I've discounted all players currently playing, and those who represented more than one country I have assigned to the first country that they played for. England - Vivian Woodward, Bobby Charlton, Duncan Edwards Germany - Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Gunter Netzer Brazil - Pele, Socrates, Garrincha France - Raymond Kopa, Michel Platini, Robert Jonquet Argentina - Diego Maradona, Alfredo Di Stefano, Omar Sivori Spain - Ricardo Zamora, Luis Suarez, Francisco Gento Holland - Johan Cruyff, Johan Neeskens, Marco Van Basten Italy - Gigi Riva, Gianni Rivera, Giacinto Facchetti Hungary - Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis, Ladislao Kubala (I think a strong case can be made for this being the best trio any country has to offer - only Brazil and Argentina can rival them in my book. Bozsik and Sarosi would probably feature in most other countries top 3 as well)
Cantona shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as Platini. He's quite possibly the most overrated player in soccer history.
Argentina: Maradona (80s), di Stéfano (50s), Batistuta (90s) Brazil: Pelé (60s), Garrincha (60s), Didi (50s) England: R. Charlton (60s), Moore (60s), Keegan (70s) France: Zidane (90s/00s), Platini (80s), Kopa (50s) Germany: Beckenbauer (70s), Müller (70s), Rummenigge (80s) Holland: Bergkamp (90s), Gullit (80s), Cruyff (70s) Italy: Rivera (60s), R Baggio (90s), Conti (80s) Mexico: Sanchez (80s) Spain: Raul (90s/00s), Amancio (60s), Gento (50s/60s)
Zidane is the best player to ever put on the blue shirt! Won more, done more than all the others!! (in terms of affecting results i'm putting him above Desailly as well. 2goals in a world cup finalcough) Lol i swear he did something to you sometime in your life for you to hate him so bad lol.
He hasn't won more than Desailly. As I say I'm biased against Zidane, but there is a fair claim to put all 3 above Zidane.
Zidane is the best player to ever put on the blue shirt! Won more, done more than all the others!! (in terms of affecting results i'm putting him above Desailly as well. 2goals in a world cup finalcough) read what i typed at least :/ None of the others won their country the world cup!!
In your opinion he was the best. I don't know a great deal about kopa, but from what I have been told he was superb. France made it to the semis in 58 before being knocked out by a Brazil considered by many to be the best team ever.He also played in perhaps the greatest club side ever. Platini skippered France to consecutive World cup semis as well as winning the 84 euro champs , scoring more goals than anyone ever in that competition. Desailly was a rock in 98, France only conceded 3 goals, and Zidane missed games in that. He is also one of the only players to ever win consecutive European Cups ith different clubs.
Your adamance against Zidane is pretty wierd i have to say... why are you so laothe to him? Semi-Finals are not Finals. Zidane made history by winning his country the biggest prize in football a feat that no-one before him did. The onus and glory will nearly always go to an attacking player and not a defender. That's how the cookie crumbles. Don't hate...Congratulate
I feel a bit like I'm seeing a therapist here, but my dislike of Zidane is based on a few factors. Firstly telling all my mates to watch Zidane when he was at Juve, then him being a bit of a let down. Second he is too much a fancy dan, rather than simple effective football. Third, everyone loves him too much. Don't get me wrong, but he played at a time when france were at their peak with so many great players coming through. if Kopa or Platini had played instead of Zidane they would have done equally well. I've got to say that he is a world class player, but he just isn't effective enough.
Hmm, you should see it as if Zidane Kopa and Platini all played in the same team then it'd be all over for the oppostion. Strangely i'd say Zidane has been the best number 10 since Maradona and his productivity is simply out of this world. The problem with him is that sometimes he's not selfish enough and the 'end product' isn't converted because of the front men messing up sometimes the amount of perfect thru balls Zidane puts in is overlooked. there is always an end product to Zidanes trickery. Always But Zidane's shown time and time again that if those around him aren't doing it he will step to the plate and do it himself. Scoring goals in World Cup and Champions League Finals are not a coincidence - that's a man taking over when it's needed - i can't pay him any bigger compliment than that. Ah well, at least i can understand why you have your issues now thanks for the explanation ^__^
A large part of a player like Zidane must be goals + assists, and players such as Figo, Nedved, Pires, Scholes, outshine him in that. In my opinion the proof of Zidane is that in the two seasons since he left they have won two serie a titles and are in with a great shout of winning the CL. Last night his chance to shoot exemplified his problem, skinned a man, had a great chance but tried to do too much.
None of those players are number 10's they have far easier roles where they can easily drift into and out of the games without being the go to man. Zidane is a marked man from the start to the finish, he is always the main threat and as such has alot more attention to deal with. None of the players you mentioned can play Zidanes position only Figo can try and he always drifts wide during a game. The amount of technique, intelligence and raw ability needed to play that offensive midfield role properly is seen once or twice a decade - if you're lucky. I think Scholes is probably the highest scoring midfielder in the world but if you see how he scores his goals you'll notice he nearly always gets into scoring position due to the fact he doesn't play in a number 10's role - when he was tried there earlier in the season his effectiveness fell massively. Zidanes simply a maestro and easily the best in the world in that position - and if his team really needs a goal he will step up and score.
If you can get more assists and score more goals from other positions, thn perhaps that is what Zidane should do. Remember he is nominally a left-sided midfielder for Madrid.
Dark and comme, you're arguing between a Ferrari and an Austin...its a matter of taste. comme you do have a perceptible disdain for Zidane that borders on the absurd. Give him his due bro. But Dark, Zidane is not hands down the best French player ever. Platini, though less flashy, was a more decisive player in my view. You give Zizou all the credit for the WC'98 win because of his two goals in the finals, but remember France got there largely without his contributions as he was suspended for the key knock-out games (and he didn't stamp his name on the first couple of games he did play in). Platini was much more influential in getting a French team that had not seen international success since '58 to two 2 WC semis and one Euro win. Then there's all the amazing shiite Platini did at Juve, including leading the league in scoring from his position THREE times without sacrificing on the assists. He was hands down the man, and still revered in Turin. Zidane never carried Juve. Yes Zidane scored a great goal in last year's champions league final, but on a team full of megastars he was not the reason they got there. I do think he is playing his best ball right now. If he keeps it up I'm willing to place him above Platini in 2-3 years. Before jumping on me, I'm not at all denigrating Zidane....only sticking up for Platini in the pecking order.
you're missing the point. Zidane plays in the middle of the park because he is supreme there. Wide players have a lot less people to take on to get to goal or to the byline and as such anyone wth anything about them from those wider positon *should* be scoring a fair amount of goals and assists a season. But name players who play in the 10 slot and do what Zidane does as often as he does. Playing for Real Madrid Zidane starts on the left but rarely ever finishes there.
Nah it's cool. You always validate yourself with sound reasoning and for that i can value your opinion. It's true what you and comme said about Zidane being suspended for some games but you know for a fact if he'd been there he would have represented with his usual finesse. The very thing you pointed out about Zidane being on a team of megastars highlights what i mean. Zidane even shines amongst them, not just blends in.. he is clearly the goto man in midfield and without him Madrid would have to Revise there style. If i was going to pick a French all time 11 Zidane would be the first name on my teamsheet closely followed by Platini.
I'm sorry, but while Zidane plays a slightly different role, that doesn't mean you can't compare him. If I compare him to Rivaldo or Totti, they play further forward, Veron plays further back. Very few players do the same role as Zidane, of the top draw players probably only Rui Costa, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't compare him to other players.
Lol i fear we've monopolised this thread. But still, no ones complaining. Rui Costa , Aimar, Ronaldinho Gaucho maybe Totti as well are the top class Midfielders most comparable with Zidane. I don't see how you can compare the merits of midfielders who don't play his role. Like i said they have less people to take on less things to take in spatially and generally alot more chances to 'sneak off' ala Scholes and Nedved therefore they should be compared to people of the same role. I don't think Zidane's ever been briefed by a manager to play as a support striker like Totti and Rivaldo are so it's unfair to compare him to them either.
In a big French poll recently, Platini was voted best French player ever. I fully support that. Platini was not as graceful as Zidane on the ball, but more than made up for that with other qualities. Phenomenal passer of the ball and free-kick taker, worked all over the field, had a goals-per-game average any world class striker would be proud of. He was a playmaker, workhorse and finisher all in one package. Unfortunately France didn't have world class strikers during his prime. Six, Rocheteau and Stopyra were decent players, but no where near Henry or Trezeguet class. That probably stopped France from achieving greater things in World Cups.
I would only say Aimar and Rui Costa play a similar role and Costa has been hugely limited by playing for Fiorentina and Portugal, while the best is yet to come from Aimar. As you say we shouldn't compare players from different roles, why put Zidane ahead of Desailly? He's won almost everything in the game and been superb for a decade.
Uhh, France in 1998 has one of the worst attack of the history of my national team. Guivarch ... Henry and Trezeguet were in the group. Henry helped us a lot but as a winger. Trez almost didnt play. We won because of our defense/Back midfield. Zidane wasnt in a great shape during this competition but was above everyone else and linked the lines with genious. I saw Platini and Zidane play and imo, Zidane is clearly above. Not by far, but above. France have always had a n°10 culture. If u have to name 2 N°10, the first name who come in mind are Zidane and Platini. But, even them were different. Platini was much more offensive than Zidane. My choice for France would be : 1) Zidane 2) Platini 3) tough choice between Fontaine, Giresse, Tigana, Desailly, Thuram, Vieira. I would say either Thuram or Vieira.
When Zidane retires and people suddenly appreciate what they've witnessed from him and how much of a void is there when he's gone you will see him topping alot more polls then now. Generally people always vote with a nostalgic head and against the player who is still playing. So i can see why Platini would win such a poll as of this present time. Zidane is going to shine for at least another 2 Champions League tournaments, Euro 2004 and Maye another world cup. His performances won't diminish. He'll probably get more credit then.
Because attackers win you games. Defenders hold onto the lead that the attackers have blessed them with. So it comes down to which you think came first the Egg or the Chicken If it was the case that defenders got equal merit to attackers then the best players of all time list wouldn't be dominated by Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Di Stefano etc. etc.