For some time now, I’ve been working on some lists of the greatest ever players in each position. Some of you might have seen my own thread on the greatest players in English league history www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=620289 or the thread that inspired it by Gregoriak of their German equivalents https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=420539 Basically over the coming months I will reveal the 100 best players (in my opinion) in each position, who have ever graced the game. These will be the finest footballers to kick a ball since the codification of the game in 1863. Let me start by outlining some of the criteria that I have applied: 1. Peak performance. How good were they at their very best. 2. Longevity and consistency. How long did they perform well for. 3. Achievements. Where did they get to in the game, how much did they win and what style did they do it in. Furthermore I have excluded all players aged below 28 today, as I do not feel they have a sufficient "body of work" on which to be judged. All eligible current players have probably been judged slightly more harshy than they might be as it is difficult to fully evaluate a career until it is over. These criteria naturally favour some of the players from the bigger nations and bigger clubs. I’m afraid that is largely unavoidable. But if you disagree with any of my selections then please let me know. That is what these threads are for. This is just a bit of fun and I've tried to include players across all eras. I'm not pretending it is in any way definitive, but it's there for some debate and hopefully a few people (including myself) can learn a bit more about some forgotten greats. I’d like to thank some of the members of the BigSoccer history group for their input on this as well. Please do not post your thoughts in this thread. I will set up a designated discussion thread for these threads. I will delete any posts in this thread. Please though do contribute. I am really going to try to get this forum back on track, but I will need the input of many members of this board. If you have any feedback or questions about this then please put them in the discussion thread. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showt...7#post19314177 To help people understand the positions of the players I have created this thread on the history of tactics as well as providing definitions of each position to make it easier. https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1269077 Enjoy!
100. Gustavo Peña Left-back, central defender Mexico 22/11/1941 82 caps (3 goals) Clubs: Oro Guadalajara, Cruz Azul, Monterrey http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustavo_Peña
99. Antonio Benarrivo Left-back, right-back Italy 21/8/1968 23 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Brindisi, Padova, Parma http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Benarrivo
98. Aldo Maldera Left-back, central defender, left-sided lateral midfielder Italy 14/10/1953 10 caps (0 goals) Clubs: AC Milan, Bologna, AC Milan, Roma, Fiorentina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aldo_Maldera
97. Catalino Rivarola Left-back, central defender Paraguay 30/4/1965 52 caps (3 caps) Clubs: Cerro Porteño, Talleres de Córdoba, Grêmio, Palmeiras, América-RJ, Libertad http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalino_Rivarola
96. Isacio Calleja Left-back Spain 2/12/1936 13 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Atletico Madrid http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isacio_Calleja
95. Noronha Left-back Brazil 25/9/1918 9 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Gremio, Vasco da Gama, Sao Paulo, Portuguesa, Gremio http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Eduardo_Barreto_de_Freitas_Noronha
94. Giovanni Francini Left-back, central defender Italy 3/8/1963 8 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Torino, Reggiana, Napoli, Genoa, Brescia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Francini
93. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst Utility player Holland 5/2/1975 96 caps (5 goals) so far Clubs: RKC Waalwijk, Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal, Barcelona, Feyenoord http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Van_Bronckhorst
92. Tomislav Crnković Left-back Yugoslavia 17/6/1929 51 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Metalec Zagreb, Dynamo Zagreb, Wiener SC, Servette http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomislav_Crnković
91. Vincent Candela Left-wingback, right-wingback France 24/10/1973 40 caps (5 goals) Clubs: Toulouse, Guingamp, Roma, Bolton, Udinese, Siena, Messina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_Candela
90. Alf McMichael Left-back Northern Ireland 1/10/1927 40 caps ? goals Clubs: Linfield, Newcastle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alf_McMichael
89. Adam Musial Left-back Poland 18/12/1948 34 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Wisla Krakow, Arka Gdynia, Hereford United, New York Yonkers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Musial
88. Trifon Ivanov Left-back, central defender Bulgaria 27/7/1965 67 caps (5 goals) Clubs: Etar, CSKA Sofia, Austria Vienna, Rapid Vienna, Real Betis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trifon_Ivanov
87. Alex Elder Left-back Northern Ireland 25/4/1941 40 caps (1 goal) Clubs: Glentoran, Burnley, Stoke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Elder
86. Marco Antônio Feliciano Left-back Brazil 6/2/1951 52 caps Clubs: Portuguesa, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama, Bangu, Botafogo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marco_Antônio_Feliciano
85. Emerich Vogl Left-fullback, left-halfback Romania 12/8/1905 29 caps (1 goal) Clubs: Chinezul Timişoara, Juventus Bucharest http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerich_Vogl
84. Zygmunt Anczok Left-back Poland 14/3/1946 48 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Sparta Lubliniec, Polonia Bytom, Górnik Zabrze, SAC Wisła Chicago, Chicago Katz, Skeid Oslo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygmunt_Anczok
83. Kenny Sansom Left-back England 26/9/1958 86 caps (1 goal) Clubs: Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Newcastle, QPR, Coventry, Everton, Brentford, Watford http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Sansom
82. Christian Ziege Left-wingback, utility player Germany 1/2/1972 72 caps (9 goals) Clubs: Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotpsur, Borussia Moenchengladbach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Ziege
81. Juan Martin Mujica Left-back, defender Uruguay 22/12/1944 22 caps (2 goals) Clubs: Nacional, Lille, Lens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Mujica
80. Pachin Left-back Spain 28/12/1938 8 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Burgos, Osasuna, Real Madrid, Real Betis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachin
79. Noel Cantwell Left-back, right-back Ireland 28/2/1932 36 caps (14 goals) Clubs: Western Rovers, Cork Athletic, West Ham, Manchester United http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noel_Cantwell
78. Blagoje Paunovic Left-back Yugoslavia 4/6/1947 39 caps (0 goals) Clubs: Partizan Belgrade, FC Utrecht, Kikinda, Oakland Stompers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blagoje_Paunovic
77. William Martinez Left-back, central defender Uruguay 13/1/1928 54 caps (2 goals) Clubs: Nacional, Racing Montevideo, Rampla Juniors, Peñarol, Rampla Juniors, Atlético Junior, Rampla Juniors, Fenix, Central Español http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Martínez