I would pay a ticket to see them

[Jim Beam]

So, not the best, but the ones you enjoyed watching the most. For me:

1. Ronaldinho, the man who played with a smile on his face all the time.
His Stamford Bridge goal go in one of the most instinctive peaces of genius on the pitch. Didn't last long, but boy, did he delivered on the entertaining side

2. Andres Iniesta
A man behind the scene, flawless in execution and a joy to watch for a decade. On one hand a deadly executor when the biggest game is on the line and on another skillful genius which was a bit in the shadow of the rest of that Barca team

3. Cristiano Ronaldo - Man Utd version, at the time when his goal scoring animal kicked in and flair still remained.

4. Eden Hazard
People say he didn't take football like the most important thing in the world and he played always like he was on the playground. Basically, his biggest flaw made him such an entertainer during his peak.

Special notion to Eric Bailly, in a weird, only Bailly kind of way.

Your choices? Old players are welcome.

 

[Lay]

1. Ronaldinho
2. Luiz Ronaldo
3. Quaresma (seen him live at his peak and his skills and ability had the crowd in awe)
4. Riquelme

There's not many current players I would pay to watch, maybe Neymar and Mbappe at a push but no one else springs to mind (already seen Messi and Cristiano)

 

[Jim Beam]

There's not many current players I would pay to watch, maybe Neymar and Mbappe at a push but no one else springs to mind (already seen Messi and Cristiano)

Aye, a bit weird. Guess it's more about the collective and system now. De Bruyne is running close though.

 

[adexkola]

Ramos
Messi
De Bruyne
Bruno
Henderson
Pulisic

 

[André Dominguez]

1. Ronaldinho
2. Luiz Ronaldo
3. Quaresma (seen him live at his peak and his skills and ability had the crowd in awe)
4. Riquelme

There's not many current players I would pay to watch, maybe Neymar and Mbappe at a push but no one else springs to mind (already seen Messi and Cristiano)

Surprised anyone mentioned him, because people only tend to look at the "pragmatical" part of the skills.
His dribbling skills and improvising first touch tricks are a delight for people who really love the sport. If Quaresma had discipline he would easilly be a ballon d'or contender, but not as nearly entertaining to watch.

 

[Lay]

Surprised anyone mentioned him, because people only tend to look at the "pragmatical" part of the skills.
His dribbling skills and improvising first touch tricks are a delight for people who really love the sport. If Quaresma had discipline he would easilly be a ballon d'or contender, but not as nearly entertaining to watch.

Yeah, I don't care if he never was a team player or didn't do enough in a bigger league blah blah.. I could watch a Quaresma youtube video over a majority of better players. The game needs pure entertainers.

 

[André Dominguez]

Yeah, I don't care if he never was a team player or didn't do enough in a bigger league blah blah.. I could watch a Quaresma youtube video over a majority of better players. The game needs pure entertainers.

I have the same feeling and that is one of the reasons I don't follow football as much as I did years ago: we need those out of the box players to bring joy to the fans, even if they are only used as a power sub.

That's why I like Bruno Fernandes a lot: he likes to try things out of the box stuff making those "old school" incisive passes to the back of the defense that the modern players seem to avoid like the plague, because statistics say it's better to recycle possession.

 

[Neil_Buchanan]

Jay Jay Okocha
Pirlo
Beckham

 

[André Dominguez]

George Hagi: amazing player to see live. A total liability without the ball, but had so many tricks in the sleeve that he was a pure joy to watch on a match.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

Cantona.

There was something so hard to describe about him. You could feel his presence on the pitch when watching from the stands or at home. We looked a different side without him. He was so important, yet I don't think there was a significant period where he was our utmost best player. Personally, I think Keane, Giggs, Ince, Schmeichel and Irwin were better and more consistent performers in that 92-95 team, but Cantona was just enigmatic, and the most capable of pulling something out of nothing. Better players have played for this club since, but of all the players I've seen play for the club, he's the one I'd pick to see again in his prime above anyone.

 

[V.O.]

Keepers with more than one screw loose who fancy themselves at set pieces, the likes of Chilavert, Higuita etc

Special mention to Rogerio Ceni who managed to score 131 goals as a keeper while still somehow managing to look like a fecking accountant the whole time.

 

[André Dominguez]

João Vieira Pinto on his prime

 

[Jim Beam]

Cantona.

There was something so hard to describe about him. You could feel his presence on the pitch when watching from the stands or at home. We looked a different side without him. He was so important, yet I don't think there was a significant period where he was our utmost best player. Personally, I think Keane, Giggs, Ince, Schmeichel and Irwin were better and more consistent performers in that double-double team, but Cantona was just enigmatic, and the most capable of pulling something out of nothing. Better players have played for this club since, but of all the players I've seen play for the club, he's the one I'd pick to see again in his prime above anyone.

1995/96 Cantona had one of the best EPL seasons in history and was certainly best United player. Basically, he and Peter drove us to the title with a fantastic run. And then he concluded it with an off balance volley against Liverpool.

Left in a shadow of our CL exit against Dortmund probably.

Edit: my bad, Dortmund was year after

 

[Freak]

1. Ronaldinho
2. Fat Ronaldo
3. Messi
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (United version)
5. Giggsy (young dribbling version)
6. Beckham
7. Riquelme
8. Jay Jay Okocha
9. Iniesta
10. Scholes

 

[André Dominguez]

Keepers with more than one screw loose who fancy themselves at set pieces, the likes of Chilavert, Higuita etc

Special mention to Rogerio Ceni who managed to score 131 goals as a keeper while still somehow managing to look like a fecking accountant the whole time.

In reality they were ahead of their time IMHO. Those keepers would be very handy for modern football teams with their amazing outfield skills, and those three keepers were actually very solid at the goal line, mainly Ceni who was a world class keeper (his CV speaks for himself).

Ceni was actually the best keeper of Brasil for several seasons, but him and Zagallo got mad with each other and he stopped being called while Zagallo was in charge.

 

[Rasendori]

Abedi Pelé - Exuberant, tenacious, persevering, industrious ...

 

[harms]

Tons of different ones, definitely most of the above mentioned. Paul Scholes or Xavi controlling the game is an absolute marvel to witness, I’ve seen both of them live once.

Young Giggs, Michael Laudrup... Obviously every GOAT-candidate. Savicević & Prošinećki at their best. Bergkamp.

 

[Rob]

I'd add Michael Laudrup to the list. An absolute genious.

Edit: Thought I'd add a video. Arguably the most elegant footballer I've seen.

 

[André Dominguez]

Krasimir Balakov: despite being a Sporting legend, you would never know what could he do in the next game.

 

[Henrik Larsson]

Ever since witnessing his debut at Feyenoord, Robin van Persie has been my personal favourite player to watch in the whole world so I'd always pay money to see him play. I'll never forget the first time I saw RVP do a Zidane style pirouette, only in mirror image because he's left footed, it just looked so incredibly magical. I'm actually still bummed out I didn't go to Rafael van der Vaart's farewell match at HSV earlier this year because both RVP and Litmanen played in that match and it would've only been a three hour drive to get there.

Some slightly less obvious name that have fascinated me for years and I would always pay money to go and be able to see them play live:

Nwankwo Kanu, Luc Nilis, Berbatov, Zé Roberto, and in recent times Theo Janssen, Marek Hamsik and Hakim Ziyech.

 

[OnlyTwoDaSilvas]

1995/96 Cantona had one of the best EPL seasons in history and was certainly best United player. Basically, he and Peter drove us to the title with a fantastic run. And then he concluded it with an off balance volley against Liverpool.

Left in a shadow of our CL exit against Dortmund probably.

Edit: my bad, Dortmund was year after

95/96 was certainly his best season, particularly the 2nd half of it. He was excellent when he returned for the Liverpool game, then looked a bit rusty for a few weeks after - understandably.

Cantona from the turn of the year especially was immense though. I remember we won loads of games in a row 1-0 with him scoring out of nothing, that volley into the ground vs Newcastle, the volley off the crossbar vs Arsenal. Schmeichel in the same period was ridiculous too, that game away at Newcastle was robbery.

I remember Scholes was excellent in the 1st half of that season in particular too, especially as he had just come out of nowhere, playing in Cantona's position in those first few games, and started scoring for fun.


That was just a great season all round. The famous Hansen "can't win anything with kids" soundbite, the media gushing over Newcastle's all-out-attack football, Keegan's meltdown, the spice boys in cream suits. Not our greatest team, but definitely one of my favourite seasons.

 

[Redcy]

Going to go for some off the wall ones here, not world greats but players I loved watching:

Kinkladze, something about a couple of seasons at City that when he tried his dribbling and control was beautiful to watch.

Kanchelskis - Only today watched all his united assists and goals, when in full flow he was unstoppable, and some of his strikes off both feet....

Djalminha - feet like quicksilver, the ball seemed to be stuck to him

Juninho Paulista - When in form he was great to see as that player everybody went through

 

[Revaulx]

Nani

Tony Currie (despite him playing for Leeds for a while)

Blind at centre half

 

[Bebestation]

Nani

Tony Currie (despite him playing for Leeds for a while)

Blind at centre half

Good shout.

Also would watch Vidic as a completely opposite of Blind.

 

[Jim Beam]

95/96 was certainly his best season, particularly the 2nd half of it. He was excellent when he returned for the Liverpool game, then looked a bit rusty for a few weeks after - understandably.

Cantona from the turn of the year especially was immense though. I remember we won loads of games in a row 1-0 with him scoring out of nothing, that volley into the ground vs Newcastle, the volley off the crossbar vs Arsenal. Schmeichel in the same period was ridiculous too, that game away at Newcastle was robbery.

I remember Scholes was excellent in the 1st half of that season in particular too, especially as he had just come out of nowhere, playing in Cantona's position in those first few games, and started scoring for fun.


That was just a great season all round. The famous Hansen "can't win anything with kids" soundbite, the media gushing over Newcastle's all-out-attack football, Keegan's meltdown, the spice boys in cream suits. Not our greatest team, but definitely one of my favourite seasons.

Aye, fantastic season and one of my favorite in general.

 

[Rhyme Animal]

I once saw, in one game...

Ronaldo
Rooney
Giggs
Tevez
Fabregas
van Persie

 

[Charles Miller]

Ronaldinho, fat Ronaldo, Romario, Zico, Socrates, Roberto Carlos, Rivelino, Maradona, D'Alessandro, Riquelme, Xavi, Van Basten, Figo, Baggio, Pirlo, George Weah, Best, Hazard, Gullit and a young lad named Dener(rip).

 

[Canagel]

Pogba. Special player

 

[poleglass red]

I'd add the original Ronaldo as well, a joy to watch in his prime

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Di Stefano
Cruyff (and the whole total football team)
Duncan Edwards (and Busby Babes)
Scirea
Beckenbauer (as DM in 1966)
Puskas (and Mighty Magyars)

 

[LVGSdive]

AWB has made slide tackling into an art form which I'd pay to see.

Angel Gomes just has that it factor. He controls the ball on another level and is creative with some of his dribbling and passing.

 

[Kostur]

Ronaldinho

That's easy. Buy a ticket to Paraguay, go to the city he's locked up in, punch somebody in their shit, steal something, kill somebody, no idea et voila. You're with your idol now.

 

[Jim Beam]

That's easy. Pay a ticket to Paraguay, go to the city he's locked up in, punch somebody in their shit, steal something, kill somebody, no idea et voila. You're with your idol now.

Already watched him. Never been in Paraguay, stole something or kill anyone, so will consider it.

It is not an idol, although I absolutely love dumb people who think they will go through with an invalid passport or in general are not aware of an obviouus dumb shit. Fascinating in their own way.

 

[Kostur]

Already watched him. Never been in Paraguay, stole something or kill anyone, so will consider it.

It is not an idol, although I absolutely love dumb people who think they will go through with an invalid passport or in general are not aware of an obviouus dumb shit. Fascinating in their own way.

Try it, you'll absolutely love it imo.

 

[Jim Beam]

Try it, you'll absolutely love it imo.

Airlines are dead Kostur.

 

[Synco]

That Maldini-Nesta-Stam-Cafu backline in real life.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Magical Football artist
- Ronaldinho

Creative artists
- Pirlo, Riquelme, Blind, Scholes, Carrick, Guti

Passing Artists
- Beckham, TAA, De Bruyne, Pogba

Attacking artists
- Ronaldo, Ronaldo (at United), Saha, Eto, David Villa, Kaka, Robson

Defending artists
- AWB, Nesta, Maldini, Vidic, Ayala, Makelele

Skills artists
- Quaresma, Berbatov, Di Maria

 

[MuranoLover]

1. Ronaldinho at prime - Football at its purity

2. Messi 15 years ago - want to see the future once again

3. Bebe - just for the goal celebration

4. Carlos / Cafu at prime - fast cars' lover

 

[SATA]

Paul Pogba. Brilliant player. Just hope to catch him on a day where he physically bullies everyone on the pitch

 

[Bondi77]

Best
Messi
Maradona
Ronaldo x2
Van Basten
Cruyff
Charlton
Duncan Edwards
Mark Hughes