O/T - Greatest Ever

[JamesMcClean]

Ok - let's dodge DUFC for now (thank god).

Who is the greatest ever?

Pele
Maradona
Cruyff
Beckenbaur
Sir Bobby Charlton
Zinedine Zidane

Your go - who is best? The above is purely ideas. You can name whoever you want,but reasons in writing are required.

Let it commence,

[TerryTheTerror]

Maradona
Zidane

[SmedDUm]

Lionel Messi is the best footballer to ever walk the planet IMHO.
And just happens to be a current player.
Other than that Billy Kirkwood

[Charlie arab]

Doesn't matter he's not won world cup, Messi is the greatest ever .

[JamesMcClean]

Doesn't matter he's not won world cup, Messi is the greatest ever .

Maradona did it in an era where he got kicked merry hell out of him (Goichechea (sp.) even framed the boots that he wore when he broke Diego's leg WTF?!) , yet despite that he carried Napoli to a Serie A in one of the most brutal eras of Italian football and single handedly took an average Argentinian team to one World Cup and almost took an even worse one to a second four years later. Messi is an outstanding football player - but I don't think he'd have lasted two minutes back then. In the modern era, Maradona now would be untouchable.

Second on my list is Zidane. Because..................he's simply Zidane.

[JuanShoe]

Maradona did it in an era where he got kicked merry hell out of him (Goichechea (sp.) even framed the boots that he wore when he broke Diego's leg WTF?!) , yet despite that he carried Napoli to a Serie A in one of the most brutal eras of Italian football and single handedly took an average Argentinian team to one World Cup and almost took an even worse one to a second four years later. Messi is an outstanding football player - but I don't think he'd have lasted two minutes back then. In the modern era, Maradona now would be untouchable.

Second on my list is Zidane. Because..................he's simply Zidane.

Maradona also played in a era where the game was slower, less physically demanding and it was easier to stand out individually. In terms of who the best is, it is Messi. All sports evolve, especially those which are awash with money, and generally the best player is the exceptional one in the modern era. However, the evolution doesn't always lead to more entertainment. Perhaps the better question would be: who was the most entertaining player of all time.

[JamesMcClean]

less physically demanding .

That's the question isn't it? What's the definition of less physically demanding? If you mean by that not getting kicked to absolute phuck whilst getting zero protection from the referee then I guess you can say it was less physically demanding. As we know though, that was NOT the case in Maradona's era. I would say it was THE most physically demanding era in football history - the 70s and 80s were BRUTAL. I personally think Messi would have been destroyed by the like of Claudio Gentile.Conversely, I reckon Christiano would have fared better in that era.

[JuanShoe]

That's the question isn't it? What's the definition of less physically demanding? If you mean by that not getting kicked to absolute phuck whilst getting zero protection from the referee then I guess you can say it was less physically demanding. As we know though, that was NOT the case in Maradona's era. I would say it was THE most physically demanding era in football history - the 70s and 80s were BRUTAL. I personally think Messi would have been destroyed by the like of Claudio Gentile.Conversely, I reckon Christiano would have fared better in that era.

Physically demanding refers to the way the game is played not reffed. Players run faster and for longer. They are physically stronger, fitter and sharper than previous eras. You simply would never get a player of Maradona's physical capabilities succeeding at the highest level anymore.


Also find it curious as to why you think Messi would struggle (a player who gets up time after time having been kicked and gets on with the game) and Ronaldo (who rolls round the floor and then goes into the cream puff anytime anybody challenges him) would succeed. But as previously said, it is impossible to compare players from different eras with any accuracy.

[Charlie arab]

Maradona did it in an era where he got kicked merry hell out of him (Goichechea (sp.) even framed the boots that he wore when he broke Diego's leg WTF?!) , yet despite that he carried Napoli to a Serie A in one of the most brutal eras of Italian football and single handedly took an average Argentinian team to one World Cup and almost took an even worse one to a second four years later. Messi is an outstanding football player - but I don't think he'd have lasted two minutes back then. In the modern era, Maradona now would be untouchable.

Second on my list is Zidane. Because..................he's simply Zidane.

We'll never know if how Messi would have done then obviously but football now is so different , players are fitter, sharper and more athletic and all coaches try to set up there team to stop Messi, most fail. He also still gets some brutal treatment from guys like Ramos , granted not as bad as maradonna got. Both fantastic players but Messi edges it for me.

[utd4me]

Maradona
Pele
Hard to choose between the two but Maradona edges it for me.