Sports · 2
Why does a gap exist between Pelé's self-reported goal tally and his FIFA-recognized total?
Answer
He counted goals scored in unofficial friendly matches
Pelé counted goals from unofficial exhibition and friendly matches that FIFA does not include in its official records, inflating his personal tally to over 1,000 compared to FIFA's recognized figure of 757.
💡 Did you know?
Pelé claimed to have scored over 1,000 goals in his career, but FIFA only recognizes 757—the gap exists because he counted unofficial friendlies.
Other options people guess
- He included own goals scored by opponents
- He counted goals from youth and amateur competitions
- FIFA disqualified goals scored against non-FIFA member teams
Topics
- soccer
- pelé
- records
- football
- history
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