Football

Pele's greatest goals - ranked

 We can all agree that however many goals the great Pele scored throughout the course of his remarkable career, it was a lot. In fact, ...

Chima Joseph Ugo
Updated December 30, 2022 at 9:48 AM
Pele's greatest goals - ranked

Pele's greatest goals - ranked
 We can all agree that however many goals the great Pele scored throughout the course of his remarkable career, it was a lot. In fact, there are so many that it is obviously nearly impossible to tally them all accurately. It is also challenging to choose just a few of his greatest-ever goals for club and country (particularly when taking into account how much of his career was not seen on camera).

Pele, a player who consistently inspired crowds and astounded defences while defying preconceptions of what a football player should be able to achieve, utterly dominated the sport for around two decades.

While there are just too many to list and very little video to demonstrate his brilliance, Prime9jaOnline makes an attempt to choose some of the legendary Brazilian's greatest goals below.

5. A legendary leap

You might picture the athletic behemoth Cristiano Ronaldo rather than the small Pele when you think of a player with good heading skills.

But it might surprise you a little if you've never watched the legendary header by the Brazilian that gave the Selecao a 1-0 lead against Italy in the 1970 World Cup final.

With all of the other heavenly attributes he possessed, Pele's athleticism is not typically given enough attention, but this legendary goal, Brazil's first in their 4-1 victory against the Azzurri in the World Cup final, showed off yet another elite aspect of his abilities (view the opening seconds of the above video to witness it).

4. Nonchalant brilliance

1958 was Pele's year; it was the year when a small 17-year-old from Brazil stole the show and won the World Cup.

The legendary player participated in every minute of his nation's victories in the knockout stages on the path to international acclaim, scoring six goals in those three games, three of which came in a rout of France by a score of 5-2.

And one of those simply typified what was to come over the following two decades. His goal, in which he latched onto a through ball, kneed the ball up, and volleyed into the bottom corner from outside the area (watch goal number four in the video above to see the beauty), is merely the kind of goal we now know Pele by. It was a show of positional awareness, perfect timing, clinical nous, and devastating quality.

3. Making time stand still

Pele continued his winning streak in 1970 by winning his third World Cup championship medal, a record.

The Brazilian scored just three goals during that tournament, including the game-winning goal (number three in the video above) against Czechoslovakia in the opening match for his nation.

Pele's ability to bring down a lofted ball on his chest while dodging the attention of the defending full-back, take his time to set himself (all the while it seems the opposition respect the process), and then blast his strike across the goalkeeper into the far corner was a reflection of his stature and prestige in the beautiful game.

2. An unreadable visionary

The rather amazing goal that Pele scored to lead his country to a 1-0 quarterfinal victory against Wales on their path to winning the 1958 World Cup is one of the few recorded moments that perfectly captures his pure genius and otherworldly mastery of the game.

Pele, who is simply too talented for his opponents, receives a headed ball on his chest with his back to goal. He then knocks the ball behind him and quickly pivots to face goal before putting a calm effort into the bottom corner while utilising a teammate's run to confuse the defender.

If you want to catch a glimpse of Pele's football prowess, fast forward to 1:04 in the video above.

1. Artistry on football's biggest stage


Pele was really just an artist using the ball as his canvas, using it as a means of inspiring people to love the game.

When Pele, then 17 years old, scored a brace and one of the tournament's most amazing goals in the 1958 World Cup final, it was one of his most stunning, astounding, and fantastic performances.

The moment Pele slithered in front of his man, managed to take a cross into his chest, and then humiliated an advancing defender with a cheeky lob was the highlight of Brazil's legendary 5-2 victory over Sweden that day. The Brazilian makes his ensuing finish past a helpless goalie appear as simple as anything after dodging his opponent's unusually aggressive kick out.

To see one of the most famous World Cup goals and, in our opinion, Pele's most spectacular moment, go to goal number one in the video above. 

Tags:
Share this Article