The similarities and differences between Pele and Maradona as footballers or soccer players is a debate that will never appear to go away. While both have excelled during their era, the content of the character is usually the third factor that either makes a great athlete or destroys them.
Pele achieved many victories when he was a player for the Brazilian National Football/Soccer team. One of the achievements was being in the winning FIFA World Cup squad three times. He is also known as the all time leading scorer for the Brazilian National Football/Soccer Team.
The achievements of Pele in the field as well as off the field are well known. He dedicated his 1000th goal to the poor people of Brazil and has helped them via organizations such as UNESCO and foundations dedicated to the poor of the world.
Pele was also awarded the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005 for his work in all spheres in life. He is also a down to earth person who tries to bring out the best in humanity.
It is through his humanitarian help towards the world that his achievements are brought out to light.
Diego Armando Maradona was another football/soccer personality who started in the right path in the 1970’s during the FIFA World Cup in Argentina. He has been successful in the 1986 FIFA World Cup with his so called “Hand of God” which he later admitted was a farce.
Maradona was active in various countries in Europe and Latin America. He was also a coach of the Argentine National Football/Soccer Team from 2008 to 2010 when he helped Argentina humiliate itself in a defeat to Germany during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The personality of Maradona is quite the opposite of Pele and this destroys whatever achievement he might have had. Maradona allowed himself to be a victim of his own success. He became a miscreant who believed in entitlement.
Maradona dared to proclaim himself God and to establish a church called the Maradonian Church with himself as God. He once drove a car and almost ran over a journalist who was crossing the street. The response of Maradona was to insult the journalist.
The drug abuse also took its toll as Maradona abused drugs and proclaimed himself to be proud of such behavior. The fan base in Argentina was willing to excuse him day in and day out. He also lashed out at his opponents when Argentina classified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup with insults that do not deserve to be mentioned.
Pele and Maradona are as different as light and darkness. It is for this reason that Pele is many times better than Maradona.
Vickery, Tim “The Hand Of God Church” BBC Sport 2002 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2396503.stm
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