Pelé or Maradona?

[Boss]

And why do you say that?

Better players, better fitness, better conditioning, better tactics.

[Kaiser]

Games were played at a far slower pace back then. Watch the 1966 final, it was at walking pace a lot of the time. So it was easier for more technically gifted players to shine. But, if a team did play physically, it was far rougher than what we see today. Pele got kicked out of the 1966 WC because of tactical fouling. But I think if the players then played now, they'd have the same fitness and conditioning etc.

[Toronto Gooner]

Better players, better fitness, better conditioning, better tactics.

While it is highly likely that the fitness and conditioning are better these days, it is by no means certain that the players are better or that the tactics are better. It is an academic exercise anyway.

If we are going discuss best player, then players like Puskas, Di Stefano and Cruyff have to be brought into the mix. Cruyff deserves an extra mention because it is he who was responsible for Barcelona's current playing style, and youth academy.

[Cripps_orig]

Brazil legend Pele insists Barcelona forward Lionel Messi must score at least 1,283 goals during his career to be crowned the best ever player.

Speaking after his former club Santos beat Penarol 2-1 to lift the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday evening, the 70-year-old told the press: "Messi better than Pele? To get there he needs to score more than 1283 goals."

The three-time World Cup winner appeared to hit back at former Argentina coach Diego Maradona who recently claimed Neymar was bad mannered just like Pele, after the youngster said he could be better than Messi by staying in Brazil, rather than moving to Europe.

Pele added: "Neymar has great talent. I hope Neymar doesn't end up like Messi, who plays so well for his club but does nothing for his country [Argentina]."

Messi scored 31 goals in La Liga, and 12 in the Champions League, including one in the final at Wembley as his side lifted the European Cup last term.

http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/2889/...83-goals-to-be

Pele

Spot on as usual

Drug takers

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He's an idiot.

[Young Guns 11]

He actually said that?

He's obviously got as many marbles as my 91 year old gran.

[Cripps_orig]

To be fair to Pele, those comments were in retaliation to what Maradona said about Neymar.

[Boss]

What did Maradona say about Neymar?

[Cripps_orig]

Diego Maradona blasted Neymar, the football star who plays at the Brazilian team Santos, by saying that he is “as bad-mannered person as Pelé,” after the Brazilian assured that he does not need to leave Brazil to demonstrate that he is better than Lionel Messi.
Maradona told the Spaniard press that the player from Rosario is his heir, who also tried to score a goal by using his hand in the friendly match played on Monday against Albania.
The football icon qualified Messi as an “exceptional player” that “no one can beat,” comparing him to Neymar, the Brazilian player.
“Neymar is a bad-mannered person who does not respect the others, such as Pelé,” Maradona told reporters.
Pelé and Maradona have been eternal rivals fighting for the throne of who is the best football player in the world, making stronger the historical rivalry between Brazil and Argentina in the sport.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/art...d-as-pel%C3%A9

[Cripps_orig]

Argentine legend and current manager of Al Wasl, Diego Maradona has gone on to hit back at Neymar. The Santos forward is currently being linked with a move to Real Madrid, but, it seems like Maradona feels the player has a lot of work cut out ahead of him.
When talking about the player, Maradona went on to state that Neymar if anything was rude, just like Pele.
One of the reasons that could be attributed for Maradona going up against Pele and Neymar, is because of the fact that Pele recently made comments about Messi, stating that he has a lot of work cut out ahead of him, if he wished to match the success that Pele achieved as a player. On the other hand, Neymar recently went on to state, that he could become a far better player than Messi, should he continue to play football at the highest of levels.
Nonetheless, Maradona seems to have had enough of the Brazilian attitude that has been floating about recently, as he went on to hit back at both Pele and Neymar.
The manager is quoted to have said:"Neymar is bad mannered, like Pele"
Maradona then turned his attention to targeting the brilliance of Messi and stating how he was one of the best in the business, as he went on to add:"Messi is an exceptional player and I doubt anyone can separate him [from being the best]."
It seems like Maradona has managed to kill two birds with one stone in this situation. Not only has he managed to get back at Pele (Whom he has a history of bad blood with), but he has also managed to put Neymar in his place, who according to most was starting to get a little cocky with his attitude.
At the same time, the fact that the manager has gone on to side with Messi is no secret. The midfielder/forward, has easily been the stand out player this past season and after winning another Champions League and La Liga title, he is destined to go down as one of the greatest players to ever play the game.
Nonetheless, considering that Maradona has now gone on to target two Brazilian players, whom the world seems to adore, he might have just opened Pandora’s Box. It would not be surprising to see the next couple of weeks resulting in both Maradona and Pele having swings at each other in front of the media, but it is going to be interesting to watch.

http://blogs.bettor.com/Diego-Marado...l-Messi-a77314

Think Peles won this comfortably as usual