Despite all the records set by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, it was Pele who remains the king of football, although he ended his career in the late 70s.
He played at the time of a completely different football: back then there was no such developed medicine, fabulous contracts, simulators and other things that modern players have.
It is not known how pampered modern top players would have shown themselves if they had appeared on the field during the harsh football of the 60s.
Many of his records are still not beaten, and some will remain so forever.
If you want facts, then you have 10 reasons why Edson Arantis do Nascimento is the true King.
10. Debut at 17
In 1958, at the World Cup in Sweden, Pele entered the field at the age of 17 in a match against the national team of the Soviet Union.
In the same draw he scored his first goal against Wales in the quarter finals, and in the semifinals against France he became the youngest hat-trick author.
It was then that the Brazilian first won the World Cup, as did his team. More than half a century has passed, and still there has not been a single child prodigy who could break this record. Killian Mbappe, whom many call the “second Pele,” first played at the World Cup while being 2 years older.
9.8 goals in one match
The already mentioned KriRo and Messi can make a hat-trick, poker or even a pent-trick in the match, but they can’t score anymore.
But Pele could, having “shipped” September 21, 1964, 8 goals to the goal of “Botafogo” from Ribeirao Preto. And again more than 50 years have passed, and the record is still not broken.
8. Three gold world championships
Neither before nor after Pele, no one managed to become the world champion three times as a player, and at the moment Killian Mbappe, who already has one victory, has the greatest chance to repeat the record.
The Brazilian raised a cup over his head in Sweden, Chile and Mexico, being the team leader in every tournament.
In 1970, in Mexico City, Celesao played against Italy, and Pele was to be defended by the defender Tarcisio Bournic. After the game, he said that he was trying to set himself up by saying that Pele is just a man made of skin and bones, so he can be defeated. During the match, Burnic realized that he was mistaken, and could not do anything against the King, who scored himself and gave two assists.
7. Most goals for the national team
Having spent 92 matches in the Brazilian national team, Pele is only 13th on this indicator. Ronaldo, for example, has 98 games, but only 62 goals, and Neymar has already played more, but only 59 goals.
Pele managed to score 77 times in 92 matches, forever writing his name in history. Even if Neymar breaks this record, for which he has every chance, he will need much more time for this.
6. Physical data
One of Pele's nicknames was Brazilian Lightning, which was given to him for the phenomenal speed and speed of the reaction.
Being at the peak of his form, he ran 100 meters in a little more than 10 seconds, closely approaching the results of Olympic athletics champions. Usain Bolt in 2009 ran this distance for 9.58, that is, Pele gave him literally a second.
If desired, the Brazilian could easily combine the career of a football player and an athlete, setting records in two completely different disciplines at once.
5. The legend of Santos and the national team
Many clubs have their own legends: Totti for Roma, Maldini for Milan, Messi for Barcelona, but Pele’s importance for Santos is on a completely different level.
The Brazilian gave the club 18 years, scoring 1091 goals during this time and providing the team with trophies. As many as 5 times in a row the club won the Brazil Cup, which was made possible exclusively thanks to the game Pele.
In 2014, Santos signed a lifelong contract to use the image of a football player, documenting the fact that the player and the club are one.
4. Club "1,000+"
The king scored 1389 goals during his career, thereby entering the so-called “Club 1000+”: players who distinguished themselves more than 1,000 times in his career fall into it.
Even though some sources indicate a different figure - 1,281 goals, Pele is still second only to the Austrian Josef Bitsan (1468) and the German Gerd Müller (1461). Cristiano Ronaldo, for example, scored in his career a little more than half of the number of goals of Pele.
3. Feast named Pele
Spectators who were present at the Maracan stadium on November 19, 1969 witnessed a historic event: their King scored his 1,000th goal in his career. With this player, not only teammates and fans congratulated the player, but also the Brazilian Ministry of Communications.
Officials decided to perpetuate this day and issued a postage stamp depicting the striker. This is the only case in the history of football when this is done in honor of one achievement of one football player.
Officially, November 19 is not a holiday status, but many Brazilians, for whom football is most important, celebrate this date as Pele Day every year.
2. IOC Recognition
In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named Pele as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century, including him in the top five. Given all the King’s achievement, this may seem like a mundane event, but no.
The fact is that the three-time world champion has never performed at the Olympic Games, except for the fact that he carried the Olympic flame. As a rule, the committee notes those athletes who achieved success directly in their competitions, being a rather conservative organization, but even for Pele they made an exception.
1. The best football player of the XX century
Status that clearly confirms everything said in the previous 9 points. World Soccer, France Football, Guerin Sportivo, Placar - each of these reputable football publications recognized Pele as the best, and FFI added him to the symbolic team “the national team of the twentieth century.”
In any ranking, fan-made or compiled by journalists, the name Edson Arantis do Nascimento most often appears in the first place. King of football, who will celebrate his 79th birthday in October.