Giga Riva and Dino Zoff, two Italy legends who lost the 1970 World Cup final to Brazil, remembered legendary forward Pele, calling him the ‘greatest of all time’.
The three-time World Cup winner sadly passed away this week aged 82 following a battle with cancer. Spending the majority of his playing career with Santos, Pele was lightyears ahead of his contemporaries and is often cited as the first all-round star, being gifted in all aspects of play from dribbling to vision to defending.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Riva first discussed Pele’s legacy and qualities on the pitch.
“I have no doubt, Pelé was the greatest of all time, as was Maradona, because I put them on the same level. I saw them up close, although in different eras, and I have to admit that I and everyone else are behind them, detached from those two.
“Pelé really had it all: ball control, header, inventiveness. Impossible to find a fault with him. It would have been too good to play together with him, if Santos had called me, I would have thought about it and knowing me it would have been so much already.
“I think love for Sardinia would have prevailed in the end, but I admit I would have at least thought about it.”
The Cagliari legend remembered the 1970 World Cup final in Mexico.
“In the final won against us in Mexico in 1970 he scored a beautiful header that has gone down in history. We were not there that day, however, because we were feeling mentally and physically exhausted after the famous semi-final won 4-3 in extra time against West Germany.
“Until half an hour from the end it was 1-1, and I am convinced that if we had not come in cooked, after that semi-final with the Germans, we could have played it out with Brazil. At the end of the day that is the biggest regret of my career and if I could replay a game I would replay that one.
“Although in the end, with any result, Pelé would still remain the greatest, ahead of us all. And for that it will be impossible to forget him.”
Zoff discussed the legendary status of Pele and compared him to Diego Maradona when speaking to Corriere della Sera.
“Italy lost the final at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico because Brazil was overall stronger than us, that’s all. Pelé was not just a champion, he was the champion. In the history of football there have been several champions, but there are very few outliers, like Pelé and Maradona.
“Let’s say Diego was an artist, different from Pelé, who was more of an attacker, but both are equal in this historical dualism, both are football. They did things that others did not do.
“You cannot venture to predict what they would do, because unlike normal players they were unpredictable, they had a creativity that was only theirs. It’s called genius.”
He touched on what it would have been like if Pele played today.
“If he played today, other than a thousand goals, he would score at least twice as many. Today footballers are more protected, although I don’t like this word. Just think of the extra penalties he could have taken. Yet, despite being beaten the whole game, he was making magic.”
Finally, Zoff compared some other top players to the three-time World Cup winner.
“Ronaldo the Phenomenon and Mbappé are great champions, but more sectoral. Each of them excelled in certain characteristics, but none had the completeness of Pelé, who scored in all ways, right-footed, left-footed, header, strength, speed, guile.
“Of Pelé the first thing that comes to mind is his smile, always the same, on and off the pitch.”