Who is the best player in the world?

[GuyP]

fwiw (bearing in mind I wasn't around when Maradona was at his best) From what I can see Maradona looks to me from what I've seen as the best of all time, that goes for what I've seen, what he achieved, and the stats.

 

But from what I've seen in my lifetime, first hand. I would say it can only be between Messi, Original Ronaldo, and Zidane. And I think Messi is already the best, which should be insane at this stage, but really isn't.

 

Football is played at a faster pace nowadays (so we are told anyway) and thus I think players develop quicker and for a peak for a player to be at the age of 23 or whatever is maybe a developing trend. Im not saying Messi will never play better, but id say it has something to do with him hitting such amazing form so early into his career. If he maintains this until he is in his late 20's for example, that would be godlike...

 

It is obscene how much quicker it is, if you ever get a chance watch footage of a match from the 60s or so, honestly if Newcastle played England's 1966 World Cup winning team, Newcastle would win about 20-0, it would just be embarrassing, football has changed a lot, for the better (in the way it's played at least).

Not everyone beleives it, so that was more for that  case than myself not beleiving it, as even in the past 20 years it has got noticeably much quicker.

[Flip]

The best player in the world right now is without a doubt Messi. But to compare him to Ronaldo (original one) and Zidane is in my opinion wrong. Both of them performed at a high level for many years, especially Ronaldo who after all came back from a two year injury and won a world cup and also scored 8 goals in a world cup something tha thdnt been achieved for a long long time.

 

Another thing that is ridiculous is to say that football in the 50's,60's,70's is much worse than football nowadays and that therefore a player like Pele cannot be considered the best of all time. Don't forget that Pele at the age of 17 was the best in the world and at the age of 30 was still the best in the world. Dont forget that players treated him brutally every single match and they had no way of stopping him.

 

The same goes for Garrincha, people talk about Maradona winning the world cup all on his own, can someone tell me what Garrincha did in 62 in Chile? I remember seeing not long ago a documentary on the 58' world cup and the swedish leftback saying that Garrincha could only do one dribble and that he knew exactly how to stop him, and after all that talk, Garrincha did the same dribble and passed into Vava to score for Brazil.

 

I sincerely hope Messi will become the best player I've ever seen, but he will need to produce at the same level for another 4-5 years, which I to be honest dont doubt hell do. He's a great player, and I've always rated him higher than CRonaldo.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I see what you're saying. My point was more to do with the quality and not quantity. Messi IS the best I've ever seen, even if he retired now the level that he has reached, even if it's for a short time, is higher than Ronaldo and Zidanes. That's all.

[mrmojorisin75]

Messi's problem is going to be he's in the form of his life NOW but headed into a world cup with a talented Argentina, but one that is likely to be in total disarray

 

i think Maradona will fuck Messi's chances of carrying them to the world cup as his own ego will win over common sense

 

winning the WC, performing on the big stage etc. is all well and good as a means to judge someone but one player cannot literally carry a team if that team is an utter shambles - when Pele/Maradonna managed their feat(s) they were at least surrounded by competence at worst, but really quality

 

i just get the impression Maradona will fuck it up for the lad, which would be a real shame

 

i also think Rooney being in the form he's in could have a great world cup but with Fergie flogging him like a dead horse he's likely to have little left by the time the WC comes around and will be going some to keep carrying England right throughout the summer

[Cronky]

 

Another thing that is ridiculous is to say that football in the 50's,60's,70's is much worse than football nowadays and that therefore a player like Pele cannot be considered the best of all time. Don't forget that Pele at the age of 17 was the best in the world and at the age of 30 was still the best in the world. Dont forget that players treated him brutally every single match and they had no way of stopping him.

 

 

I think that's a good point. Although defenders were slower and there was generally more time and space to operate, referees gave far less protection to skilful players. In terms of the challenges that attackers faced, it evens itself out.

 

Although Cruyff didn't have the level of ability that the other three had in getting past defenders, I think I'd still rate him as the best player I've seen. He was a real leader who could dominate a game and raise the level of his team's performance. Dutch football was second rate until he came on the scene.

[Doug]

 

Another thing that is ridiculous is to say that football in the 50's,60's,70's is much worse than football nowadays and that therefore a player like Pele cannot be considered the best of all time. Don't forget that Pele at the age of 17 was the best in the world and at the age of 30 was still the best in the world. Dont forget that players treated him brutally every single match and they had no way of stopping him.

 

 

I think that's a good point. Although defenders were slower and there was generally more time and space to operate, referees gave far less protection to skilful players. In terms of the challenges that attackers faced, it evens itself out.

 

Although Cruyff didn't have the level of ability that the other three had in getting past defenders, I think I'd still rate him as the best player I've seen. He was a real leader who could dominate a game and raise the level of his team's performance. Dutch football was second rate until he came on the scene.

Cruyff was my choice too. Apart from great skill he could always go up a gear to get away from an opponent too. Made him look serene and not exerting himself while everyone else would be puffing and blowing to keep up.

Jonas is the best now ! (biased opinion of course).

[Village Idiot]

Johan Cruyff is my favorite footballer ever, but as a Barça fan I'm *extremely* biased on this. He basically made us what we are now in his stints as both player and manager.

 

But really, him and Rinus Michels transformed football in the 70s. I don't think a side has had such an effect on how the game is played as their Ajax and Holland sides did.

[oldtype]

Messi's career will nosedive after we dump them out of the group stages

[Guest firetotheworks]

 

winning the WC, performing on the big stage etc. is all well and good as a means to judge someone but one player cannot literally carry a team if that team is an utter shambles - when Pele/Maradonna managed their feat(s) they were at least surrounded by competence at worst, but really quality

 

 

 

I'm not sure about that. When Maradona went to Napoli were'nt they a nothing team? And then they retired the number 10 after he left because of how much they loved him.

[Flip]

Johan Cruyff is my favorite footballer ever, but as a Barça fan I'm *extremely* biased on this. He basically made us what we are now in his stints as both player and manager.

 

But really, him and Rinus Michels transformed football in the 70s. I don't think a side has had such an effect on how the game is played as their Ajax and Holland sides did.

 

Well, in the end the answer to this question depends where you are from.

 

I mean I would argue that Pele, Garrincha and Zico are the best player of all time. But at the same time I understand why Di Stefano, Cruyff, Maradona, Beckenbauer are mentioned as the best of all time.

 

I just feel it's to early to say Messi is the better than Zidane and Ronaldo, I mean don't forget that Henry was as unstoppable as Messi is nowadays when Arsenal went undefeated for a whole season.

[Flip]

 

winning the WC, performing on the big stage etc. is all well and good as a means to judge someone but one player cannot literally carry a team if that team is an utter shambles - when Pele/Maradonna managed their feat(s) they were at least surrounded by competence at worst, but really quality

 

 

 

I'm not sure about that. When Maradona went to Napoli were'nt they a nothing team? And then they retired the number 10 after he left because of how much they loved him.

 

Napoli wasn't really a nothing team, and while Maradona deserves the praise he gets, Careca is always forgotten, and he was one of the main reasons why Napoli was able to compete at such a high level for many years. Him and Maradona were unstoppable. Also Napoli had finished third couple years before Maradona joined them.

[mrmojorisin75]

 

winning the WC, performing on the big stage etc. is all well and good as a means to judge someone but one player cannot literally carry a team if that team is an utter shambles - when Pele/Maradonna managed their feat(s) they were at least surrounded by competence at worst, but really quality

 

 

 

I'm not sure about that. When Maradona went to Napoli were'nt they a nothing team? And then they retired the number 10 after he left because of how much they loved him.

 

slightly before my time, but not really what i'm getting at: since Maradona took over, in fact before that, has there been a more mismanaged group of talented players on the international scene?

 

their qualifying campaign was a disaster and they were perhaps lucky to scrape it in the end, a lot of their struggles were down to misuse of Messi amongst many others, i.e. playing Messi, Tevez & Aguero upfront and hoofing the ball up to them

 

if they build a team around him playing the same game he does for barca, which they've got the players for, they should be virtually unstoppable but i don't think they will

[Ronaldo]

Aye, like Kalou, Malouda, and Anelka.

 

Utter nonsense there, Keith.

 

Anelka has been no worse than Berbatov, tbh, and significantly better at times. I don't see how you can consider Man Utd's midfield to be on a par or better than Chelsea's, tbh. They might be under-performing, but as individuals they seem to be clearly better players to me.

 

Berbatov has been a lot better than Anelka this season. Nani is on a par with Malouda and Valencia is better than Kalou. As for the midfield, Lampard fair enough but then you have Ballack who's been terrible this season. Giggs on the other hand has been pretty good.

 

Really, Drogba has virtually done it himself at times for Chelsea this season.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Aye, like Kalou, Malouda, and Anelka.

 

Utter nonsense there, Keith.

 

Anelka has been no worse than Berbatov, tbh, and significantly better at times. I don't see how you can consider Man Utd's midfield to be on a par or better than Chelsea's, tbh. They might be under-performing, but as individuals they seem to be clearly better players to me.

 

Berbatov has been a lot better than Anelka this season. Nani is on a par with Malouda and Valencia is better than Kalou. As for the midfield, Lampard fair enough but then you have Ballack who's been terrible this season.

 

Really, Drogba has virtually done it himself at times for Chelsea this season.

 

I'm not disputing either Drogba or Rooney's quality, but if there's one player that is noticeably a cut above the rest of his team, it's easily Rooney.

[Ronaldo]

Perhaps, but that's based on form. Nobody would have made that comment back in October.

 

Rooney has been the best player in the premiership this season, not disputing it for a second. But to say that Drogba is surrounded by better players is a bit daft imo. Without his goals they'd be mid-table at best.

[Guest firetotheworks]

Perhaps, but that's based on form. Nobody would have made that comment back in October.

 

Rooney has been the best player in the premiership this season, not disputing it for a second. But to say that Drogba is surrounded by better players is a bit daft imo. Without his goals they'd be mid-table at best.

 

I dunno about that, Man United without Ronaldo were a shell of themselves from the start, and Rooney was, and has carried them this season.

 

 

I do think Drogba is surrounded by better players, mainly because of Lampard tbh. Man United are very perfunctory in the way they play imo, at the moment Chelsea have probably 3 undoubted attacking stars in their team (Drogba, Lampard, A.Cole, although obviously he's injured)...I think Man United have 1, the rest just function as part of a team that is set up a lot better by SAF.

 

I think it's even more so the case with Torres, though. The gap between him and the rest of the Liverpool squad (including Gerrard this season) is embarrassing.

 

[Ronaldo]

Lampard hasn't been anywhere near his best this season either. Chelsea need to replace about 5 or 6 members of the first team.

[Foluwashola]

Its difficult to seperate Messi and Rooney this season. Will be interesting to see who has more of an impact on the World cup although Messi may be at a slight handicap being managed by the drug-fuelled fatty.

[merlin]

Johan Cruyff is my favorite footballer ever, but as a Barça fan I'm *extremely* biased on this. He basically made us what we are now in his stints as both player and manager.

 

But really, him and Rinus Michels transformed football in the 70s. I don't think a side has had such an effect on how the game is played as their Ajax and Holland sides did.

 

Well, in the end the answer to this question depends where you are from.

 

I mean I would argue that Pele, Garrincha and Zico are the best player of all time. But at the same time I understand why Di Stefano, Cruyff, Maradona, Beckenbauer are mentioned as the best of all time.

 

I just feel it's to early to say Messi is the better than Zidane and Ronaldo, I mean don't forget that Henry was as unstoppable as Messi is nowadays when Arsenal went undefeated for a whole season.

 

I'm with you, Felipao - Pele was the best, no doubt..

He took terrible punishment from defenders which would have had the perpetrators sent off in a flash in today's over-protected football, and they still couldn't stop him ; even Maradona didn't have to put up with the kind of abuse Pele got on a regular basis.

 

Likewise, although I never saw him play, from what I've heard, Hughie Gallacher would be just as successful today - maybe even more so - because he would NOT have been subject to the brutal tackles he received during his career ; team-mates said he used to have lumps of flesh hanging off his legs after many matches as defenders tried to kick him out of it but nearly always failed.

 

Don't accept the premise(usually among younger fans)that football is better today because it  is seen to be faster - there have always been quick players ; Milburn, Macdonald and Tony Green for 3 during the past 60 years at SJP but players get far more protection these days.

[alpal78]

Haven't really seen Pele play so I'll go with Zidane. His style of play is unique so majestic. Like RVN said, when Zidane plays it's like you can hear the orchestra in the background. 

[AyeDubbleYoo]

Haven't really seen Pele play so I'll go with Zidane. His style of play is unique so majestic. Like RVN said, when Zidane plays it's like you can hear the orchestra in the background. 

 

Watching Zidane was awesome like, the film about him is amazing. Actually, I'd say that Lampard's touch and awareness have a tiny bit of Zidane about them.

 

I never saw the 'traditional' names mentioned as the best players... I don't really care whether the modern ones are as good or better. Just watching players like Zidane, Rooney, Messi and all of those is an absolute pleasure.

 

[Mr. Snrub]

Haven't really seen Pele play so I'll go with Zidane. His style of play is unique so majestic. Like RVN said, when Zidane plays it's like you can hear the orchestra in the background. 

 

Watching Zidane was awesome like, the film about him is amazing. Actually, I'd say that Lampard's touch and awareness have a tiny bit of Zidane about them.

 

I never saw the 'traditional' names mentioned as the best players... I don't really care whether the modern ones are as good or better. Just watching players like Zidane, Rooney, Messi and all of those is an absolute pleasure.

 

 

 

 

[mrmojorisin75]

Great quote from Ronaldinho about Messi I saw in today's Telegraph: [On receiving the Ballon d’Or in 2006] “This award says I’m the best player in the world, but I’m not even the best player at Barcelona.”

[ponsaelius]

Bump.

[wormy]

Gerrard.