Best French Player of All-Time

[Stretch Armstrong]

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!


Perhaps I should have but to be honest such was France's defensive strength I think they could have achieved as much with a lesser keeper although that shouldnt detract form Barthez. His performances in 2000 stand out more for me

[lanman]

ze ultimate French team...

(4-1-3-2)

Bats

Bossis--Thuram--Tresor--Amoros

Tigana

Platini---Zizou---Kopa

Papin---Cantona


Bench:
Ettori
Barthez
Desailly
Blanc
Lizarazu
Fernandez
Deschamps
Djorkaeff
Fontaine
Six
Rocheteau
Giresse

Coach: Hidalgo.

Criticism and other opinons are welcome. :)

Interesting side, but I would make a couple of changes.

------------------Bats
--Amoros--Jonquet---Tresor---Marche
----------Tigana------Deschamps
------Kopa------Platini-----Zidane
-----------------Papin

Jonquet is the best central defender France has ever had and although he was slower than slow has to merit a place and Marche is another from the 58 team who gets little recognition. Deschamps would work perfectly in this team helping to free up the front four.

As for the original question, I would rank them:

1 Platini
2 Kopa
3 Zidane

[babaorum]

Interesting side, but I would make a couple of changes.

------------------Bats
--Amoros--Jonquet---Tresor---Marche
----------Tigana------Deschamps
------Kopa------Platini-----Zidane
-----------------Papin

Jonquet is the best central defender France has ever had and although he was slower than slow has to merit a place and Marche is another from the 58 team who gets little recognition. Deschamps would work perfectly in this team helping to free up the front four.

As for the original question, I would rank them:

1 Platini
2 Kopa
3 Zidane


Great side.
I'd make a few changes however :

---------Barthez------------
Thuram--Desailly--Trésor--Amoros--
-----------Tigana-------------------
--Kopa----Platini-------Zidane-----
-------Papin-------Fontaine-------

[gaijin]

Interesting side, but I would make a couple of changes.

------------------Bats
--Amoros--Jonquet---Tresor---Marche
----------Tigana------Deschamps
------Kopa------Platini-----Zidane
-----------------Papin

Jonquet is the best central defender France has ever had and although he was slower than slow has to merit a place and Marche is another from the 58 team who gets little recognition. Deschamps would work perfectly in this team helping to free up the front four.

As for the original question, I would rank them:

1 Platini
2 Kopa
3 Zidane

Ah, Robert Jonquet another great player from the Fontaine/Kopa era.

[dor02]

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.I didn't say that Platini won the Euro single-handedly either but to score goals at the rate Platini did was a phenomenal achievement, especially because he is an attacking midfielder.

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.We can discuss their club careers and how the game was played during their times at Juve. When Platini was at Juve, he played in a Serie A that was ultra-defensive but he still managed to lead the goalscoring and he was an attacking midfielder. Zidane played in a time in which the Serie A was much more free-flowing and offensive.

As for the original question, I would rank them:

1 Platini
2 Kopa
3 ZidaneThat's an interesting one. Why would you rank Kopa ahead of Zidane?

So far, David Ginola hasn't been mentioned. For talent alone, he would be in in the French Top 20, wouldn't he?

[guignol]

So far, David Ginola hasn't been mentioned. For talent alone, he would be in in the French Top 20, wouldn't he?since this thread seems to be about what the candidates did in blue... i think you missed a page.

[dor02]

since this thread seems to be about what the candidates did in blue... i think you missed a page.That explains everything.

[triplesevn]

We can discuss their club careers and how the game was played during their times at Juve. When Platini was at Juve, he played in a Serie A that was ultra-defensive but he still managed to lead the goalscoring and he was an attacking midfielder. Zidane played in a time in which the Serie A was much more free-flowing and offensive.


I would never say Serie A was every free-flowing and offensive, ever!
They've always been for me, Ultra-defensive

In the end, it's truly difficult to compare one generation to another. The differences are so large. They are both greats of the game...

[dastardly]

eric cantona

[dor02]

I would never say Serie A was every free-flowing and offensive, ever!
They've always been for me, Ultra-defensiveYou have obviously never watched Serie A matches from the 1990s.

guignol, if this is about what players did for France, why is Cantona on the list? :confused:

[Sildegil]

As probably 99% of people posting on this board, i really cant rate players who were playing more than 25-30 years ago. I ve seen few old match but not enough to rate the players involved.

So let say, for the last 25 years, here is my list :

1) Zidane (top 5 of all time)
2) Platini (top 12)
3) Henry (top 20, could be much higher at the end of his career)
4) Desailly (top 25)
5) Thuram (top 30)
6) Giresse (top 50)
7) Cantona
8) Viera/Makelele
10) Tigana
11) Deschamp
12) Blanc
13) Barthez
14) Lizarazu
15) Sagnol/Petit/Rocheteau/Amoros

I know that many might have a way different list but IMO Desailly at his prime (Milan AC) was one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive, holding midfielder of all time.

Makelele has always been very underated. Believe it or not he was THE reason why the Real then Chelsea were such powerhouse. He was the link.

Sagnol is also underated. He is imo the second best french player (after Henry) of the last 2 or 3 years.

I have a lot of defensive central (holding) midfielders in my list, but if u think about it, it was in this position that France produced its more influencial players.

Desailly, Deschamp, Petit, Vieira and Makelele were all in the top 12 of the best holding midfielders of the last 20 years.

Even more than the 10, the 8 and 6 are the french numbers.

[ronaldinh010]

Man, I am so sad for Titi Henry. I'm willing to agree that he has not been his best for France, but to have so few of you include him the top 5 when you have guys like Papin and Cantona in there is just unfair. Don't get me wrong, JPP was one of my fav players.

It's funny how legend is built. One goal, one pass, one strike of luck, one media writer can make all the difference. Desailli and Laurent Blanc were absolutely the heroes of WC 98, yet Zidane's two captalizations on collossal brazilian mistakes earned him legendary status even over Platini. Certainly, Zidane belongs in this arguement based on his skills and performance over his career. However, to deny Henry is mind boggling to me. For me, Henry belongs in the Platini/Zidane conversation.

[FARFAN 17]

Man, I am so sad for Titi Henry. I'm willing to agree that he has not been his best for France, but to have so few of you include him the top 5 when you have guys like Papin and Cantona in there is just unfair. Don't get me wrong, JPP was one of my fav players.

It's funny how legend is built. One goal, one pass, one strike of luck, one media writer can make all the difference. Desailli and Laurent Blanc were absolutely the heroes of WC 98, yet Zidane's two captalizations on collossal brazilian mistakes earned him legendary status even over Platini. Certainly, Zidane belongs in this arguement based on his skills and performance over his career. However, to deny Henry is mind boggling to me. For me, Henry belongs in the Platini/Zidane conversation.

Henry hasn't showed up for France as of late.

[sl7vk]

Henry is still a work in progress. It will be easier to judge him once he's on his last leg like Zidane.

[The_LIon_Roars]

ill go for Zidane - For the simple reason he was voted the best european player for the last 50 years

[dor02]

ill go for Zidane - For the simple reason he was voted the best european player for the last 50 yearsThat was the worst poll ever! It didn't make sense. Most of the people voting on that UEFA website were around 15 or 16 years old and these were mostly people who don't understand the history of the game. There were many problems with the Top 50 such as Beckham being ranked 22nd, ahead of Roberto Baggio and Michael Laudrup. Brian Glanville from World Soccer said that he wouldn't rank Beckham at 222nd. Honestly, how could Zidane realistically be rated higher than Best, Di Stefano (he was in the poll at number six), Platini, Van Basten or Eusebio?

[The_LIon_Roars]

good point platini was the best :)

[Teso Dos Bichos]

1) Zidane (top 5 of all time)

Sorry for jumping back into this and I'm surprised no-one has done so since Zidane decided to bother playing in the last couple of games. Regardless, his two performances haven't chanced my mind about him. What I am interested is in the top 5 that the poster above is referring to. In my mind Zidane isn't even guaranteed a place in the top 20. I'd be very interested to see what established legends he decides to snub...

[ForeverRed]

Sorry for jumping back into this and I'm surprised no-one has done so since Zidane decided to bother playing in the last couple of games. Regardless, his two performances haven't chanced my mind about him. What I am interested is in the top 5 that the poster above is referring to. In my mind Zidane isn't even guaranteed a place in the top 20. I'd be very interested to see what established legends he decides to snub...

You've responded to just about every thread that is remotely complimentary to Zidane.

I know there are some discrepencies about his consistency in the last couple of seasons. Just give him credit for pulling off such great performances at his age in a team that met so much criticism after coming out of retirement. That is what truly astonishes me. It's no easy feat to do that at 34.

[FARFAN 17]

Zidane is great because of what he does in the big stage. He shows up when they need him, for France at least.