Pele claims he was a better player than ‘one skill’ Lionel Messi

His comments on Messi are poor but Pele was the greatest footballer of his generation and although it is difficult for youngsters to see from grainy video evidence just how incredible he was with a football take a look at the many youtube captures of him in full flight. Take account of the surfaces he played on and the lack of protection that ball players had in his era.
All generations have their greats but for me Pele will remain the number 1.
 
I agree with him, I would rate Maradonna higher than Pele but. Mardonna took an average team from Italy and made them the best, Messi couldn't do that.
 
This Messi wankfest needs to end now!

Has Pele ever posed with a Celtic strip in his pomp?

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Pele might be as bland as pot noodle Re controversy but that's what being a FIFA Ambassador is all about unlike that lady's front bottom Maradona but has he ever been involved with an organsation who refuses to recognize a foreign countries name and who's country invaded it by a fascistic regime?

article-2657667-1E92F21A00000578-517_634x379.jpg


Has Pele ever got the petted lip and cried "anti-football" at Rangers just cause he or his team mates couldnt score a goal against Rangers?

nintchdbpict000003727677.jpg



Naw didnt think so!

So %^*& Messi and %^*& Maradona

anti+barcelona+messi.jpg


And their disrespectful Jesuit bishop of Rome!

CMylkVzWIAEEmlT.jpg
 
I hate all these whos the best footballer ever debates.

When asked I seriously say Manuel Francisco dos Santos "the little bird" Garrincha

Not only am I being 100% sincere but he was technically disabled.

He defo would have got a orange badge for his motor defo.

Seriously read up on the guy and watch the few clips on him on youtube the things he could do with what you would call a medicine ball compared to these floaters now a day was unbelievable.

He did lose his virginity to a goat though so probably would have been happy with last nights result.
Read that he was most Brazilians favourite player when he was playing. He lived quite a life
 
Brazilian football legend Pele has launched an astonishing attack on Barcelona star Lionel Messi by claiming he has just ‘one-skill’.

The three-time World Cup winner claimed he was the better player because he was a more complete performer than the Argentina forward.

Pele also added that Diego Maradona was a ‘much better’ player than the five-time Ballon D’Or winner as he addressed a wave of assessments of the current crop of the world’s best players

“How can you make a comparison between a guy who heads the ball well, shoots with the left, shoots with the right and another who only shoots with one leg, only has one skill and doesn’t head the ball well?” Pele told Folha de Sao Paulo when asked about Messi.

“How can you compare? To compare with Pele, it has to be someone who shoots well with the left, shoots well with the right, and scores headers.”

He also dismissed any claims that there are similarities between Messi and Maradona, who he believes is one of the greatest players of all time.

"As far as I’m concerned, Maradona was one of the best players ever. If you ask me, 'Was he better than Messi?' Yes, he was. Much better. [Franz] Beckenbauer, [Johan] Cruyff were also excellent players."

Too subjective ………but for me yes ……he was ………but the game was very different.

Still for me ……no one could hold a candle to the ‘Belfast Boy’.

Something Pele even told him years ago.

Pays your money ……you take your choice!
 
I'd rate both Pele and Maradona just above Messi, but can understand why the young guns of today will disagree.

1. Maradona
2 Pele
3. Messi
4. Best
5. Cryuff
 
This Messi wankfest needs to end now!

Has Pele ever posed with a Celtic strip in his pomp?

3131213.jpg


Pele might be as bland as pot noodle Re controversy but that's what being a FIFA Ambassador is all about unlike that lady's front bottom Maradona but has he ever been involved with an organsation who refuses to recognize a foreign countries name and who's country invaded it by a fascistic regime?

article-2657667-1E92F21A00000578-517_634x379.jpg


Has Pele ever got the petted lip and cried "anti-football" at Rangers just cause he or his team mates couldnt score a goal against Rangers?

nintchdbpict000003727677.jpg



Naw didnt think so!

So %^*& Messi and %^*& Maradona

anti+barcelona+messi.jpg


And their disrespectful Jesuit bishop of Rome!

CMylkVzWIAEEmlT.jpg
11az9k8.jpeg
 
Whenever this thread comes up I try to imagine peak Federer blasting the ball past peak Fred Perry. These guys would look like aliens if they went back in time.

It works the other way as well though. How good would Pele have been if he had all the modern training, football pitches, balls, more protection from refs, the sports science side of the game etc? When debating a GOAT in any sport you need to factor in all of the variables.

I think simply looking at stats and achievements Pele would be the GOAT. Won the World Cup at 17 and was player of the tournament. Went on to win it another twice, he was the lynchpin of the most successful side in world cup history.

His goal record for Brazil was outstanding. Also an amazing record at club level.

You can't use not playing in Europe against him as not many south Americans did at the time. South American football would have been a superb standard back then.

Pele is the GOAT for me.

This will annoy the fanboys but for me, Cristiano would have a very strong case to be rated higher than Messi if he was to win the CL with Juve. His achievements for three of the biggest clubs on the planet in three different leagues and also winning the Euros with Portugal makes his CV look absolutely ridiculous.
 
Pele learned to play with stane in a sock moving up to a boulder in a jumper when he was 7.
For me he was the best but they all have a claim to the be top dog.
 
Pele is correct . He and maradona are miles ahead of the rest .

Messi would be 5th or 6th mind you so I think peles comments on him having one skill are frankly ridiculous .

For me it’s Pele, Maradona, Cryff , Michael Laudrup , Messi in that order .
You've took that too far
 
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Messi is the GOAT.

I’m still surprised there are people out there that try to argue it these days. Even in a “poor” season by his own incredibly high standards, he still outscored and out assisted everybody in European football (and most likely world football).

The guy should have 8 or 9 Ballon D’ors, it’s a travesty that he only has 5.
 
You gotta love folk who talk about themselves in the third person - the giveaway sign of a self-important rocket.
 
This Messi wankfest needs to end now!

Has Pele ever posed with a Celtic strip in his pomp?

3131213.jpg


Pele might be as bland as pot noodle Re controversy but that's what being a FIFA Ambassador is all about unlike that lady's front bottom Maradona but has he ever been involved with an organsation who refuses to recognize a foreign countries name and who's country invaded it by a fascistic regime?

article-2657667-1E92F21A00000578-517_634x379.jpg


Has Pele ever got the petted lip and cried "anti-football" at Rangers just cause he or his team mates couldnt score a goal against Rangers?

nintchdbpict000003727677.jpg



Naw didnt think so!

So %^*& Messi and %^*& Maradona

anti+barcelona+messi.jpg


And their disrespectful Jesuit bishop of Rome!

CMylkVzWIAEEmlT.jpg

GW400H299
 
I agree with him on Maradona.

Messi has done all his stuff mostly for one club who have top class players in all positions.
He has also done nothing at international level, unlike Pele or Maradona.
They are all ridiculously good but I think Maradona is the best footballer ever.

Done nothing??

He was 5 mins away in injury time from a pen shoot out to decide the World Cup, a World Cup he recieved the Player of the Tournament in and dragged the rest of the underperformers to the final

You may call that nothing, I call it something
 
What would you say if the guy said fellow ulster Scot George Best. Arguably the best player in the world on his day.

Just cause he didnt play for Brazil or Argentina on the world stage was not hi fault.

Still a world class player.
Of course he was and for me the best player ever produced in Europe.
 
Messi is the GOAT.

I’m still surprised there are people out there that try to argue it these days. Even in a “poor” season by his own incredibly high standards, he still outscored and out assisted everybody in European football (and most likely world football).

The guy should have 8 or 9 Ballon D’ors, it’s a travesty that he only has 5.

Unquestionably the best in the last 25 years.
 
Anyone who uses the number racked up by Messi and Ronaldo as proof that they are better players than Maradona or Pele etc. Doesn't understand football. If Pele etc. Played in the game with it's modern rules they'd have insane numbers but the rules were different. Defenders got away with murder. Rules changed to gear the game towards a more attacking style giving forwards all sorts of advantages. I know folk talk about boots, balls and fitness etc. Too but the main factor is the rule changes. You can try to argue otherwise but you'd be wrong and I don't care enough.

Ssshhhhhhh.

You can't tell the truth in here or talk sense :p.
 
Senile old floppy cock.

Basically what he’s saying is he could score more with his head and left foot. Given messi’s ridiculous passing, and dribbling ability paired with his vision and penchant for outscoring practically everyone, I seriously doubt floppy cock was a better all rounder.
Pele scored over 1000 goals. Easy then though wasn't it.
 
Messi would more likely protect nazis, the great Pele scored against them with broken/cracked ribs ffs, so no contest really.

That overhead kick against the Bosch, the Cruyff turn and Davie cooper every 2nd saturday was probably the biggest influences for me getting my arse oot the door and play fitbaw as a kid.
 
Messi is the GOAT.

I’m still surprised there are people out there that try to argue it these days. Even in a “poor” season by his own incredibly high standards, he still outscored and out assisted everybody in European football (and most likely world football).

The guy should have 8 or 9 Ballon D’ors, it’s a travesty that he only has 5.

I think the perspective of time may see Messi at the top of the GOAT tree, but right now he’s still behind Maradona for me, and in all honesty, probably Pele too.

His inability to light up a World Cup in the manner either of those two did (you could add Cruyff into the mix on that front also) will always count against him, IMO.

To say he’s done it more consistently at club level doesn’t fully take into account the way club football has changed in the last twenty odd years.

The CL has engendered the rise of the super club, of which Barcelona are the very epitome - and in doing so has reduced competition to their preserve.

It’s been said before, but if the CL setup was around in the ‘80s we’d have seen a lot more of Maradona in Europe’s premier club event, but he was restricted by the old format and a league that was more competitive than La Liga is now.

Similarly Pele.

These greatest of all time arguments therefore always tend to favour more modern players due to the available TV footage of them in action: Pele - very little; Maradona - a good bit more; Messi - 24 hour saturation point.

And the latter is fresher in the memory, but I still think when he finally hangs up his boots, he’s going to have a lot of sleepless nights replaying that moment in the 2014 final when he had the chance to win it but stuck it just wide of the post.

Had it gone two or three inches the other way, I think the argument would be academic.
 
There is always a contrary argument about Pele v Maradona.

Maradona inspired a not too great team to be world champions. That makes him best.
Pele played in the greatest world champion team ever, but every other player without hesitation said he was head and shoulders better than them.

Same debate will still be raging in 100 years!
 
I've always considered Pele to be the greatest player to ever grace a football pitch but I have to say that I'm a little disappointed in his comments.
I would have expected a player of his stature in the game to appreciate the skills of truly World Class players like Messi rather than attempt to pick holes in his game, they are after all in the same "club" of being one of arguably the top footballers of all time!
It's also quite amusing to hear some obviously young pups declare Pele as nothing more than a senile auld prick!...that's football treason!
:)
 
I think the perspective of time may see Messi at the top of the GOAT tree, but right now he’s still behind Maradona for me, and in all honesty, probably Pele too.

His inability to light up a World Cup in the manner either of those two did (you could add Cruyff into the mix on that front also) will always count against him, IMO.

To say he’s done it more consistently at club level doesn’t fully take into account the way club football has changed in the last twenty odd years.

The CL has engendered the rise of the super club, of which Barcelona are the very epitome - and in doing so has reduced competition to their preserve.

It’s been said before, but if the CL setup was around in the ‘80s we’d have seen a lot more of Maradona in Europe’s premier club event, but he was restricted by the old format and a league that was more competitive than La Liga is now.

Similarly Pele.

These greatest of all time arguments therefore always tend to favour more modern players due to the available TV footage of them in action: Pele - very little; Maradona - a good bit more; Messi - 24 hour saturation point.

And the latter is fresher in the memory, but I still think when he finally hangs up his boots, he’s going to have a lot of sleepless nights replaying that moment in the 2014 final when he had the chance to win it but stuck it just wide of the post.

Had it gone two or three inches the other way, I think the argument would be academic.
Good post mate bet you still get pelters,don't think the young guys have seen half of peles clip,first one I can remember trying to chip the Uruguay goalie from the half way line 1970 and many more,just never showed anywhere now,pity!
 
I've always considered Pele to be the greatest player to ever grace a football pitch but I have to say that I'm a little disappointed in his comments.
I would have expected a player of his stature in the game to appreciate the skills of truly World Class players like Messi rather than attempt to pick holes in his game, they are after all in the same "club" of being one of arguably the top footballers of all time!
It's also quite amusing to hear some obviously young pups declare Pele as nothing more than a senile auld prick!...that's football treason!
:)

Probably a generation thing, but when I was growing up it seemed the whole football world accepted Pele was the greatest.

Not just the youngest ever to play in the world cup final. At 17, he then scored twice in it including one incredible bit of skill.

I remember the 1970 team, they were football perfection. And Pele was their general, the main man, and a total genius.
 
Some amount of madness in this thread.

Pelé was utterly streets ahead of everyone at the time. Notably, at the time.

In terms of footballing talent, I’d suggest Morelos is close to what Pelé was. Like, if you got a time machine and sent Morelos back or Pelé forward, there wouldn’t be a huge gulf in it.

Thus, Messi is the most technically gifted and best footballer to ever walk this earth. Undeniable.

I’d walk in to an international team from 1958 ffs. Just do a Cruyff turn and blow everyone’s minds.

The problem is is half of people just greatness on achievements and half of them judge it on ability.
 
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