I still want an answer in why did anyone not mention Gattuso as a candidate for this Dude was very consistent and a Beast for us in the last decade
Ironically, Fabio Grosso in his first try won a World Cup of which he was a protagonist and in 4 different tries, Maldini couldn't. Having said that said, no one is downplaying Paolo Maldini as there is not one bigger fan than me. I even remember his national team debut at the age of 19 years of age in a 1-1 tie against Yugoslavia when he came on for Francini I believe it was. I just don't think he was the best player in the Serie A from 2000-2009. If you elect him as the best player of the decade, where do you put Kaka, Ibra, Buffon, Baggio, Pirlo, Totti, Batistuta, Del Piero, Inzaghi, Vieri , Zola or even Nesta? Or for that matter, what about Clarence Seedorff? I mean all of those guys played key roles for their clubs and were major protagonist and just as important in the Serie A so I don't know how you can downplay their efforts and praise Maldini. As for Gattuso, for his role and for the type of player he was and what he did and the way he played, he was a great player and there is no denying this either but not the player of the decade. He himself admitted he can't believe he is a footballer when he watched Andrea Pirlo play. Therefore, by his own admission , Pirlo was better so he couldn't have been the best player of the decade.
First off Grosso was just lucky....I mean its like ADP winning it while being a fringe player The reason Paolo didnt won it was cuz of Baggio missing the Penalty 2nd Maldini owns all of these players you mentioned.How dare you mention Seedorf? He has got to one of the most inconsistent players ever especially the last 5 years Pirlo too was shit the last 4 years Maybe Pirlo was a better footballer but Gattuso for me was the better player and who contributed far more Dont know the difference between a Footballer and a Player? Read some more interviews of Sacchi when he mentions that stuff P.S Pirlo has got to be the most overrated Serie A player EVER.I've been a Milan Fan since I was 7 years old(10 years ago) and I know what Im talking about FFS he used to make 5 assists a season his groupies called him the best playmaker in the world He used to score 2 Free-Kicks out of the 20 he took...suddenly he is the best free-kick taker in the world ******** Pirlo...bitch doesnt deserve to be nominated in this category
I remember when Pirlo was in drug rehab when I lived in Italy and how Milan lied saying he was injured but everyone knew he was a coke head. As for WC94, I was in Pasadena on July 17th 1994 and Baresi and Maldni were the best players on the pitch. To put the WC loss on Baggio is ludicrous as he was not the reason on why Italy didn't win the World Cup. I mean he missed his pk chance but so did Franco Baresi and for that matter, so did Daniele Massaro and if Baggio made his chance, up came Bebeto who will have most likely have won it for Brazil anyway. Also, if it wasn't for Baggio in that 1994 tournament , Paolo Maldini will have never played in World Cup final and that is a fact! To me Baggio was the best of all time and there was no better footballer than he. Anyway, its a useless argument. I suggest we move on.
And yet the bitch has the nerve to talk shit behind our back If it wasnt for Maldini and Baresi Italia wouldnt have reached the final either Baggio? The best player of all time? That's a laugh Ronaldo9,Zidane,Rivaldo>Him Lets not mention Maradona
To each his own....for Italy and for me, Baggio was the best all time. You probably weren't born yet but Franco Baresi was hurt in WC 1994 against Ireland in their first game in which they lost and came back 3 weeks later for the final.
And had the performance of his life there Still doesnt change what I said about Maldini Baresi won 1982 WC Though...but the Coach prefered RuBe players as do most Italia Coaches Its funny though....Baresi was declared the best player of Serie A of 20th Century by FIGC How the hell is Baggio better then Meazza though.Meazza won 2 World Cups back to back And Im sure you're Generalizing when you're saying that all of Italia think Del Piero is the best Italian Player ever
Again, I never said anything against Maldini so not sure what your argument is. As far as Del Piero being the best, I for one never cared for him to tell you the truth but all of Italy loved him this past decade so that is why I mentioned him. To me , Baggio was better and the best ever and Lippi is the balem for what happened to Baggio something that is still unexplainable. As for Meazza, I seriously doubt there is anyone alive who remembers seeing Peppino Meazza play a game. Also, the game has changed immensely since the 1930's so there really is no comparison to that game and today's soccer. My grandfather talked to me a lot about the Grande Torino and Valentino Mazzola that perished in a plane crash in 1949 but even he said the game and the athletes are so much better in today's world. Either way, IMHO , Maldini, Franco Baresi along with Gaetano Scirea were the best defenders/sweepers Italy has ever produced and no one is disputing this. Baresi did in fact win the WC in 1982 along with Massaro but they never played 1 minute in 7 matches in Italy's WC triumph. Also, in 1982, Scirea was better as Baresi was as Fraco was still only 22 years of age and along w/ his club Milan came in 3rd from the bottom and were relegated to the Serie B .
I meant Baggio not Del Piero sorry my mistake Even if the sport back then was different that doesnt mean it isnt comparable It was still the same sport after all Anyways Baresi was chosen Best Italian Player of 20th Century/all time by the FIGC so yeah I dont get how one can say Baggio is the best Italian Player ever when he never won anything Major
Are you kidding me? Maldini has won more trophies then any of them and has a far more distinguished career. He may have been unlucky in the World Cup, that does not diminish his quality and that doesn't make Fabio Grosso better then him. Italy was very lucky in 2006 to be honest. Trezeguet could have nearly scored. At any rate, Maldini was the best player in Italy for much of the 90s and 2000s. Those other guys you have named were great, but don't come close. Here is the real point: Attacking players get all the credit as you are you are doing (and just about all of the players you named are attacking and creative players). The defenders get very little credit. It's how it goes. You refuse to give defending players any credit... and one must look at the facts. They are the key reason why teams win trophies. None of those players you have named come close to Maldini. Not even those from the 1982 World Cup. It's just disgusting you try to rate that nobody Grosso over Maldini. Grosso hasn't done squat on the club level.
Yup I remember when we signed Nesta 1st year UCL 2nd year Scudetto And its a crime to mention Grosso over Javier Zanetti too
Dude, I suggest you lighten up because you are trying to start an argument and I'm not exactly sure why? All I posted was Grosso won and helped us win a WC and Maldini never did and that is the truth. Before he retired as many in the threads can attest to , I was Maldini's biggest fan and all you have to do is go back and read and/or look at all my posts (in that thread) I listed before. You seriously, don't have to prove anything to me about Paolo because I already know it. Funny you should mention Ibrahim Ba because I was thinking about him just the other day. I can't believe the guy spent 7 years at Milan in two different spells and only played a total of 56 games. How funny...
Who cares what Grosso did? He was a nobody in the club stage. Maldini is the way better player and did more then he did. Maldini is the best Italian player of the last two decades.
Guys lets not make this a childish thread not everyone is going to have to same opinions as you specifically when it comes to who is the greatest "player" "coach" etc... This is not a catholic mission dont try converting people to your way of looking at things... just agree to disagree and move on please and thank you.
^^Totally agree with the above post and I would like to add, anyone who doesn't think the answer is Totti is frankly an idiot
Duck, The Ballon d'Or is not the only way to award a player. If you want to look at year on year consistency I don't think anyone can match him
He's consistently injured, I'll give him that. He missed more than 10 games in 7 of 10 seasons. You can't give player of the decade to someone you can't count on being ready to play.