Brazil Legend Taffarel Lauds Liverpool Target & Roma Stopper Alisson as the Goalkeeping Pelé

Brazil legend Cláudio Taffarel has heaped praise on Roma stopper, and Liverpool target, Alisson as he lauded the 25-year-old as the goalkeeper equivalent of Pelé.

The 25-year-old has had an outstanding season to date which has led to a number of eye catching displays, all of which have attracted interest from across Europe, most notably from Liverpool. 

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Whilst Alisson is comfortably Roma's number one, the 25-year-old faces stiff competition on the international stage from Manchester City's Ederson. 

However, former Brazilian keeper Taffarel has insisted the Premier League stopper is no match for Alisson in the battle for Selecao's number one position at the World Cup. 

He told Italy's II Giornale, via UOL: "I'm sorry, Ederson from City. Guardiola has an ace on the team, but Alisson is in a good way, at the moment he is the goalie's Pele."

Taffarel's stance is supported by fellow Brazilian stopper Diego Alves, formally of Valencia, who admits his hopes of featuring for his nation in the World Cup in the summer are slim due to the supreme talent of both Ederson and Alisson. 

Alves said: "When you race with Ederson and Alisson, you'd better settle for the reserve of both. I dream of playing in the World Cup with Brazil, but I realise that I have no chance when I have to face two giants like them."

Although Alisson's performances have earned him a significant level of praise which has attracted interest from across world football, Alves insisted the 25-year-old was nothing but humble.  

He added: "But he does not care [about market value], he is a mature boy for his age, and when we are in concentration with selection he takes on the advice of more experienced colleagues."

Alisson has featured 27 times for Roma this season, keeping 12 clean sheets which has the Italian club placed fifth in Serie A - 13 points behind leaders Napoli.