Dear Editor
It often galls me when a footballer - other than Pele - is referred to as the greatest ever, despite overwhelming evidence of Pele's supremacy in this regard. Statistics and achievements guide us to accurate decisions, and when the aforementioned are unparalleled, then, and only then is the title of “greatest ever” deserved. Brazilian legend Pele's statistics and achievements are unmatched! Ditto the intangibles such as leadership on and off the field, influence on the game and so forth.
In an article in a local newspaper on Nov. 27, 2020, (not Guardian) Trinidad and Tobago senior men's national team coach, Terry Fenwick, referred to recently-deceased Argentine football great, Diego Maradona, as “the greatest ever”. He also called Maradona the “best player the world has ever seen in football.”
To label Maradona, the “greatest ever” shouldn't be determined by one's fancy when Maradona's statistics and achievements pale in comparison to Pele's. Let's compare the players' careers: In World Cup play, Pele is still the only player to win three World Cup titles (1958, '62, '70), compared to Maradona's one (1986); the Brazilian is the youngest World Cup player and scorer (age 17 in Sweden, 1958) versus Maradona's first World Cup (age 22, 1982, Spain). Both players won the FIFA Golden Ball award as the best player in a World Cup tournament (Pele, 1970 and Maradona, '86), but Pele led Brazil as the first nation to win the World Cup three times to permanently retain the Jules Rimet Trophy.
Fenwick played for England in the '86 World Cup and recalls Maradona's second goal versus England in that tournament - when he dribbled past several England defenders to score - as the “best ever in world football.” This is debatable, because most who saw the highlight reel of a 17-year-old in the '58 World Cup receive a pass on his thigh, chip the ball over the head of the close-marking defender, spun off that defender and struck the volley shot before the ball hit the ground to score one of his six goals in four matches in the tournament, may think otherwise.
In all internationals, Pele outscored the Argentine by a whopping 43 goals; he racked up 77 in 92 internationals while Maradona reached 34 tallies in 91. In club play, Pele's 643 goals for Santos FC is unsurpassed for a club player. In an unimaginable career that spanned two decades, the Brazilian registered 1281 goals in 1363 matches on the way to becoming the first player to be declared a national treasure, by his country, untouchable to foreign clubs.
Pele, who turned 80 last October 23rd, was awarded Brazil's Gold Medal, was voted Footballer of the Century in 1999 by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) and was named Athlete of the Century by Britain's Reuters News Agency. Other awards include the Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire and the BBC's Lifetime Achievement Award. Pele was named the Athlete of the (20th) Century by the National Olympic Committee.
Nick-named “The Black Pearl” for his valued stature in the game and universal popularity, Pele became soccer's worldwide ambassador. His visit with Santos FC to Lagos, Nigeria in 1967, stopped a civil war in that African nation; enemies stopped the killings to watch “The Black Pearl” in action.
At age 73 in 2013, Pele was awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, the annual award bestowed on the best club player in Europe. When the award was opened to all players, then FIFA President Sepp Blatter recognized that had he played in Europe, Pele would have been a Ballon d'Or winner. At the awards ceremony, Blatter said of Pele,” When we think of football, we think of his name above all others. No other player has had such an influence on the sport or touched so many people. His verve and skill will never be forgotten.”
Very importantly, in a world where black achievements are marginalized, it is imperative that black footballers know the truth - the facts - about the black man who overcame miserly surroundings to stand alone at the pinnacle in their game. This is a powerful inspiration for black youngsters.
Editor's Note:
Patrick Horne is a Vincentian, who resides in the USA and is the author of the book, Black Pioneers of the North American Soccer League (1968-84).