Who are your football icons?

[Moe]

There are many but my favorites are

Maradona: The best player in history, no doubt.

Cruyff: Amazing player, no one can question his talent, everything was there except for a World Cup. He also played a big part in Ajax's and Barca's success as a player and a coach.

Ronaldo: If there was no such thing as injuries he would've surpassed Maradona IMO.

Shevchenko: Great example of a perfect striker in his good old days.

Xavi: He's the kind of player that words truly cant describe his contribution to the team.

Zidane: What a joy it was to watch him, never nervous and always performing no matter what. He was art.

Messi: Still 22 and has the potential not only to be the best in the world but the best in history which says a lot about him.

 

[Sívori]

I was too young to remember baggio at his absolute best. But it was del pierro and zidane in the late 90's who got me watching football. Juve at that time was probably the best team in Europe. It's just a shame Zizou never won the CL with juve after 2 tries.

Another "idol" I worshipped was nedved. One of my favorite players of all time, just an amazing player. I love watching wingers on the pitch, and furia ceca was as good as they got. It still pisses me off that he was'nt able to play in the CL final in '03, could've been the difference maker..... My admiration grew even more when he stayed after getting demoted to serie B.

Batistuta: Seriously, Batigol was one of the most fun players to watch ever. He had everything, physical presence, power, aerial prowess, finishing ability inside or outside the box..... not to mention he was a real man off the pitch. This guy was one of the top percentile players of the 90's. If he only played at a "Big" club, no doubt he'd be getting even more plaudits. But it's a testament to his character that he stuck with viola for so long.

 

[Poor_Sunyol]

Jose Manuel Pinto.

 

[el tren]

My youth idols were pretty much in that order:

Pierre Litbarski (cologne legend and german national; was runner up WC 82 and 86, won WC90 as regular. spend his later days in japan and should be still managing some club there ... afaik)
Zico (saw him mainly at WC 82 as a little boy. always had some extra legendary aura due to being the hero of my uncle back then)
Maradona
Mehmet Scholl (technically prolly the best german player of all times. very injury prone which denied him any WC appearance. and a very cool guy too)

Players i also admire:
Cantona and Hristo for being cool
Rivaldo for still being my fav Barca player (still remember him scoring three times in his last match for Barca, allowing the CL qualification, and all 3 goals being awesome, esp. the somersault kick from outside the box)
Barnes, Beardsley and Rush were my sunday evening heroes when german tv did show english football, and mostly liverpool in their glory days.

and obv Adolfo Valencia for being possibly the most horrible striker ive seen in my live who made the most out of it though. Scored 11 times in 28 matches for Bayern w/out any reasonable explanation, as he spent most time stumbling around on the pitch ...

 

[henriklarsson7]

dennis bergkamp - never saw his best years but imo miles ahead of henry in every department except for pace
zidane - unbelievable!!!
larsson - great player and great role model. also very loyal as he could have left celtic on so many occassions but decided 2 stay as the club looked after him after he broke his leg and he is my icon as i aspire to be like him on the football park (nearly there ) but more importanly in life
ronaldo (fatty) - quite simply shit hot

 

[Lemmi]

Bobby Zamora

 

[Narikjan]

Baggo - i still remember how he managed to save a match by directing the goal toward the arm of the player in a penalty box. He was the heart of Italy international.
Semak - a player who is pespected by all Russian fans. He has changed several teams but supporters of all of them consider him to be their player. maybe his play is not so immpressive but his role in a team no doubt is very great. Just a good man who can play football))

 

[Ticoaj]

zidane- extrodanary
baresi - one of my idols that made me improve as a defender
ronaldo - the phenom better than that pansy transvestite cristina
xavi - my idol if im moving to centre midfield i would love a player like him for inter

 

[desoe]

Romario, of course.

A player who response with "fuck off", when his manager tells him to stop visit night clubs. I can't really find a better match for the word "icon".

 

[Ticoaj]

also include bergkamp a idol for being a gentleman

 

[Raed]

Baggo - i still remember how he managed to save a match by directing the goal toward the arm of the player in a penalty box. He was the heart of Italy international.
Semak - a player who is pespected by all Russian fans. He has changed several teams but supporters of all of them consider him to be their player. maybe his play is not so immpressive but his role in a team no doubt is very great. Just a good man who can play football))

Baggio's incident was a defining moment in my love for football. At such an early age I learned all about football trickery, and developed love and admiration to those players who stretched the rules of the game and manipulated them.

Incredible!

The first two players I ever watched were none other than Barcelona's Romario and Deportivo's Bebeto. Thank god I only got into club football before I learned where these two players played and thank god I ended up as a Real Madrid fan, phew!

But seriously, Romario's header against Denmark (or was it Sweden?) and Bebeto's runs on the wing (plus his famous baby celebration) really got me hooked. And an anchor in midfield that was today's worst-in-fashion coach, Dunga. In 1994, the images of Bebeto and Romario scoring goals and combing with Dunga's intensity still remind me why I love football.

However the two players that define football to me are Ronaldo and Zidane. Sort of a cliche but whatever, they are who they are and they have spoiled the world with poetic football.

 

[John Antonio Bilboa]

Titus Bramble lmfaof

 

[Toni_te]

Luiz Nazario de Lima RONALDO-he was my first football icon.

Patrick KLUIVERT-i loved his style of scoring goals!!

Vitor Borba Ferreira RIVALDO-when he was at his best years every BARCA fan has loved him!

Ronald de Assis Moreira-RONALDINHO Gaucho-he is one of BARCA legends...his best years he past at BARCA!

Gerard PIQUE-he is my idol now...he is a real Cule!!

 

[Ticoaj]

even as a inter fan i idolise a good bit of the classic ac milan defence maldini baresi costacurta
i idolise puyol as well hes such a amazing reader

would i be regarded as a fanboy if i idolize?

V
V
V

 

[knicks]

- Paolo Maldini,-Rivaldo,-Maradona,-Del Piero.