Greatest player(s) of all time

[Maradona37]

He’s top 25 at best

Hagi and Stoitchkov were supreme.

 

[Messigician]

Hagi and Stoitchkov were supreme.

Great players, just not top 10 material

 

[Maradona37]

I will do top 5 GK ever imo, to start ball rolling for positions. Based on evidence of watching live games and/or footage, and reading about them and seeing other opinion.

No particular order:

Neuer
Zoff
Banks
Yashin

Unsure of number 5 really. Could be several candidates. Maybe Buffon.

 

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

Thank you @Andresito for opening this thread.

Here is my top 20 best football players post ww2 list (sympathy is not considered, only quantitive and qualitive performance). It's a work in progress and I already narrowed down many candidates for a future extension to 50 players:

1. Leo Messi
2. Pelé
3. Diego Maradona
4. Cristiano Ronaldo
5. Alfredo di Stéfano
6. Johan Cruyff
7. Franz Beckenbauer
8. Ronaldo Nazário
9. Ferenc Puskás
10. Michel Platini
11. Zico
12. Zinedine Zidane
13. Ronaldinho
14. Marco van Basten
15. Gerd Müller
16. Xavi
17. Andrés Iniesta
18. Romário
19. Eusébio
20. Paolo Maldini


I am unsure about the order of top 4 to 6. Could be Cruyff or di Stéfano at 4 aswell. Marco van Basten is also pretty difficult to rate because of the early tragic end to his career. What do you guys think? I appreciate reading your lists and comments.

I'm glad that you are one of the few people that would put Platini ahead of Zidane. In my opinion, Platini was way ahead of ZZ, and is my 2nd best European footballer of all time.

My best European footballer ever is 7th in my GOAT list and that is the incomparable Van Basten. I don't care that he had to retire at 28, nobody in Europe has ever been as gifted as this guy.

Imagine a centre forward that was at least 8 out of 10 in every facet of football. Dribbling, finishing, heading, weak foot, volleys, control, first touch, hold up play, free kicks, overhead kicks, chipping the GK, rounding the GK, strength, game intelligence, movement. The only thing you could ask him to improve was his passing range.

Sometimes I think his volley against Russia was his biggest curse as people think he is overrated due to that goal. But he was much much more and scored many more beautiful goals than that one, particularly at Ajax.

 

[Messigician]

I will do top 5 GK ever imo, to start ball rolling for positions. Based on evidence of watching live games and/or footage, and reading about them and seeing other opinion.

No particular order:

Neuer
Zoff
Banks
Yashin

Unsure of number 5 really. Could be several candidates. Maybe Buffon.

Buffon easily

 

[Maradona37]

I'm glad that you are one of the few people that would put Platini ahead of Zidane. In my opinion, Platini was way ahead of ZZ, and is my 2nd best European footballer of all time.

My best European footballer ever is 7th in my GOAT list and that is the incomparable Van Basten. I don't care that he had to retire at 28, nobody in Europe has ever been as gifted as this guy.

Imagine a centre forward that was at least 8 out of 10 in every facet of football. Dribbling, finishing, heading, weak foot, volleys, control, first touch, hold up play, free kicks, overhead kicks, chipping the GK, rounding the GK, strength, game intelligence, movement. The only thing you could ask him to improve was his passing range.

Sometimes I think his volley against Russia was his biggest curse as people think he is overrated due to that goal. But he was much much more and scored many more beautiful goals than that one, particularly at Ajax.

Agree fully on Platini being better than Zidane (and Zizou was a childhood idol of mine). They say the same in France.

I don't rate Van Basten as quite number 1 Euro player of all time, probably still rate Cruyff ahead of him for Dutch. But he's right up there. As you say he had everything almost.

 

[Maradona37]

Buffon easily

He or Oliver Kahn probably.

 

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

I will do top 5 GK ever imo, to start ball rolling for positions. Based on evidence of watching live games and/or footage, and reading about them and seeing other opinion.

No particular order:

Neuer
Zoff
Banks
Yashin

Unsure of number 5 really. Could be several candidates. Maybe Buffon.

Parma were my club in Italy when I was younger. Asprilla, Zola, Thuram, Cannavaro Dino Baggio, Crippa, Crespo, Sensini, Ayala.

As a result I got to see Buffon's debut aged 17 at home against the mighty Milan. I can only describe it as the same feeling I had the first time I saw Messi. It was so categorically obvious to me that I was witnessing the start of a genius's career.

The next game was away at Juve and he was even better. He's been my guy every since.

He was so good, if he had 2 bad games in a row, they said he was having a crisis!!

Would have loved to have seen him don the Barca shirt, even in his late 30s.

 

[Maradona37]

Parma were my club in Italy when I was younger. Asprilla, Zola, Thuram, Cannavaro Dino Baggio, Crippa, Crespo, Sensini, Ayala.

As a result I got to see Buffon's debut aged 17 at home against the mighty Milan. I can only describe it as the same feeling I had the first time I saw Messi. It was so categorically obvious to me that I was witnessing the start of a genius's career.

The next game was away at Juve and he was even better. He's been my guy every since.

He was so good, if he had 2 bad games in a row, they said he was having a crisis!!

Would have loved to have seen him don the Barca shirt, even in his late 30s.

Aye I remember him in his young days too, pre 2000 and the Parma time too. He played against Rangers in a tie or two in the late 90s (when I still supported Rangers) and he was so good. He was exceptional. Just a very well-rounded goalkeeper.

I don't like the guy, as he was a bigot before he died, but Andy Goram was a brilliant goalkeeper at Rangers. He won't get into such heady lists as he was a product of his time but some of his shot-stopping was immense. This save is rather incredible. I know it's right at him but still.

 

[jamrock]

I've done this debate to death, but just for kicks.

1. Cryuff - Most influential Play & Manager combo in the modern game, so he takes my new #1.
2. Pele, messi, Maradona.
3. Beckenbauer - show the defender some love FFS.
4. Di Stefano.
5. Garrincha.

 

[Maradona37]

I've done this debate to death, but just for kicks.

1. Cryuff - Most influential Play & Manager combo in the modern game, so he takes my new #1.
2. Pele, messi, Maradona.
3. Beckenbauer - show the defender some love FFS.
4. Di Stefano.
5. Garrincha.

Nice to see some love for Garrincha. I got told off by a certain someone for rating him highly and told he couldn't lace Henry's boots.

 

[Maradona37]

A possible top 10 for me:

1) Messi/Maradona
3) Pele
4) Cruyff
5) Di Stefano
6) R9
7) Beckenbauer
8) Platini
9) Cristiano Ronaldo (I'd have him lower on talent but hard to ignore his accomplishments)
10) Zico or Van Basten

It could change every day.

Feel bad relegating the likes of Puskas, Zidane, Eusebio and Garrincha to 11-20.

 

[jamrock]

Strikers.
Ronaldo
Van Basten
Muller
Romario
Eto'o

My Top 5 all have 1 thing in common Big dick energy, when the chips are down, the most important quality needed in a striker.

Creatives.
Zico
Platini
Iniesta ( he should be 1, but I won't backspace).
Zidane
Dinho.

Generals.
Xavi
Matthaus
Kroos
Modric
?.

I might add more positions later.

FB
Alves - RB GOD.

 

[Maradona37]

Strikers.
Ronaldo
Van Basten
Muller
Romario
Eto'o

My Top 5 all have 1 thing in common Big dick energy, when the chips are down, the most important quality needed in a striker.

Creatives.
Zico
Platini
Iniesta ( he should be 1, but I won't backspace).
Zidane
Dinho.

Generals.
Xavi
Matthaus
Kroos
Modric
?.

I might add more positions later.

FB
Alves - RB GOD.

Didi (Brazilian midfielder) is a good one for generals but before all of our time. Gerson is another and he was a little later.

Rijkaard another good one if you consider him a general. Or Gullit even if you consider him that type.

 

[jamrock]

Didi (Brazilian midfielder) is a good one for generals but before all of our time. Gerson is another and he was a little later.

Rijkaard another good one if you consider him a general. Or Gullit even if you consider him that type.

Was thinking about the two dutch men, but wasn't sure they fit.

Would probably be one of those two or seedorf.

I should just put number 5 insert Dutchman here, but @Horatio might add de jong 😂.