In October 2018, through his social networks, Pelé congratulated Neymar on his 93rd and 94th caps.
This total allowed the PSG striker to exceed the 92 official capes of the "King" between 1957 and 1971. Will it be the same in the coming days, or the next weeks, if this same Neymar equals or exceeds Pelé? the number of goals scored in the Auriverde jersey?
Not so sure… Because not everyone has the same numbers on the meter.
The so-called “official” data now belongs to FIFA.
The parent company of world football has the following figures: Neymar has scored 74 goals in 120 appearances;
Pelé 77 goals in 91 selections (a total of matches different from that put forward by Pelé himself, who has 92).
But, as reported by O Globo, Brazilian media, last week, the data from the Brazilian federation (CBF) is not the same.
For the CBF, the figures of the PSG star correspond.
But not those of the triple world champion who would have scored 95 goals, or 18 more, in 113 games, or 21 more.
The CBF totals also differ for players like Ronaldo, Zico or Romario.
How can these inconsistencies be explained?
According to the O Globo site, they are due to the late creation of the FIFA database.
Created in 2022 only, it did not integrate several friendly matches played by Brazil in the 1960s and 1970s, like matches against clubs like Atlético de Madrid, Inter Milan or even Malmö.
At the same time, O Globo also recalls that the goals and matches scored by Neymar with the Olympic team during the 2012 and 2016 tournaments are not counted either… having been officially played with a team made up of under 23s.
"God willing...I hope to get past him. I'm going to talk to my teammates about it and tell them to get me scored now so I can finally get there."
Neymar on King Pelé's record @YassinNfaoui pic.twitter.com/SIzwuy8g31
– Telefoot (@telefoot_TF1) September 25, 2022
A point on which everyone agrees: Neymar, 30, is in second place and is getting closer to Pelé.
Will he be able to catch up with the King in the eyes of Fifa and in the eyes of the CBF before the end of his career?
“God willing, smiled the main interested party at the end of last week.
I hope to exceed it.
I'm going to talk to my teammates about it and tell them to score me now so I can finally make it happen."
His mission begins this Tuesday at the Parc des Princes against Tunisia after his goalless meeting against Ghana (3-0) on Friday.
Then go to the World Cup in Qatar, where “Ney” will aim for a first world crown.
Ranking of scorers with Brazil (FIFA)
1. Pele 77 goals
2. Neymar 74 goals
3. Ronaldo 62 goals
4. Romario 55 goals
5. Zico 48 goals
6. Bebeto 40 goals
7. Rivaldo 35 goals
8. Jairzinho 35 goals
9. Ronaldinho 33 goals
