Zidane himself would laugh at you lot for putting him above the names on that list. Such a shame people don't know the history of this game. Then they'd see how funny it is to hear "Zidane was the best player ever!". I respect informed, intelligent opinions. That's about it.
Full ignorance ? Tell me why everytime there is a pool with french ppl, Zidane is vastly considered as the best french player ever. It is not even close. Since the French have followed and watched Platini, Kopa, Zidane and co the most for obvious reasons, they are the most qualified to judge their abilities and influence. Why a miserable ... has to consider a post "full of ignorance" when, in the same post, he suggests (implies) that the omission of Just Fontaine is stupid. Are you 80 ? Are you one of the few 80+ person who had the time and the cash in that era to have a Tv and actually watching it ? Can you honestly tell us that u have watched extensive minutes of Just Fontaine's play ? Cant you just sftu ? Btw, for your information, from the older french ppl, Kopa was vastly considered as the best french player before Platini. Never Kopa despite his wonderful WC. It is like naming Klose one of the best forwards ever because of his goals in WC. Still talking about ignorance ?
Those people didn't watch the 1984 European Championships or Juventus from 82-87. Zidane doesn't deserve to wash Platinis crotch.
Yeah, i guess then none of the French people watched the European Championships or Juventus either since most of France (including older generations) rank Zidane ahead of Platini.
Most people who vote on these kinds of polls probably didn't. That's OK. Everyones diggin the new guy. Fact remains Platini dominated the 84 Euros and Serie A in ways Zidane couldn't dream of.
True, but Zidane brought France to 2 WC finals and a European Cup. We all remember how horrible the French were/are everytime Zidane was absent for the past 2 decades. Platini had better Frenchmen around him.
Zidane wasn't among the five best France players at the 1998 World Cup. People just remember the final. Fact is he was completely average up until that point. Platini had better players around him? Certainly. I don't see how that's relevant.
Your first statement is false. And if a player has a better supporting cast then his team is expected to achieve and win more. It's not difficult logic.
No it's not. Watch the games. He was far from France's best player up until the final. He won what, two major titles in five years playing with Ronaldo, Figo, and those guys? Put Platini on that team and they'd be unstoppable.
Dude, get your facts straight before making another comment. Also please don't come and post here that since you owned the game and watched it multiple times you remember better than - UEFA: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro2012/history/season=1988/index.html RSSSF: http://www.rsssf.com/tables/88e-full.html Who claim that - Gullit scored for 1-0 in the 33rd minute. Van Basten for 2-0 in the 54th minute. Interesting. Anyway, I am through with this discussion, since I have already made my vote and provided my justification for it. So cya later. P.S. Gullit scored a header.
You are a complete hypocrite. First you say that the only criteria is World Cup success when it supports your argument for one player. Even though that is the stupidest possible criteria, since the quality of teams are uneven and International matches constitute about 15% of a players matches and World Cup finals are what, 2%? Then, when it doesn't support your argument in the case of Platini Vs. Zidane, you completely ditch that argument and go the other direction. Using your latest logic, Johan Cruyff is the undisputed greatest of all time. His club career is so far beyond that of any of these people you are arguing about it is laughable. Whatever, arguing with you people is useless.
I said to be the best ever you have to win a World Cup. I'm not saying Platini is the best ever though. Just that he was better then Zidane. So how is that hypocritical?
The fact you cant see how flawed is your reasonning gives you the right to say it was not hypocritical. It was just plain dumb.
He played very well in the first two matches until he was red carded against Saudi Arabia. The French were horrible the next too games without him. France won the entire 1998 WC without any real forwards. Henry was world-class with Arsenal but very different with France. France won again with Zidane in Euro 2000. He was injured in Japan/Korea ´02 and the French couldn´t even score a goal. He came back in 2006, France goes to the final and has a good chance of winning until he´s sent off. Euro 2008/South Africa 2010 without Zidane and the French are horrible again. Euro ´92 was the only international tournament France managed to qualify from between Platini´s international retirement and Zidane coming on the scene, and they played like crap. Modern France would have nothing without him.
Most current French fans rank Zidane higher because they never saw Platini playing. As for older generations and football experts, they -ie active players, former players, coaches and journalists- voted in 2000 for Platini as the greatest French football player ever ahead of Zidane whereas he had just won EC2000 and was at his peak.
This is debattable. Platini had better midfielders alongside him but in 98 Zidane played with a better defense and in 2000 with better strikers as well (Henry, Trezeguet, Anelka). If I had to rank the teams it would be : 1- EC 2000 team (most balanced team between attack and defence) 2- EC 84/WC86 team (solid defence + brilliant midfield but lack of strikers up-front) 3- WC98 team (iron back-line and defensive midfield + Zidane's creativity but lack of strikers up-front) 4- WC82 team (same as WC86 with less experience and without Luis Fernandez to bulk up the midfield)
For the most part not disagreeing (I´d argue the 82 team was more creative than 86) but something happened psychologically when Zidane wasn´t on the pitch. Both had excellent passing ability with Zidane being the better dribbler, and Platini with a higher work ethic.
I don't disagree with you. As I stated several times on bigsoccer, Zidane had indeed a massive influence on the French team. However I still think Platini had an even bigger influence and that it was not due to the fact he had better players surrounding him. On a side note, Platini said in an interview that the 85-86 French team was potentially the best one in which he played but that due to his own injury and Giresse's one (as well as due to the non-selection of French striker and new star José Touré who got injured before the WC) France couldn't go as far as they should in the WC86.
the argument still comes down to pele and maradonna. I don't even like maradonna, but he deserves the respect as a player. moron as a person in my humble opinion.
Platini was not just "better in work ethic". Platini excels and surpassed Zidane in many different categories: 1- Set pieces (among the TOP5 best all time if not TOP3) 2- Long passing wth vision 3- Shooting/scoring 4- Leadership 5- Versatility (could play as CAM, left/right wing/forward, and even striker) Last and not least, Platini established among the all time greats with his (almost singlehandedly) win Euro84 for France and which is the FIRST BIG trophy ever for France football history. Zidane could not do that (without the solid team behind)- that;s HOW I always rated Platini HIGHER than the "public icon" Zidane.
Platini was not just "better in work ethic". Platini excels and surpassed Zidane in many different categories: 1- Set pieces (among the TOP5 best all time if not TOP3) 2- Long passing wth vision 3- Shooting/scoring 4- Leadership 5- Versatility (could play as CAM, left/right wing/forward, and even striker) Last and not least, Platini established among the all time greats with his (almost singlehandedly) win Euro84 for France and which is the FIRST BIG trophy ever for France football history. Platini left an "unbreakable record" of 9goals in 1 Euro tournament ever Zidane could not do that (without the solid team behind)- that;s HOW I always rated Platini HIGHER than the "public icon" Zidane.