Moby
Dick
Right, given this comes up in a few threads across the forum regarding certain players, it would be interesting to see what people say as to who is the greatest of all time.
I completely realise that in a truly global sport that has run for more than a century there are numerous factors that would contribute to one's greatness and it is always difficult to point out just one name, which is why this is nothing but a light-hearted casual exercise to observe the spread across the forum. It's basically if you had to take one name as the greatest ever, who would it be. Doesn't need to go extremely academic in the explanation of justification of it.
For me, plenty of names but I'd go for the one and only
Winner of THREE World Cups, while being an incredible part in two of them. Played in one at the age of 17 and scored a brace in the final. In 1970, he was the talisman of what is usually known as the greatest national team of all time!
At the club level, he dominated Brazilian football and was the leader of one of the greatest club teams in Brazilian football history. Also took his team to win the premier club competition Copa Libertadores twice and destroyed European Champions Benfica when they met his Santos team at the time. If South Americans were eligible for Ballon D'or, he'd have about 6 or 7.
The most complete attacking player ever. Ahead of his time, a physical beast, the greatest goalscorer you can have on the pitch, with the footballing IQ far ahead of anyone else and the ability to pull the strings and combine everyone in the team to a level that elevates everyone's performance. The man you want on a big stage as seen by his heroics at the biggest stage at the age of 17! In terms of longevity he's second to none, the first and third WC win being separated by 12 years.
I completely realise that in a truly global sport that has run for more than a century there are numerous factors that would contribute to one's greatness and it is always difficult to point out just one name, which is why this is nothing but a light-hearted casual exercise to observe the spread across the forum. It's basically if you had to take one name as the greatest ever, who would it be. Doesn't need to go extremely academic in the explanation of justification of it.
For me, plenty of names but I'd go for the one and only
O Rei - Pelé
Winner of THREE World Cups, while being an incredible part in two of them. Played in one at the age of 17 and scored a brace in the final. In 1970, he was the talisman of what is usually known as the greatest national team of all time!
At the club level, he dominated Brazilian football and was the leader of one of the greatest club teams in Brazilian football history. Also took his team to win the premier club competition Copa Libertadores twice and destroyed European Champions Benfica when they met his Santos team at the time. If South Americans were eligible for Ballon D'or, he'd have about 6 or 7.
The most complete attacking player ever. Ahead of his time, a physical beast, the greatest goalscorer you can have on the pitch, with the footballing IQ far ahead of anyone else and the ability to pull the strings and combine everyone in the team to a level that elevates everyone's performance. The man you want on a big stage as seen by his heroics at the biggest stage at the age of 17! In terms of longevity he's second to none, the first and third WC win being separated by 12 years.