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It has been a debate that will never end but it is a debate that will intrigue us forever. Every player who ever took the football field dreams and strives for a place among the best, because it is a fact known: History remembers only the greatest.
Within this debate or quest of listing the very best, their are some other questions that remain to be answered. Who was better – Diego Maradona or Pele? Should Figo be better than Zidane? Muller or Beckenbauer? Messi or Ronaldo?
And who better to answer these questions than you! The football fan. Expert opinion can never be trusted for one expert will always contradict the other. So by attempting to come to a conclusion through the football fanatic is the best way out. There can be no two opinions then.
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Here are the 13 contenders and a few things you ought to know. Do not forget to vote as we will arrange them according to the votes.
Pele
A Brazilian legend and arguably the greatest footballer to ever grace the field. Pele boasts of a great international career for Brazil, with 92 goals in over a hundred appearances. He played the major part of his club football at Santos from 1956-74, scoring over a thousand goals! Yes, you heard it right. But his biggest achievement is certainly that Pele was a key figure in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Maradona
Maradona
Another one who has an equal claim at being the best. In popular sentiment in Argentina, Maradona is still the biggest thing. A man in Argentina might not have his wife’s photo – but he sure does carry Maradona’s picture with the 1986 World Cup. Maradona single-handedly won it for Argentina in 1986. Argentina and Maradona faltered at the last step in 1990. Maradona’s club career was lived at various clubs, spanning from Boca Juniors to Barcelona to Sevilla. He won various trophies in Europe including the UEFA Cup with Napoli.
Ronaldo De Lima
Ronaldo De Lima
Nicknamed the ‘fenomeno’ – Ronaldo currently holds the record for maximum goals in World Cup football. He was instrumental in winning the world for Brazil in 2002, where he scored both the goals in the final against Germany. Ronaldo was also a part of the Brazil team that lost the final against France in 1998.
Zinedine Zidane
Zidane
Easily the best footballer to grace the twenty first century in the author’s opinion, Zidane scored twice with his head to win France the 1998 World Cup. However, his best was yet to be seen in 2006, as a playmaker. He dragged France through the World Cup on his shoulders not only in the finals, but also through a faltering qualifying campaign. Words fall short in his praise. Zidane played a large part of his club football at Juventus and then as an integral part of the Galacticos at Real Madrid. His club career was full of success, also earning him the FIFA Player of the Year more than once.
Luis Figo
Luis Figo
Many compare him to Zidane and many say he is second to none. The magician from Portugal was a ferocious dribbler of the football and with thrilling passing and crossing abilities. Luis Figo has also has the distinction of changing clubs from Barcelona to Real Madrid and then to Inter Milan. His success there is for all to see.
Romario
Romario
One of the most prolific strikers in world football, Romario has the distinction of scoring a thousand goals in his career, drawing comparisons with other greats like Pele. Romario played his football with PSV and Barcelona among other clubs. He was key in Brazil’s 1994 World Cup success.
Gerd Muller
Gerd Muller
With a national record of 62 goals in 68 games for Germany, Gerd Muller is certainly one of the best Germany and the world ever saw. He played his club football for Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich. Muller scored an unbelievable ten goals in Germany’s 1970 World Cup campaign, becoming the highest scorer in World Cups with 14 goals at that time. He also won the World Cup with Germany in 1974.
Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer
Nicknamed Der Kaiser or the Emperor apparently for his first name “Franz”, Beckenbauer has certainly been an emperor. He won the European Footballer of the Year twice, and is of the few successful players who went on to become successful managers. Beckenbauer played for Bayern Munich and New York Cosmos for the major part of his career, winning many laurels and almost all silverware. He was a contemporary of Gerd Muller and his team-mate at the World Cup win in 1974.
Eusebio
Eusebio
Eusebio helped Portugal to get the third place in the 1966 World Cup and is widely considered in the ranks of Pele and Maradona. Nicknamed “The Black Panther”, Eusebio was a prolific goalscorer with 41 goals in 64 apps. His quality was in his speed and accurate right foot strike.
Michel Platini
Michel Platini
Currently the President of the UEFA, this French footballer was more than a handful. Platini scored 41 goals in his 71 appearances for France. He won the European Championship with Juventus in 1984.
Cafu
Cafu
One of the best right-backs ever. Cafu led the Brazilian team to the World Cup victory in 2002. Cafu played football at Sao Paolo, AS Roma and Milan. Cafu made a humongous 142 apps for Brazil. Unbelievably, with a career total goals of 18 in over 500 apps, Cafu was an instrumental player on the pitch.
Johan Cruyff
Johan Cruyff
Known as the proponent of Total Football, this Oranje legend was instrumental in their run at the World Cup 1974 where they were beaten by West Germany in the finals. Cruyff plyed his trade with clubs like Ajax and Barcelona with great success. He is another one of the greats who had a successful managerial career.
Sir Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton won the World Cup with England and was the European Footballer of the Year. Charlton is a legend at Old Trafford, he had more appearances than any other players until Ryan Giggs bettered him. Charlton has a goal-scoring record of 49 goals in over a hundred appearances for England.
Here are the rest of the contenders as by ‘Association of Football Statisticians’: Do you feel they deserve a place up there?
| Lothar MatthausRoberto Carlos | (Germany)(Brazil) |
| Marco Van Basten | (Holland) |
| Rivaldo | (Brazil) |
| Paolo Maldini | (Italy) |
| Zico | (Brazil) |
| Raúl | (Spain) |
| Ruud Gullit | (Holland) |
| Eusébio | (Portugal) |
| Ferenc Puskás | (Hungary) |
| Johan Cruyff | (Holland) |
| Alfredo di Stefano | (Argentina) |
| Bobby Charlton | (England) |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | (Germany) |
| Kenny Dalglish | (Scotland) |
| Ali Daei | (Iran) |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | (Germany) |
| Gabriel Batistuta | (Argentina) |
| Michael Laudrup | (Denmark) |
| Hristo Stoichkov | (Bulgaria) |
| Dennis Bergkamp | (Holland) |
| Frank Rijkaard | (Holland) |
| Thierry Henry | (France) |
| Pavel Nedved | (Czech Rep) |
| Gheorghe Hagi | (Romania) |
| Peter Schmeichel | (Denmark) |
| Andriy Shevchenko | (Ukraine) |
| Sepp Maier | (Germany) |
| Didier Deschamps | (France) |
| Lilian Thuram | (France) |
