Who is the greatest player Europe ever saw?

[tomo]

Feel free to give other names.

[sokkerluver]

Maradona and Zidane.

[DerMongerer]

Feel free to give other names.


I think S.Americans should be excluded from this thread. UEFA giving Zidane the EURO best ever was a complete joke for me. But hey, he looks cool when he plays right,lol? He was invisible for most the WC he played in (whether suspended or not), Brazil aside. How was he anymore important than Thuram who scored 2 goals when France was trailing, and he was a defender too, that helped silence every striker he faced? EURO 2000 he was majestic, great control of the midfield. Very quiet in the finals match vs. Italy. I'm sorry but people that place him in the holy grail (Pele/Beckenbauer/Maradona/Cryuff) are wrong. Each of those legends will be remembered for their imprint they left on a tournament, not him.

He's not better than Platini who scored an amazing 9 goals in 5 matches for France at EURO84, and wasn't even a centre-forward. All he has over Platini is that he won a WC (which his team mostly carried him), but Platini's EURO84 performances were better than anything Zidane
did. Platini led Serie A in scoring an incredible 3 times. ZZ only once reached 10 goals in his career, and that was in France.

To me Beckenbauer is Europe's greatest ever. He revolutionized the sweeper position. I wasn't old enough to see him play, but judging by his career accomplishments, are far superior to ZZ. He played in 2 WC finals, winning one in 1974, where he captained a side that defeated the seemingly invincible Total Oranje side that destroyed everyone in sight. 1970 semi-finalist, where he played with a dislocated shoulder in the classic vs. Italy. Was a 3 time consecutive European champion at Bayern. And also EURO72 champion.
Lost in the Euro finals in 1976 for Germany. A resume 2nd to no one in Europe, Zidane included.

[SIMBOSTER]

I think S.Americans should be excluded from this thread. UEFA giving Zidane the EURO best ever was a complete joke for me. But hey, he looks cool when he plays right,lol? He was invisible for most the WC he played in (whether suspended or not), Brazil aside. How was he anymore important than Thuram who scored 2 goals when France was trailing, and he was a defender too, that helped silence every striker he faced? EURO 2000 he was majestic, great control of the midfield. Very quiet in the finals match vs. Italy. I'm sorry but people that place him in the holy grail (Pele/Beckenbauer/Maradona/Cryuff) are wrong. Each of those legends will be remembered for their imprint they left on a tournament, not him.

He's not better than Platini who scored an amazing 9 goals in 5 matches for France at EURO84, and wasn't even a centre-forward. All he has over Platini is that he won a WC (which his team mostly carried him), but Platini's EURO84 performances were better than anything Zidane
did. Platini led Serie A in scoring an incredible 3 times. ZZ only once reached 10 goals in his career, and that was in France.

To me Beckenbauer is Europe's greatest ever. He revolutionized the sweeper position. I wasn't old enough to see him play, but judging by his career accomplishments, are far superior to ZZ. He played in 2 WC finals, winning one in 1974, where he captained a side that defeated the seemingly invincible Total Oranje side that destroyed everyone in sight. 1970 semi-finalist, where he played with a dislocated shoulder in the classic vs. Italy. Was a 3 time consecutive European champion at Bayern. And also EURO72 champion.
Lost in the Euro finals in 1976 for Germany. A resume 2nd to no one in Europe, Zidane included.


You can do my thinking from now on!!!!LOL!!

[AFCA]

Cruyff. Never has there been a more revolutionary player in the history of the game with that amount of skill, vision AND tactical knowledge. This really needs no further debating.

[leafster]

Maradona, Cruyff, and Eusebio were the best to play in Europe. Zidane comes close though.

[nsamsarmy]

Eric Wynalda

:D

[comme]

I'll say Puskas because I doubt anyone else will.

The longevity of his career is astounding, a truly magical player and parhaps the only player to be part of two legendary European sides, Kispest Honved and Real Madrid.

Also Paolo Maldini.

[European16]

beckenbauer or ronaldo for me

you should of put Pixie in there( if that is how u spell his name) he played on yugoslavia a while back.

[VivaPortugal]

I think the choices should only be europeans so that eliminates a couple of em....the best of the europeans has to be Eusebio..hehe...

[Arsenal_fanUK]

tuff one. theres been so many. but first let me put this one past you... you know when your fore fathers have said when you were a little younger, 'oh boy pele was amazing' or ' cruyff was a real great.' or whatever player that was playing when us lot wasnt even born.
But if you think about it, just like atheletes improves there running times every genoration, like say the world record for the 100m was 10.32 about 20 years ago, then look at it now its improved.

What im trying to say is, as medicle health and diets improve, the quality of the sports man improves.

JUST THINK ABOUT HAVING PELE OR CRUYFF IN THE TOP LEAGUES TODAY, I BET, NOW IM NOT BEING STUPID BUT, I BET THAT THEY WOULD EVEN BE AS GOOD AS YOUR AVERAGE PLAYER.
LIKE PELE, HE WAS GOOD IN HIS TIME BUT HE WAS OVERRATED WAY TO MUCH, HE STAYED IN BRAZIL FOR HIS PLAYING CARRER AND THE QUALITY OF THE PLAYER THEN, SHOWS HE WOULD BE A STANDARD PLAYER IN ARE TIME NOW.

THINK ABOUT IT.
HENRY VS PELE, I KNOW WHO I WOULD HAVE IN MY TEAM. HENRY IS A MUCH BETTER PLAYER, PELE OR ANY PLAYER THAT IS CONSIDERED A GREAT FROM MORE THAN ABOUT 15 YEARS BACK COULD STAND THE PACE AND SKILL OF THE PLAYERS TODAY.
ITS EVOLUTION WE IMPROVE EACH GENARATION, PLAYERS IN THE 70'S WERE MORE OR LESS DRUNKS.

[Arsenal_fanUK]

Soory About The Dodgy Spelling, Ive Just Read Over It And Its Rank Soz

[leafster]

HENRY VS PELE, I KNOW WHO I WOULD HAVE IN MY TEAM. HENRY IS A MUCH BETTER PLAYER, PELE OR ANY PLAYER THAT IS CONSIDERED A GREAT FROM MORE THAN ABOUT 15 YEARS BACK COULD STAND THE PACE AND SKILL OF THE PLAYERS TODAY.


You'd really take Henry over Pele??? :eek: Henry isn't even the best French player ever (Zidane, Platini), so how can he be the best player Europe has ever seen?? I know Henry had a great year at Arsenal, but try being objective :rolleyes:

[Benfica_fan]

Eusebio is the greatest player of all-time!!!

[jp77]

Puskas, Eusebio & Distefano...Zidane is getting close..

[Benfica_fan]

tuff one. theres been so many. but first let me put this one past you... you know when your fore fathers have said when you were a little younger, 'oh boy pele was amazing' or ' cruyff was a real great.' or whatever player that was playing when us lot wasnt even born.
But if you think about it, just like atheletes improves there running times every genoration, like say the world record for the 100m was 10.32 about 20 years ago, then look at it now its improved.

What im trying to say is, as medicle health and diets improve, the quality of the sports man improves.

JUST THINK ABOUT HAVING PELE OR CRUYFF IN THE TOP LEAGUES TODAY, I BET, NOW IM NOT BEING STUPID BUT, I BET THAT THEY WOULD EVEN BE AS GOOD AS YOUR AVERAGE PLAYER.
LIKE PELE, HE WAS GOOD IN HIS TIME BUT HE WAS OVERRATED WAY TO MUCH, HE STAYED IN BRAZIL FOR HIS PLAYING CARRER AND THE QUALITY OF THE PLAYER THEN, SHOWS HE WOULD BE A STANDARD PLAYER IN ARE TIME NOW.

THINK ABOUT IT.
HENRY VS PELE, I KNOW WHO I WOULD HAVE IN MY TEAM. HENRY IS A MUCH BETTER PLAYER, PELE OR ANY PLAYER THAT IS CONSIDERED A GREAT FROM MORE THAN ABOUT 15 YEARS BACK COULD STAND THE PACE AND SKILL OF THE PLAYERS TODAY.
ITS EVOLUTION WE IMPROVE EACH GENARATION, PLAYERS IN THE 70'S WERE MORE OR LESS DRUNKS.

It could also mean that the great players of the past could be even better players today than they were. They would have the same workout habits and diets as players today.

[DerMongerer]

Eusebio is the greatest player of all-time!!!

Best ever........not your favourite :eek:

[canzano55]

The most successful club player at the highest European level is Maldini if I'm not mistaken. He's captained a team thats pretty much dominated large amounts of the game for the last 20 years. He's not however 'the best player that Europe has ever seen' but he's got the medals.

[tomo]

The most successful club player at the highest European level is Maldini if I'm not mistaken. He's captained a team thats pretty much dominated large amounts of the game for the last 20 years. He's not however 'the best player that Europe has ever seen' but he's got the medals.


I've considered putting him on the list, but I reckon it would have been a mistake. Maldini is a great player, who has won a lot of prizes, put if you put him in an average team, he wouldn't have been been able to turn the tide, whereas the others in my opinion could.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I was wrong in not putting Eusebio on the list. He really belonged there.

Henry is another thing. I don't think that at this stage of his career, you can already say he should be on the list. Same thing with Ronaldo (who I did put on the list, however). Regarding these two, I almost feel sorry for not putting Ronaldinho on the list. In my opinion he outclasses both of them.

[When Hell Unfreezes]

Once again this is a seriously flawed debate, as you can only compare like for like, you cannot say anyone is the best, but just the best in their position.

Yashin was the best keeper.

Bobby Moore the best centre back.

Claudio Gentile and Maldini , the best full backs.

Beckenbauer the best defensive midfielder, Zidane the best attacking.

Cruyff in the hole

And Eusebio up front.

Pick from any of these to make up the numbers or as subs - Zoff, Breitner, Baresi, Platini, Puskas, Bobby Charlton, Gento.