{"slug":"lionel-messi-vs-pele","title":"Lionel Messi vs Pelé","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","faqCount":5,"faqs":[{"question":"How many career goals does Messi have compared to Pelé?","answer":"As of 2026, Messi has 900+ official career goals across club and international football. Pelé's official FIFA-recognized tally is approximately 767 competitive goals, though Santos F.C. and some sources cite 1,000+ when including unofficial and exhibition matches. By competitive goals in official matches, Messi leads Pelé."},{"question":"How many Ballon d'Or awards does Messi have?","answer":"Messi has won 8 Ballon d'Or awards — more than any player in history. His wins came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. The Ballon d'Or did not exist in its current form during Pelé's career (it was restricted to European players until 1995)."},{"question":"Did Messi ever win the World Cup?","answer":"Yes. Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022, defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout final. This was considered the missing piece of his legacy argument. He also won the Copa América with Argentina in 2021, ending a 28-year international title drought for the country."},{"question":"How many World Cups did Pelé win?","answer":"Pelé won three FIFA World Cups: 1958 (age 17), 1962 (played fewer matches due to injury), and 1970 — a record no other player has matched. His 1970 Brazil team is widely considered the greatest World Cup team ever assembled. No other player in history has three World Cup winner's medals."},{"question":"Who is considered the greatest of all time — Messi or Pelé?","answer":"There is no consensus. Most current football analysts, managers, and former players name Messi as the GOAT, citing his superior statistics in modern competitive football, 8 Ballon d'Or awards, and 2022 World Cup. Many older generations and Brazilians name Pelé, citing his three World Cups and dominance in his era. Both are legitimate answers depending on what you weigh most heavily."}],"faqPageSchema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#faq","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","inLanguage":"en-US","name":"Lionel Messi vs Pelé — FAQ","description":"Frequently asked questions about Lionel Messi vs Pelé","dateModified":"2026-08-18T09:00:23.978Z","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#article"},"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","speakable":{"@type":"SpeakableSpecification","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#faq-speakable","cssSelector":[".faq-answer"]},"mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#q1","name":"How many career goals does Messi have compared to Pelé?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#a1","text":"As of 2026, Messi has 900+ official career goals across club and international football. Pelé's official FIFA-recognized tally is approximately 767 competitive goals, though Santos F.C. and some sources cite 1,000+ when including unofficial and exhibition matches. By competitive goals in official matches, Messi leads Pelé.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#q2","name":"How many Ballon d'Or awards does Messi have?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#a2","text":"Messi has won 8 Ballon d'Or awards — more than any player in history. His wins came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, and 2023. The Ballon d'Or did not exist in its current form during Pelé's career (it was restricted to European players until 1995).","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#q3","name":"Did Messi ever win the World Cup?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#a3","text":"Yes. Messi won the FIFA World Cup with Argentina in 2022, defeating France in a dramatic penalty shootout final. This was considered the missing piece of his legacy argument. He also won the Copa América with Argentina in 2021, ending a 28-year international title drought for the country.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#q4","name":"How many World Cups did Pelé win?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#a4","text":"Pelé won three FIFA World Cups: 1958 (age 17), 1962 (played fewer matches due to injury), and 1970 — a record no other player has matched. His 1970 Brazil team is widely considered the greatest World Cup team ever assembled. No other player in history has three World Cup winner's medals.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#q5","name":"Who is considered the greatest of all time — Messi or Pelé?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele#a5","text":"There is no consensus. Most current football analysts, managers, and former players name Messi as the GOAT, citing his superior statistics in modern competitive football, 8 Ballon d'Or awards, and 2022 World Cup. Many older generations and Brazilians name Pelé, citing his three World Cups and dominance in his era. Both are legitimate answers depending on what you weigh most heavily.","inLanguage":"en-US","url":"https://www.aversusb.net/compare/lionel-messi-vs-pele","upvoteCount":1,"author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.aversusb.net/#organization","name":"A Versus B"}}}]}}