Brazilian football great Pelé has been hailed around the world after his death at 82.
But his greatness on the pitch has been lauded by his peers for decades. Here is a selection of quotes from other players, past and present.
Mr Bobby CharltonEngland 1966 World Cup winner: “Sometimes I feel like football was invented for this magical player.”
Bobby Moorecaptain of England in 1966: “Pele was the most complete player I have ever seen. Two good feet. Magic in the air. Quickly done. Powerful. Could beat people with skill. Could overtake people. Only 5 feet 8 inches tall, but he seemed a giant of an athlete on the ground. Perfect balance and impossible vision.”
Retired French star and triple Ballon d’Or Michael Platini: “There is Pelé the man, then Pelé the player. And to play like Pelé is to play like God.”
Alfredo Di StefanoReal Madrid’s late Argentinian-born star: ‘The best player of all time? Pelé. (Lionel) Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both great players with specific qualities, but Pelé was better’
John Cruyffthe late Dutch star and outstanding coach who won the Ballon d’Or three times: “Pelé was the only footballer who exceeded the limits of logic.”
Cristiano RonaldoPortugal star striker: “Pelé is the greatest player in the history of football, and there will only be one Pelé in the world.”
Pelé with Cristiano Ronaldo in January 2009 after the Portuguese star was named FIFA World Player of the Year. Photo: AP
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The late Hungarian star Ferenc Puskas: “The greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to rank Pelé among players. He was above that.”
Great retired German Franz Beckenbauer: “He is the most complete player I have ever seen.”
Former Italian international Tarcisio Burgnichafter playing against Pelé in the 1970 World Cup final: “I thought to myself before the game, he’s made of skin and bones like everyone else – but I was wrong.”
Pelé heads the ball past Italy’s Tarcisio Burgnich to score in the 1970 World Cup final. Photo: AP
Retired Brazilian star Zico: “This debate about the player of the century is absurd. There is only one possible answer: Pelé. He is the greatest player of all time, by far, should I add.”
Brazilian players bring a Pelé banner onto the pitch after their victory over South Korea at the 2022 World Cup
Former Brazil striker Tostao: “If you take the qualities of Cristiano Ronaldo and (Lionel) Messi, put them together, then you would have a player to compare to Pelé!”
Benfica Goalkeeper Costa Pereira after the 5-2 defeat against Santos (the former club of Pelé): “I arrived hoping to stop a great man, but I left convinced that I had been defeated by someone who didn’t wasn’t born on the same planet as us.”
Pelé and his Italian opponent Giacinto Facchetti in the 1970 World Cup final. Photo: AP
Former Italy defender Giacinto Fachetti: “We went up together to direct a ball. I was taller, I had better momentum. When I came back down, I looked up in amazement. Pelé was still there, in the air, directing this ball . It felt like he could stay suspended for as long as he wanted.”
Just Fountainthe Moroccan-born French star who scored 13 goals in six games at the 1958 World Cup: “When I saw Pelé play, I wanted to hang up my boots.”
