Pelé vs Miroslav Klose: Stats Compared
Forward, Brazil (born 1940, retired 1977) · Striker, Germany (born 1978, retired 2016)
Pelé versus Miroslav Klose is a clash of two unmistakable footballing identities. Separated by their years at the top, each defined the football of their own generation. The raw numbers read 757 goals in 812 outings for Pelé (0.93/game), versus 318 in 705 for Miroslav Klose (0.45/game). Because assists were not systematically tracked for much of their time, that side of the comparison rests on the footage that survives. In major honours Pelé collected 14 — headlined by 3× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962, 1970) — whereas Miroslav Klose amassed 7, led by 1× FIFA World Cup (2014). Across the 1970s and the modern era respectively, their mercurial and predatory styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Club journeys add another layer, with Pelé reaching his representative peak around 1970 across Santos, New York Cosmos and Miroslav Klose doing so around 2014 with Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen, Bayern Munich, Lazio. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
164 words · comparison angle: era
Player profiles
Widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, Pelé is the only player to win three FIFA World Cups. FIFA recognises 757 official senior career goals (1,281 including friendlies).
“A two-footed, athletic forward who combined explosive pace, aerial ability and extraordinary vision.”
All-time FIFA World Cup top scorer with 16 goals; Germany's all-time leading goalscorer with 71 international goals.
“A selfless striker and aerial specialist whose consistency made him a World Cup great.”
Head-to-head stats
Career goals by season
Representative career seasons — goals per season for each player across their documented clubs.
Attribute radar
Attribute ratings are peak-era, 0–100. Different positions naturally skew the profile.
Attribute comparison
Trophy breakdown
- 3× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962, 1970)
- 2× Copa Libertadores (1962, 1963)
- 2× Intercontinental Cup (1962, 1963)
- 6× Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
- 1× NASL Soccer Bowl (1977)
- 1× FIFA World Cup (2014)
- 2× Bundesliga (2008, 2010)
- 3× DFB-Pokal (2005, 2008, 2010)
- 1× Coppa Italia (2013)
Trophy distribution
Career milestones
- 1956 Professional debut for Santos aged 15
- 1958 Became youngest World Cup goalscorer at 17
- 1959 Top scorer in the Campeonato Brasileiro
- 1962 Won second World Cup despite injury in the final
- 1969 Scored his 1,000th career goal
- 1975 Came out of semi-retirement to join New York Cosmos
- 1977 Honoured at Pelé Day halftime show at Giants Stadium
- 2000 Kaiserslautern debut
- 2002 World Cup debut, scored five headed goals
- 2007 Joined Bayern Munich
- 2011 Joined Lazio, won over fans with relentless work rate
- 2014 World Cup winner, became the all-time World Cup top scorer (16 goals)
- 2016 Retired at Lazio
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Pelé takes it by a decisive margin.
Pelé edges it (a decisive margin)
