Modric's view is that Pele's era is too distant, and only Messi and Maradona are worthy of the title of "King of Football" in the history of world football. In my opinion, everything should be viewed with a developmental perspective; otherwise, it will regress. Pele is undoubtedly a great king of football, but the technology and competitive ability of his time cannot be compared with modern times. Maradona's skills and the great national spirit he brought to Argentina are unmatched by Pele. Messi inherited Maradona's mantle on the field and is undoubtedly the third-generation king of football. There is nothing comparable among the three kings of football; they all represent the greatness of an era! Do you know Li Huatang, the Chinese king of football from Pele's era? If you don't, it proves that you don't understand football, or perhaps you're just too young.
With superhuman football talent, a strong physique, excellent speed, balanced shooting skills with both feet, comprehensive personal techniques from head to toe, and tactical thinking that stands out in both attack and defense, even as a substitute goalkeeper, he could still perform excellently. Pele is the sum of all the superstars we can see. His versatility is unparalleled! To say the least, Guan Yu could never fight Qin Qiong! In the 1960s, when Beckenbauer first started his career, people admired his talent, and he also admitted that he had once been "overwhelmed," but later, after seeing Pele's skills, he was completely convinced by the other party. (Beckenbauer has written a memoir in which he shares his impressions of several stars, including Pele, Charlton, Rivera, and Eusebio.)
Perhaps there is only one main character in Pele's three World Cups, which benefits from Brazil's strength. We do not deny Pele's greatness, but we should not exaggerate it either. For current fans, Pele seems like an ancient legend. Back then, television was not widespread, and there were few and unclear video materials. Football was not as popular as it is now. How many people who watched it live are still alive today?
