Pelé Is the Greatest Ever, Says Former Footballer Tostão
In a recent column published by Folha de S.Paulo, former footballer and physician Tostão reflects on the emotional farewell of Lionel Messi to the Argentine national team while comparing historical greats of world football, arguing that Pelé remains the undisputed best because he possessed every technical, physical, and emotional quality at the highest level.
Memories of Pelé at the 1971 Maracanã Farewell
Tostão writes that watching Messi’s recent farewell brought back memories of standing inside the Maracanã in 1971 to witness Pelé’s final match for the Brazilian national selection. The columnist observes that across decades of watching the sport, he witnessed the game’s greatest figures including Maradona, Cruyff, Didi, Beckenbauer, Gerson, Garrincha, Nilton Santos, Zico, Ronaldo, Romário, Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Eusébio. He notes that while he never saw Alfredo Di Stéfano play, his father described Di Stéfano as the singular player who shined continuously from one penalty area to the other. Tostão explains that current stars from Brazil and around the globe are intentionally omitted from his comprehensive evaluations because players can only be properly assessed at the conclusion of their careers.
Contrasting Playing Styles Among Global Legends
Analyzing specific athletic traits, Tostão argues that while Diego Maradona produced moments of enchantment that surpassed Messi’s peaks, Messi maintained far greater regularity and sustained his brilliant career across a much longer span. Maradona relied heavily on special effects and artistry, much like Ronaldinho, whereas Messi operated with precise efficiency. Tostão points out that Messi mastered the art of waiting for the exact moment to strike, frequently walking across the pitch to observe the tactical shape of the match before executing a sudden, decisive burst of talent.
The column contrasts the physical decline of Garrincha during preparations for the 1966 World Cup, where the winger could no longer rely on muscular explosion to drive past defenders, with the tactical evolution of Nilton Santos. Tostão highlights that Nilton Santos excelled equally as a left-back during the 1958 and 1962 World Cups and later as a central defender for Botafogo, where his ability to read the play allowed him to intercept attacks and launch precise, clean counter-attacks. Didi is recognized as the pioneer of the curved trivela pass using the outside of his boot, while Gerson served as a more practical successor whose short and long passes functioned with computer-like spatial awareness.
Tactical Mastery and the Search for Perfection
Franz Beckenbauer is identified in the column as the greatest libero in football history, moving quickly from defensive coverage behind the backline to an impactful central midfielder when his team regained possession. Tostão notes that Beckenbauer achieved the rare distinction of winning the World Cup as both a player and a coach for Germany. Yet, the writer observes that no other figure matched the all-around mastery of Johan Cruyff across the roles of player, coach, analyst, and tactical thinker.
Addressing the classic debate between Ronaldo and Romário, Tostão highlights that Romário displayed unmatched genius inside the penalty box, while Ronaldo proved more complete through his dribbling speed and precise finishing. Returning to his central assessment of Pelé, the author states that despite analyzing every movement to find a flaw, no physical or tactical limitation could be found. Referencing lines by poet Adélia Prado that “what the memory loves stays eternal,” Tostão connects these football observations to a lifetime spent moving between roles as a player, medical doctor, professor of medicine, television commentator, and sports columnist.