Pelé has died of multiple organ failure and this was confirmed as the cause of death for the 82-year-old legend of football, who had battled colon cancer throughout his life.

Sent to the Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital in Sao Paolo, since Christmas, he was surrounded by his family and passed last night.

Pele was accompanied by his family on Christmas Eve after being transferred to palliative care earlier in December after his body stopped responding to initial cancer treatment.

Following the death of the man many consider to be the greatest footballer of all time, tributes have poured in from a slew of sporting icons, clubs, and organisations.

Ronaldo, the legendary striker who followed in the footsteps of the three-time World Cup winner, believes Pele’s impact will never fade.

The world has just lost a gem of football but also a gentleman who brought his magic with the ball to the world and mesmerized crowds, if not the entire world, with his magical skills.

Pelé – Highlights of his career

He was one of the most successful and popular sports figures of the twentieth century, regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and dubbed “the greatest” by FIFA.

In 1999, the International Olympic Committee named him Athlete of the Century, and he was named one of Time’s 100 most influential people of the twentieth century.

Pelé was named World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 2000, and he was also named FIFA Player of the Century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games, including friendlies, is a Guinness World Record.

Pelé the GOAT of Football

Pelé, who averaged nearly a goal per game throughout his career, was skilled at striking the ball with either foot and anticipating his opponents’ movements on the field.

While primarily a striker, he could also drop deep and playmaker, providing assists with his vision and passing ability, as well as going past opponents with his dribbling skills.

In Brazil, he was hailed as a national hero for his football achievements and outspoken support for policies that improve the social conditions of the poor. His breakthrough at the 1958 World Cup, where he became the first black global sporting star, served as an inspiration.

Pelé received numerous individual awards throughout his career and after his retirement.

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Joao Felix uninterested in Manchester United 

Football is a worldwide sport which is enjoyed by all the age groups, across the globe. Over the years the sport has gained its status in India as well. There are many young adults who want to pursue football as their career. To be a footballer isn’t easy, it requires rigorous training and you have a follow certain conduct. There are many league which are played under this sport.

Football has become diverse now, their are tournaments which are taking place for boys and girls under the age of 19 on a look for new talents. Women are also given the opportunity in this sport. As we speak about football, the players are the essence pf the sport. The sportsmen have gained a lot of support and love from their fans. To maintain such rapport with the audience one must ensure that they keep on training and do not loose their form. So here we present to you the best football player of all time.

Who is the best Footballer, all you need to know?

As we know that with the current scenarios to name just one person as the best is not easy. there are many footballers who have excelled individually in their respective roles, such as as a goal keeper, as forward or as a front-back. Some have also been given special recognition depending on the performance which was showcased.

Currently, on the basis of recent performances Lionel Messi is given the spot as the best football player of all time. One must take a note that the list keeps on changing depending on the changing formats and the performance of the players, the entries and exits. Messi is a player from Argentina who has earned the Ballon d’Or six times and the Golden Shoe six times. His achievements include, 35 major trophies for Barcelona, including four UEFA Champions Leagues, seven Copa del Reys, and 10 La Ligas.

Pele- world’s greatest football player of all time.

No matter how many time we change the list of the current football players ranking, we cannot leave behind the man himself, Pele who introduced to us the importance of the sport. He was a former Brazilian professional footballer, who began his career in 1953 playing as a forward. He was given the recognition as the all-time top scorers of the FIFA World Cup.

In the year 1999, the International Olympic Committee named Pele, Athlete of the Century. He is one of the few players who has a Guinness World Record. Countless awards, titles, Pele had gained himself the respect and love not only by his fellow countrymen but also people watch9ng him play on the field. He has earned titles like, the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball, the Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur, and the South American Footballer of the Year. In all he has played 1279 games and in total scored 1363 goals.

 

Kylian Mbappe has recently surpassed Pele with the highest number of goals in the World Cup below the age of 24. He has scored a grand total of eight goals. He still has to beat Pele’s record as the latter has scored 12 goals during his World Cup participations

Mbappe managed to break the 60-year-old record. Recently, Mbappe assisted Olivier Giroud, making him the top goalscorer in France national team history. Giroud scored his 52nd goal, surpassing the legendary Thierry Henry. 

While Mbappe struggled for the majority of the day, he managed to convert two excellent finishes on either side of the top corner. He now has the same number of FIFA World Cup goals as Lionel Messi, but he has played in three fewer World Cups.

However, the unfortunate news of the Brazilian legend’s declining health is saddening news. His contribution to football will never be forgotten, and hopefully the younger players such as Mbappe, Haaland and others would remember their previous generations of great players. 

Fan’s thoughts Mbappe surpassing one of Pele’s records

Kylian Mbappe passes Pele for most World Cup goals scored by a men's player before turning 24 years old (8) 😮👏 pic.twitter.com/uJLZDH6LWO

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 4, 2022

 

Fans are claiming that Mbappe will break all records in the next World Cup. Others stated that a lot of the countries aren’t playing as well as they did back in the day, hence, it would give the younger players more opportunity to break records. 

There were criticisms over the record as a fan stated “Why 24, why not 23,22,25 etc? It’s almost as if the parameters for this stat were intended to give a favourable comparison to Mbappe over Pele.” 

Other fans agreed with this fan as the age number appears to be a random one and it is not often a comparable age as usually it would be U21 (Under 21) or U18 (Under 18). Statements on Mbappe idolising Ronaldo and being inspired by him were in the mix of the conversation. 

The best irony in the conversation was that Ronaldo and Messi fans vehemently hate each other in the comment section. It is unclear why in all football related news, there will always be this exact argument against the two great legends. 

Furthermore, Pele fans stated that in his early 20s, where he was playing his second World Cup, he was injured. Hence this would give other players the opportunity to beat his still impressive records.  

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The sad passing of Pele has brought up the thought of the two legends in football and their respective achievements. Back then, there could only be one legend at a time, this is a stark contrast to today’s football where we have Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and even David Beckham. 

It also needs reminding that Maradona has also sadly passed in the year 2020, at the age of 60-years-old. An era has gone with the passing of these two legends as a number of people grew up looking to them as inspiration to get through the day. 

Diego Maradona and Pelé are widely considered two of the greatest soccer players of all time. Both players had successful careers and made significant contributions to the sport.

One key difference between the two players is the time period in which they played. 

Pelé played in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, while Maradona played in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. This means that they played in different eras and against different levels of competition.

Their playing style is another key difference between the two legends. Maradona was renowned for his inventiveness and dribbling prowess, but Pelé was known for his technical proficiency and ability to score goals. Pelé was renowned for his sportsmanship and humility, whilst Maradona was known for his tenacity and leadership on the pitch.

Regardless of their differences in era and playing styles, they both have individual separate fan bases that would still hype them up until today. 

How many goals has Pele and Maradona scored

Pelé is widely considered one of the greatest goalscorers in soccer history. During his career, he scored a total of 1279 goals in 1363 games. This includes goals scored in official matches and friendlies. 

We have yet to see today’s players to beat that score, depending on the measurements and the different data that are available. However, the closest are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Some are suggesting that Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland might come around to the scores of these legends soon. 

Maradona also had a successful career and scored a significant number of goals. However, it is difficult to determine an exact number because records of his goals are not complete. According to some sources, Maradona scored a total of 259 goals in club and international matches. However, this number may not include all of his goals, as records from some of his early matches are not available.

It is important to note that the number of goals scored by a player does not necessarily reflect their overall ability or impact on the sport. Both Pelé and Maradona made significant contributions to soccer beyond just their goalscoring record.

The trophies that they won 

During Pele’s career, he won numerous trophies and awards, including three FIFA World Cups with the Brazilian national team. At the club level, Pelé won numerous domestic league titles and cups with Santos FC in Brazil.

Maradona also had a successful career and won numerous trophies. With the Argentine national team, he won the FIFA World Cup in 1986, and he also won numerous domestic league titles and cups with clubs in Argentina, Italy, and Spain.

It is important to note that the number of trophies a player has won does not necessarily reflect their overall ability or impact on the sport. Both Pelé and Maradona made significant contributions to soccer beyond their trophy collection.

Were there any rivalries between pele and maradona?

There is some evidence to suggest that Pelé and Maradona had a personal rivalry. For the most part, the two players have spoken highly of each other in the past and have expressed respect for each other’s abilities in a professional manner.

There were numerous times where they might have said certain things in the media about one and another. 

According to Reuters, one of them was Pele calling Maradona a “bad example” due to his drug addiction back in the day. Another one where Maradona stated about Pele, “As a player he was great… but he thinks politically.” 

To sum up, Pele thought Maradona as vulgar and undignified and Maradona thought Pele was a sell-out. 

Pelé and Maradona played in different eras, so they did not have the opportunity to face each other in official matches. However, they were both influential figures in the sport of soccer and are often compared to each other due to their status as two of the greatest players in history.

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The football fans are fixated on who is the greatest of all time in the soccer arena with the duel between Cristiano Ronald and Lionel Messi entering its last global phase, perhaps.

Nonetheless, Ronaldo and Messi are the only two popular and talented players in our era who have never won the World Cup.

While it is true that Portugal is not a large team with many talented players that can easily claim the title of World Cup winner, the same cannot be said for Argentina, a country that has produced two World Cup victories so far.

Argentina has reached the World Cup final on four occasions. It was defeated by the Uruguay national team way back in 1930, which is the inaugural World Cup competition.

However, Argentina produced excellent football in the competition winning by big scores and establishing Guillermo Stábile, an Argentine professional football player and manager who played as a centre forward during his career, as the top scorer of the 1930 World Cup, scoring 8 goals including a hattrick.

Alas, it lost the final against the gritty Uruguayans with the match ending in a 4-2 win for Uruguay.

Argentina was also defeated in two other finals, in 1990 and 2014, against Germany and the latter went on to win those two finals by 1-0. In 1990, it was the last appearance for maestro Diego Maradona.

But Messi’s country produced two great final victories against the Netherlands in 1974, winning 3-1 in a display of magical soccer between the two opponents (Netherlands had the father of modern football Johan Cryuiff in its squad) and beating Germany in a thrilling 3-2 final giving Maradona his only World Cup final win.

While Messi lost in the first ever final in which he participated in 2014, Ronaldo’s Portugal never reached the final though the troubled Manchester United superstar has played in 4 World Cups since 2006.

Who Will Smile at the 2022 World Cup?

We wrote that Ronaldo is a player who sets precedence and sets the tone for styles and goal scoring prowesses. This is so true for the great player and he is also the first to win a ‘regional’ trophy with his country when Portugal won its first ever Euro Championship in 2016, beating France 1-0 in the final after extra time.

It was Ronaldo’s most important national trophy, leaving the World Cup as the only major international trophy he has yet to win.

The star is going through the most turbulent and disturbing period in his football career and his coach at Manchester United is not helping the player with his dictatorial style and his bullying of one of the greatest soccer stars of all time.

This is not going to help Ronaldo in Portugal’s search for a place in the final at Qatar though we know that the latter cna rise to the occasion if he can put all his woes behind him and focus on the football on the field.

A great performance by Ronald at the World Cup will make Eric Ten Hag look like a fool. But Ronaldo is going through pain and this may, unfortunately for his fans and for football, Ten Hag is contributing to a potentially bad World Cup for the latter.

Ten Hag has- sadly –  never played in any World Cup and is already seen as a troubled coach at Man Utd. The 6-3 defeat against Manchester City and the 4-0 drubbing against Brentford are two big dark spots in his managerial career at Old Trafford. Another misstep with a drubbing by a small club or a big one for that matter may mean Ten Hag could see the gate wide open for him to be excluded from the club.

Why sadly? He does not know how precarious it is to be a player who is going to play in a World Cup. If he knew, he would have been more careful in his choices with Ronaldo.

Nevertheless, Lionel Messi is not facing such worries and the Argentinian ace is in the running as one of the top rated players who may perform well in Qatar.

Messi has announced that this may be his last call for Argentina in the World Cup and that he may retire as an international soccer player, meaning he might not play for his country again after Qatar 2022.

Ronaldo has responded to Messi’s plans for retirement from international football by saying he hopes Messi would reconsider and would continue to play as long as he can because he believes the latter is a great player with great capacities.

This is how Ronaldo is. He encourages his opponents to carry on and to perform in order to bring brightness to the most beautiful game on the planet. Unlike some people.

Messi’s World Cup?

Among all the stars in Qatar, Messi will undoubtedly be looked upon as one of the greatest and he will become the greatest versus Ronaldo if Argentina reaches the final and wins.

Messi too started his World Cup appearances in 2006. Unfortunately, like Ronaldo, he has been putting more emphasis on clus football – which brings them more cash – than national football.

Unlike people like Pele for example, who played for their country with the same grit and enthusiasm when they played for their clubs – Pele won many club titles and World Cup finals at the same time – it does not appear the same for the modern ‘Peles’.

However, Messi has a chance now and if he forgets club soccer for a while, perhaps he may spark a riot at the World Cup and bring the trophy home to Buenos Aires and consecrate himself as the GOAT of our generation.

Messi has scored six goals in 19 matches at the Fifa World Cup spanning four editions. Argentina is a bigger soccer country than Portugal, though Portugal has also produced aces like Ronaldo and the once thrilling Eusebio whose team beat Pele’s in the 1966 World Cup.

Ronaldo has scored seven goals in 17 matches at the FIFA World Cup, scoring in every edition he has played in – 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018.

While Ronaldo has advised Messi to continue playing in the World Cup or at International level for a few more years, this year may be his last World Cup.

But depending on his spirit and where he is playing after he leaves Manchester United – unless Ten Hag is kicked out of Old Trafford earlier than January 2023 – Ronaldo may still attempt to give Portugal another shot at the World Cup in 2026! Imagine that.

Nevertheless, it is a pity that none of them have lifted the World Cup trophy, just like the legendary Cryuff who re-invented football with his total soccer styles, reached the final in 1974 and lost to Germany by 2-1.

Cryuff missed the World Cup in 1978 which saw the Netherlands reach the final only to be defeated by host Argentina by 3-1. He did not participate in the World Cup for obscure reasons but in 2008 he revealed why he did not play for the country in 1978.

He told the media that there was a kidnapping attempt on him and his family and that shocked him and while he escaped the attempt, it changed his perspective on life.

Hence, Messi is the best placed in the Qatar 2022 versus Ronaldo who is going through a difficult time, to go and win the cup for once!