Pele was retrospectively deemed the 'alternative winner' of seven Ballons d'Or in 2016, whereas Maradona was the 'alternative winner' twice. Of course, it should be noted again that Pele and Maradona played in different positions, with Pele often deployed in a more advanced position, whereas Maradona was much more of a traditional playmaker. The match ended in rainy conditions and with it, marked the end of the career of football's first true global superstar. Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo, other sports stars react to death of soccer legend Diego Maradona Maradona died on Wednesday at the age of 60 The modern equivalent of Pele and Maradona also have divergent views, with Lionel Messi calling Maradona the "greatest ever", while Cristiano Ronaldo said that Pele was "the greatest player in football history". He didn't score goals with headers," Pele was quoted as saying by Goal.com. Pele vs Diego Maradona: World Cup stats. Diego Maradona died … Pele, who celebrated his 80th birthday in October days before the Argentine turned 60, was magnanimous on hearing of Maradona’s death. He won six Brasileiro titles with Santos and the NASL Bowl with New York Cosmos. I still consider Maradona in front of Messi. SAO PAULO — Retired Brazilian soccer star Pelé mourned the death of Argentine great Diego Maradona … "And we cannot say Maradona shot very well with both feet, because he didn't shoot with his right, only mainly with his left… So, from time to time, when people make comparisons, I make jokes about that. The three-time World Cup winner took to his official Twitter account and mentioned that he lost a … As is the case with Ronaldo and Messi, the two players weren't exactly carrying similar responsibilities in the team. Maradona, in an autobiography released in 2000, said that Pele could have done more to save his troubled Brazil team mate Garrincha, who succumbed to alcohol addiction shortly after the end of his illustrious career. Best Goals Here is a compilation of the best goals of Diego Maradona: And There is no such dissent among the Brazilians though, with Zico telling the world that Pele is the best ever "by some distance", while Romario once said: "Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romario and then eventually Pele". Fact check: Pele Maradona tribute. 4 talking about this. Pele has all the qualities and characteristic that a football player has to have. Unlike Ronaldo and Messi, the pair's competition was more with words off the pitch …

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