As Pele is laid to rest, was he the GREATEST of all time? MailOnline readers have their say

As Brazil legend Pelé lies in state ahead of his funeral in Santos on Tuesday, the soccer world is preparing to lay one of the sport’s greatest talents to rest.

Since Pele’s passing at the age of 82 last week, fans have continued to rage in football’s greatest debate of all time, weighing up whether the three-time World Cup winner deserves the title over superstars Lionel. Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Diego Maradona.

To many, Pelé will always be seen as the greatest ever, but Messi made a big claim after finally leading Argentina to World Cup glory last month, just like Maradona did in 1986. And the superfan brigade de Ronaldo remains as faithful as ever after his record. breaking the movement of £175m a year to Saudi Arabia this week…

Click on the comment to add your answer:

Different kings from different eras… Pelé… then Maradona and now Messi… All the kings of their era -Stephen, London, UK

He wasn’t old enough for Pelé’s era and young enough when Maradona was big. I loved seeing Messi evolve over the years, he’s unique. Ronaldo has talent, but his arrogance gets in the way. – Billyding, SA, Australia

The undisputed king is Pelé, the only one who won the World Cup 3 times, followed by Maradona. CR7 can’t even lace his boots – Thorvex, WA, Australia

Messi is definitely not in the top 5: Pelé, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho are better than him. Edwin, Hong Kong

Pelé, since he was the innovator for all those who came after him, plus 3 WORLD CUP, end of! Colin1, Chatham

Pele was the best. He not only scored goals himself, but also created them for other players on the team-market stand, UK

Simply the best player I’ve ever seen play soccer. Now he is with Best and Maradona in Heaven. What line of advance. RIP Pele – davvo111, UK

Pele, then Cruyff… they played when defenders didn’t take prisoners and some countries, for example Argentina, kicked anything that moved. And that was before they came onto the pitch – BC Kev, West Bromwich, UK

Do not answer!! Simple PELE is the best of all! The pitching, the team, compared to today’s players, it’s like chalk and cheese! Shorty1967, London, United Kingdom

Ronaldo isn’t even in the conversation… So overrated – Rocky… Raccoon, Isle of Man

Messi plays more games than Maradona, on impeccable pitches, with the best dietitians and sports scientists supporting him; and without knee-high tackles being fair game. If Maradona was playing now, he too would be playing as many games per season-Three Tone, Nuneaton, UK

PELE was the greatest of all. Today’s players could never play in the same conditions on the fields, the equipment, the balls, the science, without substitutions and could never take the amount of punishment that was dished out on the field then, there was no dunking. and play act like now. Those who did not have the privilege of seeing this man play have no idea what they were missing. He had speed strength, ability to outperform anyone with his pitching ability, could use both feet and could score from a long distance from anywhere on the pitch-sabrina111, London, UK

Don’t forget George Best! G. Roper, Canterbury

If we talk about achievements, Pelé is the GOAT with Messi very close. If he were choosing who is the best professional, he would say CR (but very far from the others in terms of talent). If we were talking about who is the most gifted, talented and dazzling player in history, there is only one god, a D10S! The Thin White Duke, United Kingdom

The 1970 Brazil team was incredible, Pelé was beautiful to watch. RIP MR – Inthenorth, UK

Good time to choose the best eleven of all time. Mine would be: Banks, Alberto, Baresi, Beckenbauer, Brehme, Maradona, Messi, Netzer, Ronaldo, Muller, Pele. We could probably all pick several teams, but I think Pelé, Messi, Ronaldo and Maradona would be in all of them: c.traven, Edinburgh, UK

There is no doubt, the best is Johan Cruyff. His soccer skills were second to none, but he also had a huge impact on the rest of his teams. His influence at Ajax, the Netherlands and Barcelona was the influence of excellent skills, but also the brains of a coach-Bert Weenink, Abertillery, UK

1. Maradona 2. Pelé and then a big fall to 3. Messi, Cruyff, Best… Maradona. He won the WC singlehandedly and then reached a final. He led the Scottish Napoli to the Eurocup!!!…in a year!!! He was ill and there will never be a goal like the second against England in ’86…that’s it-Roastlamb, Gold Coast, Australia

Soccer is art and magical moments, not statistics. Pelé, Maradona, Ronaldinho and Messi were the magicians of their generations. All the others like R9, CR7, Cruyff, Zidane didn’t have the same talent as these – Aframe, Hamburg, Germany

Pelé did it all first: on horrible shots, against bully defenders – cvgb1, London, UK

It could have been R9. All names mentioned, the only God level player in skill and also God level physically – Michael Heath1, Reading, UK

What a great player. I was lucky enough to see him play for his club Saints when they visited Villa Park in 1972. The pitch was packed-Jax, Midlands, UK

Messi for me. I play faster. His ability is on another level – northernlad59, Shipley, UK

Pele. Maradona. That’s it – Simbo25, Los Angeles, United States

In the US, some sports or occupations have become synonymous with certain people’s names, like scientist and Albert Einstein comes to mind, or inventor and it’s Thomas Edison, or baseball: Babe Ruth, or basketball: michael jordan etc and I think it’s Pele who first comes to mind when soccer is mentioned, meaning soccer – Suzgrad, Los Angeles, USA.