Maradona – 34
He scored many goals for the Brazilian team to contribute to their rise to fame. Pele played a total of 92 games for Brazil and scored 77 goals in his career whereas Maradona played a total of 91 games and scored a total of 34 goals.
Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, is considered the football god of all time. No player has won more world cups (3) than him.
Pele and Maradona by the numbers
They both played a similar number of games with their national team, with Maradona scoring 34 goals in 91 games with Argentina, while Pele scored 77 in 90 games with Brazil.
Pele won the World Cup three times, in 1958, 1962 and 1970, a football milestone no other player has yet achieved. In 2000, Fifa named Pele as the player of the century along with Argentina's Diego Maradona, who died in 2020 at 60.
Pele would have surpassed the achievements of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had he played in the modern era. That is according to Jocky Scott, who faced the Brazil great in the final competitive game of his career in 1977.
The Argentine has scored more World Cup goals - 13 - than his two rivals, though he's played more games. Pele hit 12 goals at the World Cup and Ronaldo has notched eight times. Pele's ratio, though, sees him come out on top again; 0.86 compared to Messi on 0.5 and Ronaldo on 0.36.
Eric Cantona. Known as the greatest player of his generation, Eric Cantona is credited for revitalizing Manchester United in the 1990s. He wore the iconic number 7 jersey at Old Trafford and elevated the legacy of this number to new heights.
Jan 17 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi has surpassed Diego Maradona as the greatest player of all time, Argentina's World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni has said.
Lionel Messi has scored the most goals for one club. Pelé held the world record for around 50 years. Josef Bican is credited by FIFA with 805 goals.
Pele thought Maradona was gauche and undignified, and Maradona thought Pele was a sellout. "As a player he was great. ... But he thinks politically," Maradona said, in one of his kinder criticisms. Pele called the Argentine, who struggled with addiction, "a bad example" and much more besides.
"Messi isn't much better than Ronaldo. Let's be clear, he isn't much better. But if I had to pick, I'd pick Leo," Maradona said. Maradona also said he can't remember the last time Messi played poorly, while also noting he doesn't need to win the World Cup to validate his greatness.
Wait a minute. To all those who're here barking maradona claims Messi over Ronaldo as "Best" player, well for all of u, maradona himself claimed Ronaldo is better than Messi.
Lionel Messi beats Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema to Best FIFA Men's Player award. Lionel Messi was named Best FIFA Men's Player at a ceremony in Paris on Monday, beating Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid's Karim Benzema.
The number 7 is iconic in football. The number 7 jersey in football is usually worn by wingers and second strikers but it has also been graced by some of the most famous central strikers to have played the game.
"9" is usually worn by strikers, also known as centre-forwards, who hold the most advanced offensive position on the pitch, and are often the highest scorers in the team.
Pele was a three-time World Cup winner but never played European football nor won trophies like the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or which many see as the ultimate goal.
The debate surrounding the greatness of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo may never reach a consensus. That said, Pele, one of the greatest players to ever step on the pitch, believes the edge goes to the Barcelona and Argentina stalwart. BBC Sport passed along comments from the 74-year-old Brazilian legend.
Along with Messi, Pelé named the players he believed were in the ranks of greats of all time including Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Zinedine Zidane, Zico, and more.
Who is better Messi Or Ronaldo? Ronaldo has scored a record number of international goals and appearances, but Messi has won more Ballon d'Or awards (7). Messi has spent most of his playing career in Spain and France, while Ronaldo has played in Portugal, England, Spain, and Italy.
“I think the best was [Alfredo] Di Stéfano, he was superior to everyone – even me. Pelé didn't want to recognise Di Stéfano's talents. Pelé's friends invented a trophy especially for him for being a living legend of football.
Unfortunately, Pele and Diego Maradona were both ineligible for the award and this list because the Ballon d'Or only opened to non-European players in 1995.