Was Pele Really The Best?

[Trini Madness]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qx1jfndUXqk

check this video out

[Estelle]

Absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KND2]

The Key thing about Pele was that he was so much better than everyone else at his time.

When you look at the great players today like Zidane, and Ronaldo and Ronaldhino they are good but at any given time people can make the argument that somebody else is currently better.

In Pele case it was a no contest.

He was way better than any other player at his time.


He was top when he was 17 in his first world cup and he was still good into his 30's



The man is the King

[Socafan]

What is interesting to me is that the players from that era of Brazil were ALL way ahead of their time. The rest of the world recently starting to play like them. My opinion anyway.

And yes, though Garrincha was boss, Pele was (is)the best.

[Bakes]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=qx1jfndUXqk

check this video out

"The best" in what sense?  was he the most gifted with the ball at his feet... at breaking man ankles...dead ball situations...etc...etc..?

Probably not.  There likely have been (likely are, and will be) better players.


The label "the best" is sentimental at best, no pun intended...but it's also well-deserved.  What Pele did was revolutionize football and the way we look at the sport.  He was the sport's first international ambassador and a tremendous talent...to say the least.  He was simply light years ahead of every other player that ever stepped on the pitch with or against him and so he was the best of his time.  Football at that time was also in the seminal stage of becoming a truly worldwide phenomenon and much of that was achieved on the backs of the Brazilian national team...and Pele in particular.

A more authoritative argument could be mounted either way, I'm sure...but for me it's not even one worth having.  He did enough as an athlete on the field, and continues to do much as an ambassador for the game off the field that he merits the accolades worthy of one who originated the veneration of the Number 10 shirt...simply, the best.

[Touches]

I think you could only make a fair comparison if you were around and could see the man in his prime.

Thus only men in they 40 onward and really a person in they 50's could make a true assessment.

These people would be able to remember the tv, the newspaper articles, the hype etc at the time and compare it to the players today.

For me Maradona is the best.

[Arimaman]

Maradona is the GOAT - Greatest of All Time at least in my book.  I ask the question and this is something I do to my father all the time "How many times have you seen Pele play"?  I know for a fact, I saw Maradona play over 100 times and based on that he is the greatest.  I must have seen Pele play a handful of games, mostly clips.

That's my reasoning.

[Andre]

before my time so i cannot say.

is like asking a youth now if jordan was the best. he go probably say lebron or kobe better...but we like jordan gear and sneakers.

[Bakes]

Maradona is the GOAT - Greatest of All Time at least in my book.  I ask the question and this is something I do to my father all the time "How many times have you seen Pele play"?  I know for a fact, I saw Maradona play over 100 times and based on that he is the greatest.  I must have seen Pele play a handful of games, mostly clips.

That's my reasoning.

Sooo....Maradona is the greatest because yuh was able to watch him on TV?

That's yuh reasoning??

[Filho]

Maradona is the GOAT - Greatest of All Time at least in my book.  I ask the question and this is something I do to my father all the time "How many times have you seen Pele play"?  I know for a fact, I saw Maradona play over 100 times and based on that he is the greatest.  I must have seen Pele play a handful of games, mostly clips.

That's my reasoning.

you kind of contradicting yourself. Just as you say you can't tell if Pele was the best because you didn't see him much, you also can't say he wasn't. In terms of talent..it's impossible to say. But in terms of what he accomplished (taken with a grain of salt as it is always difficult to judge individual accomplishments in a team setting), Pele was miles ahead.

This is an impossible question. Comes down to pure subjectivity 

[kicker]

I can't believe this topic has emerged again....

Pele was great- Maradonnna was great

Brazilians will say Pele was the best- Argentines will say Maradonna was the best.

Older folks will lean toward Pele- Younger folks- Maradonna

Some will give kudos to Pele's exploits off the field- some will knock Maradonna for his....(though this should be inconsequetial)

and the list goes on...

Like Bakes alluded to earlier, Pele revolutionized the game in its formative years- such an impression will be etched in people's minds forever- in the same vein Maradonna was probably the best example anyone has seen of a dominant individual player in the last 20 yrs- his performance in WC '86 will go down in history as the most remarkable display of individual brilliance in the sport's most prestigious tournament- such a display may never be seen again....

Think about it carefully and realize that the argument is pointless.

I still believe that if Ronaldo didn't suffer the knee injuries that he did, he was on course to be greater than both Maradonna and Pele.... and this argument wouldn't be taking place

[Bakes]

I can't believe this topic has emerged again....

Pele was great- Maradonnna was great

Brazilians will say Pele was the best- Argentines will say Maradonna was the best.

Older folks will lean toward Pele- Younger folks- Maradonna

Some will give kudos to Pele's exploits off the field- some will knock Maradonna for his....(though this should be inconsequetial)

and the list goes on...

Like Bakes alluded to earlier, Pele revolutionized the game in its formative years- such an impression will be etched in people's minds forever- in the same vein Maradonna was probably the best example anyone has seen of a dominant individual player in the last 20 yrs- his performance in WC '86 will go down in history as the most remarkable display of individual brilliance in the sport's most prestigious tournament- such a display may never be seen again....

Think about it carefully and realize that the argument is pointless.

I still believe that if Ronaldo didn't suffer the knee injuries that he did, he was on course to be greater than both Maradonna and Pele.... and this argument wouldn't be taking place

Maradona...that cheating, crackhead bastard...has crystallized my dislike for all things Argentinian.

[Filho]

The Key thing about Pele was that he was so much better than everyone else at his time.

When you look at the great players today like Zidane, and Ronaldo and Ronaldhino they are good but at any given time people can make the argument that somebody else is currently better.

In Pele case it was a no contest.

He was way better than any other player at his time.


He was top when he was 17 in his first world cup and he was still good into his 30's



The man is the King

Not really true

There were always players who were considered close to him or even better at times during his career. But he had longevity. Even Brazilians will tell you, (many of them form that era, anyway) that Garrincha was considered the best footballer in Brazil at one time, better than the young Pele. WC 1962 was when Garrincha was hearlded as the best in the world by many pundits. By the time the 1970 WC came around, Pele was already considered the best ever, but two players out of Brazil,..Rivelino and Jairzinho were considered almost as good. Out of Germany, Beckenbauer was already being called a great and so was Gerd Muller. Out of England, the Brits thought Boobby MOoore was the best in the world...and he was something. Look at him in WC 1966 and WC 1970 and you can't deny he was class. 4 years earlier in, a young Portuguese sensation called Eusebio was considered the heir to Pele. But while these guys came close, or even seemed ahead of Pele for a short period of time..Pele shone the longest. And there was definitely a time where he seemed ahead of his time. But much of the gloss of Pele's career is marketing. Look closely and you will see he was very human

[kicker]

But much of the gloss of Pele's career is marketing.

Good point !!

[Bakes]

Look closely and you will see he was very human

Shut yuh backside...yuh ent know yuh not suppose tuh stare directly at god? 














(small 'g'...ah know how some ah allyuh stop, lol)

[superoli]

I wont get involved with who was de best but people must also remmeber when Pele was playing they didnt have yellow cards. That man used to get real kick up.

[WestCoast]

I would say that he was the first major football Icon, and he made many people aware of football.

[ttcom]

You'll ca cuss me. I think this need to be judge by decades:

60's  Pele, Eusibo

70's Cruyff Beckanbeur

80's Diego, Zico, Plantini

90's Zidane, Ranaldo

00's Zidane, Ronaldano

[Source]

Without contradiction, Pele was simply the greatest player to have ever played the game period. Dribbling, scoring with head and feet, never with his hands, bicycle kick, you name it he was simply the best.

[Filho]

I would say that he was the first major football Icon, and he made many people aware of football.

Nah..dat was Di Stefano (the first real major icon)

[Filho]

Without contradiction, Pele was simply the greatest player to have ever played the game period. Dribbling, scoring with head and feet, never with his hands, bicycle kick, you name it he was simply the best.

Pele never scored with his hands eh? You really sure about that?

[WestCoast]

I would say that he was the first major football Icon, and he made many people aware of football.

Nah..dat was Di Stefano (the first real major icon)

when I watch main stream soccer channels, there is mention of Pele
I dont hear about Di Stefano

[Source]

What many  don't realize is that Pele also played in a time when the prevailing thought of a defender was that if the ball pass you the man must never pass you. It was never the man and the ball. Today players have much more protection from the referee. In Pele's time a man could hack you at will and get away with it. There are so many other factors that can be considered in the evaluation of Pele being the greatest.

[Filho]

I would say that he was the first major football Icon, and he made many people aware of football.

Nah..dat was Di Stefano (the first real major icon)

when I watch main stream soccer channels, there is mention of Pele
I dont hear about Di Stefano

Di Stefano was before Pele and there is not enough footage of him to make his image as marketable. I never said he was the biggest icon..but in a time where there was not as much media exposure..Di Stefano was the first major world reknowned star. He and Puskas brought in the Real Madrid era that is largely responsible for Madrid being the glamorous, prestigious club that they are today. Nobody is marketed like Pele..but Di Stefano was massive for the time. In any case..I not stating it as fact...just my opinion

[Arimaman]

Maradona is the GOAT - Greatest of All Time at least in my book.  I ask the question and this is something I do to my father all the time "How many times have you seen Pele play"?  I know for a fact, I saw Maradona play over 100 times and based on that he is the greatest.  I must have seen Pele play a handful of games, mostly clips.

That's my reasoning.

Sooo....Maradona is the greatest because yuh was able to watch him on TV?

That's yuh reasoning??

Absolutely.  Like Filho said, it's all subjective anyway.  It's all about preference.  At the end of the day, how can you classify one generation vs another?  How can we really compare Diego vs Pele?  Maradona was far far and away the best player that I have seen.  What is you point or reasoning?

[kicker]

You'll ca cuss me. I think this need to be judge by decades:

90's  Ranaldo

00's Ronaldano

Never heard of these guys, but I'll take your word for it that they were good....

[Andre]

You'll ca cuss me. I think this need to be judge by decades:

60's  Pele, Eusibo

70's Cruyff Beckanbeur

80's Diego, Zico, Plantini

90's Zidane, Ranaldo

00's Zidane, Ronaldano

word.  revised list though.

60's  Pele, Eusibo, best?

70's Cruyff, Beckanbeur, pele

80's Diego, Zico, Plantini, socrates

90's Zidane, Ranaldo, maldini

00's Zidane, Ronaldano, kaka

[Pointman]

Garrincha was good but he doesn't have the numbers like Pele. RIP.

[Pointman]

You'll ca cuss me. I think this need to be judge by decades:

90's  Ranaldo

00's Ronaldano

Never heard of these guys, but I'll take you word for it that they were good....

 

[WestCoast]

I would say that he was the first major football Icon, and he made many people aware of football.

Nah..dat was Di Stefano (the first real major icon)

when I watch main stream soccer channels, there is mention of Pele
I dont hear about Di Stefano

Di Stefano was before Pele and there is not enough footage of him to make his image as marketable. I never said he was the biggest icon..but in a time where there was not as much media exposure..Di Stefano was the first major world reknowned star. He and Puskas brought in the Real Madrid era that is largely responsible for Madrid being the glamorous, prestigious club that they are today. Nobody is marketed like Pele..but Di Stefano was massive for the time. In any case..I not stating it as fact...just my opinion

Yes I agree with what you say
It is like the amount of exposure that Beckham gets compared to some other MORE capable footballers of today.