Greatest World Cup player ever

[Pike B]

Completely agree.

I constantly find myself reminding people how good the original Ronaldo was. His goalscoring record really speaks for itself.... but he is the greatest footballer I have ever seen (between him and Zidane really), though he has sadly fallen to some terrible injuries and also lost the plot.

From around 1996 to 2003 (aside from injury) he was unquestionably the greatest striker on the planet, he had everything, skill, pace, balance, power, finishing.... to see him play football was beautiful, an incredible talent... the reason I watch football.
Very well said. And for the record, Zidane is the greatest player I've ever seen also.

[OwlsFan]

Very well said. And for the record, Zidane is the greatest player I've ever seen also.

Best head butter I've ever seen as well!

[Pike B]

Best head butter I've ever seen as well!
You should see me..

[Shilts]

You should see me..

I'm guessing from your name 'Pike B' that you're from Limerick so we won't argue with you on that score :D

[jay1]

Salvatore Schillaci
Italia '90

[jumping jac]

Zinedine Zidane. No doubt.

[bellavistaman]

Maradona, before my time but everything i see from him only amazes me, i love watching clips of him he's superb. Cantona said in a recent interview pelé had a very good brazilian side with whereas maradona basically had to carry the argentinian team. But i do believe messi could end up being the best player ever

[Emmet7]

Where is Zidanne on this list??

I agree with you bellavistaman about Maradaona carrying Argentina.

He got the Argentina team to the 86 final practically by himself with crucial goals against Italy in the opening round, England in the quarters and Belgium in the semis as well as setting up the winning goal in the final. Without question the greatest world cup display by an individual player, far ahead of anything Pele did.

In 1990 he set up the goal to beat Brazil and get them through. But if the 1986 Argentina team was average, the 1990 team was very poor, yet still got to the final.

I would put Zidanne at number two. He beat the Brazilians on his own in the 98 final. In 2006 as well he gave them a football lesson in the quarters, and put the ball on a plate for Henri's goal. He was always an outstanding playmaker for France and France were a very average team without him such as in 2002 and before he returned from retirement.

[coast boy]

The greatest striker i ever saw was Marco van Basten.

[Tipp Top]

Come on now lads as good as all these players were they all had other good players in the team. Maradona won a world cup on his own this shouldnt even be up for discussion.....

[DeLorean]

pelé had a very good brazilian side with whereas maradona basically had to carry the argentinian team


I agree with you bellavistaman about Maradaona carrying Argentina.

He got the Argentina team to the 86 final practically by himself.


Maradona won a world cup on his own this shouldnt even be up for discussion.....

My God lads you'd swear he led the Faroes to WC glory the way ye're going on. They're Argentina like, it's a pretty good platform to show your stuff. They had won the WC as recently as 8 yrs previous when he guided them in 86. I'm not saying he wasn't by a mile their stand out player and I'm not saying they would have won it without him but I think making them out to be useless only for him is a bit of a stretch.

[centre mid]

Surely its the Zaire right back from the 74' world cup, brilliant defending.

aYDXkVGpMpc

[O'Shea's Boot]

Voted for him because of the "Hand of God" and the greatest WC goal ever scored by an individual

how ironic is this - bet if this guy was posting today he wouldnt be so fond of The hand of god:mad:

[Zizou]

Get over it ya muppet..

[liv4ever]

maradonna for me ,even if his right foot was only there to keep him upright

[Onefootednopace]

Pele / Eusebio were before my time so I would select Maradona. Outstanding in 1986, the second goal v England was something else. Despite being troubled by injury he was still was a leading player for Argentina in 1990. Got a great goal against Greece in W.C. 1994 but once again he hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.

[old git]

Surely its the Zaire right back from the 74' world cup, brilliant defending.

aYDXkVGpMpc


classic defending ;)

[sean r]

What no eddie mcgoldrick????

[Hibs_Vini]

Without doubt Pele as a kid I remember him being the epitome of football world class and skill. Maradona was very good but was only really brilliant for one world cup

[OwlsFan]

I wonder will this list include Messi in 8 years time. Had an average World Cup in South Africa by his standards.

[limerickmurf1]

Had to be pele

[OwlsFan]

Interesting that the top goal-scorer of all time isn't there, Miroslav Klose.

[pineapple stu]

Well the thread was started back in 2006!

[DeLorean]

In that case it's far more amazing that Brazil's Ronaldo wasn't there. He would have been the record scorer at WC's at that point and fresh in everybody's memories, instead of comparing guys they've probably only seen in highlight reels :)

[shizzle787]

Diego Forlan should have at least been in the poll.

[BonnieShels]

Who voted for Puskas? Owlsfan?

[OwlsFan]

Who voted for Puskas? Owlsfan?

Hey, whatever happened to the anonymity of the ballot box :) ?

[BonnieShels]

As dahamsta always says, this is not a democracy.

But srsly.

Out of that list it's Diego.

But then again my abiding wirld Cup memories revolve around a Mr McGrath.

[OwlsFan]

But then again my abiding world Cup memories revolve around a Mr McGrath.

The ecstatic moments and craic apart, mine would be the rain while playing England in 1990 (not dressed for it) and the heat in Orlando in 1994 (sheltering under a bridge from it). Disappointment against Egypt in 1990 (an Egyptian fan telling me after the game the game was new to them: we had to make the running). Given going the wrong way in Korea for every penalty and looking out the plane window on the way there and seeing Ulan Bator in the distance. The sheer pride of being at all those games.

[Bielsa´s irish]

1990 was great for many reasons and the official song is the best ever in Italian. 1986 too with Diego, for me from the last ones the worst was Germany 2006. 2010 was exciting as in Brazil and Russia WC was better than in Germany.