“Michael Jordan Could’ve Been President if He Wanted To Be” – Hundreds of American Fans Unite Over Pele’s ‘No Real Equivalent’ Take From a Popular Journalist

The world of soccer is in mourning today, as we say goodbye to a true icon of the game. Pele passed away on December 29th at the age of 82. Pelé is without question the most iconic figure in the history of soccer. He was a prodigious talent, who scored a brace in the World Cup at just 17 years old. He then would go on to lead Brazil to glory in the tournament on three occasions, cementing his place as one of the greatest players of all time.

In recent years, Pele had been battling health problems and was admitted to the hospital in November with various organ failures. His condition worsened, and he eventually succumbed to his illness on Thursday. The outpouring of support and mourning from fans all over the world has been overwhelming.

There is ‘no real equivalent’ to Pele

Just hours after Pelé’s death, journalist Michael Tracey took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the soccer legend. He took shots at American sports and athletes. “Figures like Pele are interesting from an American perspective because there’s just no real equivalent in American sports. Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Tom Brady, etc. are structurally incapable of taking a spot in the national mythos comparable to Pele (RIP) or currently, Messi”. Tracey stated.

Hundreds of American fans have taken to social media to express their disbelief and disagreement with this take. It’s an intriguing question: who – or what – has had the biggest impact on the world of sports? While there can be no definitive answer, the discussion that Tracey’s claim has sparked is an interesting one.

Fans’ reaction to the bold take

Unsurprisingly, the claim from Tracey was met with immediate pushback from hundreds of American sports fans. Americans were quick to jump in and share their disagreements, with many citing legends like Babe Ruth, Muhammad Ali, and Michael Jordan as examples of American athletes who have had just as much – if not more – of an impact on the world of sports.

Dive Deeper: “Not Come Here to Just Make a Championship” – Pele Said He Came to USA to Grow ‘American Soccer’ and Not for Trophies Back in 1975

Here are some of the replies from fans to the claim:

What are your thoughts on this statement? Let us know down below in the comment section.

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