It is refer to "Best Shooter Ever" not "Best Scorer Ever" so I think Gerd Muller may not be good enough in top five . Puskas, Pele, Batistuta and Eusebio are the top four best shooter ever. How about the fifth ? This are candidates ; Jimmy Greaves Gunnar Nordahl Rivaldo If you have other names to suggest, please share.
Jimmy Greaves is an excellent candidate even though I admit I watched very few games of him but he always seemed to hit the ball always on target with great accuracy, and for current players I nominate Frank Lampard.
Talking about shooting, there several criteria: 1-accuracy (shots on target), 2-Effective Precision (goal/shots), 3-Powerful long shot with precision, 4-techniques in shooting (nail GK wrong footed, like where to place the ball, with what kind of touch), 5- Instinct & reaction in shooting. 6- Dead ball and live ball The usual suspects with all criteria are: - Pele (who had best shooting skills and invented the way to shoot the ball more powerful that today footballer often use) - Puskas (his lefty was so lethargy - Rivaldo was close) - Maradona (not much to say from dead ball to moving ball any angle) - Eusebio (powerful and accurate in long shots) - Ronaldo ( reason to place him here is: his accuracy and effective precision was just unbelievable especially in the crowded modern era with a career ~33% goal per shots, and he was true TWO footed in shots, his left is as good as any current shooter. He was also a rare player show could shoot a live ball in a fast run) ..... Others deserve a good mention but may lack of some area: Zico (lack of 3), Romario (lack of 3), Muller (lack a bit of 4), Batistuta (lack a bit in 2 and 4), Van Basten (lack of 3), Crujiff (lack of 5) ... Platini (great in dead ball, not so much in live ball) =========================================== Burco mentioned a "Lampard" ? well he is definitely a great shooter AMONG the midfielders per se. However, if place him in a situation of strikers/forwards with his back facing the goal, I am sure his shooting would become miserable!
^ Agreed - Rivelino, his shots were accurate, strong, spectacular. - Pele's shooting wasn't too shabby either, although you could argue that he didn't have as much range. - Ronald Koeman. He achieved the very difficult mix of power + accuracy, especially from dead balls.
Ones not yet mentioned Matthaues Letissier Forlan Gerrard Scifo Socrates Rivelino (edit: saw he was already mentioned) Dino Baggio Seedorf
At least you're HALF right the babana leaf shot is almost dying out in this modern football, as many (amateurs and youngsters) are too busy with media hype in the so called ... "bend it like Beck"
The original term was (in-Portuguese) chute de folha-seca, first seen by Didi in early 50's. Basically Didi "invented" this "curvature" by accident, during a game he had a nicked injury in his foot, he decided to use the sidefoot to kick the ball high over the wall, and the ball would warping (down) over a sudden (like a "fallin leaf") that made GK hopeless to react. The whole world had seen the master doing the work in WC54: (2nd goal of Brazil vs Mexico). [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ud9afgmWvg"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ud9afgmWvg[/ame] Nevertheless, Garrincha perfected it with sometimes TWICE the ball fallin' in middle trajectory curve. EVER SINCE ... most player at present did kick the same like Didi, thanks to videoclips, lighter ball and better shoes
What about this very underrated guy Nelinho [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvafEk6ktmU"]Nelinho Tribute - YouTube[/ame]
What did he invent? http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=kyOfwhLce3w#t=216s Not very powerful indeed but a long shot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_UFjB1SlwD0#t=183s (but the shooting of Cruyff was indeed not great by any means, it is however ridiculous that Van Basten isn't even mentioned in this thread)
not really unfortunately for Puskas ... But have many old friends who watched Puskas playing and all concluded that his lefty shot was at least as lethargy as of Rivaldo outside the box ... plus his reading games to enter the box at right time to score made him so unstoppable
Still to learn about some of the names mentioned but since we're talking about shooting only, perhaps Matt Le Tissier makes the cut. A mention to Juninho (Pernambucano). At least as far as free-kicks go, I believe he was the most versatile. He covered all techniques; inside or top of the foot, curling it, shooting with power, anything.
Yeah [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B9AnaoHDq4"]HAAN - against west germany 1978 - YouTube[/ame]
