The debate over who truly reigns as the greatest footballer of all time is one that may never find a conclusive answer, with opinions as varied as the stars in the sky. Yet, Ronaldinho stands firm in his belief that he knows who wears the crown. The Brazilian had a decorated career with Barcelona, winning the Champions League in the same year he claimed his sole Ballon d'Or mantle.
His journey also led him to the grand stages of PSG and AC Milan, where he netted 211 goals and provided 176 assists in 590 club appearances. Ronaldinho is not only considered one of Brazil's finest exports, but also a pivotal figure in his country's 2002 World Cup triumph, adding a Copa America to his list of conquests just four years earlier. With two Best FIFA Men's Player awards tucked under his belt as well, it's clear that Ronaldinho knows what it takes to carve your name into footballing folklore.
But despite sharing the pitch with Lionel Messi - the genius whose trophy collection could rival the vaults of royalty, with eight Ballon d'Ors, four Champions League trophies, 10 La Liga titles, two Copas America, and a World Cup that will echo through the ages - Ronaldinho isn't swayed. He believes that Messi’s glittering, star-studded list of triumphs, while nothing short of extraordinary, doesn’t quite capture the essence of the "greatest of all time."
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Ronaldinho Names Pele As 'Greatest of all Time'
The Brazilian was in no doubt when naming his compatriot
Pele lifting the World Cup trophy.
Photo courtesy of Reuters.
Almost the entirety of the world population today will feel forever aggrieved by the fact Pele's halcyon days came at a time before televisions were a statement piece of every household across the globe. It means that, while those in and around the beautiful game like to paint the Brazilian as this otherworldly being, there is very little evidence out there to prove it. As mythical as he is, though, Ronaldinho made no hesitation in naming him his "Greatest of all Time."
In an interview with FC25 Youtuber RK Reddy, the retired creative midfielder was asked to stay silent until he heard the name of the best footballer of the time. He kept quiet through the likes of Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo, before saying "yeah" when Pele's name came up. After presented with himself and Lionel Messi, he still chose Pele (see full video below):
It wasn't the first time Ronaldinho had gone on record to neglect Messi and Ronaldo in the debate about the world's best. In 2024, during an interview with Marca, he said: "I’m glad Messi won the Ballon d’Or. We were also friends during our time at Barcelona. But I don’t like to compare, and I find it difficult to say he is the best of all time."
"There was [Diego] Maradona, Pele, Ronaldo [Nazario]... it’s hard to say that Messi is the best throughout the history of football. I can only say he is the best of his era."
Pele's Trophy-laden career
The numbers don't lie, Pele really was in a class of his own
Pele is lifted up by his team-mates after Brazil's 1970 World Cup success.
Pele made his Brazil debut all the way back in 1957 as a sprightly 16-year-old. 92 caps and 77 goals later, he is rightly considered the greatest international footballer to ever step foot on the planet. To this day, he remains the only player to have won three World Cups.
In 2000, the Brazilian frontman was honoured as the World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS), and shared the FIFA Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona. At club level, he played most of his career for Santos - the same team that boasts the reputation of bringing Neymar into the footballing world.
For them, he scored 569 goals in 583 appearances, meaning he averaged almost a goal every 90 minutes. If assists was a more popular metric during that time, he would no doubt have way more goal contributions than he had appearances, as the late but great Sao Paulo native would often take up positions all across the final third - whether that be as a second striker, a playmaker, or a winger.
All statistics via Transfermarkt (correct as of 14/02/2025).