Pelé vs Pavel Nedvěd: Stats Compared
Forward, Brazil (born 1940, retired 1977) · Midfielder, Czech Republic (born 1972, retired 2009)
There is something timeless about weighing Pelé against Pavel Nedvěd. Different decades shaped different demands, and both adapted to theirs brilliantly. Pelé finishes with 757 career goals from 812 games — a 0.93 strike rate — against Pavel Nedvěd's 156 from 711 at 0.22 per match. Assists were never formally recorded across most of their eras, so the playmaking dimension has to be judged on reputation and highlights rather than hard totals. Trophy counts give Pelé 14 and Pavel Nedvěd 9, with 3× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962, 1970) and 1× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1999) the standout honours respectively. Pelé belonged to the 1970s, dominating with a explosive quality; Pavel Nedvěd rose in the turn of the millennium with a incisive edge. The wider career context matters too: Pelé peaked around 1970 after representing Santos, New York Cosmos, while Pavel Nedvěd's defining level came around 2003 across Dukla Prague, Sparta Prague, Lazio, Juventus. Each, in his own way, set a standard the other is measured against.
167 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.”
Czech midfielder and 2003 Ballon d'Or winner; Serie A champion with Lazio and Juventus.
“A tireless attacking midfielder with explosive shooting from distance and endless running.”
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× UEFA Cup Winners' Cup (1999)
- 1× UEFA Super Cup (1999)
- 3× Serie A (2000, 2002, 2003)
- 2× Coppa Italia (1998, 2000)
- 2× Supercoppa Italiana (2002, 2003)
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
- 1991 Dukla Prague debut
- 1996 Joined Lazio
- 1999 Won the Cup Winners' Cup with Lazio
- 2001 Joined Juventus as Zidane's replacement
- 2003 Ballon d'Or winner, reached the Champions League final
- 2005 Stayed at Juventus in Serie B after Calciopoli
- 2009 Retired at Juventus
The verdict
The numbers give Pelé the lead — a decisive margin, courtesy of a sharper goalscoring record.
Pelé edges it (a decisive margin)
