Rank Maradona, Messi, Pele and C.Ronaldo

[Nicoteiro]

Messi - The best of all time in my opinion
Maradona - The greatest of all time at any sport.

Pele is an all time great but I haven't seen much from him.


Ronaldo is a legend of the game, nowhere near the two above who are geniuses.

 

[Pirlo'sBeard]

Messi
Maradona
Ronaldo

Pele

 

[Donaldo]

Messi - Maradona
Pele
Cruyff
L Ronaldo
C Ronaldo

 

[doubleohseven]

Pele
Maradona
Messi
Ronaldo

I'd have quite a few others ahead of Messi and Ronaldo, both brilliant players but suffer from recency bias.

 

[Spark]

Pele
Messi
Maradonna

Ronaldo best of the rest.

 

[Gehrman]

Messi
Pelé
Maradona
C. Ronaldo

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Messi


Ronaldo
Pele

Comparing these generations of football is silly though. If you put prime Ronaldo in Pele's era he would score 150 goals a season. But if you put Pele in an era with modern training and medical science as as a 15 year old this may be a different discussion.

Messi is the greatest footballer to ever live.

I’m not saying football training and science is as good as today but it was better then than people give credit to. Pele was renowned for his time for being at the peak of fitness and cutting edge training.

The 100m record in 1968 was 9.95, Noah Lyles the best sprinter at the minute’s best time is 9.83. Bob Beamon jumped further in the Olympics in 1968 than anyone ever has.

The biggest things Pele would benefit from would be better pitches and far less fouling. At the Copa America in 1959 he was fouled over 90 times in 5 matches and was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup.

 

[Gehrman]

I’m not saying football training and science is as good as today but it was better then than people give credit to. Pele was renowned for his time for being at the peak of fitness and cutting edge training.

The 100m record in 1968 was 9.95, Noah Lyles the best sprinter at the minute’s best time is 9.83. Bob Beamon jumped further in the Olympics in 1968 than anyone ever has.

The biggest things Pele would benefit from would be better pitches and far less fouling. At the Copa America in 1959 he was fouled over 90 times in 5 matches and was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup.

This isn't to discredit Pelé because you only beat what is in front of you, but because of the talent pool being much bigger today more athletic people can take the chance to go pro because there is so much money. And because of far more relaxed foreigners rules the best leagues can hoard the best domestic talent.

I think the average opponents Messi and Ronaldo, Maradona as well, faced were on average quite a lot better because of these rules and developments in football.

 

[FrankDrebin]

Maybe it's the Internet but people can't do stop ranking nowadays.

 

[stevoc]

When I read these types of discussions I have to wonder who here in their lifetime has actually seen enough of Pele play to confidently say he was better than Ronaldo (who they've likely seen play at least 50-100+ times)?

The guy retired in the early 70's.

I also see a lot of ''Ronaldo doesn't belong etc'' I watched the entire careers of Messi and Ronaldo, if Messi is the greatest player to ever play the game (he's the best I've ever seen) then Ronaldo has to be comfortably in top 3-5.

 

[stevoc]

Maybe it's the Internet but people can't do stop ranking nowadays.

Agreed.

And I'd rank your post as the best in this thread today.

 

[doubleohseven]

When I read these types of discussions I have to wonder who here in their lifetime has actually seen enough of Pele play to confidently say he was better than Ronaldo (who they've likely seen play at least 50-100+ times)?

The guy retired in the early 70's.

I also see a lot of ''Ronaldo doesn't belong etc'' I watched the entire careers of Messi and Ronaldo, if Messi is the greatest player to ever play the game (he's the best I've ever seen) then Ronaldo has to be comfortably in top 3-5.

An interesting question for us United fans is would Messi score as many goals as CR did in 2021-22?

I'd still put Messi ahead of Ronaldo, just.

I've seen a lot of Pele and can vouch for his genius. The idea he had it light is patent nonsense.

This isn't to discredit Pelé because you only beat what is in front of you, but because of the talent pool being much bigger today more athletic people can take the chance to go pro because there is so much money. And because of far more relaxed foreigners rules the best leagues can hoard the best domestic talent.

I think the average opponents Messi and Ronaldo, Maradona as well, faced were on average quite a lot better because of these rules and developments in football.

Pele did beat them. Time and time again.

Ronaldo, Messi and Maradona exist in an age in which simulation is a key tactic, and all three are guilty of performance 'art'. Pele would be kicked, elbowed and scythed by the talented players as much as the bludgers and was expected to pick himself up.

 

[Madridista2000]

Maradonna
Messi
Ronaldo
50 other players
Pele

 

[Gehrman]

An interesting question for us United fans is would Messi score as many goals as CR did in 2021-22?

I'd still put Messi ahead of Ronaldo, just.

I've seen a lot of Pele and can vouch for his genius. The idea he had it light is patent nonsense.



Pele did beat them. Time and time again.

Ronaldo, Messi and Maradona exist in an age in which simulation is a key tactic, and all three are guilty of performance 'art'. Pele would be kicked, elbowed and scythed by the talented players as much as the bludgers and was expected to pick himself up.

That's another way to frame it but the average player in the Paulista still was almost beyond doubt not as good as the players in 21st century PL, La liga or 80's Seria A.

You are simply saying the players and the fame was more dirty. Not that their ability was as good.

 

[stevoc]

An interesting question for us United fans is would Messi score as many goals as CR did in 2021-22?

I'd still put Messi ahead of Ronaldo, just.

I've seen a lot of Pele and can vouch for his genius. The idea he had it light is patent nonsense.

Probably not but then I don't think Messi would have played the same position or been as demanding of other players to set goals up for him.

Out of interest how many full games do you reckon you've watched of Pele?

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

This isn't to discredit Pelé because you only beat what is in front of you, but because of the talent pool being much bigger today more athletic people can take the chance to go pro because there is so much money. And because of far more relaxed foreigners rules the best leagues can hoard the best domestic talent.

I think the average opponents Messi and Ronaldo, Maradona as well, faced were on average quite a lot better because of these rules and developments in football.

I think Messi and Ronaldo played in some of the most lopsided top leagues ever though because of that talent pool - it was all concentrated in two teams. One season they were 39 and 30 points ahead of 3rd place with almost +90 goal difference. That certainly helped to enhance their records.

There are far too many changes in leagues to compare easily across eras but the one constant for them all is the World Cup every four years and Pele obviously shone there.

 

[Tarrou]

Messi


Diego
Pele


Ronny

 

[Scottynaldinho]

Anyone who doesn't have Messi at 1 is a Cristiano fanboy.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

Maradonna
Messi
Ronaldo
50 other players
Pele

What's the point in this opinion, nobody takes you seriously. If it's some bullshit about how football wasn't as good back in Pele's day, yet you have Maradona ahead of Messi and Ronaldo, just point out that Maradona started his career while Pele was still playing, and the age gap between Maradona and Pele is less than Messi and Yamal. Football changed so much in 20 years, did it? So Cristiano Ronaldo of 2004 couldn't compete with Ronaldo of 2024 because the game changes that much in 20 years apparently.

 

[Swoobs]

Messi
Pele
Maradona
Someone else not in this list
Ronaldo

 

[Midrich]

1.Messi - the greatest player ever
2. Ronaldo - the greatest goalscorer ever & unmatched club trophies
3.Maradona - Great all rounded player taken over by Messi
4. Pele - a pure world cup winner which helped build the sport

 

[devips]

Maradona

Pele

Messi

Ronaldo

 

[Gehrman]

I think Messi and Ronaldo played in some of the most lopsided top leagues ever though because of that talent pool - it was all concentrated in two teams. One season they were 39 and 30 points ahead of 3rd place with almost +90 goal difference. That certainly helped to enhance their records.

There are far too many changes in leagues to compare easily across eras but the one constant for them all is the World Cup every four years and Pele obviously shone there.

True. We got to see almost certainly the 2 greatest Barca and Madrid with peak Messi and Ronaldo in them face off 30 times though.

 

[Gehrman]

An interesting question for us United fans is would Messi score as many goals as CR did in 2021-22?

I'd still put Messi ahead of Ronaldo, just.

I think Messi obviously had the greater glory at 34+ due to his international succes and individual awards, but at club lvl i think Ronaldo had slighty greater longevity(34-37) but I don't that makes him better than young or prime Messi.

But Messi became more about being the teams main playmaker while Ronaldo became all about goals.

 

[Changeisgood]

Pele




All others.....

The others dont have the moral fortitude to match their skill level and be put in the same breath as Pele. They are not the ambassadors of the game Pele was for different reasons.
One had personal demons, the other too selfish and the last one doesn't stand for what's obviously right as confirmed in the last week.

 

[Zico1982]

So many factors make a comparison difficult. Training, equipment, strategy, refereeing, nutrition etc. England anno 2024 would smash the WC-winers from 1966, but that is not the point. Noone knows how George Best or Eusebio would have fared in todays football, where you need a different mindset as in times where raw talent could bring you a long way. Talentwise I see Maradona and Pele on top, a nosehair in front of Messi. CR7 is behind them for me, but his mindset and dedication is probably the best ever.

The great Franz Beckenbauer was asked who the GOAT is, and he came up with this. “Pele was the best in the 60s, Cruyff in the 70s, Maradona in the 80s and Laudrup in the 90s.”


Who is the GOAT is actually an impossible question to answer, but here is my try without ranking.

The most influential players in their era: Puszkas, di Stefano, Pele, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona, R9, Messi, Ronaldo

The most skilled players: Ronaldinho, M. Laudrup, Bergkamp, Zico, Zidane, Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Messi, Ronaldo, R9, George Best

The best defenders: Baresi, Maldini, Cafu, Lahm, Beckenbauer, Cannavaro, Ferdinand, Puyol, Alves, Ramos

The deadliest strikers: R9, van Basten, Ibrahimovic, Romario, RvN, Messi, CR7, Gerd Müller, Pippo Inzaghi,

The best passers: M. Laudrup, Bergkamp, Iniesta, Zico, Pirlo, Xavi

The best keepers: Buffon, Yashin, Casillas, The great Peter Schmeichel, Kahn, Neuer

 

[devilish]

1. Maradona


2. Messi
3. Ronaldo
4. Pele

 

[Stadjer]

Messi
Cruijff
Maradona
Pele



Cristiano Ronaldo

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Messi
Pele
Cruyff
Platini
Maradona
C. Ronaldo

 

[NewGlory]

Maradona was the God of football, for anybody who grew up watching him, like me. Not the perfect god all-mighty kind, but more like a greek or Roman mythology God - full of problems and faults but also glorious in his deity, a human God, exciting beyond imagination

Messi is an alien

Everybody else are just world class footballers of various quality but nobody is in the same league as Maradona and nobody has the skills of Messi

I have never watched Pele live so have no personal opinion about him beyond the legend heard from others and watching a grumpy old man acting like a mafia godfather

 

[Ish]

Messi


Diego
Pele


Ronny

Something like this for me. Pity Ronaldo & Ronaldinho's absolute peaks didn't have the longevity. 2 of my absolute favorite players (of my lifetime anyway), next to Messi.

 

[Red Star One]

1. Messi
2. Maradona
3. Pele
4. Ronaldo
5. Cristiano

 

[leoric]

Nii Lamptey
Freddy Adu
Cherno Samba
Mark Collis
Ferah Orosco

My top 5.

 

[Acrobat7]

Maradona - Messi - Pele (same tier, just ranked alphabetically)
.
.
(at least a handful of other guys)
.
.
C. Ronaldo

 

[abundance]

I’m not saying football training and science is as good as today but it was better then than people give credit to. Pele was renowned for his time for being at the peak of fitness and cutting edge training.

The 100m record in 1968 was 9.95, Noah Lyles the best sprinter at the minute’s best time is 9.83. Bob Beamon jumped further in the Olympics in 1968 than anyone ever has.

The biggest things Pele would benefit from would be better pitches and far less fouling. At the Copa America in 1959 he was fouled over 90 times in 5 matches and was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup.

I know nothing about Pele's actual training regimes, but in general I'd say that the margin for improvement for football was bigger than for other sports.

I was a kid in the 80s and back then still the athletes from olympic sports looked at footballers funny.
Football was more of a game than a sport in their eyes.
"yeah yeah footballers are athletes too I guess..." they all said with a smirk.

 

[Midrich]

I find it absolutely crazy how we nearly spent a decade on deciding who the GOAT is - was it Messi or Ronaldo? They were almost equal 50/50 in the population before messi won the world cup. Similair Balon D'ors, similair goal output, similar or more CL trophies and domestic league trophies in 3 different leagues whilst also being the top goalscorer of all time.

People were literally 50/50 about Messi v Ronaldo until that world cup messi won.

Its absolutely crazy to me ever since that happened that Ronaldo is not regarded as the 2nd GOAT, but some wouldn't even put him in a top 5 or top 10

He is easily the 2nd best of all time. His stats, trophies, goals, leagues, Balon D'ors absolutely trumps every other player both Maradona & Pele except Messi.

Ronaldo is better than both Maradona and Pele - because he was literally the closest in terms of stats and number to the actual GOAT - Messi.

1.Messi
2.Ronaldo

/thread

 

[Gehrman]

I find it absolutely crazy how we nearly spent a decade on deciding who the GOAT is - was it Messi or Ronaldo? They were almost equal 50/50 in the population before messi won the world cup. Similair Balon D'ors, similair goal output, similar or more CL trophies and domestic league trophies in 3 different leagues whilst also being the top goalscorer of all time.

People were literally 50/50 about Messi v Ronaldo until that world cup messi won.

Its absolutely crazy to me ever since that happened that Ronaldo is not regarded as the 2nd GOAT, but some wouldn't even put him in a top 5 or top 10

He is easily the 2nd best of all time. His stats, trophies, goals, leagues, Balon D'ors absolutely trumps every other player both Maradona & Pele except Messi.

Ronaldo is better than both Maradona and Pele - because he was literally the closest in terms of stats and number to the actual GOAT - Messi.

1.Messi
2.Ronaldo

/thread

Siuuuuu!

No not really. I think that whole "debate" was forced. There was almost an overwhelming majority of players, managers and sports journalists who favored Messi.

Still its silly how people relegate Ronaldo because of his narcissistic ego and fall from glory recently. The thread title is still rank these 4. Not Cryuff, R9 or whoever but those 4 specifically.

 

[Bole Top]

I find it absolutely crazy how we nearly spent a decade on deciding who the GOAT is - was it Messi or Ronaldo? They were almost equal 50/50 in the population before messi won the world cup.

not really tbf. perhaps on Portugese forums.

 

[KeanoMagicHat]

I know nothing about Pele's actual training regimes, but in general I'd say that the margin for improvement for football was bigger than for other sports.

I was a kid in the 80s and back then still the athletes from olympic sports looked at footballers funny.
Football was more of a game than a sport in their eyes.
"yeah yeah footballers are athletes too I guess..." they all said with a smirk.

From an article of 1975 when Pele was 34 and would have been past his peak.

"Medical tests have revealed that Pelé's heart when he is training, beats 56 to 58 times a minute. The heart of an average athlete in training beats 90 to 95 times a minute. Pelé's aerobic capacity is such that he can repeat a great effort within 45 to 60 seconds. His peripheral vision is 30 per cent greater than that of the average athlete.

"Pele can run 100 meters in 11 seconds and jump almost 6 feet high.

“If properly trained, Pele could still be one of the world's 10 best in the decathlon,” said Mazzei. “He can play volleyball and basketball magnificently.”

Can't remember which World Cup, maybe 1970, but the trainers were famous in Brazil for the intense fitness regimes they put the players under for the time.

There are certain freak sportsmen that would age well in any era. In basketball for example, Wilt Chamberlain would still be a dominant centre because being 7 foot plus with that athleticism. Pele and Eusebio are two footballers from the 60s that would still do well in the modern day if you got a time machine, Charlton wouldn't be bad either. Best would struggle because of his lifestyle choices and a few others.

 

[Midrich]

not really tbf. perhaps on Portugese forums.

Can you tell me what Maradona has won & scored in comparison to Ronaldo

I don't even want to bring up Pele who i doubt people on this forum are old enough to have even watched him score goals in world cups

Messi v Ronaldo may not be up fot debate -

But my lord C Ronaldo vs Maradona & Pele is because they share nothing in comparison to Messi's stats or trophies or goals or European cups or Balon D'ors.

Maradona was arguably lucky not to be born in to VAR or he wouldn't have even won a world cup for the handball goal against England!!


Ronaldo trumps Maradona & Pele - its not even close.

Brazil & Argentina have won world cups both with and without messi, Maradona & Pele. Their world cups are nothing special, it's like Germany or France winning a world cup once again when its been done over and over again to call Thomas Muller one of the best.

Portugal has never won the world cup which shows something lacking in the national ability as a whole or even poor management as seen with England time and time again.

Ronaldo trumps both in so many ways that it isnt even close for me.


1. Messi
2. Ronaldo


3. Druggy Cocaine Maradona with the hand of god

4. Pele well done for international football