[gmonn]

I keep seeing younger people rating Platini as a top ten great in world soccer history. I'm always surprised to see this. What do you think?

[WhiteStar Warriors]

I see Marco Van Basten and Ruud Gullit as well

[Glavisted Big Soccer]

I think he's in the Top 10 surely...

01. Pelé (Brazil)
02. Diego Maradona (Argentina)
03. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
04. Johan Cruyff (Holland)
05. Zinedine Zidane (France)
06. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
07. Michel Platini (France)
08. Garrincha (Brazil)
09. George Best (Northern Ireland)
10. Zico (Brazil)

[gmonn]

Originally Posted by Glavisted Big Soccer

I think he's in the Top 10 surely...

01. Pelé (Brazil)
02. Diego Maradona (Argentina)
03. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
04. Johan Cruyff (Holland)
05. Zinedine Zidane (France)
06. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
07. Michel Platini (France)
08. Garrincha (Brazil)
09. George Best (Northern Ireland)
10. Zico (Brazil)

What puts him above Garrincha, George Best, Zico, Eusebio, Ronaldo, Van Basten, Gerd Muller, Rumenigge, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and many more that others could probably name?

[Glavisted Big Soccer]

Originally Posted by gtgunning

What puts him above Garrincha, George Best, Zico, Eusebio, Ronaldo, Van Basten, Gerd Muller, Rumenigge, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, and many more that others could probably name?

Well, that's have an obvious answer, I think Platini was better than them (some by far as Ronaldinho or Karl-Heinz Rummenigge I think), it's only about opinions.

For example, I can't believe you would consider as a comparison to Ronaldinho, probably I put first as option to Romario.

[gmonn]

Yes, Romario also. I watched Platini when I was a teenager and Ronaldinho for a while now, so yes, I'd put Ronaldinho above him personally. Free kicks Ronaldinho has the edge, passing maybe equal, maybe Ronaldinho with an edge, scoring maybe Platini, dribbling Ronaldinho, creativity and ball control Ronaldinho by a mile.

[FlashMan]

Platini was from my "dawning" era of beginning to watch soccer, watching juast about all of the '82 World Cup on my little kitchen tv on the spanish station, white noise and all, and not really comprehending it all, but amazed pretty much from start to finish. Platini was a magician back then. He stood out as the unquestioned leader of that great French team.

I believe I saw him play in Mexico in '86 v. Italy, personally. He was stifled by the catenaccio of the day, the game ended up a yawn-filled scorless draw, and I didn't get to much true Platini magic in person. (Not that I would have undrestood it then at the time; I was still a beginner at soccer. It was a weird set of circumstances that had me in Mexico City watching the world's game.) I beleve he went on to have another great World Cup, though my memory could be faulty about that.

I don't know much about his club career (can't even recall what club he played for much less how he distinguished himself on it; AC Milano?), but Platini didn't look out of place on that earlier gentleman's list. Though I can imagine players like Kaka, Ronaldhino & (I'm sure others) passing him by one day.

[phil80]

Originally Posted by Glavisted Big Soccer

I think he's in the Top 10 surely...

01. Pelé (Brazil)
02. Diego Maradona (Argentina)
03. Alfredo Di Stéfano (Spain)
04. Johan Cruyff (Holland)
05. Zinedine Zidane (France)
06. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
07. Michel Platini (France)
08. Garrincha (Brazil)
09. George Best (Northern Ireland)
10. Zico (Brazil)

George Best is too low on that list, and I would rate him higher than Platini.

[dor02]

1. Maradona
2. Pele
3. Di Stefano
4. Cryuff
5. Beckenbauer
6. Puskas
7. Eusebio
8. Garrincha
9. Maldini
10. Platini

Platini would be higher if he knew how to dribble. He was so great at the other things like passing, shooting and talking free-kicks that it seemed OK for him not to be a great dribbler. As for that guy who made the Ronaldinho and Platini comparison, I doubt that Ronaldinho would have had the ability to score 20 goals in the ultra-defensive days of Serie A or score 9 goals in 5 matches at a major tornament for his country. Sure, he has great skills but he seems to rely more on space than other number 10s.

For those wondering why I left out Best in my Top 10, I don't believe he achieve enough or lived up to his potential to be worthy of a Top 10 place. For talent alone, he would be in my Top Five but in this list, he didn't play at the highest level as long as the likes of Beckenbauer, Di Stefano or Pele did. Di Stefano didn't play at a World Cup but he played until he was nearly 40 and he didn't let fame go to his head.

[Excape Goat]

Originally Posted by gtgunning

Yes, Romario also. I watched Platini when I was a teenager and Ronaldinho for a while now, so yes, I'd put Ronaldinho above him personally. Free kicks Ronaldinho has the edge, passing maybe equal, maybe Ronaldinho with an edge, scoring maybe Platini, dribbling Ronaldinho, creativity and ball control Ronaldinho by a mile.

I somewhat agreed with you about this. However, Ronaldinho has the talents, but needs to earn his place in history.