ok ... a few lists left ... and this is before WC2006 started, BBC made a poll to survey of who was the best player ever to play at Worldcup level to celebrate the WC2006 opening session. No surprised .... at all .... Pele tops World Cup legends poll Pele running rings around some unfortunate defenders Brazilian maestro Pele has been voted the greatest World Cup legend. Over 18,000 BBC Sport website users cast their votes to decide who was worthy of legendary status, and the result was never in doubt. The much-loved Pele took a massive 42% of the votes, nearly twice as many as Maradona, who came in second with 23%. Surprisingly England's 1966 captain Bobby Moore came in third with almost 15%. VOTE RESULTS Pele 42.11% Moore 14.91% Beckenbauer 4.32% Cruyff 9.02% Maradona 23.68% Zidane 5.96% 18629 Votes Cast ================================================== Somehow I lost the list of TOP20 link, and only this (TOP6) available online 1. Pele (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970) 2. Diego Maradona (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994) 3. Bobby Moore (1962, 1966, 1970) 4. Johan Cruyff (1974) 5. Zinedine Zidane (1998, 2002) 6. Franz Beckenbauer (1966, 1970, 1974) ========================================= NOTE; 1- This is a BBC.uk list (so most votes are from UK base), and only the top names showed up as it's not TOP100 WC legends (but rather who was the best) 2- This is excluding WC2006, where Zidane had a very good performance and Ronaldo left the WC topscorer record there ...
I think the people could only vote at these six names http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/5051768.stm Otherwise Bobby Charlton would be around the Moore region, I suppose.
You maybe right ... but I think I saw the article (lost somewhere) that they did name ~20 legends ... but some how the results only showed for these 6 names
Final list up to date: ESPN with their Greatest 20 Players in World Cup History (2014) Apr 18 3:00AM EDT All-time Top 20 Posted by John Brewin The list • No. 2 - Maradona • No. 3 - Cruyff • No. 4 - Puskas • No. 5 - Zidane • No. 6 - Ronaldo • No. 7 - Roberto Baggio • No. 8 - Bobby Moore • No. 9 - Garrincha • No. 10 - Beckenbauer • No. 11 - Lothar Matthaeus • No. 12 - Mario Kempes • No. 13 - Paolo Rossi • No. 14 - Gerd Muller • No. 15 - Romario • No. 16 - Jairzinho • No. 17 - Roger Milla • No. 18 - Michel Platini • No. 19 - Giuseppe Meazza • No. 20 - Eusebio
This is the biggest bullshit I've seen so far. EDIT: I mean, the other lists aren't always perfect but this doesn't make sense to me.
Ouff let's do it again, most recent today 18/04/2014 by ESPN Football: Apr 18 3:00AM EDT http://espnfc.com/blog/_/name/worldcupcentral/id/3614?cc=5901 All-time Top 20: No. 1 PELE • No. 2 - Maradona • No. 3 - Cruyff • No. 4 - Puskas • No. 5 - Zidane • No. 6 - Ronaldo • No. 7 - Roberto Baggio • No. 8 - Bobby Moore • No. 9 - Garrincha • No. 10 - Beckenbauer • No. 11 - Lothar Matthaeus • No. 12 - Mario Kempes • No. 13 - Paolo Rossi • No. 14 - Gerd Muller • No. 15 - Romario • No. 16 - Jairzinho • No. 17 - Roger Milla • No. 18 - Michel Platini • No. 19 - Giuseppe Meazza • No. 20 - Eusebio
Roger Milla at 17? Baggio at 7? Puskas at 4? I'd like to know the reasoning for upgrading Moore to 'greatest World Cup' defender as well. Also believe that Eusebio and Meazza should be above Romario. Yes, it's the worst ranking I've seen so far (personally speaking).
oh ok I see... yes every list is biased in certain view) agree ... Yes I will make a correlation between them and make a final one. We can make our own TOP25 best WC legends of BIG SOCCER too, agree?
First of all, if you are so fond of that guy you should go to xtratime.com to rep him His argument is no PROOFS and hold no water! 1- Pele held the highest assists in WC history (9ass/12games) and 4,5ass/3games at 2 intercontinental cups. Now imagine Pele was more "generous" as he (that guy ) wishes, should Pele get 20ass at WC and 10ass in 2 x continental cups by now? 2- Pele had much much more assists then Garrincha could ever do. Also he socre more than 4,5 times Garrincha could do SO? what the h3ck that guys complained about? especially O PROOFS ============================================== I know where exactly you're coming from! You tried so hard to discredit (with no proofs and invalid critics, and unreliable sources...) Pele just to bring some HOPE to Maradona in #1 position? no chance as it was history ... Pele career achievement is there (solid proofs) for anyone who dares to follow and CATCH HIM UP if he can ... LOL.
@Pipiolo Look at this thread, the ONLY credits Maradona could have relied on to beat Pele (poor him) is WC performance! But hey ... check the whole lists available here, Maradona was #1 in 2 /6,7 list and too bad, Pele was still #1 in MAJORITY of the lists out there ... what can I say eh?
Had Pelé really 9 assists? Beckenbauer 4 assists? Cruijff had either 3 assists or 5 (with PKs drawn). Not 4. Müller had not 6 assists but 3 + 2 assists in WC career.
I've had a go at compiling my two cents worth - so you can use the top 25 as my 'vote' if you like James but I included 50 players. I'd previously tried on another thread to choose 50 single tournament WC's (as quoted) so as you can see I've left out some of those who had one WC or one excellent WC in favour of some with multiple very good WC's who are in bold in my list (some with one brilliant WC remained including Cruyff in 3rd though). This time I put in some 30's players, although Sarosi only played one game in 1934 to add to his 1938 tournament and Meazza has mixed reviews for his two WC's overall I think(?). Some who did well in 2010 could be in contention with a repeat and anyone who does brilliantly this year could be. Gaetano Scirea was in my list until I thought again about Rivaldo's performance vs Denmark in 98 that I watched again on Youtube recently and could see it was much better than his final performance that I'd seen recently in the form of the full game - that can happen sometimes and Rivaldo could be that kind of player - added to his other WC contributions that persuaded me to squeeze him in: 50 - Rivaldo (Brazil - 1998, 2002) 49 - Gyorgy Sarosi (Hungary - 1934, 1938) 48 - Fritz Walter (W.Germany - 1954, 1958) 47 - Michel Platini (France - 1978, 1982, 1986) 46 - Osvaldo Ardiles (Argentina - 1978, 1982) 45 - Gordon Banks (England - 1966, 1970) 44 - Jean Tigana (France - 1982, 1986) 43 - Roger Milla (Cameroon - 1982, 1990, 1994) 42 - Gzregorz Lato (Poland - 1974, 1978, 1982) 41 - Ademir Marques de Menezes (Brazil - 1950) 40 - Johan Neeskens (Netherlands - 1974, 1978) 39 - Socrates (Brazil - 1982, 1986) 38 - Johnny Rep (Netherlands - 1974, 1978) 37 - Rob Rensenbrink (Netherlands - 1974, 1978) 36 - Sandor Kocsis (Hungary - 1954) 35 - Preben Elkjaer (Denmark - 1986) 34 - Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany - 1990, 1994, 1998) 33 - Gary Lineker (England - 1986, 1990) 32 - Teofilo Cubillas (Peru - 1970, 1978, 1982) 31 - Kazimierz Deyna (Poland - 1974, 1978) 30 - Gheorghe Hagi (Romania - 1990, 1994, 1998) 29 - Pierre Littbarski (Germany - 1982, 1986, 1990) 28 - Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands - 1994, 1998) 27 - Giussepe Meazza (Italy - 1934, 1938) 26 - Zico (Brazil - 1978, 1982, 1986) 25 - Romario (Brazil - 1990, 1994) 24 - Lothar Matthaus (Germany - 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994) 23 - Paolo Maldini (Italy - 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002) 22 - Franco Baresi (Italy - 1990, 1994) 21 - Bobby Charlton (England - 1962, 1966, 1970) 20 - Michael Laudrup (Denmark - 1986, 1998) 19 - Juan Schiaffino (Uruguay - 1950, 1954) 18 - Ruud Krol (Netherlands - 1974, 1978) 17 - Mario Kempes (Argentina - 1974, 1978, 1982) 16 - Just Fontaine (France - 1958) 15 - Gerd Muller (W.Germany - 1970, 1974) 14 - Paolo Rossi (Italy - 1978, 1982) 13 - Raymond Kopa (France - 1954, 1958) 12 - Ronaldo (Brazil - 1998, 2002, 2006) 11 - Roberto Baggio (Italy - 1990, 1994, 1998) 10 - Didi (Brazil - 1954, 1958, 1962) 9 - Bobby Moore (England - 1962, 1966, 1970) 8 - Eusebio (Portugal - 1966) 7 - Jairzinho (Brazil - 1966, 1970, 1974) 6 - Zinedine Zidane (France - 1998, 2002, 2006) 5 - Franz Beckenbauer (W.Germany - 1966, 1970, 1974) 4 - Garrincha (Brazil - 1958, 1962, 1966) 3 - Johan Cruyff (Netherlands - 1974) 2 - Diego Maradona (Argentina - 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994) 1 - Pele (Brazil - 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970).
This looks to me a better attempt by 'renoog'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A56858511 I see he also gives 4 assists to Cruijff, probably by using different rules (not not including PKs drawn as assist). Thus I want to propose then: Maradona 21 games, 8 goals, 8 assists Pelé 14 games, 12 goals, 7 assists Beckenbauer 18 games, 5 goals, 1 assist (to Breitner vs Chile) Meazza 9games, 3goals, ?asssists Muller 13 games, 14 goals, 5 assists etc.
Planet World Cup seems quite good with assists I think Puck, but back to 1966 IIRC (like the France Football ratings go back to 1970). Videos can help a bit - eg we can see Meazza had some assists although I'm not sure if it will be difficult to confirm how many in total.
Yes, following OPTA and planetworldcup then the stats of above are correct for Muller, Beckenbauer and Maradona. Pelé had 5 assists in 1970 (maybe 6 if one counts Jairzinho his goals vs Czechoslovakia as another assist). 1 assist in 1962 (vs Mexico) and 1 or 2 in 1958 (there's some dispute about it; vs USSR and France are the two possibilities - about both goals exists some dispute). Don't know about Meazza right now. Puskas had one in 1962 (against Brazil) but not certain about 1954. OPTA and planetworldcup (as well as myself in the thread) credit Cruijff with 3 assists, not 4 (only other possibility is 5 assists incl. penalties drawn). Garrincha: not 100% sure but I think 2 assists in 1958 and 2 assists in 1962 World Cup. Ronaldo his 4 assists in all World Cups are obviously right. Maybe you can add Bobby Moore? Can I ask btw why you rank Moore above Charlton? Charlton also played in 1958. EDIT: Pelé his other assist was maybe against Sweden in the final. Suddenly I don't remember any more.
Yeah, I'll probably have a look at the Brazil goals again from 1958. Puskas had at least one assist vs Germany in 1954 as shown by highlights of the first meeting on Youtube; Hidegkuti had assists in that game too, but not sure yet about the S.Korea game. I think Moore just had two in the 1966 Final. And yeah, I know Tom queried placing Moore over Charlton too. Maybe James had a point in that stand-out performances by defenders (not only defensively) tempt us to pick them out among all the midfield/forward players, but also I'd say Moore had a better final game in 1966 and more legendary moments (but not higher ratings from FF) in 1970, notably in the big game vs Brazil. I was thinking Charlton was named in the squad only in 1958, like Baresi in 1982 didn't play either but apologies if wrong as I still haven't refreshed my memory about that.
Yes, the English commentator says so and I had assumed it was Didi and indeed Pele for the 2nd. I checked another video earlier with different English commentary and that first assist was attributed to Orlando, though some good play by Didi was picked out. Anyway the shirt number seems to be a single digit and pretty sure it is Didi.