Some younger fans - especially those who haven't studied the game's history - are likely to plump for either Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo or his Barcelona counterpart and Maradona's countryman, Lionel Messi, when asked who is the greatest player the world has ever seen.

But for most around the planet there is only one man who can lay claim to such status.

Pele.

The great Brazilian, the only man to have three World Cup winners' medals, is widely regarded as the best there has ever been.

The most iconic figure in the game's most iconic nation, Pele - known, like all genuine superstars by a single name - is synonymous with the yellow shirt of the Selecao and epic goalscoring feats.

He is also revered as the symbol of the Jogo Bonito, "the beautiful game" at its most alluring.

Pele was the star of perhaps the greatest XI ever assembled, the Brazilian side that won the World Cup in Mexico in 1970, defeating Italy 4-1 in the final. Appropriately enough it was his header early in the first half that put the Brazilians on the road to victory at the Azteca in the deciding game.

That was a simpler time, when players earned less, the cult of celebrity depended on their feats on the field rather than their capacity to shock on social media or in their off-pitch exploits, and stars tended to stay in their native country, or at least spend long periods with the club that nurtured them.

Now 74, the King, as he is known, remains one of the game's greatest attractions even if at times his pronouncements on football politics or his predictions of how the game may develop leave something to be desired.

But about on-field matters it's fair to say that Pele has earned the right to be listened to.

And he gave plenty of insights in Melbourne on Tuesday when he was the star guest at a lunch held to honour SBS's Les Murray - affectionately known as the nation's Mr Football - for his 35 years of covering the sport in Australia.

The modern game is generally held to be quicker, faster and more athletic than in Pele's day, so did he think he would still have been the top man if he was operating in the current environment?

He had no doubts.

"I think it's the same if you ask me, if Beethoven is important now. Of course he would be," Pele said.

"If I was in this moment and prepared to play in this moment, God gave me the gift to play football, this nobody can change."

He was equally forthcoming when asked if up-and-coming Brazilian superstar Neymar could ultimately surpass him as one of the world's greatest goalscorers.

Pele was quick to point out that he had netted nearly 1300 goals during his career, spent virtually all at his home town Sao Paolo club Santos, co-incidentally the club with which the now Barcelona-based Neymar began.

"I think not [about Neymar replacing him]. He played in my team in Santos, but to be the new king, the new Pele, is impossible, my father and my mother closed the machine."

There was little hesitation when asked which of the pair of current superstars, Ronaldo or Messi, he would prefer if he could have only one in his team.

Both were great players who operated in different ways, he said, but his clear preference was for Messi.

"Everybody asks me wherever I go, the same question, who is the best?

"I used to say both are very important to the team and what they do, but they are completely different style. Ronaldo is almost the same as Ronaldo from Brazil. He scores goals, he is a striker. Messi is a different style, he comes from behind, he plays for the team and he also scores, he is different.

"In my team, if I have to decide to choose one, I would choose Messi."