Who is the best opposing player you’ve seen in the flesh?

Hammy said:
Riquelme in 2006 was unbelievable with Villarreal. Made it look so easy in midfield, absolutely bossed the game.
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Probably my stand out. Him feeding Forlans movement. Both of them were outstanding and head and shoulders above anything on the park that night
 
Hard choice but it has to be the boy Kevin Clancy a standout for Celtic in our games against them never fails to show up for them .
 
Anyone remember when Ruud Gullit played against us in the KLM cup circa 1984 for Feynoored?

Scored a goal from around the Cessnock subway station that Nicky Walker was nowhere near. Also in the team that night was Johann Cruyff but was past his best by then

Also Frank Riykaard for Ajax circa 1987 wisnae too bad either
 
Got to be Benzema in 07 from my time with a season ticket. He was outstanding! Seen arguably better players but haven't done it at Ibrox
 
Mario Kempes for me when we played Valencia in the ECWC in 1981. Rainer Bonhof was also in that team.

Before that was pretty much the whole Juventus team in 1978 when we won 2-0 (2-1 on agg) at Ibrox in the European Cup.
 
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MO_TxTruBlu said:
I've been fortunate enough to see Pele, Best, Maradona (v Scotland),
and Cruyff, Eusebio and Beckenbauer v Rangers.
Cruyff was the most impressive in the games I saw,
but the one player who stuck out for me was Lubanski of Gornik.
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All those names including Maradona and you pick Lubanski?
 
So many to chose from, Beckenbaeur, Cruyff, Messi, Ronaldinho, Kaka Hagi’s da amongst a pantheon of greats, offf the top of my head .

In pure footballing beauty; Cruyff.

For graft, ability and determination; Mendieta.
 
Cruyff and Kempes were in their prime and superb.
Seeing the AC Milan legends game also meant I saw some of the best players- particularly defenders- to have played the game even if beyond their prime.
 
Caldow3 said:
Mario Kempes for me when we played Valencia in the ECWC in 1981. Rainer Bonhof was also in that team.

Before that was pretty much the whole Juventus team in 1978 when we won 2-1 at Ibrox in the European Cup.
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Bonhof hit the bar from about 35 yards in the first 10 minutes or something.
Big Peter had no chance!
 
MO_TxTruBlu said:
I've been fortunate enough to see Pele, Best, Maradona (v Scotland),
and Cruyff, Eusebio and Beckenbauer v Rangers.
Cruyff was the most impressive in the games I saw,
but the one player who stuck out for me was Lubanski of Gornik.
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Quite agree that they represent some of the greatest this side of the Modern era. I didn’t see Maradona, but the rest, yeah. There are so many stand outs. First up for me would have to be Slim Jim, followed by Puskas, Di Stefano and Gento. The English WC team were quite brilliant in ’66, but Brazil were disappointing. Seeing Best, Law and Charlton together was quite something else, especially Denis Law and George Best playing together. Cruyff could turn it on when he was in the mood. Modric in recent times has been my favourite player. Benzema old school, but Mbappe the fastest player ever on 2 wheels. And I have to mention the Barcelona/Spain WC with Inestia and Xavi. They were also very, very special unit together.

So, I’ve been lucky to witness some great teams over the years. I have to disagree with you on Lubanski, though, as that 1-3 game hit me hard standing on the terracing on a cold night, and for that reason, I’ve blanked it out :rolleyes::)).
 
Mendieta Was absolutely top of his game he was exceptional.
Prosinecki it was like he was playing against kids.
Riquelme genuine talent sublime technique was 1 of those players who you pay good money to see.
 
Blue Lew said:
Hard to split Mendieta, Riquelme and Benzema.
It felt as if we were playing against 3 Mendietas, he was everywhere. Riquelme was pinging the ball all over the park with ridiculous accuracy and managed it with what looked like minimal or no effort. Benzema was fast, powerful and utterly deadly and I’m sure he was still only 19.
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Benzema was incredible that night, we couldn't live with him.
 
Beckenbauer, with special mention for Mendieta.

Also remember Lombardo when he played for Samp in 94 - I know it was only a friendly but thought we should have locked him in the dressing room till he agreed to sign for us
 
Striker - Zinidine Zidane & Mario Kempes
Midfield - Johan Cruyff & Gaizka Mendietta
Defenders - Paolo Maldini & Franz Beckenbauer
Goalkeeper - Dino Zoff & Gianluigi Buffon

That’s my picks, but there are so many more I could’ve chosen. Out of that lot I’d have to say Cruyff was the greatest player I’ve ever seen. UEFA Super Cup v Ajax 15/1/1973 a night I’ll never forget seeing the great man. Total Football was born.
 
In a competitive match Riquelme and Mendieta are impossible to separate for me.
However, when we played Sheffield Wednesday in a friendly, Di-Canio was outrageously at his best,
The first time I’d ever seen gold boots on a player as well,
I remember thinking you better live up to those boots or you’ll look like a right front lady’s bottom,
He did, big time.
 
Mendieta - unbelievable good against us. Just a superb player.
Del Piero - still one of my favourite players of all time despite the absolute doing he gave us.
 
Mendieta at Ibrox is probably one of the best performances I’ve ever seen a player give, period.

It was proper Roy of the Rovers stuff from him that season at Valencia. Everything came through him and he could do everything. He could pass, he could dribble, he could score, he could tackle.

Never had the career he should have, but he was untouchable in that Valencia team.
 
coopsleftboot said:
They were superb at Ibrox that night, and many around me stood up and clapped several times. Mendieta was just the icing on top of the cream on the cake that night.

And that was the team Gerry McNee called the "Aberdeen of Spain" earlier that year.... when Aberdeen were consistently fighting relegation.
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Still chuckle at the Aberdeen bit, 2 European cup finals in a row lol
 
Seen a lot of the players mentioned on this thread, one of the players i thought was great against us when i was a youngster was pierre littbarski for cologne. 1st european game my dad took me to, pumped 5-0 :(
 
PaisleyBlueBear said:
Anyone remember when Ruud Gullit played against us in the KLM cup circa 1984 for Feynoored?

Scored a goal from around the Cessnock subway station that Nicky Walker was nowhere near. Also in the team that night was Johann Cruyff but was past his best by then

Also Frank Riykaard for Ajax circa 1987 wisnae too bad either
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Didn't he later say that Davie Cooper was one of the best players he'd seen after this.
 
Scotland has been blessed to see many icons,

de Boer brothers
Laudrup
Gascoigne
Larsson

All genuinely top level players on their day.

My own personal favourite that I saw play in front of me was maybe Riquelme or Adriano from the 05 season.
Ronaldinho is right up there as well.
 
Del pierro ran us ragged for 2 matches in 95, didn't think they'd have beat us so comfortably considering we had Laudrup & Gazza but he was deadly
 
Not the best I’ve seen but remember Attilio Lombardo playing an absolute blinder for Sampdoria v us in ‘94 Ibrox tournament. Scored a screamer if my memory is correct (I was only 11 lol )
 
Thought Ivica Olic was outstanding when we played cska Moscow a few years back.

Abedi Pele was no bad for Marseille.
 
Davie Cooper when he played for Motherwell.

Seriously , I thought Scholes and Giggs were fantastic. Giggs got a standing ovation from our fans when he was substituted at Ibrox. Also Ravanelli and del piero for juventus. They were incredible.
 
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