Who is the greatest football player ever?

[Jimbo Gomez]

This should provide for some bickering of the highest order. Feel free to suggest players that I have left out.

My vote goes to the one and only Maradona.

[Jimbo Gomez]

OJ Simpson!


No trolling please.

[Monty]

In America, soccer is for Mexican immigrants, a few Italians, and SWPL children. It may be normal overseas, but in the US it is globalist overreach.

But if I must... John Greig.

[Captain Blackbeard]

You forgot Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and George Best.

It is a toss up between Charlton and Moore for me, although Charlton probably scrapes it on his dedication to football after his player days were over.

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[Rabs String Vest]

Maradona. The greatest player ever and grade "A" mentalist as well.:)

[Jimbo Gomez]

You forgot Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore and George Best.

It is a toss up between Charlton and Moore for me, although Charlton probably scrapes it on his dedication to football after his player days were over.

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I should have put one token brit in the mix probably. :p

[Baron_Corvo]

George Best.

[Captain Blackbeard]

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_APjgPmP_12w/SZEkmZuG1CI/AAAAAAAAEc0/mZzSuIDvRR0/Handegg_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800

[cerberus]

Burrhus
Johnny Unitas


A clear example of hand ball!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GqGZby7284

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GtwCfjI0Z8&feature=related

Cruiff's speed , balance, close control , his ability to make defenders to commit themselves and his vision made him second to none.
He was better than Best and Pele , Best was skilled but he lacked the temperament to deal with the game.
Pele was brillant , J. C. was better.

No goalkeepers up there....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngE9RCAdWaE

Also add to this Sepp Maier a brilliant German keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewTrjzWT98k

[Baron_Corvo]

A clear example of hand ball!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GqGZby7284

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GtwCfjI0Z8&feature=related

Cruiff's speed , balance, close control , his ability to make defenders to commit themselves and his vision made him second to none.
He was better than Best and Pele, Best was skilled but he lacked the temperament to deal with the game.

Pele was brillant, J. C. was better.

No goalkeepers up there....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngE9RCAdWaE

Also add to this Sepp Maier a brilliant German keeper.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewTrjzWT98k

Yes, Cruyff was (is?) a supreme thinker about the game. I'm not sure Best lacked temperament (he never lost his temper on the pitch AFAIK, unlike Zidane for instance), he just drank too much.

Zidane was a superb player though with skills which were a joy to watch, we suffered from them when England played France in the 2004 European championships. He put two goals past us in quick succession at the end of the game just as we thought we had the game in the bag.

He seemed to have oceans of time and space when he was playing, which is probably the mark of a truly great player.

I'm sorry to say I don't remember Pele in his prime except for a few moments from the 1970 World Cup final, but he is generally agreed to have been the best ever. Eusebio could kick a ball harder than any other player I've ever seen. Did he have an unusual level of skill or playing speed as well? I don't know.

Someone older than me has told me about Puskas, who was the lynchpin of Hungary's brilliant team in the early 50's. There's a lovely vignette about him in George Best's book of footballing reminiscences, where he inspires a group of cynical Australian schoolboys with his demonstration of what can be done with a football.

If you're going to mention goalies, how about Gordon Banks? Or Lev Yashin, Russia's "Black Panther" in the 1960s.

[Jimbo Gomez]

Cleaned out the thread. I have no interest in bickering with senile old men. Stay on topic please.

[ScottishStalinist1]

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[Rakhmetov]

Johann Cruyff. Watching him dribble is poetic. He was so elegant in his dribbling and had outstanding technique.

[Rakhmetov]

If you're going to mention goalies, how about Gordon Banks? Or Lev Yashin, Russia's "Black Panther" in the 1960s.
Also great was Russia's Dasaev.

[ScottishStalinist1]

More from Super Ally:

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[Atlas]

Pele is the greatest without a doubt. Maradona for the 80's and Zidane for the 90's. Messi is promising though still young. I bet some german players from the last WC will be awarded too.

[Delmac]

George Best

[Nikolai]

Messi, even at such a young age.

[VAMPIR]

What a pool?! Why the HALF are here, what are they doing?
My picks (It's hard to decide, but Zidane)

1. Zinedin Zidane (Pure poetry. Brain. MADE TEAM A LOT BETTER, more than anyone ever. The greatest playmaker of all times)

2. Luis Nazario da Lima RONALDO (First modern attacker who changed football. First Striker/forward.)

3. Maradona (1986 - year most famous than Orwel's 1984. Hello LADS :D )
4. Crujiff (What a player he was! :) First 'full package' with charisma)

5. Messi (Maradona without smile, charisma and personality :D )

6.Cristiano Ronaldo (Gipsy fag is machine. Posses every aspect of the game enough to be great. Love/hate player.)

7. Dejan Savicevic (I know, I know... Short career, a lot of injuries, lack of personal awards... That is ok. But ONLY ONE PLAYER IN ITALY EVER GAINED NICK 'GENIE'. That was for a good reason. When he was in the mood, he was pure magic.)