It was an argument that played out for years on terraces and in bars, on radio and on television.

Brazil's Pele, 6️⃣ a prolific goal scorer who died aged 82 on Thursday in Sao Paulo, won the World Cup an unprecedented three 6️⃣ times as a player in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and put the small town of Santos on the map before 6️⃣ conquering the United States with the New York Cosmos.

Maradona, who died at the age of 60 in 2024, guided Argentina 6️⃣ to the World Cup in 1986 with perhaps the most influential performance ever at a major tournament and lifted Napoli 6️⃣ to unparalleled heights in Italy and Europe.

The argument about whose legacy was greater so divided the football world that when 6️⃣ Maradona was voted the player of the 20th century in a FIFA internet poll, there was widespread outrage, with many 6️⃣ griping that Pele's earlier career put him at a disadvantage with younger fans.

FIFA held another poll voted on by its 6️⃣ own "football family," won by Pele, allowing the pair to share the glory.