The World’s Best Football: Maradona vs Pele

Nowadays football fans debate whether it is Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi that can claim to be the best footballer in the world, but such a discussion used to be dominated by Diego Maradona and Pele. Unlike Messi and Ronaldo, these two South American giants did not play at the same time, but that has not stopped the comparisons. Stats are useful metrics for such an eternal debate, and below we will give you our view on who was the best.

Club Goals

There are conflicting reports as to how many goals Pele scored in club football as some include goals that he scored in non-competitive matches, but the Brazilian still had a much greater tally than Maradona. The Argentinian scored 300 goals in domestic club football, while Pele notched more than 700. However, factors such as the clubs that both players played for, and their position should not be ignored.

Pele played as an advanced forward, while Maradona played as an attacking midfielder who often dropped deep to receive the ball. The Argentinian also showcased his skills in Argentina, Italy, and Spain, while the Brazilian played most of his football in his motherland with Santos. Maradona played in much tougher leagues, and this is something that we need to acknowledge.

International Records

Pele’s international record is also better than Maradona’s. He notched up 77 goals in 92 appearances compared to Maradona’s 34 goals in 91 matches. Both played more or less the same number of international matches, which highlights Pele’s superiority when it comes to finding the back of the net. The Brazilian averaged 0.84 goals per international match, while the Argentinian averaged 0.37.

However, once again, we should not ignore the fact that Pele played in more of an advanced role, while Maradona was his team’s playmaker.

World Cup Stats

Both of these men played at four World Cups, but Maradona made 21 appearances compared to Pele’s 14. The Brazilian was part of a World Cup-winning team in 1958, 1962, and 1970, while the Argentinian won it once in 1986. Although Pele played fewer games, he scored 12 World Cup goals compared to Maradona’s eight. Pele averaged 0.86 goals per match while Maradona average 0.38 goals per game.

Most Titles

Pele won a total of 15 titles during his career which includes three World Cups, two Intercontinental Cups, two Copa Libertadores, seven National League cups, and one Intercontinental Supercup.

Maradona, on the other hand, won 11 titles, which include one World Cup, one UEFA Cup, three National League cups, five National cups, and one FIFA World Youth Championship.

Individual Awards

When it comes to individual awards, there is little between the pair. Both players have been recipients of the World Cup Golden Ball, and they got to shared FIFA’s Player of the Century. Maradona did have the honour of being named South American Footballer of the Year on two occasions, which is something that Pele never won as the award only started in 1970.

They were both given honorary Ballon d’Or, but the Brazilian was given seven “alternative winner” Ballon d’Or in 2016, while the Argentinian received two “alternative winner” Ballon d’Or. In addition to the above awards, both Pele and Maradona have received a range of unofficial accolades over the decades.

A Topsy-Turvy Friendship

The two South Americans met for the first time back in 1979 in Rio, with the Argentinian being just 19 years old at the time. Pele was more than happy to counsel the young star, while Maradona had always wanted to meet the legendary Brazilian. However, their relationship broke down three years later when Pele heavily criticised Maradona for getting sent off for stamping.

They then spent the next few decades criticising one another and then making peace, with the insults being as sincere as the praise. When Maradona’s death was announced on the 25th of November 2020, Pele took to Twitter to declare that he had “lost a great friend”.

If you want to find out more about their up-and-down friendship, then you can do so by checking out the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv3vQz_g_bo&ab_channel=SoccerStories-OhMyGoal.

Who Was Better?

We have taken a look at Pele and Maradona’s stats across two glistening careers, but who do we think was the better of the two?

Well, picking one or the other is like trying to pick between two art masterpieces. Both had the right to call themselves the best footballer ever and it is a debate which will remain forever subjective. But if we had to pick based on the impact that both players had on and off the football pitch, we would say that Pele just edges it.

However, no matter what your view is on this eternal debate, there is one thing that cannot be denied, and this is that both Maradona and Pele had a huge impact on the sport that we call the beautiful game of football. They gave football fans around the world moments of tears, joy, and disbelief, which is what any professional sportsman or woman should aim for.

Football is a sport that is all about memories, emotions, and unforgettable moments, and both these players supplied us with more than their fair share of these. So, whether you are sitting in the Maradona camp or the Pele camp, let us just celebrate the skill and entertainment that they shared with millions.