Falcão vs Pelé
Brazil against Brazil. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Falcão
Brazil · 1982–83 · CM
- Almanac rating
- 93
- Rank in Brazil
- #9 of 33
- Caps
- 28 · 6 goals
- Clubs
- S.C. Internacional, AS Roma, São Paulo
Sarrià, 5 July 1982: Júnior rolled the ball to him twenty yards from Italy's goal and he drove it in with his weaker foot for 2-2, six minutes before Paolo Rossi settled the tie and sent Brazil home. Rome crowned him its eighth king after the 1983 scudetto, and he also took three Brazilian titles with Internacional, two Coppa Italia, and the silver ball as second-best player of the 1982 World Cup. Career record: 28 caps and 6 goals for Brazil; club career at S.C. Internacional, AS Roma, São Paulo.
Pelé
Brazil · 1957–71 · SS
- Almanac rating
- 99
- Rank in Brazil
- #1 of 33
- Caps
- 92 · 77 goals
- Clubs
- Bauru Atlético Clube, Santos, New York Cosmos
- Honours
- FIFA Player of the Century 2000 · South American Footballer of the Year 1973 · 5× Hall of Fame (1967–1997)
On 19 November 1969 the Maracanã stopped while photographers swarmed the pitch and 80,000 Vasco supporters cheered Pelé, who had just converted the penalty that was his thousandth goal. He is the only man with three World Cups, scoring twice in the 1958 final at seventeen, and he took the Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup with Santos in both 1962 and 1963 along with five Taça Brasil titles. Career record: 92 caps and 77 goals for Brazil; club career at Bauru Atlético Clube, Santos, New York Cosmos; honours include South American Footballer of the Year 1973, FIFA Player of the Century 2000, 5× Hall of Fame (1967–1997).
The verdict
The almanac puts Pelé ahead by 6 rating points, 99 against 93.
Fans have not settled this one yet. Cast the first vote in the duels.