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But I like Ronaldo more than Messi, and Ronaldinho is the greatest footballer ever. Just pure talent, nevermind goals/game.
(I have a thing for offensive midfielders and for that reason can never forgive the Premier League for wasting the talents of Gio Dos Santos.)
Stats alone are not persuasive. As an American, I’ve had to put up with sports pundits proclaiming the virtues of Landon fucking Donovan, who scored a ton of goals (any in Europe?) but couldn’t create his own shot if his life depended on it even against shit American competition. (American soccer is so boring and lifeless.)
An individual, sublimely talented or not, is only one of eleven (oops ... Seven of Nine just popped into my head ) so the ability to shape, drive, manage, nurture, lead other talents around them is hugely significant - especially when comparing successes at global level.
IMHO Pele sparkled in the era of the greatest team so that's something I guess. Maradona got booted off the park in 1978 as a young'n but had the skill, resilience, resolve and flair to prevail through adversity (pre-cheat, drug-fuelled era). Ronaldo is so far up his own arse his ego is boss and I immediately ban him from the discussion. Messi is a team player through and through ... Watch the docus about him, it's all there to see.
So, I think there are a few elements to the term 'greatest player':
- most skilled
- best footballing brain
- best team player
- favourite player
There are probably more but based on the above, for me Pele's the man.
I'd also rather have Ronaldo in my team because of the style of play I prefer to watch. Messi is the better player but if I were a manager I'd rather have a fast attacking team, that dispossesses the opposition with a high press, and overloading the flanks and goes for goal, be it by counter attack or playing out from the back and I think Ronaldo is suited better to that style of play, although I'm sure he would be lazy in the press. I also grew up watching him play at Man Utd on the TV, I've even seen him play in the flesh now so I have more of a connection to him over Messi. He does come across terribly self obsessed and the allegations that surround him are very problematic.
I agree that Ronaldinho is up there, his 2005/06 season was just phenomenal. Sometimes I just have these Barca games on while I'm cooking and doing the dishes and you can't believe what he could do with the ball. The modern game is just something else.
Bandcamp
Cruyff
Beckenbauer
Pele
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Messi
Best
Di Stefano
Puskas
C.Ronaldo
Rumenigge
Moore
Jairzinho
Gullit
Banks
Socrates
Maradona
Roberto Carlos
Figo
Zoff
Yashin
Ronaldinho
Maldini
Zidane
Buffon
Gerd Muller
Carlos Alberto
Eusebio
Zico
Vogts
Van Basten
Bandcamp
The original Ronaldo was something special as well, he was absolutely unstoppable until his knee exploded.
I spent a day with Peter Shelton a few years ago at a charity football thing. It was hilarious that he couldn’t stop talking about it either. What a knob!
The top one was a genuine error, I forgot where my server was for a moment. Fixed!
As for the England match, perhaps have a go at the terrible kick by Fenwick that led to that goal….. and acknowledge a series of disgraceful dirty tackles on Diego by the English players in that match. Here's a brilliant quote about it from this article that will give insights into different perspectives : The typical U.S., British moralistic view said that was cheating, but across Latin America, Africa, and the Third World, they view it as a form of humiliating a former colonial power and the ultimate expression of cunning or shrewdness, which is central to a ludic conception of the game (and of life) that stands outside of the realm of morality.
Now, does that mean I think he's the best?
Pele footage is not as mesmerising as messi on the ball, nor is c.ronaldos.
My top 3 GOATs would be
1) Messi
2) Maradona
3) Ronaldinho
Greaves, Rooney, Gascoigne i think for top 3 UK goats.