Football: Top 15 footballers who are/were more famous than their clubs (With Pictures)

8. Pele – Santos & New York Cosmos

There is no shame in being smaller than Pele, arguably the greatest player in the sport’s history and now a global ambassador of the beautiful game, a phrase he popularized, Pele is one of the most recognizable faces in world sport. Some would take issue with describing Pele as bigger than Santos, who are a fine club steeped in history and the joint most successful in Brazil. However, in the 18 years Pele spent in a magnificent Brazil team, he was undoubtedly always the star, and his worldwide appeal was on another level. Santos made a fortune touring the world, and their USP – more than being a great team – was Pele.

At New York Cosmos, a significantly smaller team who had almost no history at that time, Pele was without doubt bigger than the club.