The FIFA World Cup has witnessed some of the greatest players to have ever played this wonderful game, from the likes of Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, and Zinedine Zidane. But there is only one who is truly known as the greatest ever. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele, is the greatest player in World Cup history.
The Brazilian striker participated in four World Cups during his tenure with the Brazilian National Team and won a total of three (1958, 1962, 1970), the most by any player in history. Pele alone is responsible for three of Brazil’s five World Cup victories.
Pele’s most famous World Cup performance was when he won his first World Cup with Brazil in 1958 at the young age of 17. After this tournament, the world classified him as the next superstar in soccer. He scored a total of six goals including his famous hat-trick against France in the semifinals, and scored another two in the final against the host nation Sweden, leading Brazil to their first ever World Cup title.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe skills he possessed were out of this world. His ability to get past his opponents with blistering pace and his agile footwork made the opposition look silly. Whenever he had the ball, the opposing team would go out of their way to stop him by any means necessary. I couldn’t imagine what I would do if I saw a raging 17-year-old Pele charging down the field with the intention to make me look foolish.
I believe Pele is the greatest player in World Cup history. He had the pressure of an entire nation on his shoulders, and he was only 17. He managed to push aside that pressure and deliver in the most iconic fashion in the biggest sporting event in the world. Winning the World Cup three times is a feat that makes him look inhuman. The Brazilians worship Pele as the greatest player to ever put on the iconic Brazil jersey, but as the greatest of all time.
Embed from Getty ImagesThere will never be another player like Pele to dominate the World Cup, he continues to extend the gap between himself and other legends who’ve played in the World Cup.
World Cup Soccer Talk 