New Delhi:
Argentina coach and former great Diego Maradona has decided to settle once and for all the debate of who is greater between him and Brazilian legend Pele.
A FIFA internet poll in 2000 saw Maradona, who will lead the albiceleste against the five-times world champion Brazilians in a September 5 World Cup qualifier, come out on top and he said that ought to settle the issue.
The Argentinean legend said that while the Brazilian played in South America, he plied his trade in Europe that for him was a bigger deal.
"I played in European football for ten years while Pele played in South America. Yes he won World Cups and everything, but playing in Europe is something else entirely," he said.
"Not that that makes me much better than him or anything like that. When I played, the man-markers in Spanish and Italian football were like hunting dogs. They never left me alone," said the Argentine.
Maradona rubbed salt when he said Pele came second behind Formula 1 legend Ayrton Senna and that Pele needs to stop coming second.
"What matters is that when the people voted, he came second behind me. Nobody can take that away from me. And there was another vote in Brazil in which he came second behind Ayrton Senna. He needs to stop coming second," he said.