If you had to nominate....

[Ollie Reed]

3 players in a greatest ever player poll, who would they be?

1) Maradona.
2) Di Stefano.
3) Pele.

(Albert Kidd just missing out in 4th).

[RoslinInstHibby]

1.) Maradona
2.) Pele
3.) Zidane

[Moody Mulder]

1) Pele
2) Maradona
3) Duncan (Arthur)

[hibsfan7]

1 pele
2 maradona
3 cruyff

[steviecarnie]

im going to be controversial and only pick players who ive seen play in my life time (26yrs)

1) Maradona
2) Zidane
3) Messi

[Ritchie]

in my lifetime (i mean those who i was old enough to watch when i knew what football was all about) ....

1) Giggs
2) Messi
3) Christiano Ronaldo

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Players I've watched live, no particular order - Matthaus, Baresi & Van Basten, others are better, but, only saw them on the box.

[HibbyAndy]

Maradona
Pele
Van Basten.

[steve75]

in my time,

Messi
Zidane
Giggs
(C. Ronaldo close 4th)


I find it weird how everyone always states the best players being the most skillful, when it's always about the whole team. So for hardest worker/getting the ball of these skillful players.

Gattuso
Fletcher
Canavaro

[Dunbar Hibee]

No George Best mentioned yet? Hmm..

Anyway in my lifetime : Ronaldo (Brazillian)
Zidane
Messi

[Thomson1875]

1. Messi
2. Christiano Ronaldo
3. Frank Sauzee

[Mango Man]

1. Messi
2. Christiano Ronaldo
3. Frank Sauzee

WHAT!! Can't believe you would put Ronaldo in yer top 3!! :wink:

[steviecarnie]

when i knew what football was all about) ....


still waiting for that day are u not ritchie :bye:

[Ritchie]

still waiting for that day are u not ritchie :wink:

hhhmm....

anyone wanting a free ticket to the europa league game???.... one has suddenly become spare..... :whistle:

[Pretty Boy]

Players i have seen playing:

1. Maradonna- Just somethign else, only caught the tail end of his career but he was special.
2. Zidane- So calm on the ball, made things happen for other around him.
3. Messi- Could be the best ever, so fast, skiillful and deceptively strong for his size, scores and creates goals.

Players currently playing

1. Messi- See above
=2. Xavi
=2. Iniesta- These 2 are inseperable, when they play next to each other they have everything good midfielders should. Rarely waste a pass, a great work rate, strong in the tackle, outstanding vision. Probably the 2 most complete footballers in the world today.

[Ritchie]

Players i have seen playing:

1. Maradonna- Just somethign else, only caught the tail end of his career but he was special.
2. Zidane- So calm on the ball, made things happen for other around him.
3. Messi- Could be the best ever, so fast, skiillful and deceptively strong for his size, scores and creates goals.

Players currently playing

1. Messi- See above
=2. Xavi
=2. Iniesta- These 2 are inseperable, when they play next to each other they have everything good midfielders should. Rarely waste a pass, a great work rate, strong in the tackle, outstanding vision. Probably the 2 most complete footballers in the world today.

completely agree :agree:

[Purehibee_MYB]

1.Messi
2.Maradona
3.Dalgleish(Paul)

[LancashireHibby]

Only going by players that I've actually watched in person, I'd go for;

1) Ronaldinho (when at his pomp at Barca)
2) Ryan Giggs - sheer class throughout his career
3) Youri Djorkaeff - just pips Okocha, an absolute privelige to watch him week-in, week-out when he was at Bolton; almost Sauzée-esque

[blackpoolhibs]

1st Stanton
2nd Sauzee
3rd Tortolano, only kidding. Dougie Bell.

[Greentinted]

Pele
Maradona
Eusebio

The 3rd just shades it from Best as George never played in a WC Finals.

Special mentions for Zidane, Gascoigne and Carlton Palmer :greengrin

[Si_17]

Zidane
Ronaldo (the original)
Bergkamp

[jgl07]

1. Eusebio

2. Pele

3. Messi

Including only players I have seen live.

[Woody1985]

Pele
Maradona
Eusebio

The 3rd just shades it from Best as George never played in a WC Finals.

Special mentions for Zidane, Gascoigne and Carlton Palmer :greengrin

Neither would Eusebio if he wasn't taken to Portugal. :greengrin

I know a lot is made of the WC finals but when players such as Giggs and Best are 'put down' for it I find it completely bizarre that it's seen as a negative. It's not their fault the rest of their countries players are pish!

I mean, c'mon, just because Best never got to play against the likes of North Korea or New Zealand makes him slightly less of a player. Crazy!

This isn't just aimed at you, it's aimed at everyone who says this, including all the so called experts etc on TV who say the same thing.

[Greentinted]

Neither would Eusebio if he wasn't taken to Portugal. :greengrin

I know a lot is made of the WC finals but when players such as Giggs and Best are 'put down' for it I find it completely bizarre that it's seen as a negative. It's not their fault the rest of their countries players are pish!

I mean, c'mon, just because Best never got to play against the likes of North Korea or New Zealand makes him slightly less of a player. Crazy!

This isn't just aimed at you, it's aimed at everyone who says this, including all the so called experts etc on TV who say the same thing.

As it goes I concur but at the same time I would love to have seen Best play on that stage against the likes of Brazil, Argentina and Italy. Its a perrenial (and academic) argument I suppose and I would suggest that Best's Man Utd (1968) would have been a match for any International side of the day.
Eusebio I think would have graced any team in any era but its a close call. I just fancied throwing another name in and thought he'd been neglected or overlooked.

[ekhibee]

1. Pele
2. Maradonna
3. Cruyff

[IWasThere2016]

1st Stanton
2nd Sauzee
3rd Tortolano, only kidding. Dougie Bell.

:tsk tsk: EVERYONE knows it's O'Rourke at no3. :agree:

[Barney McGrew]

Basing it purely on players I've seen in the flesh:

Zidane
Messi
Xavi

[Woody1985]

When people say 'players I've seen in the flesh', does this give you some kind of forum superiority and make you feel a little bit better about yourself? I have a little :tee hee: when I see it written.

Note, this is light hearted and not having a dig because I'd love to have seen some of the players mentioned. Although I did see Messi Vs Hanlon. :greengrin

[Hibs On Tour]

1. Maradona - could do things with a ball no other player could
2. Puskas - absolutely incredible striker, particularly during Real's euro glory days
3. Maldini - in his prime, the best defender of all time

Pele out because he was surrounded by players on the same wavelength as him. Cryuff for same reason. Best because of his self-destruction stopping him hitting the heights he should have [although he very nearly made it anyway - so far ahead of his peers it was scary]

[broonie27]

Having not seen enough of Pele or De Stefano (over a 90 min match as opposed to the usual potted highlights) I would have to go on players i've watched in the last 30 years.

1. Maradonna (by a county mile)
2. Cruyff
3. Platini

[stu in nottingham]

1. George Best
2. Pele
3. Maradona

[matty_f]

1 Sauzee
2 Sauzee
3 Sauzee.

FACT.:greengrin

[yekimevol]

1. zidane - greatest of all time he could go forward as well as Pele or Diego but also defend that’s were i think he pips Pele and Diego.

2.P.Maldini - cant think of my others that could defend like him or near his consistent standard.

3.Maradonna - played in some average teams and took them all the way to finals by himself
Pele normally had god players with him and around him only reason its not Pele.

[MWHIBBIES]

Best i have seen are
Zidane
Ronaldinho (at his best)
Henry(for arsenal)

[DH1875]

Maradona
Zidane
Michel

Don't know about Pele, Cruyff, Puskas etc as they were before my time.

[marinello59]

1. George Best. He never played in a World Cup finals but he had the lot. Football that made you smile.

2. Maradonna. Street fitba, totally natural.

3. Pele. The best Brazilian player ever, that guarantees him top three status IMHO.