The Czar from Vigo, imo better player than Arshavin.
Greatest Dribbler of All Time
- Thread starter Moby
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I agree, although, aesthetically, Arshavin was great to watch.
I said Juninho (the Boro one) earlier in this thread thinking he’d get a few mentions. Amazed no one agrees. Best I’ve seen first hand by a mile (was a Boro season ticket holder when he was at his peak)
Was I watching a different game?!
Was I watching a different game?!
Suprised not to see Neymar mentioned. He along with Ronaldoinho are the only players I've ever seen who are genuinely able to make a football match look like street football. He has done every time of skill on the pitch.
Didn't catch Okocha I guess? Anwyays Dinho Is certainly one of the best, always find it surprising when people claim Ronaldo was a better dribbler as he just wasn't .
I am not going to comment on players I haven't seen regularly so no Maradona for me.
Post 000's, Ronaldinho.
Post 000's, Ronaldinho.
Have to say Torres is very underrated. At his peak might be one of the greatest strikers of all time.
Dragan Stojkovic definitely deserve a shout, 'piksi' was as good a dribbler as anyone including Best, Maradona etc
After a certain point though, there is not really much in between any of those, there is only so much dribbling you can do. And other things like what do you do after you've beaten the man or decision making becomes more important. Stojkovic scores highly there as well.
Its sad that Cristiano is not mentioned among the great dribblers anymore, he has changed his game in Real and perfected his off the ball runs & heading to an art form but he was a brilliant dribbler while playing for us. May be not all time great level but he was a joy to watch.
After a certain point though, there is not really much in between any of those, there is only so much dribbling you can do. And other things like what do you do after you've beaten the man or decision making becomes more important. Stojkovic scores highly there as well.
Its sad that Cristiano is not mentioned among the great dribblers anymore, he has changed his game in Real and perfected his off the ball runs & heading to an art form but he was a brilliant dribbler while playing for us. May be not all time great level but he was a joy to watch.
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Spectacular fall off contributes(and his best years being at Liverpool) Bit like Owen. Torres was only 26/27 going to Chelsea but never even came close to his prior level.
Interesting overall discussion. Always loved natural dribblers, not the post Ronaldo9 types who thought that a stepover and flip flap made them a dribbler but the purer form. Cruyff, Laudrup, Messi, Maradona, Giggs, body feints, misdirection but direct at the same time.
Love Cristiano but he should not be on a list of the best dribblers.
Cristiano was an insanely good dribbler. I do agree he doesn't compare to the all time greatest since he was more about using his dribbling with pace, shooting, physicality but I do think he's probably my favorite dribbler of all time after Ronaldinho. His style was very attractive on the eyes. His step overs really stood out.
Have to disagree but we all have our styles that we prefer.
Always thought that much of his dribbling was for show rather than effect. Like a peacock displaying it's plumage, trying to intimate the defender. You watch highlights of his dribbling and much of it is dancing in front of a defender, feet flashing everywhere, then a simple lay off to a full back or nearest player. Personally I do not really consider that dribbling so when I am judging him it is how effective he is when looking to take a man on that I focus on. He has had great moments doing that during his career but not as often as you would think.
This boy could play. Fabulous player. I wonder whether he inspired Cristiano.
When i first started playing for my youth local club, the manager made us watch two tapes. One was Sir Alex training methods (mid 90s when i became a fan of United) and the other was throughout footage of Jay Jay Okocha dribbling. Nothing else. He wanted us to learn how to dribble without touching the ball like him.
Denilson was very good and so was Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, from those I've seen in real time. Zlatan was fantastic in his early days too, very underrated.
My all time fav gotta be Michael Laudrup though, didn't watch him live so much as i was young but he always seemed to me the coolest player and the one i tried to mimic when growing up.
Denilson was very good and so was Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, from those I've seen in real time. Zlatan was fantastic in his early days too, very underrated.
My all time fav gotta be Michael Laudrup though, didn't watch him live so much as i was young but he always seemed to me the coolest player and the one i tried to mimic when growing up.
If you meant Cristiano, then it’s definitely surprising. He’s a better player overall than Ronaldinho but clearly the Brazilian is easily some levels above him in terms of dribbling.
If you meant De Lima Ronaldo, then those folks aren’t entirely wrong.
I personally consider De Lima a better dribbler than Ronaldinho. Ronaldinho definitely possessed more flair, and maybe a bit more trickery too but Ronaldo overall was more was more effective with his dribbling.
Obviously I didn't mean Cristiano, he doesn't even belong in this conversation, Imo he's not a better player than Dinho was.
Yeah, cant agree with your sentiments at all. Dinho was a spectacular dribbler, Ronaldo had other qualities that made him maybe more difficult to handle but Dinho used to go past players for fun. In his prime 1 v 1's were a non contest and he was a virtuoso in the tightest of spaces that wouldn't be as common with Ronaldo.
Still to this day yet to see anyone replicate what Dinho was able to do on the pitch, not Messi, not Maradona, not anybody.
you had Ronaldo Lima mate, which is easily as skillful or more skillful
George Best.
George Best. Anybody saying different didn't see him play
Ronaldo Lima was incredibly skillfull, there's a few things he did which I actually didn't see dinho doing, but...
Moments like this make Dinho a very strong candidate in this discussion, even when he hummiliated players, his dribbles were still not pointless, he always did things to avoid/get away from the opponent.
Only Garrincha, Ronaldinho and Messi come close to Best, but alot of people seem to think Maradona was better than Best, sadly we barely have footage on Best before the 1970's, i'm pretty sure if it was available, there would be no discussion.
It definitely wasn't all for show. His feet confused defenders that never knew what ball he'd play next. Some of it was for show but I like that as well. It's sort of like how muhammad Ali would do the shuffle in the ring when destroying his opponent.
Like I said, Cristiano does not belong at the all time greatest dribblers list because that wasn't his primary gae but he has a very unique style when dribbling which is why he's probably the one I enjoy the most watching after Ronaldinho
Can Hazard be mentioned up there ? Or is he too over-reliant on his pace ?
Either Maradona or Messi, nobody else even comes close. Purely in terms of dribbling, in terms of using flashy skill moves and tricks Ronaldinho.
Dragan Stojkovic
Well Messi was the person with most successful dribbles in 2014 world cup and 2015 Copa America(only these two have been covered by stats sites), and their is no wonder he would have been at the very top in the 2016, 2011, 2010 Tourneys too.
He may not be winning everything with Argentina, but his dribbling, passing and chance creation has always been the same, no matter whether he plays for Argentina or Barcelona. It is just his goal scoring which suffers when he is with Argentina. Other than that, it is more or less same as Barcelona.
Comparing him with the likes of Veron is an insult to his ability IMO.
Has anyone over here ever heard of Dener ?
If not, take a look at this, he died too young in a car accident in 1994 at just 23 years old, but in his short career even Maradona was impressed by him when he played against Newells and dribbled 5 players
Newells dribble:
If not, take a look at this, he died too young in a car accident in 1994 at just 23 years old, but in his short career even Maradona was impressed by him when he played against Newells and dribbled 5 players
Newells dribble:
John Barnes and Stevie Mac have to be up there with the best English ones.
Tier 1; Maradona and Garrincha
Tier 2: Best, Baggio, Ronaldinho, Messi
Tier 2: Best, Baggio, Ronaldinho, Messi
This!
I did speak to Paul Reaney who played for the famous Leeds side of the 60s and he told me that out of Best and Messi, the latter has it in terms of speed over a short distance but both are comparable in terms of dribbling. Best was better with his so called weaker foot though
Putting Messi in Tier 2 when it comes to dribbling?
Guess you didn't watch football during 2008-2012 then
Have you guys heard of this guy called Messi? He's a pretty good dribbler!
Can't embed video but check this out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6rMNXnXiJE
Can't embed video but check this out! www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6rMNXnXiJE
Good guess. I was stuck in a cave in the Himalayas.
Yeah I get that impression, Messi used to have and perhaps still has an incredible burst of pace in a short distance, which enables him to dribble quite a few players in very tight spaces, the best example I can think of is his goal against Real Madrid in 2011 where he combined sublime footwork with that speed to get away from players and put it past the keeper. But Best, the goal against Benfica in 68 he had to dribble some players to get there and all the TV shows is him putting the ball on the net sadly.
Messi obviously
Giggs was a terrific dribbler
Giggs was a terrific dribbler
No way.. Absolutely not! Brian Laudrup was a good drbbler, but everything he did in Scotland, Michael Laudrup did better in Spain, including dribbling, even though vision and passing was his main strengths.
Messi and Best are the best I’ve seen.
Tony galvin wasnt near the best, but without taking a full back on and getting a cross in
he was brilliant
he was brilliant
Messi and Neymar from what I've seen.
Messi has torn apart world class defenders on his is own time and time again on the biggest stages in football. I've seen Messi play live in a stadium on the first row and I genuinely could not get over how fast his footwork was.
Neymar is probably the most entertaining dribbler to watch for me. He dribbles so intricately at speed and is amazing with both feet.
Special mentions to Ronaldinho and also Iniesta.
Messi has torn apart world class defenders on his is own time and time again on the biggest stages in football. I've seen Messi play live in a stadium on the first row and I genuinely could not get over how fast his footwork was.
Neymar is probably the most entertaining dribbler to watch for me. He dribbles so intricately at speed and is amazing with both feet.
Special mentions to Ronaldinho and also Iniesta.
Chris Smalling