A thread to talk about football legends. Post a story or a vid or anything else you feel like about those you consider as football greats!

(Preferably not Milan players, those deserve their own thread in the 'Players' section. )


OK so let's start with Gabriel Batistuta. I love that guy! And I'm sure Tennie does too! I was watching some vids of him on YouTube and came across this one. It's his first goal against Fiorentina, the team he followed in Serie B, with the Roma shirt. I think it was his first game against the Viola too. His reaction after scoring this great goal is heartbreaking. He cried and then (this is not shown in the video unfortunately) he turned towards the Viola fans and held his arm high up in the air asking for an apology and they all applauded him...

Click!

What a ****-ing legend!!

Batistuta is certainly one of the greatest players I've seen in my life time, that's for sure. Even being an Argie, it was hard for me to dislike him.

Nice vid. Most importantly he didn't break a golden rule, do not celebrate against a former team!

Batigol was a beast !! He's got it all; he's tall, body's well built, balanced, a rocket of a shot, an eye for goal ...

Last I heard of him, he was in Qatar (ME) ... Don't know whats become of him now .. But at Fiorentina, he was something else

Not to forget sticking with them through relegation. He was among that last true generation of footballing gentlemen. Now you mostly have money whores.

Mo...want me to put Lentini in this thread??

ya definitely one of my fav players ever, toni reminds me alot of him except baitusta can run unlike toni.

even tho he was a juventino he was still amazing player to watch. i cant say that i've seen alot of him but from the clips a snippets that i've seen platini was an amazing player, the complete midfielder. there soft song that goes along with the compilation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfAxRE7PJ14

And Bati's greatest achievement: being Argentina's top scorer, above El Diego.

I mostly hate Argies, but he was different. even his looks wasn't an Argie's. he looked like an Italian... and he was handsome!

Well, here's my player..



Probably the best player I've had the chance to witness play in person. He really was a magician with the ball and oozed class everytime he touched it. Even as he got older, he never lost much of his ability to play as his game wasn't built on pace. I don't think some people appreciate just how good he really was. And yet another player to leave Inter only to move on to bigger and better things.

He has enough trophies to look back on, including a European Cup with Ajax and numerous EPL titles and FA Cups with Arsenal. A great career, a class act on and off the pitch.




His best two goals in my opinion, his touch and control was just perfect, a genius!

Bergkamp vs Argentina
Bergkamp vs Newcastle

Hell no !!



@Kurt ... Did u know Berkamp had a phobia of heights ?! The NT used to drug him in order to get him on the plane ... Also, for the away games (even CL), he used to drive from one country to another ... strange !

Yeah, very unusual!

Apparently it started when he was on a flight with the Dutch team and a journalist said the flight was delayed because there's probably a bomb on the plane.

Not many people here might know this guy but he certainly is something special for me.


Former german international Mario Basler.
He was one of the best players in the Bundesliga when I was a kid and IMO he's one of the best wingers of his generation.
He was especially known for his dangerous corners with which he sometimes scored a goal like this.
That was really amazing for me to witness as I was a kid. Mario (Nickname: Super Mario) played some years for Bayern and almost won the CL in 1999. His biggest success was winning the EURO 1996 with Germany. Seeing him play was always spectacular. Once, when he was in his 30ies, Otto Rehagel brought him in just to take a freekick...he scored
But what i like about this guy is not just him on the pitch. Because outside the pitch he was even more entertaining. he ultimately got fired at Bayern because of a brawl in a pizzeria. Just like the great Johann Cruiff he was a chain smoker (as you can see on the he liked to drink a beer as well sometimes) and his fitness was a constant matter of discussion. He knew it answered with irony...a few years back, when he was already a coach he said at a press conference "Well, I'm as fit as I was when I still uses to play...not a bit." That's what I liked about this guy....he doesn't take thing too serious, and he's not one of these super-pros we witness nowadays.
Former superstar and football legend Lothar Matthäus once said about him "When he would be a bid more disciplined and if he would play in Spain he would be as great as Luis Figo."
Thx Super Mario

Bergkamp is one of my all-time favorite players. He is the reason why I started watching Arsenal game in the first place. A huge legend and possibly one of the most underrated players ever. I f love him!!

His goal against Newcastle was unique but he has scored better than that. It was that certain period when he scored the goal of the decade every week!

The other one against Argentina speaks for itself...

He has not won a European Cup/CL though. It was his biggest desire and unfortunately he never got it... He won 2 UEFA Cups (with Ajax and Inter) and one Cup Winner's Cup with Ajax.

@LaPalma: Thanks for the info. I don't remember Super Mario to be honest...

I can't talk about players that played 20 yrs ago, but since I've been watching football (CHL final 1994 Milan 4-0 Barca) I can't change Steven Gerard to anyone else.

For his leadership abilities, strong tackling, powefull shot, and all his great qualities that he has, IMO he's the most valuable player nowadays.

He can play everywhere, except as a GK. And this makes him even more valuable to the team.

I saw him play as a DM, CM, AM, than...MR, ML, DR, DC..... in 2006 World Cup, Ericsson had a plan that if Ronney couldn't make it than Gerard would play as a SS.

He's my favourite player (outside Milan).

Tony Adams.
He become our captain at the age of 21, and he stayed with us all his career. He played 668 matches for us, and won the EPL in 1989, 1991, 1998 and 2002, wich makes him the only player to captain a side to a league title in three different decades. He also won the FA Cup thrice with us, the League Cup twice and the Cup Winners Cup. He played 70 matches for England, 60 of them on Wembley, wich is a record. He is also inducted in the English Football Hall of Fame.
In 2000 he founded a rehabilitation clinc called "A sporting chance", wich aims to help sportsmen and women who suffers from addiction to alcohol and drugs a chance to recover and get their career back on track.
Some of the clinic's pations over the year are Joey Barton, Paul Merson and Matthew Etherington.

Tony Adams-Everything a man should be.


Fuc*ing legend.

How is that possible?

Anyway, great player!!

Qualifiers, EURO 1996 was played in England, etc.

Still, that means he only played 10 games away from home... It's weird. I guess that makes him even more special.

bump, this doesn't deserve to die.

Fabrizio Ravanelli:



One of my favorite players ever... When I was a little kid, all I wanted to do was die my hair white. I would watch his every move before I would go out and play with my friends and emulate his positioning and movement. I learned so much from him. I would literally score more goals the days I watched him.

Dariusz Wosz:




He was Bochums captain for a long time and one of the best Bundesliga playmakers in the 90ies known as the "Zaubermaus" (Magic mouse) or "Der schönste Mann der Bundesliga" (Best looking guy in the Bundesliga). He's a legend in Bochum but he didn't make an impact in Europe. Valencia wanted to buy him on his prime in 1997 but he preferred to stay in Bochum. Two year later he left for Hertha BSC Berlin...worst decision of his life. However...he came back and led us to the 5h spot in the Bundesliga in '04.

Paul McGrath



One of my personal favourite ever players. Paul McGrath, born in England but played for Ireland made over 250 appearances for Villa between '89 and '96. After a fall out with Fergie at United, we signed him on the cheap and he became one of the best defenders in the leagues history. Took us to two 2nd place finishes in the league, as well as winning the league Cup with us in '94 and '96. In terms of awards, he is one of the few defenders to win the PFA Player of the Year award ('9-'93 season) and only John Terry has won it since, as a defender. He was also voted as Irelands greatest ever players - joint with Roy Keane and Liam Brady. His most notable International game was during the 1994 World Cup when he marked then World Player of the Year, Roberto Baggio, out of the game in an historic 1-0 win for Ireland.

A legend amongst Villa fans has earned him the nickname 'God', but not just for his ability on the field. He is one of the few modern day players that did not act like a celebrity and he had 'real life' problems. He could barely train due to his knee troubles and had a drinking problem, but still made time for his fans. After home games he'd usually go into the local pub and sit down and talk with the fans and just generally act like one of the lads. An absoloute legend in my eyes!

No ****... He was Irish after all...

So what kind of a defender was he? He looks the Terry type... Aggressive and physical...

BTW, has there ever been any real technical defenders in England? Like the Nesta, Maldini, Costacurta types?

Thomas Häßler:




Another one of my very favorite players when I was growing up... I was so intrigued by the way he took his free kicks... I loved them. I would practice them for HOURS. And back then there was no youtube, so I would have to catch him live and tape his games... He was a very unique midfielder\ winger... One of the best free kick takers of all time.

Great choice Max I was just about to post something about Icke myself. He was brillant. Too bad he wasted his talent in Dortmund with Andy Möller playing instead of him.

I think Terry is a good comparison. He didn't really have any pace, but he read the game suprberly, so he wouldn't often get owned by pacey players, great with the slide tackle as well. He was a big, strong, physicall guy, but I think most defenders were in England back in the early 90s since the game was mainly about strength and speed rather than any World class ability on the ball.

Rio Ferdinand likes to think he is. But seriously I can't think of any. English CBs often try to get rid of it ASAP, they don't like the ball at their feet.

Thomas Habler.. I recall the name, did he play for anybody else, or just Dortmund?

Hassler. In German, the beta symbol supposedly represents the 'ss' sound. I was informed of this, by a very nice girl from Liechtenstein.

He's also done stints at Cologne, Roma and Juve.

The best player to every put on the Kuwaiti national shirt ... The greatest player to come out of Kuwait. Under the guidance of Carlos Alberto Parreira for five years ...

Jassim Yaqoub


The first 5 mins is on Jassim ... The rest is on the golden era which Perreira coached and took Kuwait to the 82 WC

Fritz Walter


and

Helmut "Boss" Rahn (on the left)



Every kid in Germany knows them as they were the key players in what is known as "The wonder of Bern". The 1954 WC final in which Germany won against Hungaries dream. Walter captained the side while Boss Rahn scored the decisive goal in the final against Hungary.
Walter was already 34 during that World Cup but he's known as one of the best midfielders to ever play for Germany. He spent his entire career playing for Kaiserslautern despite having offers from italian and spanish clubs n front of the war who wanted to pay half a million D-Mark for him. After he was released from war captivity Walter started playing again and ended his international career in 1958. To honor their greatest player ever Kaiserslautern gave their stadium his name - Fritz Walter Stadion. He died in 2002.
Rahn had his best time at Rot-Weiss Essen. But there is no doubt he'll always be remembered for the 3-2 he scored in the 1954 WC final - The most known goal in German football history. He had huge problems with his famousness and it is rumored he had huge problems with alcohol. He died 2003.

The Golden Boy Gianni Rivera

The Legend



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianni_Rivera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpty5-YuQ8k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOqQDkaJ2kg&feature=related

Enjoy

Almost forgot...the guy from my sig.

Ansgar Brinkmann:


I'd say no player wasted his talent better than the "white brazilian". A legend albeit he never won anything. He played for at least two dozen clubs amongst them Preußen Münster (the city I live in...when PReußen still palyed in the 2nd Bundesliga...in the early 90ies. And then at the end of his career 2 years ago).
He is was and will always be arrogant and overconfident but he was an amazing player. In one game he told a defender of the team he was playing against "You won't get a touch at the ball" before the kick-off. And so it happened.
And he was a funny guy...whether it was on purpose or not.
Announcement on his answering machine "You can call me at my favorite bar till five in the morning. The number is..."

Man, he looks evil!

Thanks Rhy. And LaPalma, of course. This Brinkmann dude sure does looks like he means business. Pity he did not channel it right.

Moving this thread back into discussion from the archives since, well, there seems to be a lot of current talk on great footballers. (thanks, Kurt!)

The only exception for me is Batistuta.

Yeah, there's a thread for it and people barely post in it. we just love to go off-topic in other threads.

Batistuta was king. I'd be very surprised if anyone can deny this statement. He's my favorite Argentine player along with Messi. Last I heard that Maradonna guy was half decent too, but his antics and work philosophy spoil him a bit in my eyes. Doesn't take away from him being a legend of the game, though.

I like Batistuta a lot, too. both him and Messi are of Italian descent I think. isn't that a coincidence that we like them?



Yeah, the fact that an Argie is one of my top5 active players shows how good Leo is.

The extreme heat and humidity of summer in Giants Stadium, a partially paralyzed shoulder, coming towards the end of his career at 34, marking the reigning World Player of the Year.. job done, I'd expect nothing less of Him.

Great stuff indeed.

Liam Brady. (damn he looks so Irish)

I first watched him play in the FA Cup final against Utd when I knew nothing about him. I loved his game and since then I've found some more games of that Arsenal period. He was such a great player. More than that, he was unique, like most 7's in the history of football... He also played for Inter, Juventus and West Ham among other clubs but that was not enough to make me like him any less. Well not significantly less anyway.

Oh and of course:
Reinhard "Stan" Libuda

He was a Schalke player but a great one. One of the best wingers the Bundesliga has ever seen, He also played for Germany from 1963 to 1971. There is a nice phrase on his dribbling skills: No one can get around God. Except for Stan Libuda.
Ah yes...those were the great days when football was still sport.

I agree. I think only World Cups won during these years should count. Glad you agree LaPalma.

Only World Cups that were won WITHOUT cheating.

It's not our fault you pissed the Russians off, you only have yourselves to blame!

Meh...the Russians...and Geoff Hurst.

Kurt should appriecate this one...Martin O'Neill exceptional at forest he was at Norwich City for 2 spells i was on the books as a trainee for is second spell and had the plaesure of cleaning his boots!
Great vision awesome passer of the ball and a European cup winner with notts Forest when it was a proper competition

Unfortunately don't remember him as a player as he retired before I was born. Alot of people say his #2 at Leicester, Celtic and Villa, John Robertson, was a better player. I wouldn't know though. I just can't even imagine Robertson being a footballer.

I've missed watching him play this year. I'm sure Juve have missed him even more with the way they've been going of late! Is he doing any coaching with anyone at the moment, anyone know?

Nope. He's just sitting as far as I know. He turned down the Asst. Coach post at Juve.

What every footballer aspires to be