I'm also planning to make a video of R9, some time soon; though maybe it would be better to publish a R9 and Romario video on the same day. I also wanted to make one of Zidane but copyright issues make it difficult, but a few people have told me that there are ways of getting around such issues. Anyways, glad you seem to have enjoyed that video. Most people will not watch 40 minutes clips, which I think is somewhat strange when you consider that millions of viewers worldwide sit for 90 minutes watching games, some of which are 90 minutes of boring play.
Yes it was a bit too long ... I had paused it many times in between LOL - But it was great memory of Valderama (that many younger fans had not watched ) Not sure you did for Riquelme? I am sure that would be a great clip since he did have a great range of passings (short to long, high or low )
Maybe the most important player of Brazil 70 (after Pelé), showing his masterpiece in a World Cup Final:
@leadleader Do you mind to upload the Baggio long pass vs PSG that you liked so much? You said you would do that, I see, but haven't seen it yet.
Baggio was good in long pass, but nothing comparable to the likes Platini, Zico, Maradona, Rivelino Pirlo Laudrup per se ...
Laudrup, in all the games that I have seen of him, which are a few, I admit, has not hit the long balls that Baggio produced consistently in almost every game. Pirlo himself has said that Baggio was a master at long balls. Now, Pirlo and other players are more consistent passers, but Baggio could hit amazing long balls -- but was not a consistent passer, as far as I know. By the way, saying that he does not compare with Platini, is not much of a point, since the vast majority of players would not compare with Platini in that respect.
you are so confused ... many players COULD HIT good long passes too ... even Ronaldo , Rivaldo, (to you disliking) CONSISTENCY and FREQUENCY are the major criteria to RATE a good passer OK? To my knowledge (you can check with many Serie A fans) - Albertini, and then Pirlo were both famous for their LONG passing and precision. (Maldini, Del Piero could also HIT many good long passes as well, but NOT their forte' - just like Baggio) - Zidane or Deco or Xavi could also hit many good long passes as well. but they are not comparable to Platini, Maradona, Zico, Rivelino in such category. Even Beckham could be claimed among the very top "long passes" (better than Zidane, Baggio Laudrup Figo .... )
Baggio was famous for his "dribbling" to make space and some short passing with vision - he was also famous for his FK and PK (until WC94 )
Messi was a star of this game ... However it is rare to see him missing a clear chance ... off target But I think CR7 and Neymar BOTH DIVED ... Ramos was a star for REAL lost LOL ....
[/quote] How about hes been doing it for 20 years consistently, and its both feet, first time , short or long, blind passes, flicks, touches etc. Its funny the amount of mentions players like xavi get who rarely passes over 10 yards.
How about hes been doing it for 20 years consistently, and its both feet, first time , short or long, blind passes, flicks, touches etc. Its funny the amount of mentions players like xavi get who rarely passes over 10 yards.[/quote] I kinda agree with you that Xavi was a bit overhyped with his passing (just by numbers) most often side way, square passes or back passes ... He did some nice thru passes but that was about it
Over the past 7 days I have watched 12 new games of Zidane in season 2001/2002 and season 2002/2003 -- he was most definitely not one of the "top 10 passers of all time". Terribly overrated passer I must say. Out of those 12 games, Zidane made not one single pass that I could describe as "out of the ordinary". That simply does not happen if you are watching Carlos Valderrama, Roman Riquelme, Xavi Hernandez, Andrea Pirlo, Ronaldinho, and others. You watch 10 games of Valderrama or Ronaldinho, any games, at any age or stage of their careers, and you will see one or two passes that can only be described as "out of the ordinary". And I'm talking about Zidane vs great teams such as Rayo Vallecano or Deportivo Alaves..... For the people who say that "Messi only plays great against small Spanish teams" -- I do not think they realize just how average Zidane could look against a small Spanish team; nostalgia is a very funny thing, it must be said. I certainly expected much more than what I got to see from Zidane, considering that many of the games that I watched where games in which Real Madrid played either small teams or mid-table teams. In weeks prior to watching Zidane games, I also watched a lot of games of Iniesta and Riquelme, and both Iniesta and Riquelme are (obviously) more consistent and more effective passers than "peak" Zidane could ever dream to be. Technically, Riquelme sh*ts all over Zidane. Zidane only had his first touch as his outstanding ability, and also his elegance as an outstanding trademark; but if we are talking about "skillful" players, then Valderrama and Riquelme and Iniesta are all more "skillful" players than Zidane could ever hope to be -- fact. And do note, that I am talking about "skill", I am not talking about how good a player each player was. Also, 12 full games and Zidane did zero "roulettes" in over 900 minutes of play. His step-overs? Only five times in over 900 minutes of play. Zidane is very badly represented by most YouTube videos, he rarely ever did any roulettes or any step-overs. Zidane fans who say that "Messi is boring to watch" clearly do not remember how minimalistic Zidane could look about 95% of the time that he touched the ball. The more games I watch of "peak" Zidane, the more I realize just how ridiculously overrated Zidane actually is. Zidane is one of those players whose passing ability is most probably based on one or two great performances rather than his ability to do it consistently throughout the season. Also -- Michael Laudrup is a better dribbler and a better passer and a better player than Zidane. Also -- Lio Messi is a better goal-passer than Zidane was. Also -- Ronaldinho was a better passer than Zidane as well. Also -- Francesco Totti is hands down a much more talented passer. Bottom line -- Zidane is not a name that deserves to be mentioned amongst the top 10 passers of all time, in fact, I am not convinced that Zidane should make it to the top 20 best passers of all time as there are probably at least 20 players who I consider better passers than him. James, you talk about "consistency" but I don't think you realize just how inconsistent Zidane was as a passer. In his own team, Fernando Hierro would often make better passes than him. Oh and, many of Zidane's legendary* "assists" are very simple very short passes that many players could easily pull off -- having a good mind for the game, a good mind that allows you to be at the right place at the right time in order to produce one of them simple short pass assists, has more to do with "Football IQ" than it has to do with actual passing ability: that is what Zidane had, extremely good IQ, but his actual passing ability is not "top 10" material by any stretch of the imagination.
Lmao! Another brilliant argument by leadleader. It's funny all the other players you mentioned somehow transcended great passing ability, consistency and overalls star status but Zidane somehow fails to do so. Ofcourse there's not a hint to back up what you are trying to convey, other than your repetitive rants. No one is saying there weren't all-round better passer's than Zidane, ofcourse there were but your total disregard for him is laughable. Not sure if you find it peculiar that the general consensus of fans regard him as one of the best players,playmakers and passers of his generation if not the best. But again what would us fans know? How about journalists and pundits alike, but heck what do they know? How about Zidane's peers, legends and teammates/opponent's? Or even Zidane's coaches themselves? Or maybe we're just all duped, but I'll tell ya what... I'd probably take their word over yours with all due respect. For instance some of Zidane's better displays came against Manchester United, perennial Champions league contenders during Zidane's prime era and also to a not so big surprise a handful of the Man Utd players holding Zidane in very high esteem which Imo is as great a compliment you can get. Looking back at say the last 20 year's in terms of some of the greatest playmakers I found it rather uncanny that you don't consider Zidane in the elite class. Skimming back through the years I found it more of a challenge to place others in that elite list taking into consideration thing's like consistency, performing in the greatest club completion in the World, quality and strength of the opponent. Posted below were some of his more memorable performances at least with available footage, and again there may have been players with better executed passes, better dribbling sequences and maybe better goals. But if we had to condense the previous points including an array of passing, dexterity combined with an overall skill as well as having an uncanny ability to raise your game even in the midst of the great talent around you a very select few were up there with Zidane. Ps. I think Rui Costa, Seba Veron and Iniesta sh*ts over Riquelme and Valderrama.
It is your opinion -- perfectly fine by me. I think that Riquelme and Valderrama sh*t all over both Rui Costa and Zidane when it comes to technique. And I also think that your opinion about Valderrama and Riquelme is completely laughable since, obviously, the value of those two players is completely lost on you. Valderrama and Riquelme in that French team that had one of the best defensive mids of all time, would have worked perfectly well. I think you have something of a European superiority complex. Can you please provide me a video that show the many great passes of Zidane at the 1998 World Cup as well as the 2006 World Cup? Or how about Zidane's great passes in one season? Or are you about to show me a video in which the entire career of Zidane is shown to me in a space of 10 minutes? Because if that's the type of video that you use to substantiate your opinion -- I will not take you seriously, since any player will look absolutely amazing if you reduce their entire career into a 10 minute youtube video. Bottom line: there is no way a "top 10" all-time passer can go 12 games against Spanish mid-table teams, without delivering one single pass that is worthy of being described as a "great pass". And there is no youtube video in the world that you can show me, that will change my mind -- why? Because I actually invested time watching complete actual games of Zidane in his peak years, and there is simply no way in hell Zidane is a "top 10" passer. You also said that you "watched a lot of Riquelme and that he was not a consistent passer" and I can say that you know absolutely nothing of Riquelme. In most of his games with Villarreal, he always produced a dangerous direct pass or a dangerous secondary pass. Your bias against Riquelme is both obvious and pathetic, I'm sorry to say. NOTE I did not bother reading the rest of your gibberish. I am guessing the usual "Zidane could raise his game" romantic stupidity that doesn't actually add up to the actual facts, that Zidane fanboys most commonly use? If so, as you must know -- I disagree.
Just watched, AC Milan vs Real Madrid 2002/2003 Champions League, Zinedine Zidane was absolutely schooled by Rivaldo. Rivaldo very nearly created an assist out of nothing via a very long ball that left Shevchenko one on one vs the GK. Zidane did not produced not one great pass in the entirety of the game, not one decent dribbling run in the entirety of the game, and was pretty much an average player with a pretty face for the entirety of the game. Can someone explain how an "top 10" all-time passer gets schooled by Rivaldo? Or how a "top 10" all-time passer never actually produces great passes consistently at any competition? How unexpected that the "big game player" was completely anonymous in one f the biggest games of the 2002/2003 season.