Why don’t you tell us how you really feel Maradona?
One of the great debates in soccer is who is the best player to ever play the game. The top two contenders if you’re being honest are Brazilian legend Pele and Argentinian great Diego Maradona, with both men possessing enough accolades to claim the crown.
And Pele added another one when he was honored with the first ever Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur last week during the Ballon d’or ceremony, and according to ESPN FC that didn’t sit well with his longtime rival.
“How can you say that Pele received the Ballon d’Or before me? I received the award in Paris [in 1996]. So to make Pele the first one to receive the award before me is a huge mistake,” he said.
“According to me, Pele will always remain second best in football when compared to Maradona. Look at it this way, in his own country, Brazil, Pele is the second best sportsman after Ayrton Senna [the former F1 driver].
“Pele will always be second, be it in international football or in Brazilian sports. The sad thing is that he is second best and he will continue to stay in that position.
“While presenting the award [this year’s Ballon d’Or] to Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele uttered his name as ‘Cristiano Leonardo’. This just shows where he belongs.”
Ouch. Frankly, I’m too young to have a say in this debate because both played before I ever was, but it’s still funny when these two legends go at each other. Can’t wait for Pele’s rebuttal.