Pelé, the great Brazilian soccer player was not only a soccer player. Dubbed “The King of Football”, he was not only an excellent player, a lovely person, and a sagacious figure who offered many prescriptions about life, football and success. Still today, many people can find a piece of wisdom from Pelé and his insights and one can easily see that he loved the sport and all the teaching he was able to do through it.
Here, we take a look at some of the most famous Pele quotes as well as the lesson that comes with them.
“Football is like a religion to me. I worship the ball, and I treat it like a god. Too many players think of a football as something to kick. They should be taught to caress it and to treat it like a precious gem.”
“Success isn't determined by how many times you win, but by how you play the week after you lose.”
Insights on Players and Teamwork
“I am constantly being asked about individuals. The only way to win is as a team. Football is not about one or two or three star players.”
“A lot of people, when a guy scores a lot of goals, think, 'He's a great player,' because a goal is very important, but a great player is a player who can do everything on the field.”
Pelé’s Philosophy on Success
“There is always someone out there getting better than you by training harder than you.”
Humility and Humanity
“If you don't give education to people, it is easy to manipulate them.”
“If I pass away one day, I am happy because I tried to do my best. My sport allowed me to do so much because it's the biggest sport in the world.”
Pelé on Football Legends
“Lionel Messi is a wonderful player. Very skillful. Highly intelligent. He is not good in the air.”
“Ronaldo has come through for the past two or three years and is the best in Europe. I think at the moment no doubt Ronaldo is the best player.”
“For 20 years they have asked me the same question, who is the greatest? Pelé or Maradona? I reply that all you have to do is look at the facts – how many goals did he score with his right foot or with his head?”
Tributes from Legends
Pelé’s influence was so profound that other football icons paid homage to him:
“Pelé was the only footballer who surpassed the boundaries of logic.” – Johan Cruyff
“Messi has all the conditions to be the best, but first he has to beat Maradona, Romário and then eventually Pelé.” – Romário
“The best player ever? Pelé. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both great players with specific qualities, but Pelé was better.” – Alfredo Di Stefano