Greatest player of all time

[Matt1878]

Doesnt seem to be a poll option so I will just list the usual top 10 suspects. Other suggestions welcome.

Lionel Messi
Pelé
Diego Maradona
Cristiano Ronaldo
Franz Beckenbauer
Johan Cruyff
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Ferenc Puskás
Zinedine Zidane
Ronaldo (Brazil)

[Audrey Horne]

Ndiaye

[biziclop]

I don't know that but fun pub quiz trivia: Di Stefano is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a European cup final and still not allowed to take the matchball home.

[kramer]

Leighton Baines

[Cereal Killer]

Gerd Muller
Paolo Rossi
Eusebio
Fontaine

[AjaxAndy]

Can't really say as only saw Maradona from the older GOAT candidates.

I'd say best player I've seen is Messi, but best performance I've ever seen was Ronaldo in the 3-3 draw with Spain where he scored all 3 and was on another planet to anyone else.

Always said despite feeling Messi was the better all round player, Ronaldo could win you things single handidly which Messi couldn't do.

Oh yeah and original Ronaldo was insane too, one of my favourite all time players. Probably not quite on the level of Messi though just purely down to lack of longevity in comparison.

[777Kidnappings]

It's messi and it's not even close.

[Gash]

He's not even the best Argentinian.

[Shogun]

Added a poll

[Lazarou II]

Diego Maradona for me, those Napoli years were just unreal. Terrible pitches, shite refs, Italian 1980's spec centre backs trying to break his legs.

I would put Edson Arantes Do Nascimento a close secongd though.

[MIG]

Messi is the most skilful. Ronaldo is the best all rounder?
Both of those have to be considered in the top 3 for stats alone.
But R9 for me was just the most special player I’ve witnessed.

[Risky]

Always think it's worth splitting this question out in to 2 questions - 1. GOAT 2. FOAT (Favourite)

For me I believe that 1 is Maradona for 2 it's probably R9, who was my favourite player to watch by a mile. But I don't think he was a better player than Maradona

[Stumpy]

Off the list i voted for messi, but honestly on another day i would maybe plump for someone else.
I'm old enough to remember Pele in mexico in 1970 and Cruyff in germany in 1974 i could easily pick them.
A high percentage of the players mentioned play as strikers or in the advanced positions,and i know it's natural to do so.
However where does that leave the likes of Poalo Maldini, Franco baresi, dani Alaves and Cafu, all masters of their craft and outstanding players
Which brings me to another fantastic player who would never get on the list but i absolutely adored watching, Andres Iniesta, who with Xavi Hernandez alongside him formed a midfield made in heaven, it doesn't get better than that.
So my pick although not on the list would be Andres Iniesta

[Risky]

Off the list i voted for messi, but honestly on another day i would maybe plump for someone else.
I'm old enough to remember Pele in mexico in 1970 and Cruyff in germany in 1974 i could easily pick them.
A high percentage of the players mentioned play as strikers or in the advanced positions,and i know it's natural to do so.
However where does that leave the likes of Poalo Maldini, Franco baresi, dani Alaves and Cafu, all masters of their craft and outstanding players
Which brings me to another fantastic player who would never get on the list but i absolutely adored watching, Andres Iniesta, who with Xavi Hernandez alongside him formed a midfield made in heaven, it doesn't get better than that.
So my pick although not on the list would be Andres Iniesta

Went with some mates to watch Barca v Villarreal in 2008 at the Camp Nou. It was when Messi was just starting to get hyped as a brilliant player, but unfortunately he was injured and didn't play. I can't remember too much of the game other than Villarreal won 2-1 with Marcos Senna scoring a penalty.

However the one thing that all 4 of us were blown away by was Andres Iniesta. He was just playing almost in a total different speed setting to everyone else, he magically seemed to have more time on the ball, he had forever to pick a pass, and every single touch he had on the ball was perfect. I don't think any of us really knew a lot about him at that stage but we all were just amazed by what we'd seen from him, and now in hindsight it was obviously really special to see him live and just what an incredible player he was.

[Gash]

We went to the Camp Nou in 2013 to see Barca v Getafe, 6-0 it finished, Iniesta and Messi both played and Iniesta was head and shoulders above everyone that day. I've often thought he lived in Messi's shadow and although regarded a great player never quite got the recognition he deserved because he played with Messi. Wonderful player.