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When you get old, and your legacy, no matter how great and illustrious it is, starts fading in people’s minds, you have to speak up once in a while, don’t let them forget you. Pele does that every once in a while. When you’re 70, and your place on top of the “greatest of all time” debate is far from the consensus it used to be ages ago, you gotta speak up and stir some controversies by talking about the hottest matters. Lionel Messi for example.
Like other writers on this site, the whole greatest player of all time is a matter of generations and decades. Pele was the greatest during the 60’s, Cruyff in the 70’s, Maradona in the 80’s and later on it kinda got mixed up. Ronaldo, Zidane, Rivaldo and later on Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. You can’t compare Messi to Di Stefano, not their statistics and not the whole level of play around them. That is why Pele’s latest BS is such idiotic dribble.
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“Messi needs to score at least as much as I did to be considered the greatest ever.” Pele was in celebratory mood this week, watching Santos win the Libertadores Cup for the first time since his days, nearly 50 years apart from the last time. Pele ran on to the pitch along with the Santon manager and players, craving for one more moment in the spotlight. People like him can’t get enough of it. He also started the psychological war between Brazil and Argentina for the Copa America. “Neymar has great talent. I hope Neymar doesn’t end up like Messi, who plays so well for his club but does nothing for his country.”
When I was a kid, around the age of 6, I asked my dad who’s the best player he ever saw. My dad was born in the late 40’s, in the former Soviet Union. He told me Puskas and Pele. I asked him about Maradona – He said no. He never liked him, and so did I. Only when I got a little older and gotten to see more matches from the old days while also getting to see Maradona’s stuff during his Napoli years did I understand that despite the fact that Pele scored over 1200 goals in his career, and who knows, maybe it’s true.
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Comparing Neymar to Messi is a joke. Taking away Messi’s incredible achievements in the Spanish league and the Champions League because he hasn’t won the World Cup yet is ridiculous. Even if it is part of the most talented side ever assembled. To talk of legacy when he’s barely 24 is also not so serious, but when he’s been in the spotlight since the age of 17, you kind of forget how young he still is.
The whole Maradona – Pele thing has gotten old years ago. Older people still regard Pele as the greatest ever, and if you’re taking the Brazilian side I’m sure you’re with him. If your prefer Argentina and born from 1970 and onward, I won’t be surprised that Maradona is your number one, with all his faults as a person. He has a huge ego as well, he stirs controversy as well, but I don’t see it as a pathetic attempt to stay relevant like Pele in his recent comments. You used to be great, a legend. You’ll always be. Be satisfied with that and don’t try to shoot any attempt to take your “crown”, even if he’s Argentinian.
10 responses to “Pele Doesn’t Like it When Lionel Messi is Compared to Him”
I couldn’t agree more with you. But kinda hurt you didn’t mention Platini who’s the only one to win 3 times in a row the ballon d’or (granted, i’m French 🙂 )
In my opinion, Pelé is known as the greatest because he’s the first one. He played all his career in brazil and no offense but it’s not the same level as european football. And that quote about neymar is BS. Both Pelé and Neymar are from Santos…
If Neymar wants to prove us is a good player, he needs to play in europe.
Here, when there’s a talk about the greatest football player of all time, it’s always the same names that comes up : Pelé, Maradona and Platini. Glad that the frenchman is the one that doesn’t trashtalk that often.
As much as I hate Barcelona (or spanish football), I think Messi is already the greatest of his generation and will probably be the greatest of all time but he will have to be better with Argentina (and he’s already good with them).
Moreover, a player that stays in the same club will never be the greatest of all time for me. You need to prove that you can adapt and shine anywhere.
Zidane proved it at bordeaux, Juventus, Madrid and with French team
Maradano same.
The real Ronaldo too
The fake Ronaldo is almost there too.
…
@Sando Fake Ronaldo… you cracked me up… I think both Platini and Cruyff, due to the fact that they never won the World Cup, often are left out of the discussion un fairly, including here 😉
Pele dont deserve to be mentioned with Messi’s name !! Pele is lunatic who played in a lame Brazil leaque and scored a lame goal.Never crossed over to europe.I guess he did not make it !!! His world cup wins are solely because of fantastic Brazil squad.This guy is the most annoying and most over-rated player ever.If he were of this generation he would be like Drogba
pele is the greatest footballer of all time with a ‘great mouth’.maradona is the greatest footballer of all time with a great foot.messi is the greatest footballer with a great brain.
pele is the most overrated is very much true.He is like jessy owens and messi is ussain ‘thunder’ bolt.When pele name became great like jessy owens in 1936, all over the world it spread like he is flying and scoring,he is kicking and netting the goal keeper along with the ball.He scored 2 goals in 1958 that became so sensational and it was not even an ordinary goal compared to present standards.Since there was no TV coverage all over the world it was the myth that was spreading as a result of that sensational goal.We can see in world cup clippings that it was the whole team that was playing and reached the semis in 1958 and not because of pele they reached there. In 1962 garrincha was the player and he was forgotten and pele did not play in most matches.In 1970, it was all jairzinho and not pele who helped brazil to lift the cup.He is a lucky man to be a part and he is not having the standards of cryuff who changed world with total football.pele played against players who were not in top standards then and scored goals he claim to be over 1200.May be he might have counted all from his childhood days.Ask him how much he scored for country.if it’s average is not tallying with average ofthe total number of goals he scored either that numbers is fake and he cannot make fun of messy by saying that he did not play well for the country because pele also not produced goals for country like he used to be in underrated clubs,
bye pele
go to museum and sit there,pele
Hmmm, Pepe is irritated that Messi and Maradona toppled him as the kings of football. Maradona, at least, encourages his juniors to be great and even surpass him. Pele is jealous, as always. Messi is already playing well for Argentina. I doubt Pele could make it to the quarterfinal if he had a coach like Messi had in WC2010.
Just Pele’s look makes me wanna puke nowadays !! A self proclaimed legend who doesnt know how to behave and who is so fucking jealous of young talented played afraid that they will be more popular than him !! Sore LOSER
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