FULL LIST OF ALL OF PELE'S 1283 CAREER GOALS: http://www.campeoesdofutebol.com.br/pele_jogos.html http://pele.m-qp-m.us/english/pele_statistics.shtml -João Saldanha(Brazil's coach in 1969): "If you ask me who the best fullback in Brazil is, I'd say Pelé, if you ask me who the best half-back or winger is, I would say Pelé. He is prob­ably even our best goalkeeper. He is like no footballer ever has been, or is ever likely to be." -Jose Mourinho: "I think he[Pele] is football. You have the real special one - Mr Pele." -Johan Cruyff: "Pele was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic." -Marcello Lippi: "Pelé had no imperfections!" -Nevio Scala: "Pelé was the player that impressed me the most. He will always be number 1 for me" -Osvaldo Ardiles: Pele really had everything -- goalscoring ability, a great passer, good in the air, quick, he used both feet, almost the perfect footballer. Many words have been written about Pele but his record speaks for itself --more than 1,000 goals and three World Cup victories. He also played at a time when attacking players were not protected by referees as much as they are today. -Eusebio: "Pele played in an era which had so many great players and in that atmosphere he stood out above the others. He was the complete player in every aspect as well as being a kind human being. Cristiano Ronaldo is young yet, and has many years ahead of himself. But as of now, I do not see anyone who can compare with Pele" -Bobby Moore: "Pele was the most complete player I've ever seen, he had everything. Two good feet. Magic in the air. Quick. Powerful. Could beat people with skill. Could outrun people. Only 5ft 8in tall, yet he seemed a giant of an athlete on the pitch. Perfect balance and impossible vision. He was the greatest because he could do anything and everything on a football pitch. I remember Saldhana the coach being asked by a Brazilian journalist who was the best goalkeeper in his squad. He said Pele. The man could play in any position." -Ferenc Puskas: "The greatest player in history was Di Stefano. I refuse to classify Pele as a player. He was above that." -Sir Alex Ferguson: "Question: Best player you ever saw? -AF: Pelé, di Stefano, Maradona, Cruyff. -Q:In that order? -AF: Yes, I think so." -Romario: "Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romario and then eventually Pele." -Michel Platini: "There's Pele the man, and then Pele the player. And to play like Pele is to play like God." -Alfredo Di Stefano: "The best player ever? Pele. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both great players with specific qualities, but Pele was better." -Sir Bobby Charlton: "I sometimes feel as though football was invented for this magical player." -Tostao: "Pele was the greatest -- he was simply flawless. And off the pitch he is always smiling and upbeat. You never see him bad-tempered. He loves being Pele." -Zico: "This debate about the player of the century is absurd. There's only one possible answer: Pele. He's the greatest player of all time, and by some distance I might add." -Franz Beckenbauer: "Pele is the greatest player of all time. He reigned supreme for 20 years. All the others - Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini - rank beneath him. There's no one to compare with Pele." - -Tarcisio Burgnich: "Before the match, I told myself that Pele was just flesh and bones like the rest of us. Later I realised I'd been wrong." -Cesar Luis Menotti: "The best of all was Pele, who is a mixture of Di Stefano, Maradona, Cruyff and Leo Messi." -Cesar Luis Menotti: "It's ugly to compare but the greatest was Pele. If we believe that God made ​​man, the "black" Pelé he made him perfect. He gave him everything. He lacked nothing, header, physical power, dribbling, finishing, inspiration, genius, temper, vision, goal. Everything." -Gianni Rivera: "However, I do think there's someone who was even better(than Messi) and that's Pele. He used both feet on the pitch. He was as dangerous with his right as he was with his left. He was strong in the air as well, and created a lot of chances." -Hugo Gatti: "Pelé had the skin of a player, head, pace, everything. He was a panther dressed in white, I played with him. He entered to play in the last minute and he could turn the match. And the big difference is that Pelé on the field created fear, Maradona not...For me, it is Pelé, Alfredo Di Stefano and Maradona, in that order. I appreciate Diego, he is a great player. But from another planet was Pelé, not him." -Teófilo Cubillas: "I confronted him several times on the pitch and I think there will be noone like him." -Mario Zagallo: "Pele represented everything in soccer because of what he has done on the pitch." -Cristiano Ronaldo: "Pele is the greatest player in football history, and there would only be one Pele in the world."

• published: 15 Sep 2012
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