Lionel Messi vs Pelé

Messi won 8 Ballon d'Or awards and led Argentina to World Cup victory in 2022, while Pelé won 3 World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970) and scored 757 official goals across his career. Both are considered among the greatest footballers ever, but Messi's individual trophy haul and longevity at elite level are historically unprecedented.