Who's The Greatest Football Ever

[NSL]

Yes, I mean soccer. I used "footballer" because I'm pretty sure this will attract a ton more Brits and Aussies than Americans. I'll admit I'm not overly well versed in soccer. I watch, but I don't follow names and stats like I do for other sports. My choice is probably going to seem short-sighted to most, so please remember that this is all based on my knowledge and level of experience.

I'll admit it, I only started this thread so I could have at least one be semi-successful from this boredom streak.

On with the thread. The best player that I've ever seen, and ever followed, was Mia Hamm. No matter what country you're from, you can't deny that she is at least one of the greats, if not the greatest of all-time. She played her position well, and singlehandedly got soccer more popular in the states than Beckham. Her name transcends the sport, and there's a chance she could be even more well known for facing off with Michael Jordan in the Gatorade commercials. She was the first American-born soccer player, that I can remember for doing anything other than playing soccer.

 

[The Todd]

This is a very interesting topic, and one we discusses in a seminar this week. Now, the thing to remember is we are all brain washed by the Media so whoever they were on good terms with, we will remember as a great.

Examples: Pele. Recognised as the greatest of all time, because he always has time for the media, does ambassadorial work and donates to charity a lot - good image, everyone remembers him as a great.

Diege Maradonna. Alongside Pele, recognised as the best. However, remembered (in England especially) for cheating to win rather than his talent, for failing a drugs test and for being hostile towards the media - bad image, not universally recognised as well.

Garrincha. In Brazil, they call him their greatest ever player (therefore better than Pele) but not many people have heard fo him. He had troubles off the field, and is never spoken of when a list of the great names are mentioned - no image at all, forgotten about.

Them three players are classic examples. We are told which one we are meant to prefer, so Pele will undoubtedly be the answer.

However, there are greats such as Franz Beckenbauer, Sir Bobby Charlton, Georgie Best, Ferenc Puskas, Johan Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano and Duncan Edwards who, for one reason or another, are not seen in the same light as the South Americans.

So I cannot say who is the best player of all time, as I have not seen them all play for myself, I am just told which one to like from the media.

From watching football myself, there is a clear winner though: Zinedine Zidane. What that man couldn't do with a football wasn't worth knowing. He won France the World Cup in 1998, he joined the Real Madrid side who dominated Europe after doing so at Juventus, he was seen as finished in about 2005, yet was undoubtedly the most exciting player at the 2006 World Cup. The headbutt that ended his career will tarnish his reputation, but he was so good it doesn't matter.

He was never the quickest of players, but his brain was a full second ahead of everyone else on the pitch. The best way to remember him by is his goal, the greatest ever scored in a Champions League final.

[youtube]iqGjx5Uki90[/youtube]

 

[OIL]

Ever?

Impossible to say. There are litterally hundreds that were magical in their time. Pele, Maradone, Charlton, Best, Cantona, Zidane ect ect. Seriously, I think it's impossible to narrow it down to just one. It's all down to personal opinion in the end I guess. And using that, I'll go with Zinidene Zidane. Probably most famous for getting sent off in the WC by the people not too familiar with football, he was a special player. No-one could touch his level of ability. Seriously, some of the things he could do would just make you sit there and wonder for hours how the hell he did it. A truly special player.

 

[DhA]

I think compared to the obvious ones, Pele and Maradona, Johan Cruyff tends to get criminally udnerrated, he was seriously a genious. He had poise, grace etc and was effective. The Dutch teams of 74 and 78 (which Cruyff wasn't even in) were awesome and pretty unique, shame they never won the big one. If anyoen wants to learn mroe about Cruyff and Dutch football in general, the book "Brilliat Orange" is really good, even if you're not crazy about football.

 

[FromTheSouth]

I know most people are going to gi with Joe Montana or Jerry Rice here, but I'm going to go with John Elway. His time quarterbacking Denver was amazing, including five Super Bowls, with two wins......


Oh, soccer. You confused me when you put football in the title. Why don't you ask who the greatest baseball player is and then ask hockey questions? I kid. I get it.

I would disagree with Mia Hamm. Although she dominated the world in the women's game for years, it appears as if Brazil's Marta might be even better already. From what I have seen, I would go with Maradonna. I think that Pele is given some free passes for his charitable works, but with ball on one man's foot to win a game, I go with Diego. I know it's fashionable to bash David Beckham, but I've never seen someone able to put the ball on a spot like him.

The best player that I have seen lately is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. With his size and speed, there are not many Italian defenders that stand a chance. He is a great finisher and a remarkable athlete.

 

[The Todd]

The best player that I have seen lately is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. With his size and speed, there are not many Italian defenders that stand a chance. He is a great finisher and a remarkable athlete.

Please tell me you are joking? Na, you're entitled to an opinion of course. I will still pick it apart though.

Ibrahimovich will never go down as a great football player purely for the fact he has NEVER played well in a big game. He scores bucket fuls against teams like Siena and Cagliari in games Inter will walk, yet put him in the Champions League and he goes missing. The only thing he did in the two legs against Man United was miss a sitter. In the numerous World Cups and the European Championships he has done fuck all. I can remember one really good goal he scored, yet in that game he was anonymous. One great goal doesn't make him a great player. He is nothing more than a joke to English football fans and in my eyes is in the same overrated league as Luca Toni.

To be the best player you have to destroy poor teams, and stand out against the big teams in big games. SO, from watching live with my own eyes, it has to be Zidane. Although Lionel Messi could very well end up being better. He seems to have much more consistency than the last few people to be named the world's best only to go missing the next season, i.e. Ronaldinho, Kaka and Ronaldo.

 

[Emmet]

Its between only 2 players, Diego Maradona and Alfredo Di Stefano.

Why no Pele you may ask? Simple. Pele, throughout all his years in the Brazil NT was surrounded by great players, from Garrincha to Rivelino to Carlos Alberto to Jairzinho. Pele always had stars around him. He never moved away from Santos to Europe, he went to America of all places to see out his career. He never truly tested himself. Many Brazlians think Garrincha was better than Pele.

Maradona is in my opinion the best ever. He won a World Cup single handedly, won Napoli 2 Scudetto's, a Coppa Italia and a UEFA Cup, something on that scale would never be achieved today. He was just utter genuis. Even his Hand of God was genuis. He was just a stunning player and is miles better than Pele.

Zidane is awfully overrated. As a Juventus fan of 14 years, I was never as glad as when we sold him to Madrid in 2001, half the time he never turned up. His legacy is built on about 6 games. He did nothing the entire World Cup in 1998 except pop up with 2 headers in the final (which albeit isnt bad contribution, but he still didnt do alot the rest of the tournament). Zidane would be nowhere enar the top players of all time in my list.

Puskas, Cryuff, Beckbenbauer, Maldini and Baresi are in with a shout aswell.

 

[The Todd]

Zidane is awfully overrated. As a Juventus fan of 14 years, I was never as glad as when we sold him to Madrid in 2001, half the time he never turned up.

That happens with fans of a club the "best player" plays for. I know Arsenal fans who got tired of people saying "Henry is so good" as they felt in tight games he was no where to be seen. Many Man United fans think Ronaldo is no good as he goes missing in basically every game, just last season he tended to pop up in the right place and score. I am betting Milan fans have grown tired of Kaka not playing that well.

The fact is you expect them to play for your team as truely world class week in week out as you know they can. No one is that good. Maradonna did not score jinking goals from the halfway line every game.

Zidane was pivotal in France 1998, and in the Euro's in 2000, and dragged a poor French side to the final in 2006 when he was at the end of his career. He was a part of the Juve side that dominated Europe. Yes you had lots of other good players too, but Zidane was seen as the big player abroad. When Juve kept on playing Man Utd in the 90's everyone got excited about Zidane and co coming to England. When he left Juve for Real how many times have Juve been to the final? Once. When he joined Real they were a powerhouse to start with and he was an integral part. But no, he wasn't world class in EVERY game.

 

[Emmet]

That happens with fans of a club the "best player" plays for. I know Arsenal fans who got tired of people saying "Henry is so good" as they felt in tight games he was no where to be seen. Many Man United fans think Ronaldo is no good as he goes missing in basically every game, just last season he tended to pop up in the right place and score. I am betting Milan fans have grown tired of Kaka not playing that well.

The fact is you expect them to play for your team as truely world class week in week out as you know they can. No one is that good. Maradonna did not score jinking goals from the halfway line every game.

Zidane was pivotal in France 1998, and in the Euro's in 2000, and dragged a poor French side to the final in 2006 when he was at the end of his career. He was a part of the Juve side that dominated Europe. Yes you had lots of other good players too, but Zidane was seen as the big player abroad. When Juve kept on playing Man Utd in the 90's everyone got excited about Zidane and co coming to England. When he left Juve for Real how many times have Juve been to the final? Once. When he joined Real they were a powerhouse to start with and he was an integral part. But no, he wasn't world class in EVERY game.

If any player was as close to world class every game it was Maradona. He was unbelieveable for Napoli.

As for Zidane, he was only pivotal in the final, in the semi's it was Thuram. QF they were absoutely jammy against the Azzurri. He was very good in Euro 2000 I'll give you that.

Del Piero was the bigger player for that great Juve side of 94-98. He was THE man, most Juve fans will tell you that, not Zidane. 97 & 98 CL final, were was Zidane? Zidane only played in 1 CL final after he left us. When we bought Nedved, Thuram and Buffon we got to another CL final, won 2 Scudetto. Were better off without Zidane.

 

[Tastycles]

People always cite the flair players, and don't get me wrong Johan Cruyff, Pele and Diego Maradona deserve credit. Another in this category is Marco Van Basten. His career was cut short, but you will never ever see a better out and out striker in the game. His goal for Holland at the Euros was sublime, but he scored almost every sort of goal going. His record of 218 in 280 must be one of the best ever. Marco Van Basten is the best attacking player ever, definitely.

[youtube]KysjEyRsZ_k[/youtube]

The best defensive player is Franz Beckenbauer. Beckenbauer did his job perfectly and won the world cup. He led Bayern to 3 European Cups in a row, something only matched by Cruyff's Ajax team, and Real Madrid back when the tournament was a piece of shit.

But seriously, Van Basten never comes up in these conversations and he really really should.

 

[Dave]

I have to agree taht i think that Zidane was the best player of all time. I loved the guy. He could always pick a pass and never allowed any pressure to get to him. I was at the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Leverkusen and saw his volleyed goal. That will always live long in my memory.

On a more personal note, as a Celtic fan. I have to say that Henrik Larsson was a special player. It's not every day that a Celtic player will go to Barcelona but Larsson did. I loved him, My favourite of all time for sure.But of course I'm just biased

 

[Tastycles]

I have to agree taht i think that Zidane was the best player of all time. I loved the guy. He could always pick a pass and never allowed any pressure to get to him. I was at the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Leverkusen and saw his volleyed goal. That will always live long in my memory.

Never let pressure get to him? Zidane is the fucking epitome of letting pressure get to him. In his last ever game, in the World Cup final, he managed to let one of the worst players to have ever played in a World Cup final cajole him into getting sent off. Zidane always got sent off all of the time, and invariably it was for losing his head.

Zidane is great, don't get me wrong, but he isn't even close to being in the same league as Maradona or Cruyff.

For the record, here is the greatest team of all the times:

..................................... Dino Zoff

................................Franz Beckenbauer

....................... Franco Baresi...Berti Vogts
Carlos Alberto ............................................. Paolo Maldini


Johann Cruyff.....................................................Garrincha

...............................Diego Maradona


...................Marco Van Basten .... Pele


Subs

Oliver Kahn
Bobby Moore
Lothar Matthäus
George Best
Alfredo Di Stefano

 

[OIL]

That 'greatest team' is purely based on opinion. This whole thing is, and so you can't really name the greatest team ever, because I could easily argue that George Best deserves to be in that team ahead of Garrincha. Best was way more skillful, and could run at players better than him. He could produce a piece of magic at any moment. See, how easy was that?

 

[Tastycles]

Obviously it was my opinion, I'm not seriously suggesting that it is the be all and end all. You could argue that Best was better than Garrincha if you want, but look at the facts. Garrincha was, in Pele's own words, better than Pele. He won two world cups and was the star of the tournament in both, Best never played in a major tournament. You could argue that it was because his compatriots weren't as good, but a Northern Ireland team made the World Cup at the end of his career, so they can't have been much worse 45 years earlier.

 

[Bozzaholic]

Personally i'd have to say the best player of all time is Paulo Maldini - the guy is an absolute legend I can honestly say I can't ever remember him having a bad game and the fact that he is still playing regularly at the top level shows that he is nothing but amazing

My All time XI

GK: Yashin
LB: Maldini
CB: Moore
CB: Beckenbauer
RB: Cafu (as much as I hate him he is a great player)
LW: Best
CM: Gerrard (Yep... I'd put him in there right now!!!)
CM: Ronaldinho
RW: Figo
SS: Pele
CF: Ronaldo

 

[Billie Jean]

Theres only one answer to this, Diego Maradona.No need to explain why. He was a genius on the pitch and althrough controversial, his legacy will live on foreva!