Can the coke head Maradona be put into the same category as Pele, the greatest soccer player ever??
369366
Not in the same league but still one of the best world footballers of all time.  Personal addictions aside, he did help lead his country to a world cup almost completely on his own shoulders.  While not the world's best, Argentina's football leagues are respectable and Maradona is the second-highest goal-scorer in the history of the league.\n\nPele, in the end, is in a league of his own, the stratosphere of football if you will.  Indeed, when one mentions the greatest players of all time, intense debate arises due to national and club affiliations.  The World Cup is the ultimate stage of showcasing your skills and Maradona will still be remembered for leading Argentina during four World Cups and capturing it all in 1986.  I would put Maradona in the top 10-15 of all time players.
1019823
i agree. pele was absolutely incredible. he didnt just have the skill but he had the brains and vision of a world class footballer. but for me at the moment it has to be thierry henry closely followed by ronaldinho, then kaka, then steven gerrard
1120274
pele was one of the greatest football players of all time. to find his like you would need to look at the entire history of the sport and bring in players like puskas, stanley matthews, or alec james.\n\nmaradonna wasn't a football player at all. he was just a cheat.
421772
arguebly george best .alas! this greatest of all time grearts is no more . tears come down we could not see this man is not in action at present . i wish he should have born now . when we see some of his older film , i feel what a player he was ,possing abandant of skill and brilliances . we remember only maradona, pele, boby charlton, boby moor, but nobody seems bother about this creature of god who once ruled the english and european circuit only but never played any world cup .
1018321
Pele is the best.\nMaradona was not bad but how he has been tainted by drugs - he cannot be an ambassador for the sport unless he gets some proper rehabilitation
1009247
There have been so many great players in the history of football, and everyone will have a different criteria in their determination of what makes a player ‘iconic’, but there are a few names who I think must surely be in the hat…\n\nAside from Pele and Maradona, who are penned in already, I’d say the most obvious would be the great George Best, who sadly passed away last year.\nPele himself once described Best as ‘the greatest footballer in the world’, and for pure, unadulterated talent he’s certainly up there with finest proponents of the game. He had a unique genius that made him one of the most exciting players of his, or any other generation, as well as one of the first ‘celebrity’ footballers. The cheeky character so evident in his football was mirrored in his personality and the young Best was a star on and off the pitch, but he also had a self-destructive streak that controlled much of his life.\n\nAfter Best, I’d have to consider a good few others:\n\nPuskas – The Hungarian that showed England that rest of the world were actually quite good at football. Fearsomely powerful and one of the finest international goal scorers of all time.\n\nGordon Banks – Seemingly super-human English goalkeeper that made that unbelievable stop from Pele’s close range header in ’70. To my mind the best keeper ever, and in that sense a football icon.\n\nJohan Cruyff – The original Dutch master, he invented half the skills you see today off the top of his head. Wickedly creative, strong and skilful, Cruyff brought something new to the game and was at the heart of one of the most gifted World Cup sides ever.\n\nZidane – In my opinion the greatest player in modern football. Powerful and skilful with ridiculous vision, Zidane is a French playmaker that creates and scores goals that no one else can even imagine, let alone actually realise.\n\nPhew! And I haven’t even mentioned Van Basten, Eusebio, Ronaldo, Henry, Muller, Beckenbauer, Platini, Charlton, Garrincha, Zoff, Di Stefano, Maldini etc, etc…
1114195
I believe that he is compared to Maradona because of the style of play seems similar, and there physique is very close to the same.  He is a small quick player with the ability to maneuver in and out of defenders, he also has a wicked shot.  Maradona was a small quick absolutely phenomenal player.  I don't know if he will ever become the next Maradona, but he is definatley on the right track.
989044
Pele definitely, he has been able to stay clear of politics, drugs and major scandals. Maradona is a close second because no one can forget the "hand of GOD" goal or his drug problems.
317730
Diego Maradona- Argentina
412676
Diego Armando Maradona (the great number 10)
685082
Diego is technically better Pele achieved more. One on one Maradona would win.
1111996
Don't listen to your friend, he don't know what is he talking about!!!!!!  Messi is next Maradona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
424316
You must be kidding, right!?\nPELE, without doubt!\n\nYou don't believe me?\nCheck it out!!!\n\nTop 20: Soccer Players Of All Time \nBy David Stoll\n\nNumber 3\n\nFranz Beckenbauer\n  Germany \n Years Played: 1964 - 1982\n\nNumber 2\n\nDiego Maradona\n  Argentina \n Years Played: 1976 - 1996\n\nNumber 1\n\nPele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento)\n  Brazil \n Years Played: 1956 - 1977\n\nWhy he's one of the greatest: At the age of 17, Pel scored six goals in the 1958 World Cup, inspiring Brazil to its first title. \n\nThroughout his illustrious career both on and off the pitch, Pele has remained a true ambassador of the game. Making his club debut for Santos at the age of 15 in 1956, he remained with the club until 1974. Although facts and figures could never do justice to the majesty that was Pele, his 1,281 goals in all competitions certainly serve to prove the point. He helped lead Santos to nine State Championships, and claimed two consecutive World Club Championships in 1962 and 1963. \n\nThere is no player who can claim greater success on the world stage. Pele made his international debut at the tender age of 16. A year later and his teammates pressured the national coaching staff to include the 17-year-old in the 1958 World Cup squad. Kept out of the majority of the tournament due to injury, Pele came on in Brazil's pool match against the Soviet Union. In the quarterfinals, Pele scored the winner against Wales, a hat trick in the semifinals against France, and two in the final against Sweden, Brazil won the 1958 World Cup... and a star was born. Out with injury for the 1962 World Cup, Pele returned to the national squad and claimed one more World Cup title in 1970. Voted the Century's Greatest Footballer along with Diego Maradona, Pele has continued to be an inspiration to the "the beautiful game." \n\nSources?\nHehehehehe....
922864
FIRST I'VE HEARD OF  IT...............BUT AS  HE  WAS ONE  OF THE  GREATS.(IF  NOT  THE  GREATEST ) FOOTBALLER ......OF  HIS TIME .(SOME  SAY  OF  ALL TIME)...THEN I SUPPOSE ITS A FEASIBLE   CHOICE...WHY  NOT  HAVE  A FAMOUS  SPORTSMAN....?\n\nTHOUGH I'M SURE  MANY WILL DISAGREE  DUE TO  HIS  DRINK PROBLEM....
380601
Pele, Johan Keryof, Maradona, Franz Beckenbauer, and Boby Charlton.  I wish I could add Platini! :)
424734
100% DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA\nfifa is making pele the best player,but most of the people in the world beleives that maradona was better
1060504
that would be pele man\nmaradona is a little cheat, he used his hands, he did drugs (but they weren't that potent), and if u see the video of the player on his team that got into a fight with another player, he just jumps in and starts kickin everyone like i little kid, wut a fu**in do*che bag