Perhaps debatable, but he was the first player I ever remember seeing as a kid and being just blown away by his talent.
His goal v England in the 86 world cup is amazing.
RIP.
Perhaps debatable, but he was the first player I ever remember seeing as a kid and being just blown away by his talent.
His goal v England in the 86 world cup is amazing.
RIP.
The one he scored five minutes later was belter too.
RIP to him, and I mean no disrespect by this, but Pele was the greatest of all time. Maradona is on the Mt. Rushmore along with Ronaldo and Messi
I think the players you think are the best ever are often linked to how old you are and who the stars were when you were growing up.
Maradona is the greatest ever for me. A proper iconic figure, the way he moved with the ball was just effortless. To do what he did time and time again whilst getting absolute lumps kicked out of him every week is ridiculous.
His flaws kind of added to his mystique.
Shame his life was relatively short but what a life.
Probably my favourite ever football photograph. Sums him up perfectly.
Yep. Just amazing. I think he is the most gifted player there has ever been.
He didn't have the longevity of Messi, Pele or Ronaldo but his peak was higher than them IMO.
Unless you saw them all regularly I don't see how you can really make this sort of judgement. I mean we are roughly the same age and outside of higlight compilations and extended highlights of a couple of very famous matches I've barely seen any of Maradona or Pele. Not a dig at you personally, I just don't really think it's possible to compare without having experienced their career in some sort of depth. My only actual memory of Maradona as a footballer was him screaming like a madman into the camera at USA '94.
https://www.theguardian.com/football...m-famous-photo
Love that that photo's reality is so different than what you think ha
I'm a bit older than you Simon - I do just about remember the 86 world cup and I remember 90 very well, so Maradona was the first great player I was aware of so to speak. Fair point on Pele, I guess just from what I have seen of him he didn't have the natural talent of Maradona.
Ah ok for some reason I thought you were a couple of years older.
My perception of Pele is that he was comparatively limited compared to the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Maradona, he was just an absolute goal monster. But again, no idea if that is accurate.
Any cunt who makes up his own goal tally and sticks with a Brazilian team for his entire career can fuck off being included in any discussion of the best ever when we have Maradona, Messi and Ronaldo now as legitimate monsters in their own right. I'd put Pele on the level of Beckenbauer, Cruyff etc on the rung below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4fzeK3SQa4
Pele is kind of boring too. His most interesting thing away from the pitch was that he couldn't get an erection. Well he said others cant but never actually mentioned himself...
Obviously one of the greats but lacks the iconic status of a Maradona, Beckenbaur or Cruyff.
I suppose he has a wrestling move named after him, that's kind of cool I guess.
In my lifetime I reckon it's...
1. Leo Messi
2. Real Ronaldo
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
4. Thierry Henry
5. Ronaldinho
Honourable mentions to Zidane, Iniesta, Buffon, Schmeichel, Cafu, Keane, Dani Alves and Nesta.
My 5
1. Maradona
2. Messi
3. Fat Ronaldo
4. C Ronaldo
5. Henry