October, the spring of football | Columnist | Sports

They are flowers of the same season. Wednesday, October 23, in Três Corações, Pele, Minas Gerais, king of football. Sunday 30th, Diego Maradona in Lanus, Buenos Aires child gold. It is precisely because of these two that we can say that for football, October ushered in spring, and October gave us two of the three supreme gods. But there are also many new shoots emerging during this productive month. Enrique Omar Sivori was born on October 2. Enrique is a Juventus legend and the second South American Ballon d’Or winner. Golden left foot, like Diego and Messi. Juggler and rebel Zlatan Ibrahimovic comes from October 3rd. Jorge Valdano and César Luis Menotti, two world champion football philosophers, were brought by the Storks on October 4 and 5. The extraordinary Bobby Charlton from 11, Lev Yashin from 22, Wayne Rooney from 24, Elias Figueroa from 25 and the immortal Garrincha from 28 , Marco van Basten from 31 years old. Just to name heroes. If every month had an ideal November, October would be unbeatable.

Whenever conversations, anniversaries or statistics connect them, an eternal and spontaneous comparison arises: Pele or Maradona? This is where the problem lies. By the way, as two geniuses with the same football status, they have never been so hateful. Then Lionel Messi joined the conversation. And, for the vast majority of analysts, it surpassed them. All three won the World Cup, but Pele and Diego didn’t have Leo’s European campaign or his seven Ballon d’Ors, and they played less fast football, with more space and less Pressure from the goal, though no one had to endure the violence Maradona endured on the football pitch.

Hateful yet beautiful proposal! The merits of the two great phenomena of October are so high that they cannot be singled out. Statistically, it’s a safe bet that Pele will never be matched. Not for anyone. More than 1,200 goals (757 of them official), 3 World Cup titles, 2 Copa Libertadores, 2 Continental titles, 5 consecutive Brazilian titles, 8 Paulista Championships, countless Santos tours Ten international trophies…

Diego is a five-time champion scorer playing for Argentina’s youth teams (for Argentines!). He won the title with Boca Juniors and won two Serie A titles, the Coppa Italia and the UEFA Cup with Napoli. Copa del Rey with Barcelona. He is a youth and adult world champion. Despite spending less, his record still shines. In Argentina in 1978, Maradona had to turn around. He could have been a two-time champion. An unusual decision by Menotti saw him sidelined in cup competitions when he was by far the best footballer in the country.

he fluff It also brings undisputed advantages King, especially when it comes to the magic of the game. Bailey was more direct. Diego is more of an artist. Pele made Santos great; Maradona “invented” Napoli. Pele was world champion while Brazil was surrounded by monsters; Maradona “won” the Argentinian championship. Pele didn’t play in Europe; Diego thrived in a very tough football competition. In Pele’s era, the game was undoubtedly slower and the marking more flexible, so the level of opposition Diego faced was much greater. Pele’s friends include Jairzinho, Gerson, Tostao, Rivelino, Garrincha, Didi, Vava, Nilton Santos, Clodo Aldo, Coutinho , Gilma, Pepe, Zito and other football superstars. Diego’s corporate hierarchy is much lower.

Without him, Pele’s teammates might as well have become world champions.It is almost certain that without him, Ruggieri, Pompido, Batista, Giusti, Valdano et al. would not be celebrating ’86 in Mexico child

. The brunette beauty scored an unforgettable goal; the brunette beauty scored a goal of the century against England, a goal that every kid in the world dreams of as they lay on their pillows.

Pele absolutely justly received the honorary title of “Athlete of the Century”. A black panther leaping, stretching its legs violently, cruising speed. Diego had less body but was on the same level: Maradona’s left foot is the greatest thing that world football has given. His short kicks – Messi, Mbappe style – wreaked havoc.

The Brazilian’s perfect headers, precise two-legged shots, swinging dribbling, beauty, power. Diego – using only his left foot – delivered a brilliant punch that was probably the most harmonious Messi has ever done in recent memory. Supreme skill and deadly dribbling. And bravery. None of them are game drivers. However, in the competition of definers, Diego has more creative skills.

Not only is it difficult to establish supremacy between one party and another, but listing the virtues of one to the detriment of another is unkind at the very least. You can find football players who stop the ball with their chest like Pele. Or finish with Pele’s power and precision. He even dribbles forward like Pele. On the other hand, before Messi, it was impossible to find another one with the same left foot as Diego.

Edson Arantes protects his extraordinary physical strength by staying away from drugs, tobacco or alcohol. Maradona lived with cocaine for 14 of his 19 years as a professional footballer, a harmful companion that damaged his career because it did not improve performance but worsened it . The problem with him, of course, is that although we always wonder what other monumental works Diego could have given us without the cross above.

Under the umbrella of João Havelange, the Brazilian has embarked on an obstacle-free path. Maradona was targeted by FIFA, which he fought against. He was criminally fractured by Basque Goicotsia, suffered from hepatitis and various other injuries, and was twice banned for a year and a half. He is close to the people but far away from power. And doubts about his doping at the ’94 World Cup still float in a sea of ​​pollution. Never in the entire history of football has a referee entered the pitch at the end of a game and grabbed a player’s arm to undergo a doping test. He was taken away for arrest. Maradona smiled as he answered questions from radio and television reporters.

Pele has a perfect image, a fitness icon and an impeccable life, although perhaps too close set up, and even colluded with him. Diego fell into trouble with drugs; he miraculously avoided death. He was not in the right shape for a toothpaste commercial; however, he still maintained his rebelliousness, his rebellious stance. He is adored by every football player on the planet.

Diego said in his autobiography: “As a player, Pele was the best… but the greatest in history is Di Stefano. In Italy they always argue whether I am better than Pele or not. Worse. “In Spain, no one dares to discuss this issue: that is Di Stefano. ” Diego Armando unfolds his story in an already globalized world, where technology and media rule the universe. They have taken their careers to the most remote corners of the earth. And their suffering . In Pele’s time, news coverage was less gory. Good deeds were praised and that was it. They were even.

Pele and Maradona. How many footballs did God put in two containers? In tribute to all they have given, October should be declared World Football Month. (anyone)