Most 'successful' Player?

DazMarz

It's defo between Der Kaiser and Henry for me... They've all won SHÍTLOADS of stuff, and were probably the best players in the world at their peaks. (How the fúck did Henry never win the Ballon d'Or?!?!?!)

CHD

Essien imo

Pisco Sour

Seems like people consider the most successful of all time as just the 90's!

Ever heard of a guy called Pele:

Club

* Brazil Santos (Official Tournaments)
o Campeonato Paulista: 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1973[27]
o Torneio Rio-São Paulo: 1959, 1963 and 1964[28]
o Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa (Taça de Prata): 1968
o Taça Brasil: 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965
o Copa Libertadores: 1962 and 1963
o Intercontinental Cup: 1962 and 1963
o South-American Recopa: 1968
o Recopa Intercontinental: 1968
* United States New York Cosmos
o NASL Champions: 1977

Country

* Brazil Brazil
o FIFA World Cup:
+ Winner (3): 1958, 1962, 1970
+ Appearances (4): 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
o Roca Cup:
+ Winner (2): 1957, 1963

The tally of 31 team trophies makes him, together with the Portuguese Vítor Baía, the player with most career titles

And before anybody says he didnt win an English league, a European Cup etc etc, back in the 50's and 60's virtually all, if not ALL players played in their own country. Brazil had the best players in the world at this time, who all played in their own country. Hence Brazil had the best league in the world at the time. Its simple. And Pele won a sick amount!

Johner

Terry Henry.

TheDoc

I know the knowledge heads and wiki fans are digging out the pub quiz favourites to see whose got the most medals etc, but for someone who achieved something big.

One that sticks out is Dennis Bergkamp. ( this is personal so its not fact)

Although not incredibly dedicated, Bergkamps career was starting to stall before he joined Arsenal. On his arrival, he began to set in motion something absolutely tremendous and beautiful. It began the influx of international talent into Arsenal, but also the premiership as a whole. Never before did the viewers see someone with such technical ability and for nearly a decade, he was the best passer of the ball and best control.

He started of the chain reaction that led Arsenal to the current state of football brilliance they display today.

For me personally, he influenced me no end, and a number of programmes ive watched with pundits and fellow players, he is named as being one of the most influencial players in the English league history.

I remember Thierry Henry saying, " If I can reach half of the abiltiy Bergkamp has, I'll have had a good career, he was the best player I ever saw, played with or against"

iregk

I read somewhere recently that Didier Deschamps was officially (not sure what that means exactly) the most successful player of all time.

deisedevil

TheDoc wrote: »

I know the knowledge heads and wiki fans are digging out the pub quiz favourites to see whose got the most medals etc, but for someone who achieved something big.

One that sticks out is Dennis Bergkamp. ( this is personal so its not fact)

Although not incredibly dedicated, Bergkamps career was starting to stall before he joined Arsenal. On his arrival, he began to set in motion something absolutely tremendous and beautiful. It began the influx of international talent into Arsenal, but also the premiership as a whole. Never before did the viewers see someone with such technical ability and for nearly a decade, he was the best passer of the ball and best control.

For me personally, he influenced me no end, and a number of programmes ive watched with pundits and fellow players, he is named as being one of the most influencial players in the English league history.

I remember Thierry Henry saying, " If I can reach half of the abiltiy Bergkamp has, I'll have had a good career, he was the best player I ever saw, played with or against"

Please read the thread title again.

For me after going through all the stats it's Pele.

Mr Alan

Cant believe Maldini ain't gotta a mention yet.

7 League titles.
6 Italian Cups.
5 Champions Leagues.
5 Super Cups.

and all the time a talisman for that one club.

worth mentioning.

eZe^

Mr Alan wrote: »

Cant believe Maldini ain't gotta a mention yet.

7 League titles.
6 Italian Cups.
5 Champions Leagues.
5 Super Cups.

and all the time a talisman for that one club.

worth mentioning.

As amazing as he was, he never won anything internationally with Italy, and that's unfortunately always going to work against his amazing club record.

Mr Alan

yea, i presumed he had....was seriously shocked when i saw he hadn't.

still think he should get a mention in this thread for what he did at AC.

yahoo_moe

Just goes to show though - people are generally going for the "how many different trophies did X win?" approach to measure success. Whereas personally I don't give a monkey's if someone one the Spanish Supercup or not.

It's the Giggs v Deschamps question someone asked above, and personally I'd go with the Giggs approach in the last 20 years because it's been so much harder to dominate like that than it used to be (plus international success depends entirely on your country's talent pool, not just your own personal ability). As awesome as Bayern's 3 European Cups in a row is, the format change makes it far less likely that any team could repeat that now so it's not a fair comparison.

TheDoc

deisedevil wrote: »

Please read the thread title again.

For me after going through all the stats it's Pele.

I understand the thread, and it shouldnt take 50 posts to see who is the most decorated, which is easily found, to which this thread implies translates into the most succesful player.

I just think there was fantastic footballers out there that achieved things trophies and medals were not awarded for.

What did Zola win in terms of awards and accolades, but brought un rivalled viewing pleasure and excitement to the English game.

kincsem

So, so close in the 1974 World Cup.

As player
Ajax
Eredivisie: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983
KNVB Cup: 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1983
European Cup: 1971, 1972, 1973
Intercontinental Cup: 1972
UEFA Super Cup: 1972, 1973
Intertoto Cup: 1968

Barcelona
La Liga: 1974
Copa del Rey: 1978

Feyenoord
Eredivisie: 1984
KNVB Cup: 1984

European Player of the Century XX IFFHS
Golden Player of the Netherlands

As manager
Ajax
KNVB Cup: 1986, 1987
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1987

Barcelona
Copa del Rey: 1990
La Liga: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1989
European Cup: 1992
UEFA Super Cup: 1992

Individual
European Footballer of the Year (3): 1971, 1973, 1974
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1974
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
Don Balón Award for Foreign Player of the Year in La Liga (2): 1977, 1978
Dutch Golden Shoe: 1984
World Soccer Awards Manager of the Year: 1987
Don Balón Award for Coach of the Year in La Liga (2): 1991, 1992
Onze d'Or for Coach of the Year (2): 1992, 1994

National team: 48 games; 33 goals.

TheDoc

kincsem wrote: »

So, so close in the 1974 World Cup.

As player
Ajax
Eredivisie: 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1983
KNVB Cup: 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1983
European Cup: 1971, 1972, 1973
Intercontinental Cup: 1972
UEFA Super Cup: 1972, 1973
Intertoto Cup: 1968

Barcelona
La Liga: 1974
Copa del Rey: 1978

Feyenoord
Eredivisie: 1984
KNVB Cup: 1984

European Player of the Century XX IFFHS
Golden Player of the Netherlands

As manager
Ajax
KNVB Cup: 1986, 1987
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1987

Barcelona
Copa del Rey: 1990
La Liga: 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1989
European Cup: 1992
UEFA Super Cup: 1992

Individual
European Footballer of the Year (3): 1971, 1973, 1974
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1974
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1974
Don Balón Award for Foreign Player of the Year in La Liga (2): 1977, 1978
Dutch Golden Shoe: 1984
World Soccer Awards Manager of the Year: 1987
Don Balón Award for Coach of the Year in La Liga (2): 1991, 1992
Onze d'Or for Coach of the Year (2): 1992, 1994

National team: 48 games; 33 goals.

How **** does Jordi Cryuff feel reading that post....

JPA

TheDoc wrote: »

How **** does Jordi Cryuff feel reading that post....

He probably feels pretty good in fairness.

eZe^

Especially considering his father is arguably in the 3 greatest players ever to play the game.

Mr Alan

TheDoc wrote: »

How **** does Jordi Cryuff feel reading that post....

i don't think he reads boards.ie tbh.

kinaldo

Let's just assume that Spain win the World Cup in South Africa, and that Barcelona win the CL at least once more before he retires....

Xavi Hernández

(seriously, when was the last time he played in a competition which he didn't end up winning?)

ziggy

This post has been deleted.

eZe^

ziggy wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

I agree, mainly because that's who I nominated. Hahaha

Luap

John O' Shea FTW! For a player that has sit on his ass for most of his playing career, his trophy cabinet is pretty inpressive:P

redout

Zidane has won all the major football and individual awards.

Peter Schmeichel won everything bar a World cup.

redout

Rivaldo pretty much won the lot same as Zidane.

kincsem

Did Maldini get a mention?

Francescoli was another great but few trophies.

redout

Maldini won no international tournaments though.

Gerd Müller is another who pretty much won the lot/

Dempsey

Some mighty fine careers on show in this thread

Carlos Tevez actually has a very impressive CV, Copa America & World Cup are the only things missing but he has time to sort that out.

I think its hard to look past what Di Stefano achieved. The only thing missing is a World Cup but the thing is he never got the chance to play in one! Despite this 'failing' he would get my vote.

Pisco Sour

The answer to this thread is Pele as I have detailed earlier in the thread, but if people are going to start listing people who have done well then look no further than one Ferenc Puskas. His 85 goals in 84 international games for Hungary is incredible.

Club

* Hungary Budapest Honvéd
o Hungarian League: 1949–50, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955
* Spain Real Madrid
o La Liga: 1960–61, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1964–65
o Copa del Generalísimo: 1962
o European Cup: 1959, 1960, 1966
+ Runners-up: 1962, 1964
o Intercontinental Cup: 1960

[edit] Country

* Hungary Hungary
o Olympic Champions: 1952
o Central European Champions: 1953
o World Cup Runners-up: 1954
o Balkan Cup: 1947

[edit] Individual

* Central European International Cup: Top Scorer (10 Goals): 1954
* Hungarian Top Goalscorer: 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950, 1953
* World Soccer Player and European Player of the Year: 1953
* Winner Player European of the century XX L'Equipe
* Winner Player Hungarian of the century XX
* Winner Player Hungarian Top Goalscorer of the century XX
* Silver Ball European Footballer of the Year France Football : 1960
* Named in FIFA 100
* European Cup Top Scorer (12 goals)(7 goals): 1960, 1964
* Pichichi Trophy: 1959–60, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1963–64