I've always thought there should be two categories for dribbling: those who have natural physical and athletic advantages in a separate grouping to those who did not and still could run through a team with ease.
The likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Garrincha, Best and so forth all had breathtaking acceleration, slight of foot and a central core that basically meant once they got past their man, he wasn't going to catch them. It puts a defender in a different head-space and panic to someone who they might get to have several nips at because he has normal acceleration and/or pace.
Players like:
Prosinecki,
Riquelme,
Rivelino,
Iniesta,
Make it clear they can do what they're doing all game because they're slow enough for everyone to have a go at trying to dispossess them, which basically concluded with them being fouled rather than tackled.
I think an issue here is that the elite players in the first grouping were great at a number of things and remembered as more effective because of the amount of times their runs produced something of note. In isolation, as pure dribblers, is there actually more to what they're doing? If yes, then what is it? Close control? feints? beating their man? beating multiple opponents? Because, honestly, someone like Prosinecki or Iniesta, in terms of pure dribbling, spun opponents in knots even if what they produced at the conclusion of their runs wasn't as devastating or indelible as the likes of Maradona et al doing the same thing but then finishing it off with a goal or assist for the ages.
Just as with the passing thread, if you strip back all components and are left with 'pure' dribbling, there's a lot of lesser rated players who show an aptitude that is in company with the world-renowned greats.
