After Messi shined on the World Cup stage, the media gave him the reputation of the king of the ball. However, Ronaldo's fans are not buying it, comparing Pele to try to prove that Messi is not the undisputed best. Pele, the legend of football, his status is unassailable. But when we dig deeper into his career, we may find some different voices.
Looking back at Pele's football career, he rose to prominence at the 1958 World Cup, but he was more of a substitute at the time, and his goals, while brilliant, were not the key to Brazil's victory. In contrast, modern players such as Kylian Mbappe have been more eye-catching at the World Cup, and their performance at crucial moments often determines the direction of the game.
By 1962, Bailey seemed to be at his peak, but fate played a joke on him. He retired injured after making just one appearance at the World Cup, but Brazil were able to lift the trophy in his absence. This is undoubtedly a sign of the strength of that Brazilian team, and Pele's role in this does not seem to be indispensable.
Looking at 1966, the Brazilian team led by Pelly unexpectedly lost the group stage, which was a great shame in the history of Brazilian football. As the leader of the team, Pele was naturally under a lot of pressure. By 1970, although Brazil had won the title again, Pele was no longer at the heart of the team, and his shine was overshadowed by other players.
Pele's three World Cup titles are undoubtedly the pinnacle of his career. However, compared to Jordan's Olympic gold medal, these accolades don't seem to bring much personal brilliance to Pele. After all, in a strong Brazilian team, Pele is not an irreplaceable presence.
And Messi, although he only has one World Cup title, he won it as the core of the team. None of his teammates made it to the Football History Hall of Fame, which is a testament to his unique place in the team. Messi's achievements are not accidental, his performance in the World Cup was perfect, which is a big reason why he is known as the first person in football history.
Of course, we can't deny Pele's promotion and influence on football. His presence has brought the sport of football to wider attention. But when we're talking about who's national team doing better, perhaps we should focus more on what the players actually do in the game and how much they contribute to the team.
Overall, Messi and Pele are both legends in football, and their achievements deserve our respect and admiration. But when we compare their national team performances, perhaps we should see more dimensional comparisons than just the number of titles. After all, the real kings of the ball should be those who can step up at crucial moments and bring victory to the team.