Argentine legend, 1986 World Cup winner, widely regarded as one of the greatest
Those who value individual brilliance and passion
Brazilian legend, 3x World Cup winner, over 1,000 career goals
Those who value trophies and sustained greatness
Pelé holds the record with 3 World Cup titles and over 1,000 career goals. Maradona's 1986 World Cup performance, where he virtually single-handedly won Argentina the tournament, is considered the greatest individual tournament ever.
Pelé has the titles and goal records. Maradona has the single greatest World Cup ever. Both are immortal legends of the game.
Choose Diego Maradona if
Those who value individual brilliance and passion
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| Metric | Diego Maradona | Pelé | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup Titles(titles) | 1 | 3 | -67% |
| Career Goals(goals) | 345 | 1,281 | -73% |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated May 2026.
Choose Pelé if
Those who value trophies and sustained greatness
Diego Maradona
1
Pelé
3🏆
Diego Maradona
345
Pelé
1,281🏆
Diego Maradona
8
Pelé
12🏆
Diego Maradona
Unmatched 1986🏆
Pelé
Very High
Pelé won 3 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) while Maradona won 1 (1986).
Dive deeper with these curated resources
| Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|
| World Cup Titles(titles) | 1 | 3 |
| Career Goals(goals) | 345 | 1,281 |
Side-by-side comparison of numeric attributes