Best French Player of All-Time

[schmuckatelli]

Not much love for Just Fontaine here.... why not?

[dor02]

What he did in 84 was magical.Zidane wishes he could something like that at a major tornament.

Enzo Scifo, Zico, Socrates, Eto'O,Futre, Ian rush, Valderrama, Cruyff and Eusebio didn't win the big one but I know there are a number of people who would not deny that they were / are some of the best to have ever played the game.You would already rate Eto'o as a great? I think he will be better than Futre (unfortunately he had injury problems) but he still has a bit to go to be compared with Scifo, Rush and Valderrama.

Not much love for Just Fontaine here.... why not?He had one phenomenal tornament and that was all. At club and international level, most of his goals were thanks to Kopa's creativity and even in 1958, he wasn't a first choice player. Bliard broke a leg in training and deputised. His performances in Sweden were the only times when he was of that standard otherwise at club level, he was nowhere Papin, Cantona, Kopa, Platini or Zidane.

[babaorum]

He had one phenomenal tornament and that was all. At club and international level, most of his goals were thanks to Kopa's creativity and even in 1958, he wasn't a first choice player. Bliard broke a leg in training and deputised. His performances in Sweden were the only times when he was of that standard otherwise at club level, he was nowhere Papin, Cantona, Kopa, Platini or Zidane.

It's unfair. You said most of his goals were thanks to Kopa's creativity - you could be right at international level (anyway even with Kopa it's a great achievement to score 13 goals in a WC and 30 goals in only 22 caps !) but certainly not at club level : when he signed for Reims in 1956 Kopa had just signed for Real Madrid so they didn't play together. In 200 games played for Nice and Reims Fontaine scored 165 goals. In terms of goals/games ratio he's certainly the best French striker ever so I don't think he had only "one phenomenal tournament" as you said. In fact I think he doesn't have the recognition he deserves because he had a very short carreer -he retired at 27- due to a bad injury (a broken knee). Had he played for a longer time he would be considered as an all-time great.

[gaijin]

I would swap Zizou and Kopa around. Kopa played more in the centre than nearly the wings. I think at Real Madrid, Kopa had to play as a inside-right because Di Stefano was still playing and Kopa wasn't as comfortable as he would have liked.


I keeping Kopa in the centre in a much more designated position, he won't go as far foward as Zizou and Platini. The other two, I'll say play a free-role and do what the hell you want.


Why isn't Bernard Genghini in the team? Wasn't he as good as those guys?


I personally don't think he's much better than the team I have selected. IMO.


Why do you have Tresor as a centre back and not as a sweeper? If he can play in that position, that backline is fine but if he was to play as a sweeper, I'd structure the backline like this:

------------------ Tresor

Thuram ---------- Blanc ---------Amoros

I'd take Bossis out and put Blanc in so Thuram can play on the right. I wouldn't want Thuram in the very centre of defence.


Interesting idea. I guess my selection means I can play about with the defence a bit.


Great clips on Platini! His goals were classy finishes too.

Its actually amazing how many goals he scored for an attacking midfielder.

His curling free-kicks were legandary.

[gaijin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RvuuiEgsY0

Hard watching for French fans - but a great game.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Platini.
At their respective peaks (82-85 for Platini ; 98-2002 for Zidane) 'Platoche' was better. Zidane's best performance (Euro 2000) just can't match Platini's one (Euro 84). Platini not only had Zidane's playmaking ability (passing, vision...) but he also was a one of the best goalscorer of his era despite being a midfielder. Zidane's technique is better but overall Platini was more influential. I rank him in top 10, maybe top 6-7.

Exactly. No disrespect intended but Zidane is pretty overrated in terms of the influence and end product he has had for his teams. Great technique, elegant and made things look easy but he is not in the same league as Platini and the other established top 10 legends of the game. I'm not even sure Zidane would make the top 20. Platini is clearly top 10 though.

[triplesevn]

You should have clarified it. Having seen both play, I still disagree w/ you and even more. To say Platini "played well" in 84 is WRONG. What he did in 84 was magical.

Disqualifying someone because they haven't won it all is WRONG. There are way too many great players whom were not fortunate to have won the big prizes but to deny that they were great players as a result of this is WRONG.
Enzo Scifo, Zico, Socrates, Eto'O,Futre, Ian rush, Valderrama, Cruyff and Eusebio didn't win the big one but I know there are a number of people who would not deny that they were / are some of the best to have ever played the game.

Fonsos

I stand by my philosophy once more. Being good means you got there. Being great means you took it home! I did make a slight oversight in my Platini comments about never winning anything. I completely forgot about 84 over Spain.

All those players you mentioned were good. Special players. But the truly gifted great ones, bring it home.

These players, Enzo Scifo, Zico, Socrates, Eto'O,Futre, Ian rush, Valderrama, Cruyff and Eusebio, all had flare and brought the spot light to themselves via other means. Valderrama was a good player, however, he became mostly known for his hair. Yes, he played on a great Columbian team in the early 90's, but he didn't win.

Quote from UEFA.com about France winning it in 84, "they had perhaps the best team they had ever assembled: their midfield of Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, and Luis Fernandez".
Platini did not win the tourney by himself. He had help.

[ELADO]

You can't downgrade because of the WC's..... He brought France to the final 4 twice in both 82 and 86, only to lose in cruel fashion to ze germans..... In between in 84 he single handedly carried France to the Euro! The guy was retired by 31 and is France's leading all time scorer as a midfielder. I love Zizou, but you can't hinge everything on 1 world cup victory, at home no less....
yeah and only 2 goals, all in the finals.

[ELADO]

hey what about TI TI henry? i believe when its all said and done he will be the greatest french player ever! my bro just dont get enuff credit huh! well i believe this will be his world cup to shine! guaranteed


remember guys , Ti Ti henry was the highest goal scorer of the french 98 world cup winning side. 4 goals! but also in the euro 2000, titi scored an important goal to get to the finals and he gets no mention.all i hear is zidane this or zidane that!!!!:confused:

[dor02]

I keeping Kopa in the centre in a much more designated position, he won't go as far foward as Zizou and Platini. The other two, I'll say play a free-role and do what the hell you want.I'd say the same thing.

His curling free-kicks were legandary.His free-kicks make Beckham's look like the stuff of amateurs. In fact, Beckham is an amateur compared to Platini.

It's unfair. You said most of his goals were thanks to Kopa's creativity - you could be right at international level (anyway even with Kopa it's a great achievement to score 13 goals in a WC and 30 goals in only 22 caps !) but certainly not at club level : when he signed for Reims in 1956 Kopa had just signed for Real Madrid so they didn't play together. In 200 games played for Nice and Reims Fontaine scored 165 goals. In terms of goals/games ratio he's certainly the best French striker ever so I don't think he had only "one phenomenal tournament" as you said. In fact I think he doesn't have the recognition he deserves because he had a very short carreer -he retired at 27- due to a bad injury (a broken knee). Had he played for a longer time he would be considered as an all-time great.I'm not taking anything away from Fontaine and his knee-injury did decide the end of his career but Kopa did have a great influence whenever they played together.

[dor02]

Quote from UEFA.com about France winning it in 84, "they had perhaps the best team they had ever assembled: their midfield of Michel Platini, Alain Giresse, Jean Tigana, and Luis Fernandez".

Platini did not win the tourney by himself. He had help.Did Zidane ever score nine goals in five matches? By the way, Zidane didn't win France 98 and Euro 2000 single-handedly.

[ELADO]

He needs to have a big tournament for us to be named with Zizou , Papin , Platini and so .
how many big tournaments did zizou had for france that is better than what Ti Ti has done. both big tournaments that zizou had for france, wc98 and euro2000, henry was on those team and he arguably was as good as zizou on those tournaments. he was france leading goal scorer in wc98 and he scored some crucial goals in the euro2000 and if it wasnt for his goal to beat the irish by 1-0 in a crucial qualifying game, i bet the french team would be sitting at home watching the world cup on tv just like the rest of us while ireland would have been in the world cup! hows that!!

[Teso Dos Bichos]

I don't even know why we are still discussing Zidane and Henry, as they are clearly not in the same league as Platini and they have yet to perform to his standard. In response to the poster above, neither Zidane nor Henry have had a big tournament for France.

[gaijin]

I don't even know why we are still discussing Zidane and Henry, as they are clearly not in the same league as Platini and they have yet to perform to his standard. In response to the poster above, neither Zidane nor Henry have had a big tournament for France.

Maybe its only right to judge those players in retrospect in the years they get older and they both are in the late 40's remincising about the good ol' days on some talk show on Tf1.

For me Henry has never produced club form for country.

Zizou played well in Euro 2000. Smashed a great free-kick past Casillas against Spain in the quarters and then sent France into the final with a golden goal penalty kick. He normally comes good at the right time for France. He did it in 1998. Was doing okay for Les Bleus, got sent off, came back and got France into the final and then scored two goals in the final himself.

[ELADO]

Maybe its only right to judge those players in retrospect in the years they get older and they both are in the late 40's remincising about the good ol' days on some talk show on Tf1.

For me Henry has never produced club form for country.

Zizou played well in Euro 2000. Smashed a great free-kick past Casillas against Spain in the quarters and then sent France into the final with a golden goal penalty kick. He normally comes good at the right time for France. He did it in 1998. Was doing okay for Les Bleus, got sent off, came back and got France into the final and then scored two goals in the final himself.
zidane didnt get france to the finals!! it was lilliam thurams 2 goals in the semi-finals that got france into the finals. this is my problem with zizou fans. you guys give him too much credit even on things that others did and make the simple things he did like scoring a penalty, magical. your statement will make others who did not watch the wc98 tournament believe a lie! he did his share but he definitely wasnt the whole deal!!henry despite not scoring in the finals had a good tournament like zidane . he was frances leading goal scorer plus that tournamnet was won by the defence.france had maybe the best deffence ever seen on that world cup98. they were strong, fast. bullish, and intimidating. nobody i mean there was no striker or playmaker in the world cup who could have broken down that defence! even if ronaldo was healthy i dont think he would have done anything because those guys were faster and stronger than he was! this is hard to say for me being a fan of brasil!

[Fonsos]

Maybe its only right to judge those players in retrospect in the years they get older and they both are in the late 40's remincising about the good ol' days on some talk show on Tf1.

For me Henry has never produced club form for country.

Zizou played well in Euro 2000. Smashed a great free-kick past Casillas against Spain in the quarters and then sent France into the final with a golden goal penalty kick. He normally comes good at the right time for France. He did it in 1998. Was doing okay for Les Bleus, got sent off, came back and got France into the final and then scored two goals in the final himself.

and the goal Sylvain Wiltord scored against Italy in the European Championship Finals......

I think Zizou's one of the best to play - no question about it but having seen both play, Platini is the better of the two and despite not winning a World Cup.

[Grell]

Okay here is my top 4.
Zidane
Platini
Cantona
Henry

To me, Zidane is a pure player of the highest calibre, he is clearly up there with the likes of Pele. He is the best player to ever put on the France uniform.

Regards,

Grell

[Stretch Armstrong]

Zidane


But defenders never really get the credit they deserve. Players like Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Lizarazu and Thuram and arguably as influential in France's recent success as anyone. They were all superb players and shouldnt be neglected.

Clips of Platini and Giresse are always great to watch

[triplesevn]

Zidane


But defenders never really get the credit they deserve. Players like Desailly, Laurent Blanc, Lizarazu and Thuram and arguably as influential in France's recent success as anyone. They were all superb players and shouldnt be neglected.

Clips of Platini and Giresse are always great to watch


Since you say that, what about Barthez? Why didn't you count him into your argument about the defence? He was the star defender during WC98 and
E2000!

[triplesevn]

Did Zidane ever score nine goals in five matches? By the way, Zidane didn't win France 98 and Euro 2000 single-handedly.

And when did Platini do so, BY HIM SELF? I never said Zizou did everything himself. In fact, I have stated a few times already on this subject, no player wins it by themselves. They have an influence over the team and that's it.

It's not like I haven't seen Platini play, but I feel Zizou has proven his worth, namely by coming through NOT only in club matches, but on the big stage as well. He can say he won the first World Cup for France, Platini can not.
He can say, he was the main incrediant for the team's sucess for both 98 and 2000, platini can only claim 84.

Zizou is better than Platini and he has the credentials to back it up. The fact is, today's game is far different from that of 20 years ago. The game is far more diffilcult. The balls used, the fouls allowed, the shoes, the pitch, etc; All make playing today, more difficult than yesterday.