Best Footballer Ever

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?
 
Ibroxcw said:
Flip of a coin with Maradonna
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Maradonna was magnificent no doubt, but as a 12year old watching Pele in his pomp, no one has ever come close to me, even as an adult when I like to think I understand the game.

I accept different generations have their own valid and more than acceptable opinions, but Pele was just better.

The nonsense that is spouted about him ‘not doing it in Europe’ is a mere excuse.The man was exceptional and would have graced any team throughout history.
 
Chocolateleftfoot said:
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?
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I wouldn’t want to start any kind of argument but can I ask have you ever watched Pele properly?

The man was incredible as an all round footballer.

I cannot fathom how if you have seen him in Mexico 70 it is even a question?

Re England 66 he was on the receiving end of arguably the most disgusting treatment dished out to an individual player ever in the history of that competition.

His goal return is a complete irrelevance, Pele’s sublime play was what made him stand out.
 
muz73 said:
I wouldn’t want to start any kind of argument but can I ask have you ever watched Pele properly?

The man was incredible as an all round footballer.

I cannot fathom how if you have seen him in Mexico 70 it is even a question?

Re England 66 he was on the receiving end of arguably the most disgusting treatment dished out to an individual player ever in the history of that competition.

His goal return is a complete irrelevance, Pele’s sublime play was what made him stand out.
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I've seen all the same footage everyone else has over the years I suppose. Great goal in the '58 final, nice pass to Carlos Alberto. Header vs Banks, shot from the halfway line. Dummy the goalie, miss the open goal. Plenty of great stuff but not enough to say, wow, this guy is the greatest there ever was.

As I said, there's no doubting he was World class, you can't play in a world class team for the length of time he did unless you are. But he was football's first true global superstar. And he came along at a time when Brazil ruled the footballing world and it coincided with the rise of television. I feel that there's maybe a touch of nostalgia creeping in when it comes to Pele but it's only my opinion.
 
Whilst it can be difficult to compare players from different generations, and as others have pointed out some greats of the game may have struggled with present day fitness demands, sports science etc. but imo I don’t see any generation of football that Zidane wouldn’t have been a top 5 player of the time and I don’t see football ever evolving to a level that he wouldn’t have been incredible and one of the absolute best.

And whilst there’s players like Maradona and Messi who with dribbling/multiple touches etc can change and dictate play. The way Zidane could completely dominate play and change the tempo and direction of a game with a single touch of the ball was incredible.
 
devilman said:
I am not sure what makes the best footballer ever really.

For me it's Brian Laudrup, followed by Davie Cooper and onto Roberto Baggio. Just after that is Ally McCoist and I don't that list will ever change.
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Baggio before McCoist?

Madman :))
 
I was fortunate to have witnessed Pele back in the 1970 World Cup followed by the great Johan Cruyff in 1973/1974 and then later Maradona and currently Messi and Ronaldo. It’s such a difficult question to answer as is very subjective and also dependant on generation. If I had to pick out a winner, I would select Cruyff on the basis that he had the greatest influence on me when I was growing up in the early seventies back then.
 
For many people, its a generational thing, depending on what era you grew up in and 'came of age' watching your favourite football. In the minds of many, their generation will always be the best, though. :D

1950's Di Stefano, Puskas, Kolev, Gento, Yashin ...
1960's Pele, Eusebio, Mazzola, Best, Garrincha ...
1970's - Cruyff, Muller, Beckenbauer, Rummenigge, Zico ...
1980's - Maradona, Platini, Baresi, Van Basten, Gullit ...
1990's - Zidane, Baggio, Figo, Bergkamp, Del Piero ...
2000's - Messi, Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo, Maldini, Ronaldinho
2010's - Robben, Torres, Klose, Xavi, Lewandowski ...
2020's - De Bruyne, Neymar, Bemzema, Haaland, Mbappe ...


For me, it's an easy choice:


W9ZddiE.jpg
 
Chocolateleftfoot said:
I've seen all the same footage everyone else has over the years I suppose. Great goal in the '58 final, nice pass to Carlos Alberto. Header vs Banks, shot from the halfway line. Dummy the goalie, miss the open goal. Plenty of great stuff but not enough to say, wow, this guy is the greatest there ever was.

As I said, there's no doubting he was World class, you can't play in a world class team for the length of time he did unless you are. But he was football's first true global superstar. And he came along at a time when Brazil ruled the footballing world and it coincided with the rise of television. I feel that there's maybe a touch of nostalgia creeping in when it comes to Pele but it's only my opinion.
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It's similar to asking someone to pick the best band ever, or best song ever:

Most people won't answer objectively. They'll tell you the one they liked most/was most popular from the time when they were forming their own identity and individuating from their parents. Most people look on that as their best years, so naturally anything that's good from that time is way better than that outdated pish their folks are into, and then after about 25 everything is modern rubbish and not as good as their favourites.

I also struggle with Pele as the greatest ever. The sample source is tiny, in terms of games available to see, when compared with Maradona, never mind the amount of footage available of Messi or C.Ronaldo, so a lot of it was the romanticism of this 17 year old who played well at the 1958 world cup, and became a superstar.

Did he do spectacular things? Of course.
Is he the greatest ever? If you were a teenager in the 60s or early 70s then yes.

I was a 90s teenager, so for me I would be drawn towards Zidane, Ronaldo, Maldini; but the real answer is probably C. Ronaldo just shading it over Messi.

They will be inextricably linked forever, but Ronaldo has done it across England, Spain, Italy; he's got the record for CL goals and assists, international goals, scored in 5 world cup tournaments. He's scored over 800 professional goals (not to be compared with Pele's exhibition game/friendly goals).

I prefer watching Messi, and he's far less of a c*nt than Ronaldo, but I think Ronaldo just shades it because he did it at multiple clubs.
 
bud_light said:
Maradona.No one else comes close

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Probably everyone has a tendency to go for the player who was the best in their era of youth.. I cant see past Maradona. But for what its worth my late father who had been a Di stefano and pele man had to concede after 1986 that Maradona was indeed the greatest.
 
Too young to really comment on Pele and Maradona. In my lifetime the 3 stand outs above any others are



Ronaldo R9
Zidane
Messi
 
Maradona for me.

Didn’t see Pele so only can go on what people of older generations comments

Then Ronaldo 9 Messi , CR7 and Cruyff

Then the likes of ZZ, Platini, Beckenbauer
 
I'm from the Ronaldo Messi era, but it's still Maradona all day long for me.

His achievements at Napoli were incredible and by all accounts, he carried the 86 Argie team on his back.
 
Jazzman said:
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?
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You’ve answered your own question mate

It’s Pele by a mile.

Honourable mentions for Maradona , Messi , Cruyff , Zidane , Puskas , Garincha, Baggio, Zico .

Edit , Cruyff & Puskas left behind an almost different game than when they arrived , so in terms of influence they take some beating.
 
Sunnyvale_Loyal said:
He didn't get away with it, he was helped by a corrupt ref and organization.
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I watched it, at the time I was wondering what the English defenders were complaining about and so were the commentators.

It looked like he headed it in until we seen the slow motion replay.
 
Al Needham Loyal said:
It's similar to asking someone to pick the best band ever, or best song ever:

Most people won't answer objectively. They'll tell you the one they liked most/was most popular from the time when they were forming their own identity and individuating from their parents. Most people look on that as their best years, so naturally anything that's good from that time is way better than that outdated pish their folks are into, and then after about 25 everything is modern rubbish and not as good as their favourites.

I also struggle with Pele as the greatest ever. The sample source is tiny, in terms of games available to see, when compared with Maradona, never mind the amount of footage available of Messi or C.Ronaldo, so a lot of it was the romanticism of this 17 year old who played well at the 1958 world cup, and became a superstar.

Did he do spectacular things? Of course.
Is he the greatest ever? If you were a teenager in the 60s or early 70s then yes.

I was a 90s teenager, so for me I would be drawn towards Zidane, Ronaldo, Maldini; but the real answer is probably C. Ronaldo just shading it over Messi.

They will be inextricably linked forever, but Ronaldo has done it across England, Spain, Italy; he's got the record for CL goals and assists, international goals, scored in 5 world cup tournaments. He's scored over 800 professional goals (not to be compared with Pele's exhibition game/friendly goals).

I prefer watching Messi, and he's far less of a c*nt than Ronaldo, but I think Ronaldo just shades it because he did it at multiple clubs.
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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.
 
It depends what the criteria is.

I'm just glad to have been alive during the Messi era, for me he is the best player ever scores goals but is a massive team player as well.
 
I could never include any of today's players amongst the best ever, simply because of the pristine conditions of pitches, sports equipment, and the game now almost a non-contact sport. Pele, Cruyff, Maradona for me.
 
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