The 100 Greatest Left-Wingers of All Time

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by comme, Aug 23, 2010.

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  1. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #1 comme, Aug 23, 2010
    For some time now, I’ve been working on some lists of the greatest ever players in each position. Some of you might have seen my own thread on the greatest players in English league history

    www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620289

    or the thread that inspired it by Gregoriak of their German equivalents

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420539

    Basically over the coming months I will reveal the 100 best players (in my opinion) in each position, who have ever graced the game. These will be the finest footballers to kick a ball since the codification of the game in 1863.

    Let me start by outlining some of the criteria that I have applied:

    1. Peak performance. How good were they at their very best.
    2. Longevity and consistency. How long did they perform well for.
    3. Achievements. Where did they get to in the game, how much did they win and what style did they do it in.

    Furthermore I have excluded all players aged below 28 today, as I do not feel they have a sufficient "body of work" on which to be judged. All eligible current players have probably been judged slightly more harshy than they might be as it is difficult to fully evaluate a career until it is over.

    These criteria naturally favour some of the players from the bigger nations and bigger clubs. I’m afraid that is largely unavoidable. But if you disagree with any of my selections then please let me know. That is what these threads are for.

    This is just a bit of fun and I've tried to include players across all eras. I'm not pretending it is in any way definitive, but it's there for some debate and hopefully a few people (including myself) can learn a bit more about some forgotten greats.

    I’d like to thank some of the members of the BigSoccer history group for their input on this as well.

    Please do not post your thoughts in this thread. I will set up a designated discussion thread for these threads. I will delete any posts in this thread.

    Please though do contribute. I am really going to try to get this forum back on track, but I will need the input of many members of this board. If you have any feedback or questions about this then please put them in the discussion thread.

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1245347

    To help people understand the positions of the players I have created this thread on the history of tactics as well as providing definitions of each position to make it easier.

    https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1269077

    Enjoy!
     
  2. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #2 comme, Aug 23, 2010
    Just a reminder that this thread will contain a number of players who wouldn't be classic wingers, but will contain the following groups:

    Lateral midfielder: A midfielder who plays on the flanks but is likely to play slightly infield from the touchline and in a deeper position than a winger. They will rarely look to dribble past players and are more likely to play crosses from deep or drift further infield to link play. (Example: David Beckham)

    Winger: A midfielder who hugs the touchline and looks to beat his marker through a combination of pace and trickery. They will be responsible for supplying crosses for the centre forwards to attack. (Example: Ryan Giggs)

    Outside left: In a four or five man attack, the widest players on the pitch. Essentially wingers with even greater license to attack, and no defensive responsibilities. Rarely heavy goalscorers these were primarily creative players who would stick to their flanks. (No contemporary example)

    Wing forward: The outside forwards of an attacking trio. Often very attacking wingers who will cut inside to shoot or seek to dribble past their markers, they can be heavy scorers but will also act as creators for a central striker. (Example: Lionel Messi)
     
  3. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #3 comme, Aug 23, 2010
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    #11 comme, Aug 23, 2010
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    #12 comme, Aug 23, 2010
  13. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #13 comme, Aug 24, 2010
    90. Kily Gonzalez

    [​IMG]

    Left-winger
    Argentina
    4/8/1974
    56 caps (9 goals)
    Clubs: Rosario Central, Boca Juniors, Real Zaragoza, Valencia, Internazionale, Rosario Central, San Lorenzo, Rosario Central

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kily_Gonzalez
     
  14. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #14 comme, Aug 24, 2010
  15. comme

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    #15 comme, Aug 24, 2010
  16. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #16 comme, Aug 24, 2010
    87. Lars Bastrup

    [​IMG]

    Left-winger
    Denmark
    31/7/1955
    30 caps (10 goals)
    Clubs: Silkeborg IF, IHF Aarhus, Offenbacher Kickers, IHF Aarhus, AGF Aarhus, Hamburger SV, IK Skovbakken, Ikast fS

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lars_Bastrup
     
  17. comme

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    #17 comme, Aug 24, 2010
  18. comme

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    #18 comme, Aug 24, 2010
  19. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #19 comme, Aug 24, 2010
    84. Peter McParland

    [​IMG]

    Left-winger, forward
    Northern Ireland
    25/4/1934
    34 caps (10 goals)
    Clubs: Dundalk, Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle, Atlanta Chiefs

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_McParland
     
  20. comme

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    #20 comme, Aug 24, 2010
  21. comme

    comme Moderator
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    Feb 21, 2003
    #21 comme, Aug 24, 2010
    82. Alfred Aston

    [​IMG]

    Winger
    France
    16/5/1912
    31 caps (5 goals)
    Clubs: Red Star FC, RC Paris, Red Star FC, Angers SCO, Stade Français Paris, CA Paris, CS Fontainebleau, AC Amboise, FC Tours

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Aston
     
  22. comme

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    Feb 21, 2003
    #22 comme, Aug 24, 2010
    81. Siegfried Held

    [​IMG]

    Winger, centre-forward
    West Germany
    7/8/1942
    40 caps (5 goals)
    Clubs: Kickers Offenbach, Borussia Dortmund, Kickers Offenbach, Borussia Dortmund, Preussen Münster, Bayer Uerdingen

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegfried_Held
     
  23. comme

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    #23 comme, Aug 25, 2010
  24. comme

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    #24 comme, Aug 25, 2010
    79. Ze Roberto

    [​IMG]

    Left-winger, box to box midfielder
    Brazil
    6/7/1974
    84 caps (6 goals)
    Clubs: Portuguesa, Real Madrid, Flamengo, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Santos, Bayern Munich, Hamburg

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ze_Roberto
     
  25. comme

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    #25 comme, Aug 25, 2010
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