5 greatest Puma-sponsored footballers of all time

Pele Australian Tour Press Conference
Pele Australian Tour Press Conference

#3 Lothar Matthaus

Italy v Croatia - Group C: UEFA EURO 2012
Italy v Croatia - Group C: UEFA EURO 2012

Lothar Matthaus remains one of the most complete midfielders of all time. He excelled in his roles as a defensive midfielder, centre-back, box-to-box midfielder and even as an attacking midfielder during his tenure. The German legend was versatile enough to play in almost any position and left a lasting legacy with his nation and his clubs.

Matthaus bagged over 200 goals for the clubs he played for, featuring mostly for Inter Milan and Bayern Munich. In his 20-year long career, he also earned 150 caps for his nation, scoring 23 goals. He was pivotal to the German side which won the World Cup in 1990 after being a key member for them for over a decade.

Blessed with immaculate passing range and tackling abilities, Matthaus started out as a defensive midfielder. He also featured as a centre-back at Bayern Munich and as an attacking midfielder for Germany. He won seven Bundesliga titles with the Bavarians and one Serie A for Inter.

Matthaus first signed for Puma in 1978 and was an avid Puma user throughout his career.


#2 Diego Maradona

WORLD CUP FINAL 1986
WORLD CUP FINAL 1986

One of the most favored names in the debate for the greatest of all time, Diego Maradona needs no introduction. He was in a league of his own, dragging Argentina almost singlehandedly to a World Cup triumph in 1986.

Because of his rebellious nature on and off the pitch, Maradona is celebrated as a God by many across the globe. In the 1986 World Cup, the Argentine genius scored five goals including the greatest goal in the tournament's history and 'Hand of God' against England.

Maradona's exploits with his nation have made him immortal and his legacy is yet to be touched, even by Lionel Messi. In addition to that, he also left an incredible mark during his tenure at Napoli and Barcelona.

Puma was the official sponsor of Maradona in 1980s and they also released Puma 10 to show their love for the Argentine. Puma's iconic football boot, Puma King Torero, was released again which Maradone wore in his first World Cup.


#1 Pele

Pele of Brazil
Pele of Brazil

With countless records to his name, Pele is arguably the greatest of all time. The Brazilian allegedly bagged over 1000 goals during his career, which is a testament to his caliber.

Pele remains the only player in history to be a part of three World Cup winning sides. He led Brazil to three FIFA World Cup triumphs in his illustrious career. For his exploits, the Brazilian legend was awarded an honorary Ballon d'Or award in 2013.

Pele was Puma's biggest sponsor in the early days and popularized Puma King boots.

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Edited by Aditya Singh
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