Pele leaned towards Lionel Messi, often stating he'd pick Messi for his overall game, playmaking, and team contribution, but also praised Cristiano Ronaldo as a phenomenal goalscorer, acknowledging both as great players but different in style, with Messi being the more complete footballer in his eyes. Pele saw Ronaldo as more of a pure striker, similar to Brazil's Ronaldo (R9), while Messi provided more assists and directed play.
Pele added on the differences between Messi and Ronaldo: "Messi's been the most stable in the last 10 years. "As for Cristiano Ronaldo, he's a great goalscorer. "Ronaldo's been able to score goals, while you see Messi creating goals and directing the play, as well as scoring.
He received the nickname "Pelé" during his school days, it is claimed, after mispronouncing the name of his favourite player, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Bilé.
Pelé's goal volume is higher. He scored a lot more goals early in his career than the other two. Furthermore, he has won three World Cups, at 18, 22 and 30 years old, while Messi and Ronaldo have not won any. Pelé's total number of goals for the Brazilian team is almost double.
The "GOAT" (Greatest Of All Time) in football is a subjective debate, but Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are overwhelmingly considered the top contenders, with Messi often edging out due with recent major wins like the 2022 World Cup, though Ronaldo's longevity and dominance in multiple leagues also make a strong case, with many legends and publications naming Messi as #1. Other historical greats like Pelé and Maradona are also part of the conversation.
Ronaldo has won five Champions League titles as compared to Messi's four. However, his five Ballon d'Or wins pale in comparison to Messi's eight. Beyond their club laurels, both have also led their countries to glory on the world stage.
Messi will score 900th goal in 2026. Can he reach 1,000? Can he pass Ronaldo? Lionel Messi is never far from breaking his next record or hitting his next landmark, and he enters 2026 on the verge of yet another massive milestone in his incredible career: his 900th goal.
Pelé, the legendary Brazilian footballer, died at age 82 on December 29, 2022, from complications of colon cancer, which had progressed and led to multiple organ failures after a lengthy battle with the disease, including recent hospitalizations for respiratory and kidney issues.
“Today, football continues to tell its story, as always, in an enthralling way. Messi winning his first World Cup, as his trajectory deserved,” Pele, a three-time World Cup champion, wrote on Instagram.
While Lionel Messi hasn't made extensive public declarations specifically about LGBTQ+ rights, his actions and associations, like supporting inclusivity through his foundation and playing in leagues with anti-discrimination policies, suggest a general alignment with inclusive values, though some social media rumors about him refusing pro-LGBTQ+ ads are likely exaggerated or false, as he focuses on football, not being a symbol, according to a Facebook post.
However, when Hiʻiaka became best friends with a girl named Hōpoe, Pele became jealous of their friendship. Pele saw Lohiʻau, a chief of Kauaʻi, in a dream, sending Hiʻiaka to bring him to her in forty days or else she would punish them.
Yes, 99-rated players exist in FIFA (now EA Sports FC) but are very rare, typically appearing as special promotional cards (like Team of the Year or Futties) in Ultimate Team (UT) towards the end of the game cycle, with some fans even getting full squads of them through grinding. While base cards rarely reach this, special versions of players like Mbappe, Pele, and even defenders like Virgil van Dijk have achieved 99 overall ratings in past editions.
On this day (November 19) in 1969, Brazilian football (soccer) player Pelé scored his 1,000th career goal. Including friendlies and touring games, Pele holds the Guinness World Record for Most Career Goals. He is credited with 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including a frankly absurd 126 in the year 1959.
The Real Madrid defender Pepe has apologised for his apparent stamp on Lionel Messi's hand in the 2-1 defeat to arch-rivals Barcelona, but insisted the act, which was missed at the time by the referee, was "unintentional".
Cristiano Ronaldo
"My deep condolences to all of Brazil, and in particular to the family of Edson Arantes do Nascimento. A mere "goodbye" to the eternal King Pelé will never be enough to express the pain that the entire football world is currently experiencing.
Ronaldo needs 47 to reach 1,000 career goals. With a recent average of around 45 goals a year and a role built for finishing, he is statistically well-placed to cross the mark if he stays on the pitch until 2027.
Muhammad Ali said to Pele,⚽️ "Football is more beautiful than boxing, but I am more beautiful than you". Muhammad Ali 🥊 said this to Pele at a match that ended Pele's time playing for the New York Cosmos. Muhammad Ali was known for being outspoken about race and prejudice, and using his fame to fight injustice.
Despite being considered by many as the greatest footballer of all time, Pelé never won the Ballon d'Or during his playing career. This is because of the aforementioned eligibility criteria. He was not eligible to win the Ballon d'Or because he did not play in Europe during the award's prime years.
No matter how good Yamal is, he is no match for a 17-year-old Brazilian called Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known worldwide as Pele. In 1958, a 17-year-old Pele won the first of his three World Cup titles, cementing his name into football history forever.
🗣️ "In fact, we contacted Messi at the end of his contract in Paris." "We presented him with an offer of 💲1.5 million euros, but the player rejected it because his family wanted to live in Miami." 🗣️ "It's surprising that a player could decline an offer for the sake of his family." He managed to convince his family, ...
Cristiano Ronaldo after becoming the first player in history to score 800 club goals 🐐🥶
Ten years ago today, Lionel Messi helped himself to four goals against Espanyol, taking his league tally past 50. He would finish the domestic and European season with a combined 73. We relive the season he broke all records.