Writing in his Brazilian newspaper column, Romário compared Lionel Messi with Pelé, asserting that Pelé displayed footballing ability ahead of his era half a century ago.
Extracts from Romário's column:
Messi's pace is slowing down—is he better than Pelé?
Messi took the pitch through tears in his farewell match for the Argentina national team, scoring in a victory against Benin. Dubbed "The Last Tango," the encounter was replete with emotional resonance. Over 85,000 supporters chanted as a colossal No. 10 jersey was unveiled, bearing the tribute: “Gracias.”
I experienced a similar departure when saying goodbye to Brazil—registering over 70 caps and 55 goals. In our 3-0 victory against Guatemala in 2005, I scored my final international goal and unveiled an undershirt reading: "I have a daughter with Down syndrome who is a little princess," introducing my newborn daughter to the football world.
Returning to Messi... is he greater than Pelé? Messi is undoubtedly a genius, but he cannot be compared to Pelé. In terms of a comprehensive combination of technique, pace, and efficiency, there will never be another like Pelé. I hold immense respect for Messi as one of the greatest ever, but 50 years ago, Pelé was already showcasing football that transcended his time!
