Three-time world cup winner Pele made a bold statement on Wednesday, calling Diego Maradona a “much better player” during his time compared to Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.
The former Brazilian forward also questioned Messi’s skillset, calling him a player who “only shoots with one leg, only has one skill and doesn’t head the ball well.”
“As far as I’m concerned, Maradona was one of the best players ever,” Pele said. “If you ask me: Was he better than Messi?’ Yes, he was. Much better.”
Pele went on to describe players he thought were better than Messi.
“(Franz) Beckenbauer, (Johan) Cruyff are also better,” Pele added. “They’re also excellent players.”
The former Brazilian forward also talked about the constant comparisons fans make between him and Messi. In an attempt to explain why he was better than the Argentine, Pele said,
“How can you make a comparison between a guy who heads the ball well, shoots with the left, shoots with the right and another who shoots with one leg, only has one skill and doesn’t head the ball well?”
He didn’t stop there.
“To compare with Pele, it has to be someone who shoots well with the left, shoots well with the right, and scores headers.”
When asked who he thought was better between Neymar and Mbappe, the 78-year-old said, “Everyone talks more about Mbappe in Europe but I think Neymar is a better player,” Pele said.
