Pele has accused Barcelona forward Neymar of falling to ground in the hope of winning free-kicks.
But the Brazil legend said the 22-year-old is better at keeping his feet compared when he arrived at the Camp Nou last summer, reported Xinhua.
"I think Neymar looks to create fouls and situations that aren't there," Pele told ESPN.
"He also had the same problem at Santos. He has improved a lot in that aspect though because things are different in Europe. Football is a harder, more physical game there. It's a great chance for him to grow as a player."
Neymar has scored 17 goals from 40 appearances for Barcelona after his 57 million-euro transfer from Santos June 2013.