The best player you've ever seen....

y0ssar1an22

Is he the greatest striker ever?
His goal to game ratio would suggest he's one of the best. His loyalty to Fiorentina was amazing. Is he still the most expensive 30+ year old? When Roma won Serie A, it was thanks to Batigol. 2nd most goals for argentina (i think), and prob the best strike rate.

Some of his clips are just amazing. 2 footed, he made the feint trendy – shaping to go on the outside with his left, and he pulls it with the right on the near post, could do left food just as easily; and a bullet of a head as well. Handsome fukcer as to boot. Him and rui costa brought Fiorentina to almost greatness. He went to roma to win a scudetto with de rossi and totti. He would have killed it in the premiership I’d say.

The most naturally gifted striker I’ve ever seen.

messi and ronaldo are ruled out!! they're great


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j5XgRo5F4o

KathleenGrant

Johann Cruyff. Close the thread.

y0ssar1an22

KathleenGrant wrote: »

Johann Cruyff. Close the thread.

........maybe i should have said the best player that has never won the ballon d'or

y0ssar1an22

KathleenGrant wrote: »

Johann Cruyff. Close the thread.

........maybe i should have said the best player that has never won the ballon d'or

and now typing, he has

Muahahaha

Messi, running rings around a Brazilian defence in a WC qualifier in Rosario, Argentina. Followed by Suarez at Liverpool

Strumms

I’d have loved to have seen Batistuta play. For years I wanted Ferguson to sign him for United. Looking at his stats now.. 168 goals in 269 games for Fiorintina. That’s FÛCKING NUTS !!! In a league where defenses have been known to dominate, that was a very decent Fiorintina side but the two Milan sides, Sampdoria, Juve would have all been considered better, more attractive clubs and teams.

y0ssar1an22

bitta fun.non of the obvious ones

c.p.w.g.w

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

Is he the greatest striker ever?
His goal to game ratio would suggest he's one of the best. His loyalty to Fiorentina was amazing. Is he still the most expensive 30+ year old? When Roma won Serie A, it was thanks to Batigol. 2nd most goals for argentina (i think), and prob the best strike rate.

Some of his clips are just amazing. 2 footed, he made the feint trendy – shaping to go on the outside with his left, and he pulls it with the right on the near post, could do left food just as easily; and a bullet of a head as well. Handsome fukcer as to boot. Him and rui costa brought Fiorentina to almost greatness. He went to roma to win a scudetto with de rossi and totti. He would have killed it in the premiership I’d say.

The most naturally gifted striker I’ve ever seen.

messi and ronaldo are ruled out!! they're great


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j5XgRo5F4o

Saw Batistuta in my first every international day...with Ariel Ortega and Robbie Keane's home debut. Seriously great player to watch

retalivity

I saw the suarez/messi/neymar triumverate in 2015 for barcelona vs malaga.
They were all ****e, fcuking vermalaen scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Best performance i witnessed in the flesh (almost purely for the goal) was torres vs blackburn in 2009

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrz91JNfwi8

y0ssar1an22

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

........maybe i should have said the best player that has never won the ballon d'or

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

Saw Batistuta in my first every international day...with Ariel Ortega and Robbie Keane's home debut. Seriously great player to watch

exactly, the best striker ever. i think anyway! like sergio but way better.

i think fergie tried to sign him. wudda been some signing!

Esse85

Still most expensive 30 year old?

What do you mean by that exactly?

y0ssar1an22

Esse85 wrote: »

Still most expensive 30 year old?

What do you mean by that exactly?

thats why there was a ? beside it.

y0ssar1an22

Esse85 wrote: »

Still most expensive 30 year old?

What do you mean by that exactly?

but to answer your question, i thin think he was the most expensive 30+ year old...

now that i think its cr7

It can be overlooked because of a certain controversy, but Thierry Henry was immense in his prime. Best I've witnessed in person. That as a Villa fan, he cut us to ribbons on more than one occasion...

thebaz

KathleenGrant wrote: »

Johann Cruyff. Close the thread.

Cruyff was obviously a great player - but Pele and Ronaldo, were better .

Only one player , can be classified as the Greatest - Diego - no other player won a world cup (practically) on his own , and Serie A when it was the greatest league in the world, with a relativly small club.

DeanAustin

Aside from the obvious ones...

Careca.

Idolised him as a kid. He was immense for Napoli and was by far the best player in a Brazilian team that was declining from the brilliance of 1982. He was two footed, could do it in the air. Just an all round great, great striker who is dreadfully under appreciated because he was overshadowed by Maradona and played in a relatively ordinary Brazil side. Loved him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZvljNNbw6Y

This isn't necessarily the greatest clip of him or anything but if you watch his movement on the second goal particularly, it's absolutely sensational.

y0ssar1an22

Deleted User wrote: »

It can be overlooked because of a certain controversy, but Thierry Henry was immense in his prime. Best I've witnessed in person. That as a Villa fan, he cut us to ribbons on more than one occasion.

i dont think as clinical as badigol. pure striker wise

8-10

Seen Messi, Salah, Mané, Firmino, Coutinho, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Neuer, Rui Costa, Totti, Del Piero, Pirlo, Mbappe, Neymar, Gerrard, Rush, Barnes, Fowler, van Dijk, Guardiola, Henry, Zidane, Maldini, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Raul, Buffon, Rivaldo, Alisson, Cafu, Suarez, Bale, Kaka, Robben, Ribery, Ginola, Crespo, Figo and probably more that's just off the top of my head.

But the best of all, someone who has never won the Ballon d'Or, well that's easy: Divock Origi

y0ssar1an22

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

i dont think as clinical as badigol. pure striker wise

Henry at Arsenal had a higher goals-to-game ratio than Batistuta at Fiorentina.

y0ssar1an22

Deleted User wrote: »

Henry at Arsenal had a higher goals-to-game ratio than Batistuta at Fiorentina.

did you go nd look that up just now?

maybe you're right but batigol did it with maybe the 4th best club in italy at the time.
i just feel he's mssaivly underappreciated.

i'd choose him over henry

banie01

8-10 wrote: »

Seen Messi, Salah, Mané, Firmino, Coutinho, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Neuer, Rui Costa, Totti, Del Piero, Pirlo, Mbappe, Neymar, Gerrard, Rush, Barnes, Fowler, van Dijk, Guardiola, Henry, Zidane, Maldini, Iniesta, Ibrahimovic, Raul, Buffon, Rivaldo, Alisson, Cafu, Suarez, Bale, Kaka, Robben, Ribery, Ginola, Crespo, Figo and probably more that's just off the top of my head.

But the best of all, someone who has never won the Ballon d'Or, well that's easy: Divock Origi

Can't believe you haven't got Hansen on that list but do have Van Dijk?

Suarez for the cheer cúntish exuberance and will to win coupled with outstanding skill. CR7, Messi, Batistuta, Zidane and Figo playing in Copa del Rey match years against Lanzarote, can't remember the Lanzarote Cab's name but he had @70minutes of imperious brilliance before a lack of fitness and the Galactica tore them apart.

franglan

I've an awful grá for Brazilian Ronaldo he was at his peak when I first developed my love for soccer. Randomly bumped into him in the H and M in Westfields shopping centre, west London there about 5 years ago. Walked by him, thought to myself "jeez that fella I tripped over looks awful like Ronaldo" and it was him. He was my idol as an 8 year old. Wanted to get the photo with him and all that, left the shop stood outside, though you know something I'll leave it, he gets hassled enough and was just out pottering around the shopping centre like everyone else on a Sunday. Don't regret it, but a photo would have been a good call! Him and Messi - Messi has some sort of 360 vision meer mortals don't have. See things and balls on that other don't. A different breed to other elite footballers.

Strumms

Deleted User wrote: »

Henry at Arsenal had a higher goals-to-game ratio than Batistuta at Fiorentina.

He also had a way better caliber of teammate which were supplying him the ammo at Arsenal. We tend to forget just how awesome and attacking that Arsenal team was, from fullbacks forward.

8-10

banie01 wrote: »

Can't believe you haven't got Hansen on that list but do have Van Dijk?

Only got to see Hansen on TV, never live unfortunately

Just noticed I forgot Beardsley actually, he was a smashing player, saw him once. And Roy Keane. Beast.

Strumms

Strumms wrote: »

He also had a way better caliber of teammate which were supplying him the ammo at Arsenal. We tend to forget just how awesome and attacking that Arsenal team was, from fullbacks forward.

True, but only going by "ever seen" via my own experience. Idolised Batigol during the '90s, tuned into Football Italia on Channel 4 every week hoping for another spectacular finish by the great man.

NIMAN

I've seen a lot of good players live over my football lifetime.

From the likes of Hagi, Rummenigge, Schuster, McGrath, Brady, Romario, Prosinecki, Savicevic, Redondo, Zidane, Raul, Figo, Messi, Ronaldo (both), Ramos, Suker, Seedorf, etc etc.

Problem is, you may only see these players a few times in your life, some only once, and often players don't perform, so you can't come back and say they were sensational. Many were ordinary at best.

The real standouts for me over the years have been Del Piero at the Bernabeu when he scored both in a 0-2 CL victory for Juve. He was applauded off the pitch by the entire stadium.

Rivaldo in Figo's return to the Camp Nou. He simply controlled the entire game that night, above all the hype.

The Floyd p

thebaz wrote: »

Diego - no other player won a world cup (practically) on his own

LMAOOOOO still peddling this false narrative that his team were wack. Mad how he won it all on his own despite having some genuinely top class teammates. You can express how great he was without resorting to mistruths.

NIMAN

[Deleted User] wrote: »

True, but only going by "ever seen" via my own experience. Idolised Batigol during the '90s, tuned into Football Italia on Channel 4 every week hoping for another spectacular finish by the great man.

A golden era of Italian football.

So many great teams that made up a very entertaining league, when the foreigner restriction meant every team had some great players.

Milan had the Dutch. Inter had the Germans.

That Sampdoria team though!

y0ssar1an22

random......who can name all the players....(great tune as well)...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s87qYUy6MU

Strumms

Great idea for a thread. I hadn’t thought about this at all but seems I’ve seen quite a list of all time greats. I lucked out big time by getting to spend a month in the New York area when WC ‘94 was on and i was living in Paris for the summer when ‘98 was on.

The best individual performance I ever witnessed live by ANY footballer EVER or any sportsperson was by Paul McGrath, vs Italy in Giants Stadium. I looked back at that game recently for the first time in years and wondered was I imagining it, was I looking back with green tinted spectacles and with the ‘romance’ of the time and occasion blurring the facts....That clearly WASN’T the case. If anything I had forgotten how unbelievably great he was that day, how easy he made just playing football look...against the team who would make the final and only lose on penaltys

The Italians were expected to win that game easily. That was truly a great team with Baresi and Baggio two of the greatest players in the history of football.. Yet through the gut wrenching disappointment afterwards several players including the great captain Baresi took time away from feeling sorry for themselves to highlight the footballing master class from the 34 year old plagued with fooked knees at the back...

He was everywhere, backheeling through balls clear from causing certain doom, catching the little lightening Pepe Signori with metronome infused timing, time after time. Almost psychic reading of runs and passes, reading the attackers mind before they had even made it up. He probably was THAT brilliant he should have been booked, poor sportsmanship or something.

He was that good that day in the Meadowlands that he was almost in danger of re-designating football from a team sport to a sort of ‘superhero I got this’ event.

Either way I’m in serious danger of doing a disservice to the rest of the lads none more so than Ray Houghton of course but Paul that day...Jesus watching him was entertainment, art and sporting genius, the likes of which we might not see again in an Irish shirt, for a while anyhoo.

artanevilla

Live? I've seen Messi, Ronaldo etc live, but for me, the one I was most in awe of was Luca Modric. What a footballer. I think it comes down to your personal preference as well though, I like players in that role, Pirlo et al. But Modric was a joy to watch.

Also Kevin Hunt.

Strumms

artanevilla wrote: »

Live? I've seen Messi, Ronaldo etc live, but for me, the one I was most in awe of was Luca Modric. What a footballer. I think it comes down to your personal preference as well though, I like players in that role, Pirlo et al. But Modric was a joy to watch.

Also Kevin Hunt.

Hunt would have to be the best most consistent League Of Ireland player I ever watched, people in the stands would look at their watches thinking ‘ok, the clubs in England will be coming in with offers and we won’t hang on to him’, that never happened. Some players sometimes just suit a time, place and club. Hunt was one of those...he was awesome and would be one of the first names on an all time LOI eleven. Also people ‘connected’ to the club who I have known can’t speak highly enough of him as an individual too, that also came across in interviews.

KathleenGrant

thebaz wrote: »

Cruyff was obviously a great player - but Pele and Ronaldo, were better .

Only one player , can be classified as the Greatest - Diego - no other player won a world cup (practically) on his own , and Serie A when it was the greatest league in the world, with a relativly small club.

In my opinion Cruyff was the most beautiful player I ever saw I was really young and was only beginning to watch football and for me he was a revelation. He is the reason football became a passion for me so I will always love him for that. Probably would have to agree about Diego. When he was playing it was like there was nobody else on the pitch.

Turtyturd

y0ssar1an22 wrote: »

........maybe i should have said the best player that has never won the ballon d'or

Or the best Argentinian player named Batistuta that played for Fiorentina.

That probably would’ve given you the answer you want.

thebaz

The Floyd p wrote: »

LMAOOOOO still peddling this false narrative that his team were wack. Mad how he won it all on his own despite having some genuinely top class teammates. You can express how great he was without resorting to mistruths.

if Google didn't exist doubt many could name many of his '86 team-mates - what he did with Argentina then and with Napoli was something I have seen no other player do since or before.

bucketybuck

I never got to see him live but my first football hero as a child was the great Marco Van Basten, and its a shame but I think he tends to be forgotten about these days despite his stats and achievements matching up to anybody you want to put against him. And I do mean anybody.

Finished at 28 due to injury, I'd give a lot to be able to go back and watch him playing in that Milan team during his prime.

purplepanda

Pele, Best, Cryuff, followed by Berkamp & Henry. Seen 'em all on the field of play & many more, yes I am old enough!

dfx-

Del Piero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r8cELaO010

Iused2likebusts

Ronaldinho when he was at his peak at Barcelona. They beat osasuna 4 0 and he was at his magical best. A young lad came on with about 15 minutes to go and the crowd gave him a huge ovation. It was a 17 year old Messi they obviously knew he was going to be a superstar.

Dempsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqnzH9SBTvs

Bad replay, the goal doesnt do the man justice that night

bucketybuck

bucketybuck wrote: »

I never got to see him live but my first football hero as a child was the great Marco Van Basten, and its a shame but I think he tends to be forgotten about these days despite his stats and achievements matching up to anybody you want to put against him. And I do mean anybody.

Finished at 28 due to injury, I'd give a lot to be able to go back and watch him playing in that Milan team during his prime.

Van Basten was my favourite non-United/Ireland player when I was young. He was a serious talent and you are unfortunately correct, we hear fúck-all mention of him these days when the greats are listed off. Football Italia on Channel 4 back in the early 90s was even better for me because of him and AC Milan.

...............................

On topic(ish), probably the greatest goal I've ever seen live was this from Demarai Gray for Leicester against United. At 4-0 down, it was a consolation for Leicester but also a goal of the season contender....

I was sitting 5 yards from his position when he received the ball, and I clearly remember the sound of the connection he made and the ball 'sifffffting' through the air when he let it fly. A pure peach, the kind of goal which you can do nothing but applaud...especially if you had a wee bet on United to win with both teams to score

Finally on topic: Best player I've seen live in one game was Nani for United (4) v Arsenal (0) in the 2008 FA Cup QF. It was one of those performances from him which made his fans believe he could go on to be a United great. 1 goal, plus 2 sublime assists ripped straight from The Wingers Handbook. Arsenal defenders had him marked for death from about 20 minutes into the game. Unfortunately the video is potato quality and I don't expect many to watch the 8 minutes, but sure it's here for anyone who fancies it. Not a flawless performance, just a great one and the best I can recall seeing live...