Pelé was named FIFA Player of the Century in 2000. FIFA’s century award recognised him and Diego Maradona as joint winners after a public vote and a separate panel assessment produced different outcomes.
The award was created to identify the outstanding football player of the 20th century. In FIFA’s online poll, Maradona received the largest share of the public vote. FIFA’s football experts and officials selected Pelé, so the organisation ultimately honoured both players rather than choosing only one.
Pelé’s selection reflected his extraordinary record with Brazil and Santos. He won three World Cups, scored 77 official goals for Brazil and became an international symbol of attacking football. Maradona, meanwhile, was celebrated especially for leading Argentina to the 1986 World Cup.
This award is often confused with other “player of the century” honours. The IFFHS named Pelé its World Player of the Century, while France Football and other organisations issued their own twentieth-century rankings. FIFA’s award was announced in 2000 and was shared by Pelé and Maradona.