The Ultimate Soccer Player to Walk the Earth

[Sleeve]

Being Dutch I have to vote for Cruijff ;-)

But it's hard to choose one over the other...
Beckenbauer had such a different role, and Platini could excell thanks to a great midfield by his side.
Zidane played in modern times and could never be compared to those older guys Maradona, Pele are probably the most famous, but are they really better than those above?

One thing I'm pretty sure about: For the Dutch, after Cruijff, there was no better Dutch player (maybe there were before him). Seedorf, Bergkamp, Van Basten, Gullt, Rijkaard, Van Nistelrooy, etc...... great, but not the greatest!

[bosterosoy]

Being Dutch I have to vote for Cruijff ;-)

But it's hard to choose one over the other...
Beckenbauer had such a different role, and Platini could excell thanks to a great midfield by his side.
Zidane played in modern times and could never be compared to those older guys Maradona, Pele are probably the most famous, but are they really better than those above?

One thing I'm pretty sure about: For the Dutch, after Cruijff, there was no better Dutch player (maybe there were before him). Seedorf, Bergkamp, Van Basten, Gullt, Rijkaard, Van Nistelrooy, etc...... great, but not the greatest!

Cruijff was probably the best player never to win a World Cup. Either him or Eusebio

[lanman]

Cruijff was probably the best player never to win a World Cup. Either him or Eusebio

Di Stefano? Puskas?

[TKORL]

Di Stefano? Puskas?
and Hugo Sanchez, Zarra, Zico

[JumpinJackFlash]

IMO the top three footballers of all-time;

1. Diego Armando Maradona
2. Roberto Baggio
3. Enrique Omar Sivori

I don't buy into the Pele thing at all, IMO for Brazilians I place Garrincha higher, his style of play was much more enthralling.

[Glavisted Big Soccer]

1. Pelé
2. Diego Maradona
3. Zinedine Zidane

[TKORL]

I can't believe you put Zidane in the same post as Maradona and Pele.

[Glavisted Big Soccer]

I can't believe you put Zidane in the same post as Maradona and Pele.
I can't believe could be unbelievable for someone.

[Kulspruta]

IMO the top three footballers of all-time;

1. Diego Armando Maradona
2. Roberto Baggio
3. Enrique Omar Sivori

I don't buy into the Pele thing at all, IMO for Brazilians I place Garrincha higher, his style of play was much more enthralling.

You should watch Pelé Eterno whenever you get the chance. His style was just as enthralling as Garrincha's.

For all of those who think Pele never got to prove himself because he never went to play in Europe, I guess this is a good reply:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--_W_oR-Cn0

[kingkong1]

You should watch Pelé Eterno whenever you get the chance. His style was just as enthralling as Garrincha's.

For all of those who think Pele never got to prove himself because he never went to play in Europe, I guess this is a good reply:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--_W_oR-Cn0That's a classic Pelé video.

Even brings the 'seal stunt'.

JumpingJackFlash should see (will fall in love).

Just thrilling.

http://media.putfile.com/ImmortalUNCUT

[Moishe]

Wow what a thread, I just read the entire thing in one sitting without the use of performance enhancing drugs:eek: I've really gotten a kick out of watching some of the youngsters inability to back up their arguments, it's friggin' comical to say the least. To be honest it's kinda like watching a mosquito fly into one of those zappers. No matter what they keep flying into it.

As for the purpose of this thread, to me it really comes to what characteristics constitute "the ultimate soccer......". It does seem the consensus is b/w El Diego and Pele, two players I've seen live at different stages of their careers. I find laughable that anyone could argue against Pele not being the most skilled player ever. With that said my choice is Maradona as bias inevitably plays the trump card for the majority of us. Even though Diego had more talent with one foot than virtually anyone to have played the game, it alone does not make him the ultimate. What nails it for me was the passion and gusto that he played the game. I'm not saying Pele didn't embodied that, it's just from my experience that Pele looked so relaxed and in control compared to most players on the pitch that he never looked overly intense. Diego on the other hand was a mad-man. In the end it comes down to what effect any certain player had on you.

As for Zizou, I also see him as a phenom of skill but the majority of the reasons he's called "a great" have been debunked in such a manner that it proves the guy is severely overrated in the grand scheme of things. Zidane was a CAM and with that position he is supposed to make the team and players around him better. The one question I've always proposed to Zidane supporters is to name me a player whose career was made because he played with Zizou. I've yet to get a genuine answer. I won't disrespect any of you that adore Zidane because as I've said, it comes down to the impact a player had on you and nothing else. Still overrated though.

[AllWhitebeliever]

....
As for the purpose of this thread, to me it really comes to what characteristics constitute "the ultimate soccer......". It does seem the consensus is b/w El Diego and Pele, two players I've seen live at different stages of their careers. I find laughable that anyone could argue against Pele not being the most skilled player ever. With that said my choice is Maradona as bias inevitably plays the trump card for the majority of us. Even though Diego had more talent with one foot than virtually anyone to have played the game, it alone does not make him the ultimate. What nails it for me was the passion and gusto that he played the game. I'm not saying Pele didn't embodied that, it's just from my experience that Pele looked so relaxed and in control compared to most players on the pitch that he never looked overly intense. Diego on the other hand was a mad-man. In the end it comes down to what effect any certain player had on you.

....


Thats why I think Pele is the greatest, he makes it look soooo easy and the results shows that he was gusto and full of passion when he played the game. There are times that he run straight at them like what Diego did and there are times that he would play with them by going zigzag and combine the both of them at will.

People who say the he was surrounded by great players and is the reason he won many medals are disillusional. What do you call Santos FC? He soley won the game for them beat the best of europe by himself to crown Santos as the winners of world cup club champs. The rest of his teammates were just watching his show and pass him the ball and occasionally get the ball back when there was many of the opponents was on him and there was open space for the others to capitalise of the other teams mistake of closing him down.

1.) Pele

2.) Best

3.) Madonna

4.) Puskas

6.) Garrincha

7.) Di Stefano

8.) Sanchez

9.) Ronaldinho

10.)Romario

11.)Cruyff

Just a start and after the top 8 it gets a bit difficult.

:cool:

[Moishe]

Thats why I think Pele is the greatest, he makes it look soooo easy and the results shows that he was gusto and full of passion when he played the game. There are times that he run straight at them like what Diego did and there are times that he would play with them by going zigzag and combine the both of them at will.

People who say the he was surrounded by great players and is the reason he won many medals are disillusional. What do you call Santos FC? He soley won the game for them beat the best of europe by himself to crown Santos as the winners of world cup club champs. The rest of his teammates were just watching his show and pass him the ball and occasionally get the ball back when there was many of the opponents was on him and there was open space for the others to capitalise of the other teams mistake of closing him down.

1.) Pele

2.) Best

3.) Madonna

4.) Puskas

6.) Garrincha

7.) Di Stefano

8.) Sanchez

9.) Ronaldinho

10.)Romario

11.)Cruyff

Just a start and after the top 8 it gets a bit difficult.

:cool:

You trying to be a wise guy?:mad::D

[AllWhitebeliever]

You trying to be a wise guy?:mad::D

Oohh yeah, thats his cousin whoses father decided to drop the "ra" out of Maradona and added a "n" in the family name.

Besides that, Best was amazing and closer to Pele that anyone else, but had a brief career and his northern ireland side was absolutely rubbish technically and strategically, that it was tears to the eyes seeing a great player setting them up only for them stuff it up. They didn't know how to play with him since he was all over the field taking their position.

IMHO

Pele is way ahead of the rest, Best, Maradona and Puskas in the chasing pack and then a longer gap to the rest.

:p

[TKORL]

Where is Beckenbauer? Where is Gerd Muller?

Romario ahead of Muller?

[TKORL]

People who say the he was surrounded by great players and is the reason he won many medals are disillusional.



Well, considering Brazil won the WC without Pele in 1962 does show that he had great players surround him that could have done well without him.

[AllWhitebeliever]

Well, considering Brazil won the WC without Pele in 1962 does show that he had great players surround him that could have done well without him.

Yes he was surrounded by great players . . . in the Brazilian team.

And that is still not the reason for the many medals that he got.

He won more medals with Santos FC than with Brazil and more voting prizes by his peers.

The tally of 32 team trophies makes him, together with Vítor Baía (a goalkeeper), the player with most career titles.

589 in 605 league games. (only Josef "Pepi" Bican, Austrian and Czech football forward has scored 38 more leagues than Pele)

1280 goals in 1363 all games types. (compare to 1455 goals in 1204 games for Muller but he was the most complete striker rather than Ultimate Soccer Player from the midfield)

77 goals in 92 brazil appearances.

His first season at age 16 (after signing at 15) in 1957, he became the top scorer for the league.

10 months after he signed professionally to Santos FC, he joined the Brazilian national team.

For an inside forward/playmaker midfielder, thats a lot of goals, which was better than every strikers bar two.

Where is Beckenbauer? Where is Gerd Muller?

Romario ahead of Muller?

Ramario is third in the all-timer goalscoring list behind Josef "Pepi" Bican and Pele and before Muller in the all-time goalscorer ranking.

There has been recognition by Johan Cruyff (said "genius of the goal area"), by Diego Maradona (stated in his book "incredible finisher" adding that he had not seen a striker like him, and mentioning that Romário would be in his all-time "dream team" without any hesitation.), by Roberto Baggio (said: "Romario is one of the greatest players of all time. He has good technique and personality. He is a master of art in the penalty area.")

Beckenbauer? he was solid and great team organizer, but was he "ultimate" and beautiful enough that it took your breath away? Definitely not! Maybe when he touches the ball there is a sigh of relief, but my top 11 can all dribble around players with relative ease and then some. Beckenbauer has great vision but not as flexible enough to run circles around other players with the ball, which is why I had forwards like Puskas, Garrincha, Sanchez and Romario in the list, they were not just shooters, they could mix it up. Muller was "a shoot from the hips striker" from what I understand and does not mix it up.

Anyway, they are my opinions, I just required the players ability to be flexible over a greater range of skill rather than a few before i would consider classifying them as close to an "Ultimate soccer player"

:cool:

[TKORL]

Gerd Muller was top scorer in Germany seven times, in europe twice. Romario was top scorer in a big European league once in spain. The rest of his top scorer awards were - 7 times in a state league, four times in holland, 3 times in brazil, and twice in europe.

Romario adds up to 325 goals, Muller adds up to 487.

Romario was indeed a great goalscorer, but Gerd Muller continuously dominated the German league for ten years.

Beckenbaur was stationed in the CB position. I would hope that the CB doesn't go running around players in the middle of the field.

[Moishe]

Gerd Muller was top scorer in Germany seven times, in europe twice. Romario was top scorer in a big European league once in spain. The rest of his top scorer awards were - 7 times in a state league, four times in holland, 3 times in brazil, and twice in europe.

Romario adds up to 325 goals, Muller adds up to 487.

Romario was indeed a great goalscorer, but Gerd Muller continuously dominated the German league for ten years.

Beckenbaur was stationed in the CB position. I would hope that the CB doesn't go running around players in the middle of the field.

What you need to understand is that while both players were truly great (Muller/Romario), they were different in styles from one another. Muller who I've seen play a few times while in the NASL as well as kicked about with the guy was as stated a gun slinger. Romario another player I saw once live and many times on the tube played with much more flair imho. I personally rate Muller higher than Romario but not by very much at all. Beckenbaur deserves to be mentioned as a potential ultimate because he did so much so well. I believe he could've played nearly any position on the pitch he wanted yet his greatest strength lied at the back running things from there. Statistics especially gols/assists are nice but they don't always tell an accurate story.

[JumpinJackFlash]

The whole "Pele scored 282982932 goals in Brazil and the USA, so he is the best" doesn't hold much water with me, when deciding who was better, Pele or Maradona.

Diego is more of an attacking midfielder than an all out striker and he still scored 116 goals in 166 for Argentinos Juniors. If Maradona was afraid to go to Europe, was afraid to take on the likes of Juventus, Inter, Milan, Roma, week in, week out, then he could have just stayed in South America forever and scored 38298292929 too.

But how boring would that have been? It would ruin the story of Diego and he wouldn't be as special as he is.