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Every time I see this thread title in the stream it just reads like the main event of a 5th Century BCE Greek amphitheatre.
Pele has to be one of the most overated players in history.
Most of his goals were against pub teams.
Younger viewers will of course go crazy over modern lightweight diving ponces
But Pele was the real deal and had legs like tree trunks
When the game was not played by plastic footballs and you could tackle someone without them ordering an ambulance as they fell
Careful now Wash, careful.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27590899
That's a joke right?
He scored a hat trick in a World Cup semi final and two in the final, all at the age of 17!
He won the World Cup again 4 years later, was kicked from pillar to post in '66 (because he was shyte) and came back to be the star of the 1970 World Cup playing in one of the greatest teams of all time.
He's also the only player to win the World Cup 3 times.
Ah, but that was when everything was in black and white so it doesn't count,
You'll be telling us Di Stefano was over rated next. Go and boil your head!
I rate Maradona ahead of Pele, but you only have to watch Goal, the film of the 1966 World Cup, to see how the latter was kicked from pillar to post by Bulgarian, Hungarian and Portuguese defenders to be convinced that he was something special - why would he have got that sort of attention if he just was someone who had an inflated reputation?
Didn't Eusabio receive the same treatment that tournament?
My point is that his claim of 1200 odd goals is bollox that he has helped perpetuate.
It's not that he wasn't a great...but it could be argued convincingly that he's not even Brazils greatest player...just a default icon.
Garrincha was more important in 1962 and Jairzinho arguably more important in 1970.
He played for a stacked Santos team in a comparatively poor league.
Then its debatable that Romario dragged Brazil to the 94 World Cup similar to Maradonna...then you have Ronaldo (phenom) and Ronaldinho replicated their amazing ability in Europe.
I can’t remember Eusebio being fouled too badly in 1966, but I was only ten at the time, so might not have noticed it if he had been.
I wouldn’t argue about the 1,200 goals and would agree that there is a debate to be had about him not being Brazil’s greatest player. I was able to take in more of what was happening in 1970 and, although I thought Garson and Tostao were tremendous in that tournament, I’d rate Pele as the best international team I’ve seens pivotal player. You’ve also got to factor in 1958 when judging Pele, he was clearly something very special at 17. Nevertheless, it’s Maradona at number one for me because you’re right about Pele always playing in very good sides, whereas the 1986 Argentina team was basically Maradona and ten good, but not exceptional, players.
I was listening to a radio interview a while back, but I can't remember who, I think it was an Argentinian journalist, that was arguing that the degree to which Maradona carried the Argentina 1986 team has been massively overstated. They made a pretty convincing argument at the time, unfortunately I can;t remember most of it - I remember one other player had had a pretty good season up front for Real Madrid and scored some important goals.