Legendary Brazilian striker Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers in history. Among the finest players the sport has ever seen, the South American became arguably football’s first true global icon, making his senior debut for Santos at the age of 15 in 1956 before earning his first cap for Brazil just a year later.
A prolific goalscorer from the outset, Pele had already earned the nickname “The King” by the time he turned 18 and inspired Brazil to victory at the 1958 World Cup. Brazil successfully retained the trophy four years later, while Pele’s brilliance also fuelled an unforgettable era of success for Santos.
During the 1960s, Pele lifted six Serie A titles and two Copa Libertadores crowns with Santos, along with numerous other honours. He completed his World Cup collection by winning the tournament for a third time in 1970, further strengthening his legendary reputation. Although he stepped away from the game in 1974, Pele returned a year later to play for the New York Cosmos before bringing his career to a close in 1977.
Before passing away in 2022, Pele remained one of football’s most respected voices. The Brazilian frequently shared his views on the modern game and, in 2011, as per The Independent, he made a striking claim about one emerging superstar.
Pele during a press conference Related
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‘Better Than Messi’ - Pele Praised Fellow Brazilian
Lionel MessiPeter Hansson/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
In 2011, Santos claimed their first Copa Libertadores title since Pele’s playing days, ending a wait of almost 50 years. The triumph came just two years after Neymar made his senior debut for the club in 2009, with the youngster already earning a reputation as one of football’s brightest prospects.
Pele clearly shared that opinion and, when discussing Neymar, famously said:
“I think Neymar is better than Messi, more complete.”
Following four seasons at Santos, Neymar completed a move to Barcelona in 2013. While he helped the Catalan side win a European treble during the 2014/15 campaign, Neymar departed after four years. Keen to step out of the shadow of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, he joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world-record fee in search of leading a team of his own.
Across six seasons in Paris, Neymar helped PSG continue their domestic dominance but was unable to deliver the club’s first-ever Champions League triumph. He signed for Al-Hilal in 2023 but injuries restricted him to only three league appearances before leaving on a free transfer in 2025 to rejoin Santos.
Pele’s comments generated plenty of debate, especially given Messi’s status as one of the world’s elite players by 2011. Unsurprisingly, another football legend strongly disagreed with his assessment.
Maradona Dismissed Pele’s 'Stupid' Opinion
Maradona
Very few players belong in the same conversation as Pele, but Diego Maradona unquestionably does. The Argentine is most closely associated with Napoli, where he transformed the club by leading them to their first two Serie A titles. He also represented Barcelona and Sevilla during his European career.
Celebrated throughout Argentina for his World Cup achievements, Maradona remains firmly established among football’s all-time greats. As reported by ESPN, he responded to Pele’s remarks about Neymar by saying:
“My God, that is just stupid. Maybe Neymar is the best player in the world, but only if you say that Messi is from a different planet.”
It's fair to say Maradona has been proven right in the long term as well. While Neymar has had a fine career, Messi has outshone him in almost every sense. Including getting his hands on a World Cup trophy, while also winning the Ballon d'Or eight times, the Argentine has long been the superior player.