Best European Player (After 1994)?

[nirvaanfc]

This poll is based on my selections as far as players who have been exceptional since i began looking at football in 1994.

Which of these greats would you select number 1.

Here are ten choices.
(To qualify these players must have played at least five years since 1994 and must have finished or are approaching end of career).

[nirvaanfc]

No Votes for Hagi, Stoichkov, Matthaus, Hierro or Schmeicel?

surprising to say the least?

[canzano55]

Roberto Baggio..no contest.

[comme]

Matthaus' best days had passed by 94, he was in serious decline at the WC of that year, Sammer would have. Baggio and Stoitchkov had their best year ever in 94 and both struggled to ever recapture that form.

For me the best is Maldini without question out of the options you have posted. I presume you excluded Baresi on the 5 year criteria and Ronaldo because of his age.

Those are the best 3 Maldini,Ronaldo and Baresi.

[nirvaanfc]

France Baresi only played a few years after so i didn't see that much of him.
Jurgen Klinsmann would have made my list also but he like Baresi played too short after 1994 but was an exceptional player.

Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta would have on list since they were stars almost from 1994 but this question is geared to EUROPEAN national team players only.

Lothar Matthaus may be overlooked but he really impressed me especially in the run up to Bayern Munich's 1999 UCL final appearance.

[Offside2]

This is a real hard one. Can't decide. There are so many outstanding players that can compete with eachother for best player since 1994. You would undermine others if you choose only one. So I choose none :)

[Excape Goat]

I voted for Zidane becasue I actually never heard of him up to 1996. He is probably the best 2-3 players from 1997 onward.

From 1994 onward, Del Piero perhaps was the first player to emerge after WC 1994. He was sensational in CL.... and sent Baggio packing. But he never reached the expectations of him since. So he would have been a factor.

Maldini was also a good choice.

[Offside2]

I wish I could vote for van Basten

[comme]

Given that his last game was the 1993 CL final against Marseille he has as much place in this poll as Cruyff.

[mad theory]

My vote is tied between Zidane who has dominated the game since 1995 and the non-flying dutchman himself Bergkamp..

[Offside2]

Given that his last game was the 1993 CL final against Marseille he has as much place in this poll as Cruyff.

Yes, but his leave of the footballfield wasn't planned. He got injured (HARD tackle by an opponent) and couldn't play anymore because of the injury. He died a quicker death on the pitch sadly.. He was a pleasure to watch. But my vote goes to Zidane.

[comme]

My vote is tied between Zidane who has dominated the game since 1995 and the non-flying dutchman himself Bergkamp..


Dominated since 1995? How so? I wouldn't say Zidane dominated the game in his time at Bourdeaux or in his time with France until 2000. In his first two seasons at Juve he twice choked in the CL final.

[Offside2]

Dominated since 1995? How so? I wouldn't say Zidane dominated the game in his time at Bourdeaux or in his time with France until 2000. In his first two seasons at Juve he twice choked in the CL final.

So who gets your vote?

[Excape Goat]

comme hates Zidane.... we know that. :)

[comme]

I don't hate him, I just consider him to be vastly overrated and feel that much of his position in the game is based on a myth that he was godlike at WC 98. I can admit that he is a great player and looked supreme at Euro 2000. It is getting to be something of a running joke that i hate Zidane though.

On the other hand I love Maldini who has barely put a foot wrong in almost 20 years of top level football. He is the man the I feel stands out.

[bloonhead]

I think when you look at the best European player, you have to take into account

*What was he like playing domestically
*What was he like playing abroad.

True talented players make their name in various foreign countries, Zinedine Zidane made his name in France, Italy, and Spain so he is the best.

[nirvaanfc]

On the other hand I love Maldini who has barely put a foot wrong in almost 20 years of top level football. He is the man the I feel stands out.

Too many people overlook defenders, Paolo Maldini was the best defender in the world for almost a decade with only Alessandro Nesta displacing him as he has aged.

Zinedine Zidane is great but my vote went to Paolo Maldini as well, he has had an exemplary career and is unfortunate to have lost two major internationaal finals in the cruelest of circumstances.

[nirvaanfc]

I think when you look at the best European player, you have to take into account

*What was he like playing domestically
*What was he like playing abroad.

True talented players make their name in various foreign countries, Zinedine Zidane made his name in France, Italy, and Spain so he is the best.

That is absolutely absurd.
Paolo Maldini, Alan Shearer, Roberto Baggio are inferior players for having played in only one league all their career. That's foolish.

Maldini and Baggio played their entire careers thus far in ITALY mainly because they are italian and Shearer in ENGLAND since he's English.

Zidane may well have spent his entire career in France had the French league been of better quality.

[Vic#10]

Hagi and Stoichkov are the most under rated players on the list and I really think that Hagi was the best since '94.

[nirvaanfc]

Hagi and Stoichkov are the most under rated players on the list and I really think that Hagi was the best since '94.

I created the list trust me i ddid not underestimate either of them.
Gheorghe Hagi is to me one of the greatest i have ever seen. Stoichkov guided Bulgaria to semis of Wc in 1994 and had i think 6 goals in the tourney?
Hagi however, having never played for the so called 'big clubs' would not be rated as highly by many as Stoichkov who did have a stint at Barcelona.