Quite right. As Jimmy Greaves said, people can name most of the 1970 Brazil team, quite a few of the 1978 Argentina team but struggle to name any of the more recent team of 1986 other than Maradona. Napoli had won nothing in their history until Maradona arrived. Two league titles, an Italian Cup, Cup Winners Cup and a Super Cup during his time there and nothing since he left. Far more influential than just about any other player. And, unlike Pele, he did it in Europe in a tough league. He was kicked from pillar to post without the protection that Ronaldo and Messi get, playing on far worse pitches. Whether to like him or not is irrelevant. To deny he is one of the, if not the, greatest players of all time suggests a lack of knowledge about football.
Certainly the most influential for the teams he played for. Add Puskas and Di Stefano to Maradona and the ones you've mentioned and you have 9 of the best 10 players on most people's lists.
Di Stefano is certainly up there with the greatest. After Eusebio's death in 2014 he said......"For me Eusebio will always be the best player of all time".
Bobby Charlton said Di Stefano was the greatest player he ever saw. Thete isn't too much dispute about the 10 greatest, just the order they are in.
All about opinions innit? I suppose the truest indicator is by players who were actually on a field with them at the time, but what if they played against them on an off day? Good players faced other good players far less in those days plus lets also not forget if you werent actually in a stadium there was far, far less opportunity to actually see a player 50 years ago. I always remember Gazza saying the best player he ever saw was Franco Baresi because he just seemed to be where the ball was heading. I'm paraphrasing but he said something like: "He doesnt even run, his awareness and anticipation is such that he just takes up a position on the field and the ball magically drops to him like he's a magnet and he walks off the pitch at the end having been utterly brilliant and he's not got a bead of sweat on him"
It can only really be personal opinion. We know that someone like Billy Meredith was a superstar of his era and he must have been a brilliant footballer. But we don't really have a reference point to compare him to modern day players.
Well if we can have a centre half as best player ever then Bobby Moore perhaps. Gazza's description of Baresi sounds very like how they say Bobby Moore played his football.
Wash your mouth out with soap and water! Thatcher was great. He had the most finessed elbow in the league.
** This bit is without question. Yes he took far more punishment when he played than Messi and Ronaldo can even have nighmares about. Sadly as good as Maradona was, for me he will always be known for that "hand of god moment" sad but true.
Personally I am more critical of a goalkeeper who let a 5' 6 player get his hand higher than him. The fact Michael Owen was lauded for winning a penalty against Argentina by cheating displays a certain amount of hypocrisy amongst some England fans.
"He used it to wrong effect"? What, because of one big game against England, when both the officials and Peter Shilton could and should have prevented it by doing their jobs properly anyway? Maradona was one of the most sinned AGAINST players of all time! Gerragrip, Fez.
With Maradona it was such a blatant cheat, and directly resulted in a goal. Wasn't it offside as well? The referee/linesmen have to get a lot of the blame too in making mistakes as bad as that in a World Cup semi. The fact that we had a decent team for the first time in ages and a real chance to win made it all the more galling. Argentina has had plenty of success and good teams so also getting it when not deserved like they sometimes have because of questionable tactics doesn't go well for me. Several good points on the Falklands here which I would have made myself if nobody else had first. The immaturity the Argentinian politicians, footballers, and others goes beyond what a few tabloid say headlines here. It's worse than the immaturity of French politicians, or the Spanish over Gibraltar. Also let's not forget other Argentinian football exploits, like pissing in the tunnel at Wembley in the 60s and the friendly we played against them in central Europe when they acted like arses.
Okay, you're right, I'm wrong, cheating is fine, blatant, calculated, intentional cheating is fine; we should include it in coaching badges, teach it to the kids and make these top-notch footballers the role models most on here believe they should be. Grip got.
Ok quarter final, but I don't think it makes any difference to the point I made. Knock out stage World Cup, chance to win it.
I am so glad that in my 65 years I have never, ever, seen a City or England player cheat or gain an unfair advantage by dubious means.
Come on Fez, stop been ****. You know what I meant. He was hardly any more of a cheat than anyone else.
