Dude, I never said that Zidane did not have vision nor precision.... I simply said that Riquelme, Valderrama, and Xavi, all have better vision and better precision than Zidane. If I looked for videos of Roman Riquelme in Villarreal, Riquelme would have much more passes than Zinedine Zidane. My argument is very simple, Zinedine Zidane in 10 games would make approximately 5 assists; on the other hand, Riquelme in 10 games would make approximately 10 assists. If you look at the number of matches that Zinedine Zidane played, the number of matches that Zidane played that are available on video, and the number of great assists from Zidane.... You would see why Zinedine Zidane is not as good as Roman Riquelme when it comes to passing the ball. The fact of the matter is, Roman Riquelme in one World Cup (2006) gave more assists than Zinedine Zidane in two World Cups (1998, 2006) -- simple statistics -- Riquelme has made more assists than Zidane because Riquelme is the better passer. And Carlos Valderrama and Xavi Hernandez are also better passers, as can be appreciated by simple considering the statistics: amount of games played, amount of assists made. Zidane was a great player, but he is massively overrated by many people today. If you bother looking at other lesser known players, you will see that a lot of players were better passers than Zidane. Where Zidane really stood out as one of the greatest of all times, was in the art of shielding the ball and dribbling with the ball, only a few were as good as him in that respect. To be honest, I think it is unrealistic to even think about Zinedine Zidane as one of the top five best passers of all times, just unrealistic. I don't even think Zidane makes it into the top ten list, there are a lot of players who were better passers, but get much less attention.
And I never claimed said that, but you are underplaying his passing ability. Yes, a lot of times he did just dribble past a player then lay off the pass, but his weight, timing, and speed of the pass was surely among the best. And just because a player has more assists does not mean they were a better playmaker.
Totally agree with you about the bold part. In ball control, I can put him in TOP5 besst, in passing as TOP10 (but pretty much from 8-10) in dribbling outside TOP25, in freekick outside TOP25
If we mean as control trapping, movement with ball and creativity on it ON THE FIELD: 1 Pele 2.Zidane 3. Maradona If we assume tricks,juggling,training: 1.Ronaldinho,C.Ronaldo 2. Okocha,Ibra ect
Whatever you meant, Zidane could never be same techniques/control as Maradona (who was at least same as Pele if not better - and I am a diehard Brazilian fan) Inter of tricks: CRonaldo was a joker, please do not even mention him here. Maradona was still a master of all (Roanldinho only tried to COPYCAT whatever Maradona did in training with much less success) I think you have NEVER watched Maradona in action, but maybe only youtube???
I am not Brazil fan, but sorry: Pele's control was AT LEAST slice better, than ZZ and M10. Watch video. Oh,no. Ronaldo did the tricks,which M10 couldnt. Same for R10. He didnt copy anybody. If that case M10 just copy Sivori. R10 in training have MORE succes than M10. M10 better dribbler in the game.than R10 and CR,but not about tricks.You mix the IN GAME and TRICKS for M10 - you like him,I understtod. In the game most succesful dribblers - Pele,Garrincha and in tricks - R10 ect. M10 was good in both,but not comparable to R10 and many others in tricks and training skills. And I think you only watched M10 PR's youtube films and didnt see the matches with him. And about Pele you didnt watched IMO nothing?
I watched Football since early 70's and WC74 was my very first live WC. I have watched most of Maradona, Zico, Platini, to lately Zidane Ronaldo Roandlinho Messi ... OK duh?? For Pele I admitted I have limited games (mostly his WC games and some important games with Santos: libertadore, inter continental cups, some paulista ... But I did a lot of research on Pele - who I truely think the greatest player.
So, I watched sicne 1970 and the oldest matches I have in DVDs. So I am. Ive watched Cruyff, M10, Zico, Platini ect - a lot of FULL GAMES. For Pele I have I think all availiable matches (in Europe at least) - WC, friendlies, CL, Paulista, Taca and RSP. I did deep research too - I have a lot of his stats,calculated by watching his games. A lot of DVDs and stats on him.
In my opinion, the simple fact that you have placed Zidane above Maradona is nonsensical. Post a video clip of the best passes that Zidane made in a World Cup game..... And..... Compare the best passes of Zidane with the best passes of Maradona, Riquelme, Valderrama, Veron, amongst other footballers whom I will not even mention. I can appreciate that you are a massive fan of Zinedine Zidane, which is cool, but I'm just being realistic with you; I think you place factors such as entertainment value and style or elegance, above how good the player actually is in terms of other factors. Had Maradona had the world class players that surrounded Zidane, Maradona would have won at least two World Cups; not to mention the great footballers that surrounded Zidane at club level. Also, when comparing Maradona to Ronaldinho, Maradona was clearly the better player, like Lio Messi, Maradona had more than enough skill and talent to do everything that Ronaldinho could do, but Maradona played FOR the team, NOT for the razzle dazzle party tricks. Ronaldinho has always been about the razzle dazzle party tricks, great player, but Brazil did won the 2002WC when Ronaldinho was not the number ten (Rivaldo was the number ten), and Brazil was dull in the 2006WC when Ronaldinho was the number ten; the type of thing that happens when you have a razzle dazzler as your number ten. On the other hand, Maradona could do the party tricks if he wanted to, it just wasn't his priority as a number ten.
I am a younger generation fan never seen Zico,Pele, Maradona or other oldie goldie play live. My best passer would be from my research from youtube and players whom I have seen life. I also do not watch any league other than LA LIGA,EPL,SERIE A and bundesliga. So I will rate the current best passer in these top league. My rating would based on the impact there passing makes,their accuracy and range. 1. Xavi(he is persistent and his through ball are class) 2. Alonso(his long ball is best currently) 3. Sniejder(simply world class) 4. Bastain schweinsteiger,sory if spelling is wrong(he is a player to watch). 5. Fabregas(although injury plauged bt when up to full fitness,he is the best) 6. Pirlo(a class apart, especially long) 7. Iniesta(a superb short and through) 8. Scholes(can produce magic passes). 9. Gerrard(outstanding range) 10. Giggs(magic balls). I know I have left Mascherano,Beckham, Lampard, Charlie Adams and others but they have not reach the level the top 10 are, i know lampard is a superb assister and Adams has outstanding range but the top10 are little superior at present. If I have missed out any one pleasd rectify me.
You're very well spot on. Most younger fans (wrongly) overated Zidane's capability, as either they mixed up the between "passing balls around" with "visionary pass" , or did not have a clear definition of "truely great passes" and "truely great dribble". Zidane was a great legend and deserved to be among the ALL times (TOP15) but that did not make him being "closed' to the bests in TOP3,4 as unthinkable. Ronaldinho was extremely skillful in dribbling and passing, but somehow he could only do great in few years time at Barca and was just good in top games at WC - very good in WC02 and below average in WC06
I searched a lot for platini in youtube but unfortunately they always show his goals only (don't you just hate when they never show great players specialties but rather only goals; like when you search for beckenbauer and passarella they show their goals most of the time!!). Anyways, other than the videos provided before of his passes I found this through ball in the game vs portugal in euro 84 watch at 0:55 [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW8DAjJaD-0"]YouTube - France v Portugal 1984 European Championships - one of the greatest games of all time[/ame] But my friend told me that platini didnt reach the level of zico or maradona or laudrup when it came to skimming a ball between a number of defenders, but he rather gave less through balls and when he did it had a dip. I tend to agree with him
Well to be fair, Platini was just a tiny bit behind Maradona and Zico in short passing and thru balls passing. His short pass (in general) was still among the top5 best. But I do agree that in particular skimming, split defense, 1 &2 or so Z10 and M10 were the best there ever since. Not even Cruyff, nor Pele could be equal. Laudrup pulled some legendary passing skills in his best form, but he was so inconsistent to be on part with the likes M10, P10 and Z10. Laudrup was even behind many P10, Cr14, ZZ10, Di9 and DiDi in term of quality and QUANTITY
I am not massive fan of ZZ - its false. I saw a lot of games of both M10 and ZZ and my verdict based on effectivness (not elegance) - Zidane was better passer,but weakerplayer then M10. Its debatable about players around M10 and ZZ in Juve or in France. I dont think that they were better. And does it matter,then we talking about passing? We dont talk about winning trophies,but about passing. About R10 and M10.Yes,M10 was better player, but he couldnt do ALL tricks of R10. No way. Comparing to R10 he was more "team" player and had less tricks, but comparing to Messi he was less tem player and had more tricks. And i disagree what M10 was "team" player comparing to other greats. The greatest team players were Beckenbauer,Pele,Cruyff,Platini,Zidane. Maradona? I doubt. The insinuation of " he could if he want" I can do with ALL great players. Its not proved. If Pele want,If Cruyff want... They could dribble 11 players every game. Ithink you a huge fan of M10
Now see these are the statements that really make me hate zidane. Somehow people give him more than he deserves.
how can you claim that zidane is better in passing than M10 when he is not even better than say xavi, riquelme?!
I would say passing ability is too subjective a quality to be judged properly. For e.g. some people might prefer those players who concentrate on passing consistently and maintaining possession while some others might prefer players who can deliver 2 killer passes per match, which might then decide the game. One thing that we can all possibly agree upon though is that the range of directions for passing i.e. the no. of different directions that a player can pass to, will depend on a player's two-footedness. For e.g. consider a player standing with the ball at his feet and facing 12 o'clock while having his teammates standing from 9 to 3 o'clock to recieve a long pass. In such a scenario, if the player is majorly right footed, he will not be able to pass with any power and precision in the direction of 1, 2 & 3 o'clock unless he turns to face those directions first or tries the Rabona(which is again not quite as accurate and powerful, especially in the 2 o'clock direction). If on the other hand, the player is two-footed, then he will have no problem in playing a long pass to any direction from 9 to 3 o clock. In the above, two-footed players like Zidane have an advantage over predominantly one-footed players like Maradona, when it comes to passing.
in general, what you said is true but it ONLY applies to average or very good players level. Maradona, Pele, or even Cruyff & Zico ... were special players who came once in a lifetime (or at least I have not yet seen any close to them in talents). Maradona's one footer was enough to surpass any 2 footed players becuase he was so skillful. You can say, Zidane's 2 footed was an advantage if compared to Rivaldo ... but NOT maradona sorry ... Rooney and Gerrard are both two footed as well, but that did NOT help them to be better than Rivaldo in passing/assist/playmaking ... (eventhough that's not Rivaldo's strength_) If Maradona's right foot would be 80% of his left in maneuvour, he would be the real GOD, not Pele!
Chk at 4:31 in this video, and you will understand what I mean. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--ACUzCCza8"]YouTube - Maradona passing[/ame] His left was amazing, but some things are just not possible for a human being to do, Maradona or no Maradona.
I knew exactly what you meant and I have watched a lot of his games - that's how I appreciated his skills. For that pass he still reached Batistuta ( abit short though) You imagine if he would/could do with his right then Batigol might have scored? maybe, maybe not ... It's always EASY aftermath - watching replay with the whole court in front, but on the pitch, many could have NOT even see Batistuta in that good position!!! No one is "perfect" , but he (and Pele) was so close - the important thing is that he did COMPLETE mostly 90% of his pass and he got a widest range of "visionary passing" (or killing touch) among the bests. His number of direct assists was only second to Pele or maybe Zico ... THAT"S COUNT ================================================= Bottom line, Maradona is Maradona the best 1 leftfooted in Football history. One could also fantasize that IF Puskas could use his right foot, many be he would have scored more than Pele? May be or maybe not... It's like "chicken and eggs" which comes first??? I can counter argue that IF Maradona and Puskas could use their right foot, then MAYBE their left would become much less agile and amazing as they got used to? Great genius turned their weakness into best weapon to overcome situation: - Maradona, Puskas with their rightfoot - perfect or near perfect ballance - Garrincha with the shorter leg to help him to wrongfooting oponents, by "faking" movements in lower the shoulder updown naturally - Cruyff, Ronaldo turned their high center gravity into explosive dribble run using thei thunder speed combined with agile ball control
Actually I just remember Maradona did pass with his right foot at WC90 against Brazil; he stole the ball from his own half, passed 2 opponents and drawn 3 more and passed to Cannigia with his RIGHT FOOT [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0cyXpEqiXk&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0cyXpEqiXk&feature=related[/ame] A genius of the game could "CREATE" a goal from NOTHING
This assist by Maradona is just genius! It was him and Caniggia against 4 Brazilian defenders and Diego still managed to create the goal. On top of that he started with a run from midfield, beating one and then resisting a second defender from behind. Amazing!
I dont know if he was mentioned, but I think that Dragan "Piksi" Stojkovic derserves a mention even tough I was too young to have seen him but I have heard about him and was impressed with his videos. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvGvBG473v4"]YouTube - Dragan Stojkovic Long Passes (Wide Vision)[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvcHfeMfB0s"]YouTube - Dragan Stojkovic Short Passes Compilation ????????[/ame]