Pelé vs Nemanja Vidić: Stats Compared
Forward, Brazil (born 1940, retired 1977) · Centre-Back, Serbia (born 1981, retired 2016)
Set Pelé alongside Nemanja Vidić and the numbers start an argument of their own. Greatness, in the end, is about who you inspired, and both left a footprint far beyond their own careers. By the end Pelé had 757 goals from 812 caps and club outings; Nemanja Vidić had 29 from 518. 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 Nemanja Vidić 8, with 3× FIFA World Cup (1958, 1962, 1970) and 5× Premier League (2007–2013) the standout honours respectively. Their legacies diverge in texture: Pelé is remembered as ruthless, Nemanja Vidić as commanding. Club journeys add another layer, with Pelé reaching his representative peak around 1970 across Santos, New York Cosmos and Nemanja Vidić doing so around 2009 with Red Star Belgrade, Spartak Moscow, Manchester United, Inter. Arguments will run and run, which is exactly why the matchup endures.
164 words · comparison angle: legacy
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.”
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Widely considered as one of the greatest defenders of all time, Vidić is best known for his time at Manchester United, where he won 15 trophies and served as club captain. He is one of only five players to win the Premier League Player of the Season award twice, alongside Thierry Henry, Kevin De Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
“A fearless centre-back who dominated the air and treated every duel as a personal contest.”
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)
- 5× Premier League (2007–2013)
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
- 2001 Established himself at Red Star Belgrade
- 2005 Reached his defining peak
- 2009 Delivered a landmark season
- 2016 Retired from professional football
The verdict
Taking goals, assists, silverware and overall profile together, Pelé takes it by a decisive margin.
Pelé edges it (a decisive margin)
