The greatest ever?

[magpie_mania]

Really hard to have a definitive answer to this as they all played at different times, as has been said, with different interpretation of the laws.

Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton are also up there imo.

[slack_pie]

Really hard to have a definitive answer to this as they all played at different times, as has been said, with different interpretation of the laws.

Bobby Moore and Bobby Charlton are also up there imo.

Also hard to nominate a player from an era that you personally didn't watch. I vaguely remember watching Maradona in 1990, but I was too young to really know what kind of player he was.

So for me, from my era (90s and beyond), I'd say:

C Ronaldo
Messi
Ronaldo

In that order. The first two are a no-brainer - easily the best two footballer of a generation. Cristiano pips Messi on account of his super-human drive to push himself to be the best, year after year. He's one of the games greatest competitors. Brazilian Ronaldo was also unstoppable on his day, particularly the era from Barcelona to Inter. An absolute monster of a striker.

A special mention for Ronaldinho as well. Probably not quite in the top three during my time, but on his day one of the greatest players ever and an absolute joy to watch.

[drillerpie]

A special mention for Ronaldinho as well. Probably not quite in the top three during my time, but on his day one of the greatest players ever and an absolute joy to watch.

Great shout. Doesn't have the relentless stats of Ronaldo or Messi, but in terms of the sheer child-like joy you get from watching him play he might be the player I rank highest.

Gazza would be up there too on that basis.

[for*sttown63]

Johan Cruyff

I'll second that!

[Bushwacka]

Only one shout for Brazilian Ronaldo so far? 2nd best ever to Maradona for me, frightening, even with missing half his best years with injuries.

[upthemaggies]

I'll second that!

Thirded for Cruyff.

Can't believe nobody has mentioned George Best.

Keegan, Dalglish and Souness, would have stood out as even more special in their prime at any other club than Liverpool.

How do you compare goalkeepers or center backs with front players?

[ncfcog]

Thirded for Cruyff.

Can't believe nobody has mentioned George Best.

Keegan, Dalglish and Souness, would have stood out as even more special in their prime at any other club than Liverpool.

How do you compare goalkeepers or center backs with front players?

Keegan definitely a stand out in those three. I put Best in the same category as Maradona but neither would be in my top 3. As for Cruyff I was very fortunate to see him playing for Barcelona in a Copa del Rey match at Atletico Madrid circa 1974. He scored from about 30 yards out, keeper didn't even move.

[slack_pie]

Great shout. Doesn't have the relentless stats of Ronaldo or Messi, but in terms of the sheer child-like joy you get from watching him play he might be the player I rank highest.

Gazza would be up there too on that basis.

Yeah, there were a couple of seasons at Barcelona where he was just the best. I think Real Madrid fans even started applauding him one game when he absolutely destroyed them.

[Big Bob]

Sir Charlie Palmer. Number 1 legend 😄

[drillerpie]

Thirded for Cruyff.

Can't believe nobody has mentioned George Best.

Keegan, Dalglish and Souness, would have stood out as even more special in their prime at any other club than Liverpool.

How do you compare goalkeepers or center backs with front players?

We give creative players who played years ago like Maradona and Pele extra credit for the rough treatment they had to put up with, so is it fair to also mark physically intimidating, tough-tackling players Souness down because they got away with murder at that time?

(I know it's unfair to describe Souness as Vinnie Jones with a moustache, he was more than that, but just curious to know what you think about the general point).