What are the 10 best soccer players ever?

My list does not consists of those who are still playing because they still have much more to learn and achieve. Maybe in 5 years time I can change the list.

Here goes:

1)PELE
2)Diego MARADONA
3)Johan CRYUFF
4)the late George BEST
5)the legendary magnificent magyar Ferenc PUSKAS
6)Zinedine ZIDANE
7)the original wing wizard GARINCHA
8)possibly the best defender ever Franco BARESI
9)Dino ZOFF(the only GK so far in all the lists here)
10)Bobby CHARLTON

what you guys think?

Here goes:

1. Pele
2. Diego Maradona
3. Zinedine Zidane
4. Johan Cruyff
5. Ronaldo
6. Jim Baxter
7. Michel Platini
8. Zico
9. Marco Van Basten
10. Lothar Mattheus


Apologies to anyone for the lack of players from the sixties and seventies, but i didn't see those guys play very much, i'm not that old.

My two personal favorites are
1. Pele
2. Zinedine Zidane
3. Johan Cruyff
4. Ronaldo
5. Bobby Charlton
6. Ferenc Puskas
7. Maradona
8. Gerd Mueller
9. Franz Beckenbauer
9. Eusebio
1o.Ronaldinho

1. KAKA The most complete player of all
2. Pele Historys favorite player
3. Ronaldo The most popular skilled player
4. Messi The best striker of all
Top 4 players

1. KAKA The most complete player of all
2. Pele Historys favorite player
3. Ronaldo The most popular skilled player
4. Messi The best striker of all
Top 4 players

1 - Pelé, the legend
2 - Mané Garrincha, the angel of twisted legs
3 - Di Steffano
4 - Zico
5 - Maradona
6 - Puskas
7 - Ronaldo (still scoring wonderful goals)
8 - Zidane
9 - Ronaldinho
10- Cruyff

YeaH!

This is from a compilation of many Football mags, websites and my many, many years of viewing and living Football (Not Soccer).
1) Pele
2) Diego Maradona
3) Franz Beckenbauer
4) Lev Yashin (Although a Keeper)
5) Johan Cruyff
6) Eusebio
7) Bobby Charlton
8) Ferenc Puskas
9) Stanley Mathews
10)Alfredo Di Stefano

I'm sure there'll be input from various sources and this forum is subjective dependent on the individual but this is as close as you are going to get to a 10 Greatest Player List.

1.pele
2.maradona
3.beckenbauer
4.bobby moore
5.Eusebio
6.best
7.c.ronaldo
8.ronaldo(brazil)
9.Ronaldinho
10.messi

1. Pelé
When he was only 17 he was the star of a World Cup. Always stayed loyal to Santos and only moved after his prime. The one who inspired many of the greats.

2. Alfredi DiStefano
Lead the great Réal Madrid side that won 5 European Cups. Played all over the pitch and had endless stamina. The only truly complete player.

3. Zinedine Zidane
The man with the audacity to chip a penalty in the World Cup final but also with the integrity to give a man a headbutt when he deserved it even though it meant missing out on the World Cup. Nerves of steel meant he could score two goals in the 1998 World Cup final. If God had a first tough he would still be jealous of Zidane. Always ready to score or set up a vital goal in style, for example "that goal" in the 2002 Champions League final.

4. Roy Keane
The heartbeat of the Manchester United side that dominated from the mid 1990's until the early 2000's. Never afraid to tell someone where to go when he had a problem and always had a simple and brutal assessment of himself and his team. The greatest captain of them all. Sacrificed all for his team (including the Champions League final 1999) but for what he believed was right (World Cup 2002). Ferocious tackling, killer passing and an eye for important goals only meant half as much as that calming and organising influence he has on his team. See Champions League final 2nd leg 1999.

5. Eusebio
Stayed at Benfica for his entire career.
His goal record speaks volumes. But when you see some of them you truly understand.

6. Paolo Maldini
Became greater than Baresi or Mattheus from longevity, versatility, captaining ability and calmness in the tackle. Stayed at one club for his entire career too.

7. Gary Lineker
Greatest goal poacher of them all. Never even got booked in his career. Retired from international duty early just one goal short of Bobby Charlton's record. Would have easily beaten it had he wanted.

8. George Best
Possibly a greater dribbler than Garrincha himself. Goal record considering he is a winger is what makes him better though.

9. Ronaldo
Injury is probably the only reason he is not top of this list. Still managed to become the all time top scorer of the World Cup. Sheer power, speed and creativity along with a deadly shot with either foot and incredible dibbling ability made Ronaldo a legendary player.

10. Fernando Hierro
His versatility was priceless to Réal Madrid and Spain in the 1990's. Played at RB, LB, CB, SW and CDM. Great leader, great composure, incredible scoring record.

1. Pele (Brazil) No comments: simply the Best
2. Eusebio (Portugal) Led Portugal to the third place in world cup 1966, made "Benfica" European champion, etc. almost entirely by his individual efforts. The best "attacking forward" ever lived.
3. Maradonna (Argentina) No comments
4. Beckenbauer (Germany) The best European player (Eusebio was born in Mosambique) and the best defenseman who ever played. (Next to him as defensman probably comes Bobby Moore - captain of Enland, world cup champion of 1966)
5. Cruyff (Holland). Beckenbauer's competitor as the best Euroean socccer player.
6. Di Stefano (Spain) Born in Argentina, playd in Spain, made "Real" what it is.
7. Garrincha (Brazil). The best "dribbler". Another Brazilian - Jairzihno comes close to him but still not "up to".
8. Puskas (Hungary) The leader of Hugarian "dream team".
9. Zidane (France) Made France to be among leaders of world soccer.
10. Yashin (USSR) The best goalkeeper that ever played, simple but very reliable. Was like a wall to the opposite team. Transformed the entire way of how goalkeepers should play.

these are my top ten
1 Pele
2 Cristiano Ronaldo
3 Eusebio
4 Maradonna
5 Georgy Best
6 Zidane
7 Kaka
8 Berbatov
9 Zico
10 Cyruff

1 pele
2 maradona
3 johan kruff
4 eusabio
5 beckenbauer
6 bobby moore
7 van basten
8 scheimechel
9 gerrard
10 zidane

1 pele
2 maradona (despite him being a drug taking cheat)
3 bobby moore
4 franz beckenbauer
5 cruyff
6 zidane
7 charlton
8 platini
9 van basten
10 eusebio

Trust me im british

Gordon Banks
Bobby Moore
Pele
Maradona
Jim Baxter
Paolo Di Canio
Paul Gascoigne
Ferenc Puskas
Johan Cruyff
Hughie Gallacher

eusebio
maradona
pele
ruud gullit
givinche or gavinchi
roberto baggio
carl hienze ruminigger
brian mcclair
carlos valdaramma
marco van baston

+4 Not in any particular order:
.
Johan Cruyff
Zico
George Best
Franz Beckenbauer
Eusebio
Maradonna
Platini
Zidane
Garrincha
Puskas
.
Pele - over-rated: Van Basten - great but career was cut short:Ronaldinho & C Ronaldo - haven't done enough yet: Gullit had ability but didn't use it enough: Ronaldo - not a great all round player and injury prone:Players like Ginola, Henry, Bergkhamp were sensational for long periods at club level but didn't do it enough on the international stage. G Zola and L Matthaus were great and just fall short of the top 10.

1.Rhonaldino Gaúcho
2.Ronaldo
3.Pele
4.Diego Maradona
5.Johan Cruyff
6.Zico
7.Michel Platini
8.Lothar Mattheus
9.Lothar Mattheus
10.Jim Baxter

1.Maradona
2.Hagi
3.Stoichkov
4.Zidane
5.Messi
6.Suker
7.Nedved
8.Van Basten
9.Del piero
10.Dassaev
11.Maldini

1. George Best

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nplemK3Y4ns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2D8IW_3_6D8&feature=related

The second is a video of him scoring a goal vs Gordan Banks, who was considered possibly the best keeper at the time. It was disallowed, though it shouldn't have been according to game rules at the time of the match.

2. Pele

3. Maradona

4. Beckenbauer

5. Cryuff

6. Messi

7. Cantona

8. Ronaldo (Brazilian)

9. Zidane

10. Bobby Charlton

I Don't know many old soccer players but from these are the ones I think are the best.
1.Pele
2.Maradona
3.Zinedine Zidane
4.Ronaldinho
5.Ronaldo
6.Thierry Henry
7.Cristiano Ronaldo
8.Wayne Rooney
9.Lionel Messi
10.David Beckam

1 Pelé (Brazil)
2 Ronaldo (Brazil)
3 Romário (Brazil)
4 Luís Figo (Portugal)
5 Zinedine Zidane (France)
6 Diego Maradona (Argentina)
7 Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
8 Gerd Müller (Germany)
9 Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
10 Cafu (Brazil)

An even more interensting question, the top 10 favorites.

1.pele
2.diego maradona
3.c.ronaldo
4.kaka
5.ronaldinho
6.febergas
7.Ronney
8.my mom
9.my dad
10.messi is the biggest losser and he such dick

1. Ronaldinho
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Kaka
4. Didier Drogba
5. Wayne Rooney
6. Michael Ballack
7. Arjen Robben
8. Frank Ribery
9. David Villa
10. Gareth Bale

Honestly, I believe that football in times of Pele and Maradona was much easier for attackers, bad tactics (only zone defence), no team spirit, messed up defence, no tactical fouls.. I think Pele and Maradona in today fottball would be little above average players who would play for Birmingham, Catania, Getafe etc..

1. Zidane
2. Maradona
3. Pele
4. Messi
5. Christiano Ronaldo
6. Rivaldo
7. Ronaldo
8. Roberto Baggio
9. Dennis Bergkamp
10. Xavi Hernandez

i have a feeling that Messi will go up the list as time goes on

There are 10?

:::dodgeing tomatos::


heehee

1.Pele
2. Crespo
3.Ronaldo
4.Maradona.
5.Messi.
6.Beckham
7.Carlos
8.Zidane
9.C.Ronaldo
10.Rooney

1. Maradona
2. Pele
3. Beckenbauer
4. Cruijff
5. Platini
6. Di Stefano
7. Zidane
8. Eusebio
9. Van Basten
10. Zico

1. Pele
2. Maradonna
3. Messi
4. Ronaldo Nazario
5. Zidane
6. Ronaldinho
7. Cruyff
8. Beckenbauer
9. Romario
10.Zico

1.PELE
2.MARADONA
3.GARINCHA
4.ZIDANE
5.EUSABIO
6.RONALDINHIO
7.CRYUFF
8.BECKENBAUER
9.PLATINI
10.ZICO
11.MESSI
12.KOEMAN (dont know the spelling)
13.PUSKAS
14.KAKA
15.CANTONA

1) Mardonna
2) Pele
3) Cantona
4) Ronaldo
5) George Best
6) Zidane
7) Ronaldinho
8) C Ronaldo
9) Roy Keane
10) Gary Lineker

I could go on theres so many
Bobby Moore
and many more

1.gerrard 2.pele 3 maradonna goalies 1 buffonjuventus /italy

1) Mardonna
2)Pele
3) johan Kruyff
4) Franz Beckenbauer
5) Ronaldo
6)Zidane
7)Michel Platini
8)Marco Van Basten
9)Dennis Bergkhamp
10)Zico

I can not believe this people, wrong answers.....

1-Maradona: do we have to analyze why is better than Pele (who never played in Europe, who played in times where defenders where Posts with no movement and goolkeppers were sticks behind the goal?????.........
2-Cruyff: best all around player
3-Di Stefano: second best all around player
4-Garrincha: best brasilian player of all times
5-Puskas
6-Didi: second best brasilian
7-Pele: yess
8-Cantona
9-Beckenbauer
10- Messi (soon to be the best)

1. Cruyff. The most striking example of a player who wasn't just very skilfull, but also -importantly- was capable ofmaking his team mates play better! He was terribly well in coaching his team mates. Already as a player, he understood that soccer is not just a game of individual skills, but that it is the simultaneus effort of the whole team that makes up its strength.
His weakness was that he was a little too politic. Had he admitted that Jan van Beveren- at that time a world class goal keeper and by far the best goal keeper in the Dutch competition- was THE man to choose in the national team, then Holland would have become world champion in 1974. However, he didn't have a good relationship with the players of Jan van Beveren's club (PSV).
Had he swallowed his pride regarding a sponsor contract, then he would have been in the 1978 team and again for sure Holland would have won the world cup title. With 2 world cup titles, it would have been clear to everyone now that Cruyff actually is the greatest soccer player ever. He also won 3 Europe cups (the predecessor of the Chamopions league) and many national championships in Spain and the Netherlands. He was an amazingly skillful player. Unfortunately he was a bit too stubborn at decisive moments in his career. Still, however, the best player ever.
2. Pelé
2. Zinedine Zidane
3. Michel Platini
4. Franz Beckenbauer
5. Marco van Basten
6. Paolo Maldini (can you mention one more player who acted on the highest level for such a long time?)
7. Diego Maradona

I can not believe this people, wrong answers.....

1-Maradona: do we have to analyze why is better than Pele (who never played in Europe, who played in times where defenders where Posts with no movement and goolkeppers were sticks behind the goal?????.........
2-Cruyff: best all around player
3-Di Stefano: second best all around player
4-Garrincha: best brasilian player of all times
5-Puskas
6-Didi: second best brasilian
7-Pele: yess
8-Cantona
9-Beckenbauer
10- Messi (soon to be the best)

any chelsea team after one's been sent off !