Pelé: The King of Football
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as Pelé, is the only footballer to have won three World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970). His debut in Sweden 1958 at just 17 years old marked the beginning of a legend.
In his first World Cup final, Pelé scored two goals against Sweden. At 17 years and 249 days, he became the youngest scorer in a World Cup final, a record he still holds.
Maradona: The Golden Boy
Diego Armando Maradona redefined what a single player can do at a World Cup. In Mexico 1986, the Argentine carried his team to the title almost single-handedly, with performances that defied logic.
Against England in the quarterfinals, Maradona scored two goals that will remain etched in history: the "Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century."
World Cup Numbers
Pelé
- 4 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)
- 14 matches played
- 12 goals
- 3 World titles
Maradona
- 4 World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994)
- 21 matches played
- 8 goals
- 1 World title
The Impossible Verdict
The comparison between Pelé and Maradona is fundamentally unfair because they played in different eras with different rules. What we can affirm is that both transformed football and left a legacy that transcends numbers.
