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Diego Maradona vs Pelé

Two greats, side by side: honours, records, money and the numbers that define them.

Diego MaradonaDiego Maradona PeléPelé
FootballSportFootball
ArgentinaNationalityBrazil
30 October 1960BornOctober 23, 1940
1.65 m / 5 ft 5 inHeight1.73 m / 5 ft 8 in
-Net worth$100M
4Major honours5
2Records3

Career Numbers

589Total club appearances-
311Total club goals-
91International caps92
34International goals77
-Total Goals1,279
-Total Appearances1,363
-Club Goals643
-Club Appearances659

Honours Side by Side

Diego Maradona (4)

  • FIFA World Cup
  • FIFA World Cup
  • Copa América
  • FIFA Player of the Century

Pelé (5)

  • FIFA World Cup
  • South American Championship
  • Athlete of the Century
  • World Player of the Century
  • FIFA Player of the Century

The Case for Each

Pelé brings the heavier trophy cabinet: 5 documented honours against 4 for Diego Maradona. Silverware is not the whole story, but it is the first line of any football argument.

On records, Pelé holds 3 documented marks to 2 for Diego Maradona. The headline entry: Most Goals in a Career. Records show peaks; honours show sustained dominance. The two lists rarely agree on a winner, which is exactly why this debate refuses to die.

Put the raw numbers side by side and the picture sharpens. Diego Maradona shows 91 in international caps; Pelé answers with 92. Context matters: different leagues, different eras and different roles all bend a stat line, so treat the gap as a conversation starter rather than a verdict.

Put the raw numbers side by side and the picture sharpens. Diego Maradona shows 34 in international goals; Pelé answers with 77. Context matters: different leagues, different eras and different roles all bend a stat line, so treat the gap as a conversation starter rather than a verdict.

Football is the world's game, played and watched by billions across every continent. Its biggest stars carry entire nations on their shoulders, from World Cup finals to Champions League nights. No sport produces global icons at the same rate, and no debate burns hotter than who stands above the rest. That backdrop is what makes a matchup like this one resonate beyond the box scores.

Pelé is the senior figure by roughly 19 years, which frames the comparison: one career is closer to its final shape, the other still has chapters to write.

Both profiles update daily: Diego Maradona and Pelé each carry full stats, honours and news on AthleteWiki.

Full profiles: Diego Maradona · Pelé