I want to say Zidane or R9 but I really can't look past Messi.
The Greatest Footballer of All Time
- Thread starter Moby
- Start date
For me the GOAT's pool should consist of Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Messi and fat Ronaldo.
The others are just a notch below - C.Ronaldo, Eusebio, etc.
The margins are pretty thin of course so there's always something to disagree on.
The others are just a notch below - C.Ronaldo, Eusebio, etc.
The margins are pretty thin of course so there's always something to disagree on.
For my money none of Fat Ronaldo, Ronaldinho or Zidane make the cut. Ronaldo and Ronaldinho had hampered careers (for various reasons) that stopped them properly fulfilling their true potential, while Zidane just wasn't that good.
These players such as Pele, Maradonna and Messi are just seem to be so far beyond their peers that I dont know how you can compare them against each other without them having played at the same time. Boring answer I know.
It's the right answer though.
Messi, Maradonna, Pele and Eusebio
Yeah, we could.
Ability - Messi
Legacy - Pele
So yeah, I'd be Pele for me, I think in those GOAT debates the most important point is the relative strength of the player compared to the level of his era and while Messi is great, Pele was better in that sense (+had more success, 3 WC is just unbelievable).
Legacy - Pele
So yeah, I'd be Pele for me, I think in those GOAT debates the most important point is the relative strength of the player compared to the level of his era and while Messi is great, Pele was better in that sense (+had more success, 3 WC is just unbelievable).
I personally think Maradonna's legacy of the WC win in 86 trumps everyone else. It was a solo effort at times by him on the journey to lifting the WC.
I will never understand why fat Ronaldo is rated above C. Ronaldo in these discussions.
Anywhooo. The best I've seen is Messi. The old folk tell me Maradona was better. I'll go with what they said.
Anywhooo. The best I've seen is Messi. The old folk tell me Maradona was better. I'll go with what they said.
Yeah that' the one, thanks man forgot the name. Loved that show and I watched around 20 shows.
Cristiano Ronaldo.
Maradona, Pele and Messi stand out as the three greatest in this discussion.
I think you can make an argument for all three but personally I would go with Messi.
I think you can make an argument for all three but personally I would go with Messi.
The league he played in was arguably more competitive than the two horse drab la liga over the last decade or so. If doing it in a competitive league is the reason then Maradona comes ahead of anyone, he played in the toughest league of all time and won it without playing for one of the top teams.
Its probably best not to choose a greatest footballer of all time - all the players who get discussed shouldn't have to come in 2nd to others who mostly played in different eras. Instead there should be a pantheon of the best - maybe 10 or 12 players who are regarded as among the greatest for different reasons.
From watching grainy clips, looking at the stats, and hearing anecdotes, it has to be Pele.
With my own eyes, Luis Ronaldo, albeit only for about two years. Never seen anyone look on such a different level to those around them.
With my own eyes, Luis Ronaldo, albeit only for about two years. Never seen anyone look on such a different level to those around them.
I wonder how long it will be before a new player lays a claim to being the GOAT. I can't think of anyone currently who would even come close so we will see what the future holds .
Messi is the GOAT for me , with maradona close behind . For some reason, pele has never really excited me , and given a choice of a 30 min YouTube video of pele greatest goals and 30 mins of messis " almost " great goals , I would watch the latter every time. I feel like he's the most transending individual ever to play the game, yes he has been part of some of the greatest club sides ever assembled but he still looked so many levels above his teammates . I hope by the time he retires it can be somewhat more unanimous.
Messi is the GOAT for me , with maradona close behind . For some reason, pele has never really excited me , and given a choice of a 30 min YouTube video of pele greatest goals and 30 mins of messis " almost " great goals , I would watch the latter every time. I feel like he's the most transending individual ever to play the game, yes he has been part of some of the greatest club sides ever assembled but he still looked so many levels above his teammates . I hope by the time he retires it can be somewhat more unanimous.
Cool - my answer is I don't have one name as choosing one would undermine the accomplishments of the others. That's why I proposed a pantheon of all time greats instead.
I refer you to my classic thread, "Tiers of Greatness".
I suppose because the ability he showed in his prime, or rather before his injuries, was ahead of anything Cristiano Ronaldo displayed.
Cristiano's longevity and consistency over the course of his career will put him ahead of his namesake for most or many though.
That is what is normally done and in theory comparisons across any players make no sense let alone the greatest ones which is why this is not a serious thread where naming one player would mean you are holding him ahead of others or undermining the others, just the name you'd pick if you had to pick one, based on personal preferences, whatever you value in football or anything else. Fair enough if some are still reluctant.
Anderson
I don't like these threads...
- Won the champions league (Pele never did this)
- Won the PL (Messi hasn't done this)
- Won the Brazilian Serie B (Ronaldo and Messi haven't done this)
- Won a bronze medal at the olympics (not done by any of the others), Messi only won gold.
I don't like these threads...
I say it every time this debate is brought up: George Best would have skinned every other player on the list and then gone back and skinned them again for the craic.
I think the first point is debatable. I think C. Ronaldo's longevity has made people forget how devastating he was at his best.
I may have to check it out.
None of the above should also be an option.
No love for Phil Jones?
Joe Cole.
Pele had the greatest career, but I'll always think that Best and Garrincha were able to do things with a football no one else has ever done, I'd say either of them could be argued as the most naturally skilled of all time.
Di Stefano, Pele, Maradona and Messi are the best four players ever IMO. It is very difficult to say who is the best though, because of them playing in different eras. It is nowhere near as easy as comparing Messi to Ronaldo, who both play in the same league, in similar teams that get over 90 points most seasons, score over 100 goals and go far in all competitions.
On board with Bestie's name. Would be my 'hipster' pick if you wanna call it that. Obviously there's United bias in it but there was nothing he couldn't do and at club level he did it against the best, unfortunate to be born in a country that had no chance at International success.
I'd agree with @.Rossi re Ronaldinho somewhat. I wouldn't say he's the greatest player ever, or even in my lifetime. His longevity ultimately lets him down. I do think however that he had the highest peak level of any player I've ever seen.
What? There are no names, everyone is free to name whoever they want. This isn't a vote.
Make it 4 : pele maradonna messi ronaldo
Honorable mention : cruyff Beckenbauer
The rest... Meh
Honorable mention : cruyff Beckenbauer
The rest... Meh
This would hold more weight if Gareth bale hadn't just appeared in a euro semi final with Wales
It isn't, but why not allow that as an option. Some people may not have a greatest ever.
Firstly, Bestie played for Northern Ireland. Their international team at the time in comparison to the rest of the national teams were further behind than Wales was to the other European teams this year. Lastly, Wales wouldn't have a chance of winning the World Cup even now, just like N. Ireland didn't have a chance to win a WC then. What I meant was had Bestie played for a stronger team like the rest of the names in this thread have (mostly Brazil, Argentina) then he would have a better standing in the game. There have been several underdog successes over the years which have nothing to do with the fact that N. Ireland back then were not in contention for any success. Their rest of the squad was not as good as one you'd want for a star player to carry, as is seen with most underdog teams who may not have a star studded line up but still have credible players who would give enough support to the one or two top players in the team for them to reach anywhere. Either ways, there's no question that Best would have had a bigger reputation had he played for a stronger nation that regularly challenged for international honours, regardless of what Wales did.
Maradona
hipster pick - Platini
hipster pick - Platini