sir_neutral

I'm old enough to have seen all of them play in the flesh....and am still watchin Messi etc.....
......but i never saw Puskas....wish I had.

I'm just trying to learn up on the old legends as I never got to see them play. Trying to watch footage of them play and know what they did.

In Brazil many think Garrincha was better than Pele

Maradona for me. Pele played in good teams (phenomenal ones at international level) as does Messi where they were/ are both the icing on the cake. Diego.

Diego is normally discounted in England for obvious reasons. But he was top dog in Serie A and took an average Argentinian team to winners in '86 and should have been '90 before the ref bought a German dive

The Year of the Ox

I think where pele loses out is because he didn't play in one of the best leagues in the world.



South American football was very strong when Pele first started playing, and he probably was playing in the best leagues in the world.

Just because today all the money is in the European leagues does not mean it has always been like that.

All the best Brazilian, Uraguyan and Argentina players were playing in their own leagues in the 50s and 60s, and as they were won all the World Cups between them from 1930 until 1970 bar 3 makes their leagues vastly superior to the European leagues over the same period.

Most Inter continental clubs games were invariably won by the South American clubs as well.

sir_neutral (U13619)


posted 16 minutes ago

mufcstu

Ronaldo. Have you been on the wacky backy.


Puskas scored 84 International goals, how many has Ronaldo scored?

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ronaldo has 139 goals in 138 games for real madrid...

Wiekens

Puskas, I was lucky enough to watch him on TV when Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup Final, when he scored 4 goals, that by me is still the greatest club game I have ever seen.

I did see Eusabio at WHL when Spurs played Benfica in the semi final of the European Cup in 1961, and was lucky enough to see Beckanbaur at Wembley in 1966 when England beat Germany in the Final. I have also seen Cruyff play in one of his first games for Holland at Wembley when he was 18, he was brilliant even then.

George Best, Greaves, Law, Moore, Hurst, etc many many times have I watched those players. If only we had British players like them now.

Puskas > Ronaldo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferenc_Pusk%C3%A1s

puskas scored 157 in 182 for real madrid.

mufcstu

ronaldo has 139 goals in 138 games for real madrid...



So. Puskas scored over 500 club goals, when Ronaldo gets near that then start comparing. One poses and preens himself, one was a proper footballer, no guesses for which is which.

sorry that's just in the league he scored 242 in 262 games for real.

anyone who thinks messi is the best ever is just an ignorant unt

mufcstu

Goals per game, what does it matter. Take it from me, having seen both play, Puskas was a far super player than Ronaldo.

Obviously not comparing the two, but his posture and style of dribbling reminds me of nani. That and how silly he makes defenders look.

Over an extended period of time, in my opinion Pele is the best ever...

Roger Milla is the greatest player ever, for being completely unknown then making an impact in the World Cup at 38 years old. A true inspiration.

Truly though, how do you measure such a thing over time in any sport, and in particular a team sport. More importantly, while it's a fun debate, does it really matter?

My favourite player ever is Zidane. He was majestic. Use both feet, pass players, skillful, great passer, could finish. He was the whole package.

I'm too young for Pele, but I do have an issue that he didn't play in Europe. I don't think he played with the best and so I'm not sure he is the best.

Maradona was also awesome but I'm still a little young to see him at his best. The first time I saw him properly was in the 1990 World Cup and he carried Aregntina to the semi finals (Cannigia was pretty good too).

The thing about Messi is that he's this good and still in his early twenties. He's only going to get better barring a career ending injury.

Roger Milla is the greatest player ever, for being completely unknown then making an impact in the World Cup at 38 years old. A true inspiration.

------------------

He also inspired the post goal celebration.

How about Batistuta? I know it's youtube, but some of you might not remember him.. excellent player, exciting to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdjOo4rj66c

I don't want to sound out of order but George Best isn't in the running.

People always pull out the Pele quote but Pele also says Neymar is currently best in the world.

It's only natural to look at players who wasted their careers and proclaim them to be world beaters.

We did the same with the young lad who died in the Munich disaster ?

It's just what people tend to do.

Best was a superstar but most of that can be attributed to off the field antics - he was yesteryears Beckham

and I know many people have said Beckham is one of the worlds greatest - I think Zidane said it once

We all know he wasn't even close

Law was better than Best

comment by Metro- (U6770)

posted 24 minutes ago

People always pull out the Pele quote but Pele also says Neymar is currently best in the world.
=====================================
Pele's post-retirement quotes do not and should not diminish his achievements as a football player.
Probably no other football legend has gotten his predictions wrong as often as Pele.

Its strange reading the majority of these comments about the best player in the world that the vast majority (mine included) tend to name CF or attacking midfield players. Few people mention the unsung heroes of Goalies and backs who can be just as responsible for making sure a team wins. Beckenbauer led from the back, Dino Zoff oldest ever player to win a world cup winners medal.Is the best player in the world one that catches the eye or one that performs week in week out for team and country and makes a difference in every game?

Lee1Pen

I feel that the position of goalkeeper should be rated seperately from outfield players as the skills required are totally different, but I do take your point on board.

Lee, while it's true that defenders and goalie's don't perhaps get all the praise they deserve, I'd say that it's simply because it's much harder to put the ball in the net than keep it out of it.

As for the OP, I always try to specify that my judgement on these issues is related to my 'lifetime favourites' rather than 'all-time best', as imo: a. it's almost impossible to fairly judge someone you haven't really watched that much on the basis of the odd clip here or there; and b. it's always going to be subjective, as there is no 'rule'to say what makes one player better than another.

For what it's worth, my lifetime favourite is Maradona, with Zidane & Ronaldo (R9) behind him, followed by Michael Laudrup and others like Rivaldo or Ronaldinho.

Has to be Ronaldo (fat Brazillian one) Followed by Maradona, ZZ,

george best pele johan cruyff.
most exciting players to watch
maradona was briliant too