Best Footballer Ever

[Al Needham Loyal]

Does that really make a difference though?

Like I genuinely don't really understand why it changes anything. Nobody would put Cannavaro ahead of Maldini just because he played for Real Madrid.

The only thing Ronaldo has over Messi is his height / therefore aerial ability.

I'm not sure that Maldini/Cannavaro is a comparison similar to Ronaldo/Messi but I take your point.

 

[Kennylax15]

I know it’s not technically Rangers related, but often wondered who was the best footballer ever?
How would Pele, Puskas, Cruyff, Best etc. play on todays manicured lawns with the advances in footwear, kit, balls etc. Turn on head, how would Ronaldo 1 & 2, Messi, Neymar etc. play on the tattie fields with pit boots, pigs bladders and cotton tops, getting clobbered every 10 minutes. To me, that’s why Pele was and will ever be the best ever. Thoughts?

McCoist

 

[bornabluenose]

Pele.

 

[Davidsmith1]

R9

 

[TheFantasticNinetiesFox]

C Ronaldo is hard to argue with when you consider the goals records and trophies. He's the most accomplished. The greatest is Maradona, most gifted Messi and most intelligent Cruyff. In my opinion

He is the most accomplished…I mean except for Messi.

 

[johnto]

There’s probably a reason the vast majority of professionals, past or present in football, be it managers or players etc, say Messi.

Any other answer and you’re wrong, probably because of personal bias and wanting your pick to be the best.

 

[agentcooper]

For me there is no doubt, it's Messi.

 

[Rangers daft]

I'd watch Ronaldinho over any player past or present. The way he played the game was an absolute joy to behold.

 

[Jan Wyck]

Pele.

It just is.

 

[Laird of lerwick]

Maradona without doubt,
won the Italian championship almost on his own.
Incredible player considering the thuggery he was up against in most games.

 

[dt17]

I'd watch Ronaldinho over any player past or present. The way he played the game was an absolute joy to behold.

His 2/3 year period at Barca was something else. Never seen a player like that where everything just seemed effortless and he'd be pulling off tricks like he was in the playground. Genius.

It's slightly off topic but I was watching something with Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker the other day where they said if you had to pick, what would Barca's best ever front 3 be? Then they listed some of the players and it's actually incredible the talent they've had over time...

Cruyff
Maradona
Rivaldo
Romario
R9
Henry
Ronaldinho
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

 

[Radgey]

Messi. His numbers are unreal - an unbelievable footballer.

Yes, Maradona won a WC, but that still isn't enough for me. Actually surprised at how many have chosen the coke head. I suspect there's an element of it being the cool choice.

 

[iain18(7)2]

His 2/3 year period at Barca was something else. Never seen a player like that where everything just seemed effortless and he'd be pulling off tricks like he was in the playground. Genius.

It's slightly off topic but I was watching something with Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker the other day where they said if you had to pick, what would Barca's best ever front 3 be? Then they listed some of the players and it's actually incredible the talent they've had over time...

Cruyff
Maradona
Rivaldo
Romario
R9
Henry
Ronaldinho
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

What a list of players that is. Barca fans have been spoilt rotten getting to watch those boys play every week

 

[mulguy1953]

I still think Maradona , but talking to some older Barca fans & reading a book about La Liga many of them think Kubala.
Even this year on a tour to the Nou camp our courier ( a young 40 year old) said as much .

Been lucky over the years to see in the flesh
Cruyff, Pele, Maradona, Messi,Best

 

[Carlton The Bear]

If George Best was from a ‘WC contender’ and hence a higher profile rather than Our Wee Country of NI, I have absolutely no doubt he’d feature significantly more often in this debate.

 

[Mols]

For my generation it’s Messi, can’t comment on Maradona etc.

R9 if it wasn’t for injuries though.

 

[Euro Scooter]

Can't separate Pele, Maradona and Cruyff.

For me, most of the others mentioned were elevated by the quality of their team. For the three above, they elevated the whole team.

 

[chosen few]

For those that think Pele was the greatest ever, I'd be interested to hear your opinion on why.

He played in 4 World cups but wasn't the best player in any of them.

He won 3 World cups but in '62 he only played 2 games. Same in '66 when they didn't win it.

He scored a billion goals but never won the golden boot at a World Cup. In fact, he was never even Brazils top scorer at a World Cup.

He had a fantastic record at club level but played in Brazil for the majority of it. Brazil at the time had a weird regional league where they played against amateurs and semi professionals before the real stuff. They also refused to participate in continental competitions.

Of his 1200+ goals, about 550ish of them came in friendlies. Loads of these games were against select teams and local clubs while on globetrotting tours

Don't get me wrong, he played and played well for Brazil for a long time when they were the undisputed super power of World football, I've no doubt he was a World class player, maybe even the best in the world at the time but the best ever?

You obviously never saw the man play , 2 goals in a world Cup final aged 17 , kicked out of world Cup literally in 66 and in 70 the first world Cup I watched in colour I was in awe of the way he played the game , he was the king in an era of football icons . Maradona and Messi are the best running with the ball bur Pele had the best football brain ever.

 

[Molly Sugden's Bridesmaid]

Maradona, marginally ahead of Messi.

 

[mountloyal]

Maradona .
Honorable mentions for Pirlo and Modric.

 

[senefelder]

Maradona without doubt,
won the Italian championship almost on his own.
Incredible player considering the thuggery he was up against in most games.

This won almost on his own is just oft trumpeted nonsense. No one man team was capable of winning Serie A at that time such was it,s quality. Maradonna deserves to be bracketed amongst the all time greats (number 3 for me), but quoting hyperbolic cliches doesn,t further his case, even in a pub/internet fun debate.

 

[Grant K]

Rangers Da standard answer to this question;

Pele.

The correct answer.

 

[Ferrybear73]

Maradona. All day long.

 

[R.W.B.]

Hard one as there is so many, don’t know about the best but my Favourite was Dennis Berkamp

 

[VelvetOrange]

Cruyff for me. What a player Neeskins was too.
Both could play easily today.

From the 80 's Maradona was miles in front of anyone.

 

[BigMac]

Maradona for me

 

[top_cat]

Maradona for me, given my age.

 

[Baxter Blue]

Pele

 

[Union Jack Pillow]

The best careers are Messi & Rapey Ronaldo, the best player to have ever played the game is Maradona. A close second in his prime was the real Ronaldo. I didnt see Pele

 

[Baxter Blue]

His 2/3 year period at Barca was something else. Never seen a player like that where everything just seemed effortless and he'd be pulling off tricks like he was in the playground. Genius.

It's slightly off topic but I was watching something with Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker the other day where they said if you had to pick, what would Barca's best ever front 3 be? Then they listed some of the players and it's actually incredible the talent they've had over time...

Cruyff
Maradona
Rivaldo
Romario
R9
Henry
Ronaldinho
Messi
Suarez
Neymar

Where's Zico?

 

[sprally]

C Ronaldo is hard to argue with when you consider the goals records and trophies. He's the most accomplished. The greatest is Maradona, most gifted Messi and most intelligent Cruyff. In my opinion

Pretty accurate

 

[scobie1873]

Messi for me.
I think Gazza could have been up there if it wasn’t for his knee injuries and going to Spurs instead of Man United.

 

[Dazbear]

Most "entertaining" for me would be Ronaldinho. Nobody else I have seen since has came close imo.
Reluctant to pick the "best" as so many players could take the title of as many adjectives as you'd care to throw about.

Yes Ronaldinho is the most skilful player I have ever seen, no one comes close to the guys complete control over the ball, unreal , the best player ever in the world is probably Maradona though in my opinion.

 

[dcbear]

To be a real football hipster you've got to go for somebody obscure that nobody else picks and nobody has seen.

So it's Matthias Sindelar for me. The Mozart of Football.

 

[Gordy411]

Maradona by a considerable distance for me

 

[gersrus71]

Maradona, Best, Cryuff, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Pele and a handful of others have all been the best player in the world at one time but none of them come close to Messi and Ronaldo in my opinion.

To perform at the levels they have for the best part of 15 years is pretty much unprecedented in football. Maradona reached the heights but he was tanked up on gear for large parts of his career.

For me, I'd say Messi but I can see the argument for Ronaldo.

Give all those listed at the top the modern equipment, boots and pitches and they would thrive.
Give Messi and Ronaldo the old tattie fields, medicine balls and the absolute hatchet men that Pele and Maradona faced and they would crumble.
For me that makes Maradona, Pele, Crutff and Best etc much better than Ronaldo and Messi.
Even Messi himself has said Diego was better.

 

[Brick_Top]

The best player to ever play the game is playing against Australia just now.

 

[bluebeak]

As always on FF first answer nails it!

Not this time it didn’t. Maradona wouldn't have excelled the way he did if he had to play on the same fermers fields as Best or Baxter.

 

[Neil]

I’m too young to have watched Maradona and appreciate him at the time but what I’ve seen on footage, he’s the one guy I think could have done it across the generations and adapted. It seems if you have the guy any ball, golf, tennis, football on any surface, beach, building site or football pitch, the things he could do came with ease.

 

[johnto]

Give all those listed at the top the modern equipment, boots and pitches and they would thrive.
Give Messi and Ronaldo the old tattie fields, medicine balls and the absolute hatchet men that Pele and Maradona faced and they would crumble.
For me that makes Maradona, Pele, Crutff and Best etc much better than Ronaldo and Messi.
Even Messi himself has said Diego was better.

Maybe one of the daftest posts I’ve read on here in ages tbh

 

[TheFrenchTank]

Zinedine Zidane

 

[MilanBear]

Cruyff. My hero as a kid.

 

[joe1966]

Maradona

 

[56 ASAP]

Pele, outstanding footballer

 

[RoyalBlue]

It’s Maradona by a nose ahead of Pele

Both unbelievable talents who were booted up and down the muddy pitches and still produced the best football ever. Winning World Cups. Dragging teams to title wins almost single handedly.

The pampered poncing ponies on today’s manicured pitches are good, but not even close to these two

 

[Bigeye]

Pele is the greatest, WC final as a 17yr old who could beat that !

 

[Corellian Pirate]

Maradona is the best ever

 

[Spack Man]

The one, the only, Gazza Gascoigne.

 

[charlie_snowball]

Diego Armando Maradona.

 

[dcbear]

Maybe one of the daftest posts I’ve read on here in ages tbh

Not even the daftest post today. There's one about France not being Western Europe.