Van Basten...........that goal!!!!

And the original Ronaldo for the same reasons as you.

Ronaldinho

And as I always played/play in midfield I enjoyed watching the breakthrough and style of play Fabregas had in his Arsenal days, magical.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Fabregas is a good shout. I think his best stuff was at Arsenal by far.

Pires too. Joy to watch at times.

Can't believe I forgot Le Tissier.

I'm throwing in Hoddle right now.

Just so many...

The first name that sprung to mind, though, was Michael Laudrup.

Xavi, Djalminha, Ronaldo Naz, Zidane, Gordillo, Rivaldo, Valerón, Iniesta, Cesc, Pirlo, Benzema, the entire French midfield of the early-mid '80s, Pep's Barça midfield and attack, Sacchi's Milan, particularly Gullit, Van Basten and Baresi, Ossie Ardiles, Socrates, Eric Gerets... loads more I suppose that simply haven't sprung to mind just yet. A full list would be really, really long. but those are a few that might give an idea of where my football preferences lie.

Maradona, of course, on a different plane to all of the above...

And then there are some glaring omissions of fantastic players, but who I just never managed to warm to and therefore did not hugely enjoy watching despite their being truly great footballers. Dinho, Matthaus, Figo and Scholes, off the top of my head, would be some names to make that list.

Terry was one to always keep ya eyes on 😉

McManaman, was my favourite ever Liverpool player until Gerrard. Great with both feet, inside, outside, defenders never knew where he was going. Played in some poor teams but always stood out. Was devastated when he left.

Gerrard, goes without saying.

Roy Keane. I loved this type of player, the type of player I always thought I was but everybody else disagreed and played me at right back, in a 4-4-2 who just got up and down the pitch the whole game. One minute defending in his box, next minute in the opposition box. Gerrard was this player and better for me, perhaps the last of his kind but then the game changed, with three man midfields coming in and therefore his position changed.

Iniesta, hated Barca's style of football, sucked the excitement out of games as they moved up the pitch as a team, rarely giving the opposition possession of the ball but Iniesta was a magician the way he moved the ball and got straight into position to receive it again.

Just realised no British footballers on my list. Barnes and Beardsley are a couple I loved to watch.

Prime Adriano was a thing of beauty. It was like he had genuine hacks on. Could do everything. Sad what happened to his career. Can't think of many with a better shot, maybe a prime Batistuta

Hagi, great feet in and around the box
Riquelme, made the game look effortless

I never liked Figo for some reason, always felt he was overrated (I know I'll be in a minority there).

I'm going to put in Luis Garcia. To this day I still dont know what foot he was.

Riquelme is a great shout.

Batistuta has reminded on of Rui Costa

comment by GTWI4T- some people deserve to get trolled (U6008)
posted 5 minutes ago
Lothar Matthaus remains my all time favourite player. Italia 90 he epitomized what a CM should be.

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He was an amazing footballer, easily one of the most versatile I've ever seen too. Problem is I despised him and only actually began to warm to him a bit in the twilight of his career when he played CB/sweeper out of a begrudging admiration.

Oh, one I forgot to add to the loved to watch list - Nwankwo Kanu. Watching him play for Nigeria at the Olympics was love at first sight. That insane chip-turn-and-flick he scored in the semis or final remains one of my favourite goals ever.

That Fiorentina side was great to watch.

I do watch KDB with envy. Brilliant player.

Bit of Jay Jay anyone?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aGVoZbz2crY

I hated Mathaus for obvious reasons and wanted the Netherlands to win the 88 euros and he was a caant in that game in Hamburg.

comment by Robbing Cromwell - agent of the hierarchy. (U6374)
posted 2 minutes ago
I never liked Figo for some reason, always felt he was overrated (I know I'll be in a minority there).

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Nah, not only was he really, really god at his best, he was also he was ridiculously consistent for a great number of years. The problem with him was that he was just the kind of face/bloke you'd want to slap to hell and back.


Oh, Paulo Futre would be another on the great-to-watch-at-his-best-list, but his way-before-his-time, whiplash, shot-by-a-sniper dives made him another you just couldn't really like.

Ronaldinho the obvious choice.

Redondo & Riquelme are personal favs. Ortega has a wild card.

Also Robert Prosinecki for his dribbling

Most of my favourites have been listed. So I’ll go for some less obvious ones.

Forlan was such a wonderful player to watch (in Spain). He could do everything you’d want in a striker. And scored better goals with his weaker foot than most players did with their strongest.

Guiseppe Rossi, he was a budget Del Piero. Shame injuries ruined him.

Di Natale, bit more expensive but pricier Del Piero.

Del Piero.

I feel that kind of natural, pure football unpredictableness is kinda coached out of players now.

comment by The Mane Man (U19731)
posted 3 minutes ago
That Fiorentina side was great to watch.
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All wearing that away kit that was covered in swastikas