Who in your opinion is the Greatest player of all time

Who is the greatest footballer of all-time?

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FriedClams

Please refrain from using AI in my threads
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Oct 14, 2021
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There was a 22-page thread on this in 2024, but no poll. To pass some time between now and the World Cup beginning, let’s see who this forum think is the best of all time. @golden_blunder @moses or other mods can we please have a poll with the following choices

Alfredo Di Stefano
Cristiano Ronaldo
Diego Maradona
Franz Beckenbauer
Johan Cruyff
Lionel Messi
Pele
Ronaldo Nazario
Ronaldinho
Zinedine Zidane

** These poll choices are the thoughts of the individual poster and are in no way endorsed by Redcafe **
 
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Messi. Maradona but with his head screwed on.
 
Thank you for adding the poll whichever mod it was :)
 
I remember a poster said before that when united played madrid in 2013, Ronaldo marked phil Jones out of the game so probably Ronaldo.
 
Zidan is there (what???), but no Best nor Charlton. Strange poll
 
Scandi Red said:
Brain says Messi, heart says Ronaldinho.
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You might make an argument that Ronaldinho's absolute top level was higher than that of Messi - and also for more than 90 minutes, but he wasn't close to the consistency that Messi proved season after season. He was, however, imho, more entertaining to watch. Had to go with Messi myself.
 
Zidane is not a weird option. If some of greatest players to ever play the game say he's a top 5-10 player of all time, then its not weird.

Messi the best to ever play, btw.
 
It’s obviously Messi.

Messi is the greatest player of all time. Objectively.

It actually makes me emotional watching clips of him from his peak he was that good. Artistry.
 
I don't particularly like Messi, but can't look past him here. You need to get really creative in finding angles against him
 
Ronaldino, then the Ronaldo's are my favourites on the list. Huge respect for Beckenbauer and Cruyff.

But the best, by a distance, was Maradona.
 
SilentWitness said:
Zidane is a weird option.
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DatIrishFella said:
Zidane is not a weird option. If some of greatest players to ever play the game say he's a top 5-10 player of all time, then its not weird.
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Semi-related, but who is the best central midfielder of all time? Is it Zidane then? All of the other options in the poll, except for Beckenbauer, are attackers.

I think AMs can count as CMs, as long as CM is their secondary position. His competition would be Xavi, Iniesta, Modric etc.
 
hellhunter said:
I don't particularly like Messi, but can't look past him here. You need to get really creative in finding angles against him
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People are quite adept at that though. My favourite one from only a couple of months back is “he didn’t win the World Cup until he was 35” :lol: Anyway, think it’s just a near impossible question to answer because there are so many factors and variables that differ between different eras of football. It’ll always boil down to Pele, Diego and Messi. I’d go Messi just because I’m not old enough to have seen Diego’s prime or any of Pele outwith YouTube highlights. FYI my dad genuinely thinks Cruyff is the best all round footballer he’s ever seen.
 
From what I read and seen, di stefano, cruyff, Pele and Maradona may be competition to Messi. There is far less of them to watch available though. It would be incredible to watch them in the present day.
 
Forget his name but he is the best dribbler I have ever seen, is the best short range passer I've ever seen, reads the game as quick as anyone else, has scored the most impressive goal I have ever seen, has made world class players in all areas of the pitch look silly numerous times, has scored the most goals in a calender year, pretty much owns the Ballon d'Or, has won every trophy possible for club and country, has been playing professionally for 22 years and counting.
 
DatIrishFella said:
Zidane is not a weird option. If some of greatest players to ever play the game say he's a top 5-10 player of all time, then its not weird.

Messi the best to ever play, btw.
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I think Zidane is overrated, don't think he's top 10 of all time.
 
Scandi Red said:
Semi-related, but who is the best central midfielder of all time? Is it Zidane then? All of the other options in the poll, except for Beckenbauer, are attackers.

I think AMs can count as CMs, as long as CM is their secondary position. His competition would be Xavi, Iniesta, Modric etc.
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Zidane was as much of a CM as Maradona or Ronaldinho were.

The best central midfielder by the general consensus is either Xavi or Matthäus but their playing style is so different that it’s near impossible to properly compare them.
 
Surprised to see there’s any controversy about Zidane being in there given how gifted he was and given some of his big game heroics.
 
Messi has just produced consistent greatness over such a long timescale. He is arguably the greatest goalscorer and the greatest creative force at the same time. And he has done it all against super athletes and a more and more optimized playing field.
 
Who cares if Zidane is on the poll and Best isn't? Ultimately it's a two horse race between Messi and Maradona.

For me it has to be Messi.
 
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