Diego Armando Maradona - 1960-2020

[Tsunami]

I was too young to witness Pele, though I’ve seen plenty footage and his stats are unreal. I always believed he was the best, I’m not so sure now, if I had to pick a player I’d want on my side I’d probably pick Maradona. At their peak I’d say Maradona edges it.

 

 

[Nobody]

Messi is the GOAT, IMO. Maradona second though, and probably the biggest personality in the sport.

[Optimistic Nut]

To think Bobby would have set them up to do that.

[InspectorCoarse]

1. Pele

2. Best

3. Cruyff

4. Maradona

5. Gazza

[Guest Howaythetoon]

1. Pele

2. Best

3. Cruyff

4. Maradona

5. Gazza

 

Zidane way above Gazza for me in particular.

 

For me

 

Pele

Maradona

Zidane

Messi/Ronaldo

Ronaldo of Brazil

Shola

John

Ashton

[Dinho lad]

Gazza.

[Dinho lad]

1. CRonaldo

2. Messi

3. Pele

4. Maradona

5. Zidane

[Collage]

1. Maradona

2. Messi

3. Cruyff

 

Fuck the rest.

[TRon]

Messi is the GOAT, IMO. Maradona second though, and probably the biggest personality in the sport.

 

Maradona turned up in world cups and arguably singlehandedly won it in 1986. Messi was part of better squads on paper, but they always underperformed. Not necessarily his fault, but Maradona turned up every time.

[triggs]

It's impossible to compare across eras really. Maradona had to deal with countless awful challenges and terrible pitches but on the other hand the standard of play is much quicker and better now and tactics have come on so much. There was a book written about the 1990 World Cup with insights from coaches/players recently and the only two teams that played with proper clear tactics were Argentina and Ireland. Jack Charlton said when he took the Ireland job that he had been at the 1986 World Cup and every team played the same way, slow build up and give it to the playmaker and the team with the best playmaker would win, which they did.

 

Its impossible to single handedly win at the highest level these days, no matter how good you are

[madras]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

 

[toon25]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

Hard to disagree with this. The top tier playing in a context without the sort of sports science, tactics, training, recovery and tech makes their achievements ever more remarkable.

 

Would throw Ronaldinho into the wonderful group. Loved watching him play.

[Raconteur]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

Hard to disagree with this. The top tier playing in a context without the sort of sports science, tactics, training, recovery and tech makes their achievements ever more remarkable.

 

Would throw Ronaldinho into the wonderful group. Loved watching him play.

 

One of the biggest issues with "best ever" arguments is longevity. Ronaldinho at Barca was god-teir football. Ronaldo is (in my books) a "better" player than everyone except Messi and maybe Maradona, but his career was so heavily impacted by injury. That's why I joke that Cristiano Ronaldo, far from being the GOAT, is only the third best Ronaldo.

[triggs]

That Liam Gallagher story of meeting Maradona is like when Superhans goes to the party that's too grim for him

[STM]

Messi

Maradona

Ronaldo

Pele

Zidane

 

You can list them in whatever order you want but its them 5.

 

Heard Cruyff mentioned, and although I'm sure he was a god to many, when I was growing up it was never "Pele, Maradona and Cruyff", it was always just "Pele and Maradona".

 

Ronaldo and Messi dont need explaining and Zidane is a personal favourite. Greatest CM ever, big match winner and pure artist.

[STM]

Its entirely subjective too. Some go on talent, some go on numbers, some go on big game players. I mean how would you ever get a defender talked about. Maldini or Baresi or whoever deserve their own category.

[LFEE]

I always have Zico above Maradona. Then again I always have Beardsley above Gazza. Sometimes you’ve got to look past the circus and some of the hype surrounding certain players.

 

His documentary is being repeated tonight on CH4 9.30pm for those who’ve not seen it and is available on their catch-up service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Optimistic Nut]

Rewatched the Maradona documentary. So good.

[Thumbheed]

Why is Iniesta never mentioned in these lists? What was it about Zidane that made him such a significantly better player than Iniesta?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Why is Iniesta never mentioned in these lists? What was it about Zidane that made him such a significantly better player than Iniesta?

 

Think Gazza (Zidane) vs Scholes (Iniesta)

 

Separated by that little extra touch of class and above else that touch of genius rarely found in 99.9% of others. Zidane had that, Iniesta almost had it... that’s the difference IMO.

[Vinny Green Balls]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

 

 

Beckenbauer has to be in the Top 5 for me. Easily one of the most intelligent players to ever grace the game, and invented the libero role, and in so many ways, ushered in modern tactics. The only reason he'd be left out is because of his position. He and Maldini would be the first two defenders I'd pick by a country mile.

 

I was absolutely lucky to see Beckenbauer, Cruyff, and Neeskens play on the same pitch back in the NASL days, but was too young to have anything but fragmented memories. I do remember Cruyff going through players like they were in another dimension though. Was absolutely absurd how much better those three and the likes of George Best were than the rest of the league.

 

Speaking of George Best, if you want to see how much better he was than everyone else apart from the above three, check out his goal for the Earthquakes against Fort Lauderdale. They should have banned him from the league after that.

[Dokko]

Apparently 3 morgue staff took pics with his dead body (I’ve seen the photos and looks genuine, if not great fake) And boca ultras have hunted them down (seen video of one of them in a dumpster) and killed 2 of them and the other is in hospital.

 

Madness all round if true, but you don’t fuck with them mad bastards. Hopefully Ashley fancies a spell in the Argentinian top flight after this spell.

[Guest neesy111]

Apparently 3 morgue staff took pics with his dead body (I’ve seen the photos and looks genuine, if not great fake) And boca ultras have hunted them down (seen video of one of them in a dumpster) and killed 2 of them and the other is in hospital.

 

Madness all round if true, but you don’t f*** with them mad b******s. Hopefully Ashley fancies a spell in the Argentinian top flight after this spell.

 

Urghh man that's horrendous.

[Vinny Green Balls]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

 

 

Beckenbauer has to be in the Top 5 for me. Easily one of the most intelligent players to ever grace the game, and invented the libero role, and in so many ways, ushered in modern tactics. The only reason he'd be left out is because of his position. He and Maldini would be the first two defenders I'd pick by a country mile.

 

I was absolutely lucky to see Beckenbauer, Cruyff, and Neeskens play on the same pitch back in the NASL days, but was too young to have anything but fragmented memories. I do remember Cruyff going through players like they were in another dimension though. Was absolutely absurd how much better those three and the likes of George Best were than the rest of the league.

 

Speaking of George Best, if you want to see how much better he was than everyone else apart from the above three, check out his goal for the Earthquakes against Fort Lauderdale. They should have banned him from the league after that.

 

Laudrup should get more love tbh.

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Top tier of  Pele, Cruyff, Maradona.

 

Not very far behind both Ronaldo's and Messi

 

Then a huge wonderful group of Zidane, Platini, Bobby Charlton, Best etc

 

Its so hard to put defenders in there, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Bergomi, Halliday.

 

 

 

Beckenbauer has to be in the Top 5 for me. Easily one of the most intelligent players to ever grace the game, and invented the libero role, and in so many ways, ushered in modern tactics. The only reason he'd be left out is because of his position. He and Maldini would be the first two defenders I'd pick by a country mile.

 

I was absolutely lucky to see Beckenbauer, Cruyff, and Neeskens play on the same pitch back in the NASL days, but was too young to have anything but fragmented memories. I do remember Cruyff going through players like they were in another dimension though. Was absolutely absurd how much better those three and the likes of George Best were than the rest of the league.

 

Speaking of George Best, if you want to see how much better he was than everyone else apart from the above three, check out his goal for the Earthquakes against Fort Lauderdale. They should have banned him from the league after that.

 

Laudrup should get more love tbh.

 

Both of them, sublime players