I don't know if he would have been better then Pele, I always think it is impossible to judge across eras like that...but he could have achieved so much more in football and afterwards. I agree with you about the cheat statement, though I find it hard to look past the Hand of God, he was in a team that tended to be dirty with him at the fore.
It is impossible to judge across eras - I'm biased in that I saw Maradonna play lots but have rarely seen Pele except from archive footage. I do think he gets a harsh rap in that everyone talks about Pele but not often Maradonna except in a negative light. Perhaps he deserves that though.
Excalibur
Aviendha's Englishman