Greatest male footballer of all time

[theonlywayisup]

Been a bit of a debate in the World Cup thread about the greatest player on the planet, so thought I would turn it into a poll.

So who do you think and why?

I got the list from this website:

https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-l...rs-of-all-time

Selecting players that I thought should be in the top ten and that the majority of the posters on here would have seen in action.

I realise it's difficult comparing a Messi/Ronaldo to a Cruyff to a Beckenbauer, but that's part of the fun.

There are many other players who could be listed such as Bergkamp, Best, Gullit, Henry, van Basten, Pirlo, Iniesta, Muller, plus many others. It could become a very long poll, hence why I limited to 11 players that experts usually talk about being the greats as per the website above.

[Sammy7nil]

Where is Denis Bergkamp surely some mistake with his omission

[theonlywayisup]

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Where is Denis Bergkamp surely some mistake with his omission

Based the list on the website link I attached - he was only 65th in that list.

I think the argument to include Bergkamp, would be the same for players like Gullit, Henry, van Basten, Pirlo, Iniesta, Muller, plus many others.

It could become a very long poll, hence why I limited to 11 players that experts usually talk about being the greats. Maybe the weak link in my list is Ronaldinho.

[howdenthehibby]

No George Best ?

[WestEndHibee]

David Gray

[frazeHFC]

Quite hard for me to say when the majority of them are before my time, but I'm not convinced we'll ever see anyone as good as Messi or Ronaldo again, certainly not two at the same time.

[My old man]

Nae Sir Kenny???

[hibsbollah]

Maradona.

[danhibees1875]

I think Messi and Ronaldo are better than Zidane, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo (Brazil) were - but I can't really compare (could anyone really?) with the others.

As said above, I think the quality of the "current best player" will drop in the next few years as we fail to see anyone hit their heights.

[Billy Whizz]

Johan Cruyff was my hero growing up in the 70’s, still think he was the complete player, individually and as a team player
Just a complete footballer in my opinion

[Dunbar Hibee]

Beckenbauer included but no George Best, Pele, Eusebio...?

[660]

Diego

[Barman Stanton]

Maradona for me still. Could change after this World Cup though, Ronaldo and Messi are incredible players.

[theonlywayisup]

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Beckenbauer included but no George Best, Pele, Eusebio...?

Maybe read the list again

[Sir David Gray]

Messi and Ronaldo are the only two in my adult lifetime (last 10-15 years) who would be thought of as the best ever.

I wasn't around for Maradona, Pele, Zico, Puskas, Beckenbauer, Cruyff etc so I can't comment on them although from what I've seen from old footage they were clearly world class players.

[Dunbar Hibee]

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Maybe read the list again

Right you are! Too much vino last night 😂

[calumhibee1]

Messi by a bawhair from Ronaldo.

[SouthMoroccoStu]

Ronaldinho

Played the game as it should be - with a big smile on his face

[MWHIBBIES]

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Ronaldinho

Played the game as it should be - with a big smile on his face

I think even Ronaldinho would laugh at this suggestion. He was incredible for 4 years but nothing close to the peak or consistency of Messi and Ronaldo.

Ronaldinho scored 94 goals in 5 years for Barcelona, Messi scored 73 in one season and 91 in the year of 2012.

[theonlywayisup]

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No George Best ?

Not a trick question, but what has George Best achieved to be on a list of the top 11 players of all time. Not denying he was a great player, one of the best from the British Isles, but the greatest male footballer of all time? To be included in the list of greatest players of all time, I think you've got to do it at the World Cup or Euros latter stages, which George Best never did. Yes, he wasn't playing in a great team, but there are enough examples of nations that became great teams on the back of just one superstar (e.g. Hagi at Romania)

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Nae Sir Kenny???

Question as per George Best

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Beckenbauer included but no George Best, Pele, Eusebio...?

Eusebio - good shout and I did consider including him and Puskas. Both from a generation well before my time.

[makaveli1875]

Didnt see half these guys play but from who i did Messi closely followed by Maradonna , hard to choose between those 2

[Juice-Terry]

Maradona.

[Pretty Boy]

I always think when people discuss the current best players and include only Messi and Ronaldo the one player who can feel most aggrieved to be missed out of the discussion is Iniesta.

He's done it domestically, done it in Europe, done it internationally. He should have won at least one Balon d'or. He's about as close to a complete midfielder as I've seen. He turns up in the big games; scored the winner and was man of the match in the WC final, man of the match in the Euros final. He has a habit of popping up with big goals at the right time. I think much like Paul Scholes a generation before him he suffers from not being as glamorous or marketable as his peers.

He's a joy to watch and is one of those players who seems to create time and space for himself and controls the pace of the game to suit himself and his team. He's a player who would sit with the greats of any generation and, whilst obviously different, is right up there with Messi and Ronaldo.

[Since90+2]

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I always think when people discuss the current best players and include only Messi and Ronaldo the one player who can feel most aggrieved to be missed out of the discussion is Iniesta.

He's done it domestically, done it in Europe, done it internationally. He should have won at least one Balon d'or. He's about as close to a complete midfielder as I've seen. He turns up in the big games; scored the winner and was man of the match in the WC final, man of the match in the Euros final. He has a habit of popping up with big goals at the right time. I think much like Paul Scholes a generation before him he suffers from not being as glamorous or marketable as his peers.

He's a joy to watch and is one of those players who seems to create time and space for himself and controls the pace of the game to suit himself and his team. He's a player who would sit with the greats of any generation and, whilst obviously different, is right up there with Messi and Ronaldo.

Fantastic player but for me he isn't even the best midfielder Barcelona have had in recent years , that award IMO goes to Xavi.

[snooky]

No dispute with the top choices however, I'd definitely rate Cruyff a lot higher. Likewise Maradonna.

[CropleyWasGod]

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No dispute with the top choices however, I'd definitely rate Cruyff a lot higher. Likewise Madonna.

And we're off.

Mother of Christ. You really think so?

[snooky]

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And we're off.

Mother of Christ. You really think so?

Not sure if that was spellcheck or me just having a craft moment.
Thought I'd manage to change it before the punsters latched on to it.
Anyway, to continue , 'Madonna' was a better player than a manger.

[CropleyWasGod]

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Not sure if that was spellcheck or me just having a craft moment .
Thought I'd manage to change it before the punters cottoned on.
Anyway, to continue , 'Madonna' was a better player than a manger.

Immaculate, I'd say.

[ancient hibee]

These lists are always weighted in favour of attacking players(unfairly I think)because they do more spectacular things.

[spike220]

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These lists are always weighted in favour of attacking players(unfairly I think)because they do more spectacular things.

Is that you Terry?