9 - Robert Lewandowski

Maradona37

Well-known member
The Polish team from the 70s-80s was quite renowned, players like Boniek, Lato, Lubanski were all world class. Deyna was considered the Polish Cruyff and even got Ballon D'or podium in 1974 behind Cruyff himself and Beckenbauer. They won olympic gold and bronze medals in 2 World Cups(1974 and 1982). I suspect that many of them didnt get to play for huge European teams(except Boniek) because of communism, just like with the rest of Eastern European footballers.
Yeah they were great,

Like you say, and like I said in the R9/Lewa comparison, it was a different era. If Lato, Boniek et al played now they'd make their way to huge European clubs for their entire careers. Likewise if Lewa played back then he'd likely never end up huge clubs for 15 years.
 

Maradona37

Well-known member
As a matter of fact Lato was just as lethal as RL9 but as quick as Mbbape. Problem was he was behind the iron curtain and player transfer market was much slimmer than what it is now...RL9 wins the popularity contest but to me the greatest Footballer of Poland was Zbigniew Boniek...my hero of the 80s. RL9 is 2nd...hands down.
Yeah I remember Boniek vaguely - he was superb. But you know that modern football fans (don't mean you Temptation) think football started in the 2000s and don't even know who the likes of Boniek was.
 

TemporaryFan

Active member
Yeah I remember Boniek vaguely - he was superb. But you know that modern football fans (don't mean you Temptation) think football started in the 2000s and don't even know who the likes of Boniek was.
Thats true..., They have no clue of Pele, Cruyff or Beckenbauer...let alone Gerd Muller...
 

Maradona37

Well-known member
Thats true..., They have no clue of Pele, Cruyff or Beckenbauer...let alone Gerd Muller...
They think Gerd Muller was garbage and just a tap in merchant - little do they know he actually had fairly good playmaking ability and tracked back a fair bit too.

Like you say they don't even know the greatest of all time like Pele, Di Stefano Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Platini etc. Zico is a non-name to them too. And if you ask them who the likes of Kopa is they'll have no idea. And they think there's only one Luis Suarez too, lol.
 

KingHristo

Member
My joint MOTM together with Rafinha.

Should've scored his hattrick but it's not unusual for Lewa to miss an easy one like that sitter once in a while. What's important is, he still makes them land in the net, 50% conversion rate today is something any player out there could envy. Golden boy Mbappe had 3 shots on target and still scored nothing ;)

A tour de force performance at Bernabeu only a few days after another very good one against his (and Flick's) old club... He could have a couple of assists too if Rafi and Yamal scored their chances and was pretty awesome in defence as well.

Just a few months ago me (and probably most of you guys) were thinking this guy is well past his expiry date, yet here we are now, he's confidently going for his second pichichi at the tender age of 36. That's pretty flicking amazing if you ask me
 

L3v1s

Well-known member
They think Gerd Muller was garbage and just a tap in merchant - little do they know he actually had fairly good playmaking ability and tracked back a fair bit too.

Like you say they don't even know the greatest of all time like Pele, Di Stefano Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Platini etc. Zico is a non-name to them too. And if you ask them who the likes of Kopa is they'll have no idea. And they think there's only one Luis Suarez too, lol.
Its a shame but most football fans are just casual fans I guess, I always enjoyed learning about different footballing eras, other country's football history, their greatest players, tournaments peaks etc. Out of the big ones you mentioned I agree that Zico is probably the one who's left out the most in conversations. Maybe its also because that Brazil team hasn't won anything worth mentioning despite playing good football.
 

TemporaryFan

Active member
Anyhow, for an average Pole such as me, these are the most 👌 precious moments to live through, when your country man makes you proud like that and all. Especially, on the canvas of Santiago Bernabeu, in a Barca shirt...The whole World was watching and the whole 🌎 saw that the man who scored the first 2 goals - the most important goals, was who...?
Robert Lewandowski .... 🚜 ♥️.

I gotta go...
That was a great afternoon for me...
I'll see you.
 

Horatio

You're welcome
Anyhow, for an average Pole such as me, these are the most 👌 precious moments to live through, when your country man makes you proud like that and all. Especially, on the canvas of Santiago Bernabeu, in a Barca shirt...The whole World was watching and the whole 🌎 saw that the man who scored the first 2 goals - the most important goals, was who...?
Robert Lewandowski .... 🚜 ♥️.

I gotta go...
That was a great afternoon for me...
I'll see you.
congratz for being Pole. Enjoy it unlike some are able to (El G)
 

Maradona37

Well-known member
Its a shame but most football fans are just casual fans I guess, I always enjoyed learning about different footballing eras, other country's football history, their greatest players, tournaments peaks etc. Out of the big ones you mentioned I agree that Zico is probably the one who's left out the most in conversations. Maybe its also because that Brazil team hasn't won anything worth mentioning despite playing good football.
Yeah me too mate. Football has an amazing history, not only on the pitch, but intertwined with politics. It literally has brought countries to their knees or brought them together.

Zico was a genius. I guess he's forgotten by many because the amazing Brazil 82 team didn't win the tournament. But the likes of they, Hungary 54, Netherlands 74 and 78 prove you can leave a legacy and be pioneers and an all-time great team without winning - made this point in another thread when discussing winning with importance of playing gorgeous football.

I also said that Zico, like Platini, has been something of a cock post-retirement. So people think of them as shady characters, and don't know how good they were in their primes as players.
 

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