The best that ever played the game?

Argentinians will argue this point until they are blue in the face, paying homage to their own superstar, Diego Maradona. In truth the argument could be made for either one, but Pele is still considered by many to be the best to ever play the game. The Brazilian style of soccer or "futebol" as they call it has been dubbed "the beautiful game" and none played it more beautifully than Edison Arantes do Nascimento who became an overnight sensation during the 1958 world cup when as a 17 year old he dominated the tournament with his dizzying goal scoring prowess, scoring a hat trick in the semi-final match. He never looked back and scored nearly 1,300 goals in his electrifying career.

His business acumen has never measured up to his athletic prowess however and that is the crux of this article in the WSJ. They say timing is everything in life and Pele had the unfortunate timing to be born in an era before the explosion of player salaries such as the recent stratospheric transfer fee of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid. Nevertheless, Pele has never really helped himself out, opting for some questionable business ventures. In essence, he is still awaiting his payday and still trying to make it happen.