Pelé vs Carlos Tevez: Stats Compared
Forward, Brazil (born 1940, retired 1977) · Striker, Argentina (born 1984, retired 2021)
Put Pelé and Carlos Tevez side by side and you have a genuine generational conversation. Era matters in any comparison, and these two peaked under very different footballing conditions. Across his senior career Pelé notched 757 goals in 812 appearances (0.93 per game), while Carlos Tevez recorded 280 in 700 (0.40 per game). Assists were not reliably tracked for much of their careers, which makes the playmaking comparison an imperfect one; where records exist, Pelé is credited with 0 and Carlos Tevez with 90. In major honours Pelé collected 14 — headlined by 3× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962, 1970) — whereas Carlos Tevez amassed 5, led by 1× Premier League (2012). Across the 1970s and the modern era respectively, their ruthless and explosive styles captured the spirit of very different footballing times. Their routes to the top were distinct: Pelé built his reputation across Santos, New York Cosmos, peaking around 1970, while Carlos Tevez reached his defining level around 2011 after spells with Boca Juniors, Corinthians, West Ham United, Manchester United, Manchester City, Juventus, Boca Juniors, Shanghai Shenhua, Boca Juniors. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
193 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.”
A tenacious, street-smart Argentine striker known as 'El Apache', beloved for his relentless work rate and hunger for goals.
“A combative, low-centre-of-gravity forward who pressed relentlessly and thrived on scrappy, instinctive finishes.”
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× Premier League (2012)
- 2× Serie A (2014, 2015)
- 1× Copa Libertadores (2003)
- 1× Argentine Primera División (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
- 2001 Professional debut for Boca Juniors
- 2012 Won Premier League with Manchester City
- 2003 Won Argentine Primera División with Boca Juniors
- 2011 Reached the peak of his powers at Manchester City
- 2021 Retired after a final spell at Boca Juniors
- Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours. Finished his career with 280 goals in 700 appearances and 5 major honours.
The verdict
Weighing production against honours, Pelé takes the verdict — a decisive margin, driven by a sharper goalscoring record.
Pelé edges it (a decisive margin)
