World Cup legends/heroes in history by variety of sources

With less than 100days count down to Worldcup 2014, this thread is to list out all TOP10, TOP20 or TOP100 best World Cup players/legends by many different sources

Let's start with the order in time line and good sources first

 

Times: 10 greatest World Cup players
English.news.cn 2010-05-26 15:39:16

In 2010, Times.uk online published their TOP10 best Worldcup players in history :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sports/2010-05/26/c_13316948.htm

(the original link was lost due to their big archive, but one can find it here in China.daily)

No. 1 Diego Maradona (Argentina)
Four WC's : won WC86 and WC90 final
21 games, 8 goals + 7ass - Goldenball 86, Bronze ball 90 , Silverboot 86



No. 2 Pele (Brazil)Four WC's: Won 3WC's 58, 62 and 70
14 games, 12goals+9ass - Goldenball 70, Bronze ball 58, Silverboot 58




No. 3: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
Three WC's: Won WC74, 3rd place WC70
18games, 5goals + 4ass - Silverball WC74


No. 4 Giuseppe Meazza (Italy)Two WC's: Won 2 WC30 and 34
9games : 3goals + ass? Goldenball WC34




No. 5 Gerd Mueller (West Germany)
Two WC's: won WC74 and 3rd place 70
13games, 14goals +6ass , Goldenboot 70, Bronzeball 70




No. 6 Garrincha (Brazil)
Three WC's: won 2 (WC58 and 62)
12 games: 5goals+5ass , Goldenball 62, Goldenboot (joined) 62




No. 7 Johan Cruyff (Holland)
One WC: WC74 finalist
7games, 3goals+4ass Goldenball 74




No. 8 Ronaldo (Brazil)
Three WC's: Won WC02, WC98 finalist (honor WC94)
19games, 15goals+4ass , Goldenball 98, Silverball 02, Goldenboot 02, Bronzeboot 98, and 06




No. 9 Bobby Moore (England)
Two WC's: Won WC66
14games , Silverball WC66



No.10 Ferenc Puskas (Hungary, Spain)
One WC: WC54 finalist
6games, 4gaols+4ass , Goldenball WC54




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STATS of the day (as per Time's TOP10 WC players):

1- Pele was the only player who won 3WC's (seems like UNBROKEN record). He also possessed the highest stats in goals+assists (ratio) in WC all time

2- Ronaldo was the only player who had won both Goldenball and Goldenboot at 2 different WC's. He also won most individual awards in WC history - He held the WC topscorer record (up to date).

3- Beckenbauer was the only player playing in 3 different positions in his three WC events.

4- Puskas and Cruijff were the two players did not win the WC in this list of greatest. They only played in ONE WC.

5- Maradona was the most frequent dribbler per WC, and in WC history

6- Cruijff was the most creative player (chances creation) per WC, and got the highest chance creation in one game WC

 

Everyone is entitle to help/correct the stats (if I mistaken in memory)

and side notes: I did count PK and FK assists as well

 

100 World Cup heroes (20-1): Maradona, Pele, Zidane and Ronaldo - but who's No 1?

LATEST, March 2014, Mail Online put out TOP100 world cup players of all time :

Rather, this is a line-up of those who are World Cup icons, the players whose names are synonymous with the greatest competition on earth.

Each day this week we have revealed 20 players, counting down through stars such as Paul Gascoigne, Carlos Valderrama, Michael Laudrup and Dennis Bergkamp, players who have illuminated those summer months.

But the day has arrived to crown our No 1 World Cup hero.

Who will it be? Scroll down through the 20 greatest players in the history of the competition to find out...

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...e-Zidane-Ronaldo-whos-No-1.html#ixzz2ynyMqfZe

1: Diego Maradona (Argentina) - 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1994
Pele, as suggested above, was the star of a great side. Maradona, in contrast, was the star of a good side. And that, in our eyes, is why the Argentine is deserving of No 1 billing in our list of World Cup heroes.

In the history of this greatest tournament on earth, no player has inspired his country to victory with as much skill, guts, cunning and charisma as Maradona did in 1986. In the long list of Golden Ball winners, his is by some distance the most iconic performance of one individual at a World Cup. He dragged his side to the final, a player at the very top of his game and on the biggest stage of all.

His five goals included his two against England in the quarter-final – one famous, one infamous – his ‘Hand of God’ opener followed by the most daring dribble in World Cup history, a spellbinding dash from his own half climaxed with the coolest finish. Again, in the semis and with his team toiling against Belgium, he seized the moment to score twice and send the South Americans through to the final where West Germany were defeated.

In 1990 he led Argentina to the final once more but the Germans turned the tables. Maradona, though, was still voted the tournament’s third-best player despite his star having faded. It just goes to show how brightly he’d burned four years earlier.

2: Pele (Brazil) - 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970
Where to start? Well, becoming the youngest-ever winner of a World Cup at 17 in 1958 is as good a point as any. The teenager had scored six at the finals in Sweden, including a treble in the semi-final and another strike against the hosts to claim the trophy. Injuries plagued his next two tournaments, although he did collect a winners’ medal in 1962.

But it was in 1970 that, as the iconic figure of the greatest-ever side in World Cup history, he enjoyed the finest four weeks of a career which spanned 21 years and more than 1,000 goals. In Mexico he was by some distance the best player at the finals, scoring four and playing a part in another 10 of Brazil’s 17 goals. He opened the scoring with a powerful header in the final as Italy were swept aside 4-1.

Afterwards his minder, Tarcisio Burgnich, said: ‘I told myself before the game, he’s made of skin and bones just like everyone else — but I was wrong.

3: Ronaldo (Brazil) - 1998, 2002 and 2006
Brazil surprised many when they took a teenage Ronaldo to USA 94 ‘just for the experience’; it was to prove a prudent ploy. Fifteen goals later he is the tournament’s greatest-ever goalscorer and his eight in 2002 – including a match-winning brace in the final – saw him bestowed with his first Golden Boot as well as the Silver Ball as the competition’s second-best player.

Four years earlier, however, he had taken the Golden Ball following his mesmerising performance in firing Brazil to the final of France 98. His appearance in that match with the hosts, though, was shrouded in controversy amid rumours of illness and seizures before the game. But his moment came in Yokohama with that devastating double against Germany. He returned in 2006 but, despite three goals and a Bronze Boot award, Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals.

4: Zinedine Zidane (France) - 1998, 2002 and 2006
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are yet to replicate their star talent on the biggest stage but the same accusation can not be levelled at Zidane. Having been sent off in the group stage of France 98, he returned for the quarter-finals and was sublime as the hosts made it through to the final with Brazil. In the Stade de France in Paris his World Cup legend was secured, a pair of first-half headers putting his side in control before Emmanuel Petit saw home a 3-0 victory.

He was included in the All Star XI and that was again the case eight years later in Germany. This time, though, he was winner of the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player having been majestic in France’s journey to the final, scoring the winner against Portugal in the semis.

What unfolded in Berlin, however, is the stuff of infamy, Zidane giving his side an early lead from the penalty spot – nonchalantly chipping in via the underside of the crossbar – only to be sent off in extra-time following an outrageous headbutt on Marco Materazzi, after which France were beaten on penalties


5: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany) - 1966, 1970 and 1974
‘Der Kaiser’ has the distinction of finishing first, second and third at the three World Cups he played in. Fittingly, his final tournament saw him raise the trophy in front of his home crowd in 1974. By then, however, the world was well aware of this elegant sweeper.

He had scored four times in England as a 20-year-old in 1966 before defeat in the final. Following that tournament he was named as the best young player and included in the All Star XI. That was again the case four years on in Mexico as he guided the West Germans to the semi-finals where they were ousted in a seven-goal thriller with Italy, Beckenbauer playing the entire 120 minutes with a heavily-strapped shoulder. But in ‘74 his crowning moment arrived and once more he was included in the tournament’s best XI.

After West Germany's victory at Italia 90, he joined Mario Zagallo in an exclusive club as men to win the World Cup as player and coach

6: Garrincha (Brazil) - 1958, 1962, 1966
His story is all the more remarkable given that he was born with severe defects and played his entire career with a distorted left leg. His first tournament was in Sweden in 1958 where two assists in the final against the hosts saw Brazil land the trophy. Four years later and with Pele injured, Garrincha took on the mantle of talisman and was player of the tournament as the South Americans defended their title. His four goals were enough to tie for the Golden Boot and he did not lose a World Cup match until the quarter-final defeat by Portugal in England in 1966.


7: Lothar Matthaus (West Germany/Germany) - 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
He is the only outfield player to appear in five tournaments, debuting as a 21-year-old and signing off at 37. His 25 appearances are also a World Cup record. But don’t be distracted by the numbers, this was a player of star quality. Indeed, the overriding memory of West Germany’s victory at Italia 90 is the drive of Matthaus from midfield and his ability to marry flair and determination.

He scored four goals en route to the final and was the Silver Ball recipient behind Toto Schillaci. He had been a runner-up in Mexico four years earlier and made it to the last eight in ‘94 and ‘9
8: Gerd Muller (West Germany) - 1970 and 1974
His winning goal in the 1974 final against Holland was everything Muller was about; a close-range finish not pretty in picture but predatory in its instinct. ‘Der Bomber’, as he was known, could blow holes in defences, always ready to detonate when inside his favoured domain, the penalty area.

While ‘74 saw him collect his winners’ medal, it was arguably Mexico 70 for which he is best remembered. There he scored 10 times from six matches to take the Golden Boot as the Germans were beaten by Italy in the semis and, to this day, only Ronaldo has more World Cup goals.

9: Bobby Moore (England) - 1962, 1966 and 1970
Having already played in all six matches as England reached the quarter-finals in Chile in 1962, Moore captained his country to victory in his homeland four years later. The No 6 was imperious, with England not conceding a goal until Eusebio’s penalty in the semi-final victory over Portugal.

At Mexico 70 he produced one of the most iconic tackles of all time, stopping Brazil great Jairzinho in his tracks with a perfectly-timed challenge. After that game, he embraced Pele, their mutual respect evident. Indeed, following his untimely death at the age of 51, another footballing legend, Franz Beckenbauer, said: ‘Bobby was my football idol. I looked up to him. I’m so proud to have played against him’.

10: Paolo Rossi (Italy) - 1978 and 1982
Without a doubt his country’s greatest World Cup hero. Rossi had already scored three times at Argentina 78 - helping Italy to the semi-finals and being voted the tournament’s second-best player behind Mario Kempes - when he took the world stage by storm at Spain 82. Amplifying his legend is the fact that Rossi had only returned from a two-year suspension for his part in a bribery scandal one month before the tournament.

Perhaps expectedly he had a slow start and it wasn’t until the fifth match with Brazil that he bagged a quite magnificent hat-trick to send the Azzurri through the last four. There he scored both in a 2-0 win over Poland and was again on target in the final as West Germany were defeated 3-1. Rossi was top goalscorer and player of the tournament, later to be crowned European and World Player of the year.

11- Cruijff
12- Baggio
13- Bobby Charlton
14- Cafu
15- Maldini
16-G Hurst
17- Klose
18- Platini
19- J Fontaine
20 Romario

21- Eusebio
22- Jairzinho
23- D Zoff
24 Canavaro
25- Kempes
...

 

That would be more like a "honorable" name ... agree.
Puskas was so unfortunate to be injured right before the WC 54, and he was "forced" to play with the pain ( and fatness .. a la R9 at WC06) to save HOPE for Hungary winning their 1st and probably last WC ... he was so CLOSE ... with his disallowed goal in 89minutes to extend the game to extra time.

 

Os 100 Craques das Copas (Placar Magazine)
In october/2005, the Brazilian magazine Placar published the list of the
best 100 players of all World Cups. The choosed ones are listed below, classified
from the best to the last.

1 - PELÉ (Brazil)
2 - GARRINCHA (Brazil)
3 - MARADONA (Argentina)
4 - BECKENBAUER (Germany)
5 - RONALDO (Brazil)
6 - CRUYFF (Netherlands)
7 - PUSKAS (Hungary)
8 - ROMÁRIO (Brazil)
9 - ZIDANE (France)
10 - EUSÉBIO (Portugal)

11 - Lothat MATTHÄUS (Germany)
12 - DIDI (Brazil)
13 - NÍLTON SANTOS (Brazil)
14 - Gordon BANKS (Endland)
15 - GÉRSON (Brazil)
16 - JAIRZINHO (Brazil)
17 - Just FONTAINE (France)
18 - OBDULIO VARELA (Uruguay)
19 - Michel PLATINI (France)
20 - Roberto RIVELLINO (Brazil)

21 - FRITZ WALTER (Germany)
22 - Daniel PASSARELLA (Argentina)
23 - Lev YASHIN (USSR)
24 - ROBERTO BAGGIO (Italy)
25 - Mário KEMPES (Argentina)
26 - PAOLO ROSSI (Italy)
27 - LEANDRO ANDRADE (Uruguay)
28 - GERD MÜLLER (Germany)
29 - RIVALDO (Brazil)
30 - Josef "Sepp" MAIER (Germany)

31 - Giuseppe MEAZZA (Italy)
32 - Hristo STOITCHKOV (Bulgaria)
33 - Robert "BOBBY" CHARLTON (England)
34 - Paul BREITNER (Germany)
35 - Franco BARESI (Italy)
36 - Karl-Heinz RUMMENIGGE (Germany)
37 - ZICO (Brazil)
38 - Lilian THURAM (France)
39 - Josef MASOPUST (Czechoslovakia)
40 - Dino ZOFF (Italy)

41 - Paulo FALCÃO (Brazil)
42 - Robert RENSENBRINK (Netherlands)
43 - Carlos GAMARRA (Paraguay)
44 - Guillermo STÁBILE (Argentina)
45 - Claudio CANIGGIA (Argentina)
46 - Gheorghe HAGI (Romania)
47 - TOSTÃO (Brazil)
48 - CAFU (Brazil)
49 - Ubaldo FILLOL (Argentina)
50 - MICHAEL LAUDRUP (Denmark)

51 - Gary LINEKER (England)
52 - Zbigniew BONIEK (Poland)
53 - JÚNIOR (Brazil)
54 - Sandor KOCSIS (Hungary)
55 - Jean TIGANA (France)
56 - Cláudio TAFFAREL (Brazil)
57 - Johan NEESKENS (Netherlands)
58 - BEBETO (Brazil)
59 - Uwe SEELER (Germany)
60 - Silvio PIOLA (Italy)
61 - LEÔNIDAS DA SILVA (Brazil)
62 - Grzegorz LATO (Poland)
63 - CARECA (Brazil)
64 - Robert "BOBBY" MOORE (England)
65 - Mário ZAGALLO (Brazil)
66 - DJALMA SANTOS (Brazil)
67 - PAOLO MALDINI (Italy)
68 - Raymond KOPA (France)
69 - Jürgen KLINSMANN (Germany)
70 - VAVÁ (Brazil)
71 - Teófilo CUBILLAS (Peru)
72 - CARLOS ALBERTO TORRES (Brazil)
73 - Roger MILLA (Cameroon)
74 - Salvatore "Totó" SCHILACCHI (Italy)
75 - Davor SUKER (Croatia)

76 - Elías FIGUEROA (Chile)
77 - Osvaldo ARDILES (Argentina)
78 - Marius TRESOR (France)
79 - RONALDINHO GAÚCHO (Brazil)
80 - DOMINGOS DA GUIA (Brazil)
81 - Juan SCHIAFFINO (Uruguay)
82 - Oliver KAHN (Germany)
83 - ZIZINHO (Brazil)
84 - DUNGA (Brazil)
85 - Paul GASCOIGNE (England)
86 - DIRCEU (Brazil)
87 - Luigi RIVA (Italy)
88 - Dennis BERGKAMP (Netherlands)
89 - ROBERTO CARLOS (Brazil)
90 - Oleg BLOKHIN (USSR)
91 - TONINHO CEREZZO (Brazil)
92 - Gaetano SCIREA (Italy)
93 - Nandor HIDEGKUTI (Hungary)
94 - Michael OWEN (England)
95 - ADEMIR MENEZES (Brazil)
96 - Mathias SINDELAR (Austria)
97 - SÓCRATES (Brazil)
98 - Rudi KROL (Netherlands)
99 - Andreas BREHME (Germany)
100 - Jorge VALDANO (Argentina)

 

Puskas came to the WC54 in good fitness (but very fat like R9 at WC06)

the "Controversy WC1954" was well known enough back then as a Message to the world that Germany NT became a world power team - at ALL COST -
Most people knew of the "controversy" disallowed gaol from Puskas in the final, but they might not know the more "controversy" happening between the two countries in group stage.

1 - Puskas (good fit) led the Hungary to thrash the SAME Germany NT in group stage 8-3 with Puskas a goal and many assists + pre-assists (creation chances)
2- Ironically, Germany DF Webner Leirich TACKLED on Puskas that caused the best player to be out of the WC (just like Pele and Bulgaria and Portugal at WC66). Germany surely did not want to see Puskas in the final (!)

So in the final, still under treatment and painful, Puskas was "forced" to play and led the team to win the WC as many expected. He did rather great as a 'half injured' player ... in the final

===========================================
Thanks for the question so I did re-watch the game.
Puskas was playing deeper and less active then his normal games. However he did a few good movements besides his 2 goals (1 disallowed at 89min)
- at 17mins, he dribbled into the area with 3 Germans surrounding and the last one (Liebrich the one who hacked him injured in group stage) dived into him to get off the ball ... Another controversy, as in this modern game he would get a RED and Puskas would make a PK for that.
- Puskas made 3 shots 1 wide and 2 saved by GK
- Puskas made a nice dummy move (like Rivaldo made for Ronaldo in final 02) to give Cziborg a clear chance to shoot but he did not bury the goal,

- That's for Puskas game, now in general Hungary was a clear better team in attack with many chances:
1- Hidegkuti forced gk to save and hit the bar. He had 2 good shots saved
2- Kocis hit the bar with a header in 67mins, and had 2 shots saved
3- Cziborg had 3 clear shots 2 saved by GK and 1 hit the DF on the way back to goal
4- Puskas had 3 shots on goals and 1 long shot off target (1 TYING goal disallowed)

 

Yes Pele at WC66 was so obvious with 3 vital tackles from 2 teams/2games Bulgaria and then Portugal. Puskas was a one time incidence so it was much less a big deal (coincidence)
WC66 = England fame by all means (controversy)

Well then you should watch the game yourself instead of refer to someone's opinion 0 especially in such a "controversy" event WC final . WC54 was all but Germany fame with a controversy - well known.
=================================================

You sould know the power of media .... by now?
Controversial Maradona hand goal could turn into a "hand of God" !
then almost 50years later, FIFA granted Puskas a "goldenball" for his WC54 lost is another story = not by coincidence. (despite of playing 3 games like you said?)

Look, regardless all the rumors, and coincidence or controversy, it was a "dream" for any top FW/attacker to have scored for their team in the final WC - Puskas scored 2 (1 clear unfair disallowed) is a great effort - (even we ignored his fitness).
Look at Messi and CR7 as both great players in this era, and howmany goals they could make in a WC, let along a WC final???

 

Bobby Moore participated more WC and had consistent performance. Plus he was a defender category ... while Boby Charlton had many attackers to fight for his place in TOP10 ...

I think ...

 

Watch the game again... they were still the easy winner with a lot of chances squander ... by Kocis (2) Puskas (2) Cziborg (3) , Hidegkuti (2) Toth (1) ...

Germany team won 2goals by Hungary mistakes:
1- Zalakis made a bad clear out to hand Rahn a scoring free
2- GK made a bad clear out (from FK) , and again, Rahn had a nice shot over ...

Only the 3rd goal was reasonable good as a "team attack"

 

Ok let's continue the best World cup players in history with Bleacher report in 2011

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...reatest-world-cup-players-of-all-time/page/71

World Football: The 100 Greatest World Cup Players of All Time
By Andrew Jeromski, Contributor May 23, 2011

1. PELE, Brazil (1958, 62, 66, 70)
2. DIEGO MARADONA, Argentina (1982, 86, 90, 94)
3. GARRINCHA, Brazil (1958, 62, 66)
4. RONALDO, Brazil (1998, 02, 06)
5. GERD MULLER, West Germany (1970, 74)
6. ZINEDINE ZIDANE, France (1998, 02, 06)
7. FERENC PUSKAS, Hungary, Spain (1954, 1962)
8. JUST FONTAINE, France (1958)
9. JOHANN CRUYFF, Netherlands (1974)
10. FRANZ BECKENBAUER, West Germany (1966, 1970, 1974)

11. BOBBY MOORE, England (1962, 66, 70)
12. DIDI, Brazil (1954, 58, 62)
13. ROMARIO, Brazil (1990, 94)
14. MICHEL PLATINI, France (1978, 82, 86)
15. PAOLO ROSSI, Italy (1978, 82)
16. GRZEGORZ LATO, Poland (1974, 78, 82)
17. GIUSEPPE MEAZZA, Italy (1934, 38)
18. BOBBY CHARLTON, England (1962, 66, 70)
19. LOTHAR MATTHAUS, West Germany (1982, 86, 90, 94, 98)
20. PAOLO MALDINI, Italy (1994, 98, 02)

21- Jairzinho, Brazil (1966, 70, 74)
22- Eusebio, Portugal (1966)
23- Dino Zoff, Italy (1974, 78, 82)
24- Luis Monti Argentina/Italy (1930, 34)
25- Rivaldo, Brazil (1998, 2002)
26- Roberto Baggio, Italy (1990, 94, 98)
27- Rummenigge, West Germany (1978, 82, 86)
28- Gordon Banks, England (1966, 70)
29- Lev Yashin, USSR (1958, 62, 66)
30. Miroslav Klose, Germany (2002, 06, 10)

....

 

guys let's open another thread for WC54 controversy, agree?

 

Learn??? you must be kidding me.
For the record, you never won me once in any debate arguments, even you can rely with some "masters" from xtra time to back you up ... LOL

I was there in XTRA time (after Soccerpulse gone) and before joining permanent here in Bigsoccer