1.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:15:21
I’m with you ed, Maradona all the way. Although fat Ronaldo didn’t do too bad. When Paulo Maldini mentions you in the same sentence as Maradona as being the best he has faced, you must be doing ok.

{Ed001's Note - I am just glad I made such a good impression on Maldini, though hate to admit he didn't make the same impression on me as I don't remember ever playing against him.....}

2.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:20:14
Morning Ed
Thanks for the round up, have to say that Sporting guy is a clown he really is, lost all his players now still won't leave lol
Nigel De Jong is he still trying to play football? lol.

{Ed001's Note - De Carvalho is a complete nutjob mate. Bit like De Jong.}

3.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:22:24
Old age that ed01 being forgetful. Happens to the best of us.
I went upstairs yesterday and forgot what I went up for. Went back downstairs then p*****d myself.

{Ed001's Note - I always go into a room and just end up hovering in the doorway for a bit wondering what on earth I went in there for.}

4.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:22:28
Morning Ed!

Yeah I have to agree the best ever is Maradona. The fella was just a joy to watch every single time, the skill that man had was just unreal. I don't think we'll ever see another player like him again. Certainly not in my lifetime anyway.

Cheers Ed, hope it's a good Monday for you mate.

{Ed001's Note - there might well have been better before him, but that was before my time so I can't really comment.}

5.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:23:17
Always tough to compare eras but I’m with Ed001 on this. As much as I disliked him at the time for his antics, Maradona is undoubtedly my greatest of all time 🤝.

6.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:35:35
Maradona, would love to see him playing today. How much would he fetch I wonder? Messi vs Ronaldo will last forever, I think somebody summed it up on here pretty well once before. Might have been you Ed001. Messi - greatest team player, Ronaldo - greatest individual and goal scorer. A prime Messi would improve Liverpool more than a prime Ronaldo. A prime Ronaldo would improve Man Utd more than a prime Messi.

{Ed001's Note - I did say something about Messi being the better team player and Ronaldo a better individual player.}

7.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:41:49
Yeah same here Ed, I mean I wish I could've seen Pele but I'm not that old! still though, I find it difficult imagining anybody been better than Maradona. Did you ever read 'Maradona: The Autobiography of Soccer's Greatest and Most Controversial Star'?

{Ed001's Note - not that I can remember. I have read a couple of biographies on him in the past, but I don't think that was one. He lives out here, but very rarely goes out as he gets mobbed if he does. He brings anywhere he goes to a standstill.}

8.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 06:59:45
I'd better be careful when I come to Dubai in November then mate! I'll wear my sons paw patrol watch, wear a cheap diadora cap and have an umbro shirt on so people don't realise who I am ;) .

Yeah it's a good one mate it's the only one I've read of his, don't get me wrong it's not the best I've read but it's certainly worth a read. I'd like to read the 'hand of god' one but just never got around to it, I'm sure I have the other on my computer though, if so I'll send you it later today mate.

{Ed001's Note - they will still recognise you. My mate's surname is Salah though, so he can just pretend you are his cousin or something. Now I just have to remember to be elsewhere in November....

Cheers mate. I am terrible with names, I honestly can't remember the names of the ones I read. I will say that there is one I would defo recommend avoiding though, Collina's autobiography. It is terrible, self-serving nonsense.}

9.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 07:21:51
Lol I guess that explains why it's dirt cheap on amazon. Yeah I tend to remember the worst ones I've read more then the good ones! One of the worst I ever read was 'Frank Lampard - Totally Frank' infact, it IS the worst I ever read. I don't even know how it got published it was that bad but I suppose anybody can publish shite.

Sounds good mate, Im happy to have a new cousin whilst I'm there! but you have to be there as well! hopefully Ed333 won't get too jealous lol.

{Ed001's Note - Ed0333 will no doubt happen to visit then to act as chaperone...}

10.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 07:49:05
heya ed, quick typo- it was Sweden that tony Kroos scored against and not Denmark. Cheers for that mate- I’m going to say that for me maradonna was probably the greatest but, at a time when I believe football was at its pinnacle with so many world class players on show, Zidane stood so far above everyone else, I just can’t help but argue his case. He’s the only player that reminded me of maradonna in that every time he got on the ball, there was a feeling he was going to do something great. Never get that with Messi and Ronaldo, they’re excellent players but just not the same. Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - oh Fowler, can't believe I did that. Apologies to anyone Swedish or Danish who may have been offended or not. The problem I had with Zidane is that there were a lot of things he did for the sake of doing them, just because he could. Maradona was utterly focused on winning and it seemed like everything he did was aimed at trying to create or score, rather than just because he fancied doing a trick. In Zidane's early career he was denigrated as a show pony and, to a degree, he was. It was the move to Juve that seen him begin to change.}

11.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 08:11:23
Thanks ed nice one. Can CR7 do a Maradona back to back tournaments? Pele for me though as best ever. Followed by King Kenny.

{Ed001's Note - I find it difficult to compare Pele as he was before my time.}

12.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 09:06:03
I'm Danish and I'm deeply offended. We'd never concede a 95th minute goal to throw away a 1-0 lead.

{Ed001's Note - that's true. If you were playing they would already be 3-0 down by that point.}

13.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 09:22:04
I meant to say, I like Danish pastries. So I'm practically from Denmark.

{Ed001's Note - you certainly look like you enjoy your pastries. It showed in the XXXXXL shirt we had to get made specially to fit you. Thankfully the kit manufacturers also make tents.}

14.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 09:22:06
In my life time Maradona for me too ED01. You've got to remember as well that when Maradona played in Seria A it was the best league in the world, with the best players in the world and it was tactically and defensively the most difficult league. Plus you only got 2 points for a win so everyone played not to lose, in addition he played on potato fields and there was no protection from refs. Messi is awesome but he plays on perfect pitches, completely protected by refs and with a team completely built around him.

{Ed001's Note - exactly.}

15.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 09:54:00
That cut me deep Ed. Not deep enough to get through the fat, but still pretty deep.

{Ed001's Note - I would need a bigger blade to cut through that.}

16.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:16:01
I've modelled myself on Maradonna Ed. It was all for you 😭.

{Ed001's Note - you do look similar to him now, though slower and more rotund.}

17.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:30:17
I will never be as fast sadly. He just has more natural 'speed' than I do.

{Ed001's Note - that's why we needed the raver on our team...}

18.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:35:11
Great post Toe knee, you hit the nail on the head there mate.

19.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:41:53
I'm in the Pele camp for GOAT. He was so far ahead of his time.

20.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:46:21
Exactly Ed. Didn't help that Benny sabotaged us. He put a crate of Budweiser in our dressing room before kick off, and a box of Lucozade in his dressing room.

I tried to stop our boys from drinking too much beer (by drinking most of it myself), but it was too little too late as Ken drank 75cl of Jack Daniels on his flight that morning.

{Ed001's Note - ah here come the excuses.}

21.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:48:36
Zidane, for me, is the best ever. Pele was before my time and I witnessed just the end of Maradona's career.
Zidane though was a genius. Made everyone in his team play better and that performance against Brazil in the World Cup (2006) is probably the greatest individual performance I've ever seen - against Kaka, Ronaldinho and Gilberto Silva. He made World Class players look like children. GOAT for me.

22.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 10:59:31
Regarding the GOAT thing I'm not old enough to remember any one who played last century. So I can only go off old Dad's a archived stuff. But I absolutely loved seeing 3 players in particular; Zico, Cruyff, Maradonna and Dalglish.

Zico never gets mentioned when discussing the great Brazil sides but I thought his playing relationship with Pele was much like Messi and Iniesta. Messi/ Pele get all the plaudits but it was Iniesta/ Zico pulling the strings that made them look like they were from a different planet.

Of players I've seen play live Zidane, Nedved, Ronaldinho and Iniesta are the best I've seen. I prefer all 4 of them to Messi and Ronaldo if I'm honest.

If I had to pick an all time best, I'd probably go with Zico.

{Ed002's Note - Nedved is an interesting choice. He actually transferred to a small Czech side last season to play one game with his son when well in to his forties. He is due in to London on Wednesday or Thursday this week.}

23.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:16:44
Does anybody remember Maradona's performance against England in 86? now that was a performance and half. He was always brilliant, I mean I think all of us who were lucky enough to see the man play could list tons of games he was incredible in but that's one of my most memorable games he played, what a legend!

24.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:12:09
I loved Nedved Ed002. Thought he was sensational to watch. Wish I'd got to watch him live. Never seen someone strike a football more naturally.

Also just want to add that I've confused Zico's timeline with Gerson's timeline in that post (i always mix them up) . Zico was the mastermind of the later Brazil teams. Gerson was the orchestrator of the 1970's Brazil that featured Pele, though.

So I'll change my GOAT to Gerson! Although I do love a Zico free kick.

{Ed002's Note - Gerson was very much the 1960s.}

25.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:15:26
Did you ever see Nedved play, in the flesh Ed002?

{Ed002's Note - Not in the flesh but I saw him quite a few times playing in a football kit. Our paths still cross on occasion - generally every August and perhaps on average once a year other than that. He is a very nice guy.}

26.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:36:17
MK i don't think Zico played with Pele mate, think you're getting confused? However, that being said what an amazing player he was and that 82 Brazil team were great to watch.

27.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:43:02
If you look up the archives Garrincha was one of the best and most skillfull players of his time. Like George Best women got the best of him. He had a deformed leg, apparantly that's what gave him the edge to glide past players.

{Ed002's Note - It was the drink that really did for him.}

28.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:43:55
Salah I watched the highlights as a kid and he was just ridiculous. I don't know how he hurdled such hefty challenges without slowing down at all. It looked like he had a gyro in his hips that kept him upright.

I do love an attacking midfielder though. I've done the fact checking and split it by generation to be: Gerson (66-70), Cruyff (70-76), Dalglish (74-82), Zico (78-82), Maradonna (86-90), Nedved (94-06), Zidane (98-06), Ronaldinho (99-07) and Iniesta (08-14) 😂 sorry to all the legendary strikers out there. I hate these discussions. They hurt my head because I can't pick between players from different generations.

If any of those guys aren't on your legends list Ed001, could you add them to it? Especially Gerson and Nedved.

I'm guessing TV's were rare pre-1966 because there is virtually nothing you can watch prior to that 😂.

{Ed001's Note - I will defo be doing Nedved, he is one of my all-time favourite players. I have added them all to the list, if I find any are duplicates it doesn't matter like.}

29.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:51:26
You are correct Toe Knee. I always get Gerson and Zico confused mate. You'll have to forgive me as they retired long before i was even born! Both the brains behind two of the best Brazil teams ever. Gerson Didn't score as much, but I thought he was marginally better than Zico, despite Zico being the more complete player. Does that make sense? Probably not 😂

Very good Ed002! Glad he had clothes on though. Otherwise it would be a very different sport! I imagined him as a nice bloke. He worked so hard on the pitch that I struggled to imagine him as anything other than a truly humble person. Next time you cross paths, can you tell him that a random British bloke in his 20's, who you've never met, loves him as a player and for his hair? 😂.

{Ed002's Note - I am not so sure I would call him humble, but he is genuinly good company. I will see him on August 29/30.}

30.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:54:27
Cheers Tris. The Gerson one will be fun as I believe he nearly had a fight with Pele over his greatest of all time list 😂.

31.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 11:58:19
GOAT in my eyes has got to be Cryuff, especially after Ajax ditched him at the end of his career so he went and won the title with Feyernood.

32.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 12:18:13
Ronaldinho was my fav, not necessarily the most effective at times, ed 1 would call him a show pony no doubt.

For me he epitomised brazinlian football of old. Flair, skill and playing with samba in their souls. Should be up their with the likes of zico et al as the best of all time.

33.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 12:19:55
George Best HAS to get a mention in this conversation.

34.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 12:22:18
I assume you mean at the Champions League draw in Monaco, Ed002! People don't realise how blessed they are to have you on this site!

{Ed002's Note - Mainly the day before.}

35.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 12:58:36
I completely agree, it's a coming. People talk about how lucky we are to have Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar playing at the same time.

However they're forgetting that at one stage we had Zidane, Nedved and Ronaldinho all playing at the same time. I almost feel guilty of blasphemy for not mentioning Seedorf.

36.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 12:09:23
Now that's a selection MK wow, all incredible players. Nedved was just out of this world, I'd love to see a piece on him Ed that'd be great mate, as I would all of them names though. Ronaldinho was also amazing but he could've been a lot better if he had his head on right, shame really because even with him being daft with his lifestyle he was an incredible player so can you imagine if he'd of put all his focus into football? He could've quite possibly of been one of the best.

{Ed001's Note - I will get round to him eventually don't worry. Have to try and get some anecdotes off Ed002 when I do.}

37.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 14:03:09
Got to be honest Ron, I've not seen much of George Best. He didn't do much internationally and most of the archive footage from those times is internationals. I don't get the impression club games were televised all that much, and I don't tend to watch much of the great Man United teams 👀

I know that the pre-70's generations idolised a handful of British players in particular though; Dixie Dean, Billy Liddell, Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton and George Best. So I know he's in fine company.

38.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 14:55:00
The greatest of all time was Pele, without a doubt. Followed by Maradona and Cruyff. Ronaldo (R9) following those three. My personal favorite of all time was Zico. Followed his development as a young scrawny diminutive kid at Flamengo into a World class player (just like Messi at Barca) .

39.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 15:01:16
Let’s not forget the goal machine that is Ferenc Puskas. Almost won Hungary the World Cup!

40.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 15:15:03
Ed001 did Maradona ever win the European cup?
I’ve had a little look on his honours list and can only see 1 UEFA Cup medal which I’m sure is the second tier competition.
The only reason I mention this is people say messi needs to win the world cup to be put in the same bracket as Maradona (which is ridiculous) but if Maradona didn’t win the European cup, messi has done that multiple times.
Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - Maradona never played for the best team at any point in his career, Messi's European Champions Leagues came with a side that was the best at the time. That is not a relevant comparison. That is why the World Cup comes up, as Messi is playing with an Argentinian side which is not the best, though, if you take out Messi and Maradona from the respective sides, it is probably better than the one Maradona won it with.}

41.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 16:37:12
When someone asked Pele who the greatest of all time was he said “George Best”.
Yeah, he was good 👍.

42.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 17:33:24
Hard to disagree with Maradona. If Diego is no1, where to people see the king? Is he top 5?

Maradonna
Eusabio
Ronaldo
Cryff
Dalglish.

43.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 18:03:43
Not top 5 for me Hendo:

Maradona
Best
Pele
Di Stefano
Cruyff.

44.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 18:23:45
Top 5 is very difficult for me but here goes.

Maradona
Cruyff
Beckenbauer
Eusabio
Lev Yashin.

45.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 18:39:00
Not a single defender in anyones list. I will put two names alesandro Nesta and Carlos Puyol. Am not that old but I love defenders.

46.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 21:34:26
Pele or Maradona could easily be named the GOAT and no one would argue either choices, really. Messi and Ronaldo need not apply for this position, IMO. Now as for me and having watched him from the very beginning to the end of his career, "Big Ron" a. k. a The Extra Terrestrial a. k. a O Phenomeno, is simply the best player I have ever seen in my football life time (35 years) .

47.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 23:16:33
Pele, Maradona, Best, Cruyff, Eusebio, Beckenbauer, Platini, Zoff, Ronaldo, Moore, Dalglish, Giggs, Jennings, Shilton, Gazza, De Stefano, Puskas, Boniek, Baresi, Culimans, Scifo, Socrates, Zico, Brazil 1970, Matthews, Rush, Souness, Whelan, Hansen, Lawrenson, Charlton, Law, Robson, Kennedy (Ray), Maldini, Schmiechel snr, Laudrup x2, Gerd Muller, Neskins, Repp, Barnes, Nicol, Lineker, Southall, Clemence, Whiteside, Butragueno, Messi, Zidane, Viera, Keane, Bergkamp, Henry, Zola, Suarez, Torres, Salah, Kane, Gerrard, Owen, Cantona, Ginola, Sheringham, Cole, Overmars, Pires, Kanchelskis, Shearer, Hoddle, Molby, Le Tissier, John Robertson, Gullitt were all amazing players but for me the best ever is Diego Maradona, he went past players like they were mannequins and finished off his runs with a fatal pass or cool finish as well. But combine best player and nicest bloke and that’s a toss up between Pele and Eusebio, both true gentlemen.

48.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 23:25:26
Ron keague

Cant believe your the only one who has thrown best into the mix.

Pele is the greatest of all time for me. To play like pele is to play like god. can't remember which player said that but some of the quotes out there about him from the greats of football just say it all.

Pele
Best
Maradona

There are so many others that the list could go on but if i had to pick a few that's my order and even at that pele called george the greatest of all time.

Doesnt get better than god (pre fowler) himself calling you the best of all time.

Anyone who doesn't think george best deserves to be up there is crazy. Talk of maradona and muddy putches. The pitches best played on were even worse. That guy would have tore defenders a new one in the itallian league that maradona played in.

Some of his dribbling just doesn't even look real its that jaw dropping.

49.) 25 Jun 2018
25 Jun 2018 23:39:29
Wow koppite! That is an amazing post but where is Ian dowie!

50.) 26 Jun 2018
26 Jun 2018 02:01:32
You got to have love for the fat Ronaldo and the Havier Zenetti guy who just seemed to stop time and not age . Eds I think he stills plays footie could be wrong. Shame with the fat guy from Brazil, not sure but I recall it being mentioned he had some health issues regarding weight. On that note a quick 1 for the Eds, would this medical condition be common with the South American guys? I recall Anderson previously of Man U who had the world at his feet suffering from the same condition. Adriano also comes to mind but I think he had drinking problem. Thanks mate.

{Ed001's Note - Ronaldo also liked to party and, by his own admittance, did not work hard enough in training. Anderson was the same. It is not a health issue that caused the weight gain, it was as much the other way round. Great player Ronaldo but he would have been unstoppable for many years longer if he had lived a better lifestyle.

As for Zanetti - one of my favourite all time players.}

51.) 26 Jun 2018
26 Jun 2018 06:49:17
Think I’m the only one who’s mentioned Di Stefano.

You young’uns 🙄.

52.) 26 Jun 2018
26 Jun 2018 10:48:53
Thanks for quick response, kinda breaks my heart as I stood firm thinking it was health related. Super day ahead.

{Ed001's Note - well it was kinda related, but down to his lifestyle sadly.}