Pele vs Messi – Who is the greatest football player of all time?

Pele vs Messi: Picking one player above the other would seem to be a difficult challenge because Messi and Pele are two of the greatest players to ever grace the game. One of the greatest players in history is Pele. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi, who took home his seventh Ballon D’Or, possesses exceptional pace and a wide range of skills. They are widely renowned for breaking numerous world cup hat trick records.

Today, Similarsports.net has chosen a few important characteristics to examine Messi vs Pele stats and how they compare to one another.

Comparison Chart

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Messi vs Pele goal records

By scoring twice for PSG against Club Brugge on Tuesday, December 7, 2021, Lionel Messi passed Pele as the most prolific South American football scorer of all time.

The third and fourth goals of the evening, scored by the Argentine superstar, gave Mauricio Pochettino’s team a 4-1 triumph. Leo’s 757th career goal, his first of the game, brought his total to 758 before he converted a penalty kick in the second half to surpass Pele’s official career high of 757.

While Edson Arantes do Nascimento did amass a total of 1,283 goals over the course of his career, 526 of them came in unofficial friendlies and tour games, including games he played with the Sixth Coast Guard in the military tournament.

In total, Pele scored 757 goals in 812 games throughout his career, which is a goal-per-game average that is significantly higher than either CR7 or Leo has ever achieved.

The former Brazilian footballing icon is infamous for never having played for a European team. He spends the first 18 years of his career with South American powerhouse Santos before finishing his playing days with the New York Cosmos.

Pele vs Messi trophies

Messi, who is recognized as one of the all-time best players, has a record seven Ballon d’Or victories, and a record six European Golden Shoes. And in 2020, he was selected for the Ballon d’Or Dream Team. He spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, departing from the team in 2021 after winning a club-record 35 trophies there. It includes 10 La Liga championships, seven Copa del Rey championships, and four UEFA Champions Leagues.

At age 15 and 16, respectively, Edson Arantes do Nascimento started playing for Santos and the Brazil national team. The only player to achieve it during his international career, he acquired three FIFA World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Pelé is the Brazilian player with the most goals scored with 77 in 92 games.

He is the Santos club record holder for most goals scored with 643 goals from 659 games. When the team was at its peak, he led Santos to victories in the 1962 and 1963 Copa Libertadores and the 1962 and 1963 Intercontinental Cup.

Pele vs Messi skills

What outstanding skills do Pele and Messi have? Let’s compare the two players.

Pele

Football and the expression “The Beautiful Game” have been associated with Pelé in the past. He was recognized as a prolific goal scorer who could read opponents in the area and finish with either foot, using accuracy and power to finish chances.

As a complete forward with remarkable vision and intellect, he was also a dedicated team player who was praised for his ability to connect with teammates and help them out. He was also known for his precise passing and ability to hook up with opponents.

With his distinctive playing style, the former Brazilian footballing icon combined physical strength, endurance, and athleticism with speed, creativity, and technical skill. He was able to out-dribble opponents thanks to his superb technique, balance, flair, agility, and dribbling skills. He routinely used rapid changes of direction and complex feints to get past players, including his signature move, the dribble da vaca.

Messi

Leo plays a free offensive role tactically. Being a flexible player, he can attack through the middle of the field or on either wing. The playmaker behind two strikers, known as the enganche in Argentine football, was his favorite position as a youth. But he started his professional football career in Spain as a left-winger or left-sided forward. 

When he made his first-team debut, manager Frank Rijkaard switched him to the right flank. Therefore, he could more quickly cut through the defense into the middle of the field and curl shots on goal with his left foot as opposed to primarily crossing the ball for teammates.

Conclusion

We hope this Messi vs. Pele comparison satisfies your needs. In addition, you can also see more in the same article “Maradona vs Pele – Who is The Best Footballer Ever?“. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the website and don’t miss the topic of Sporting difference if you have any questions concerning these legendary players from football or soccer.