Today’s discussion is about who is the 3rd best soccer player of all time.

cristiano ronaldo (enjoy the video that 33 millions have)

Wilson Hatcher picks Cristiano Ronaldo

Wikipedia notes:

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, (Portuguese pronunciation: [kɾɨʃtiˈɐnu ʁuˈnaɫdu]; born 5 February 1985),^[2] commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a right winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team. Ronaldo is the most expensive player in football history after moving from Manchester United to Real Madrid in a transfer deal worth £80 million (€94m, US$132m). In addition, his contract with Real Madrid, in which he is to be paid £11 million per year over the following six years, makes him the highest-paid football player in the world,^[3] and values him at €1 billion as per his buyout clause.^[4]

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Diego Maradona Video

Everette Hatcher chooses Diego Maradonna. Below you will read:

 Easily one of the most controversial players ever, he is also the most gifted. Physically short and stocky, Maradonna none the less grew into a giant on the field. At the hight of his playing days Maradonna had not a single flaw on the field. He had unbelievable acceleration and pace, superhuman ball control, flawless technique, unrivaled vision and an infallible instinct for when to pass the ball and when to hold on to it. Despite having every tool imaginable for a soccer player, he was even a good header of the ball despite his diminutive size, he would never hold on to the ball if passing to a team mate was a better option. At his pinnacle Maradonna took Argentina to the very zenith of soccer glory virtually singlehandedly. His performance in the 1986 World Cup is the most impressive feat accomplished in any sport, on any stage. In the midst of his most accomplished moment, Maradonna showed his duality perfectly in the now infamous semi finals against England. In a single half Maradonna scored two of the worlds most remembered and talked about goals. The blatant handball on the now dubbed ‘Hand of God’ goal is in stark contrast to his second goal in the same half that is now widely regarded as the best goal ever scored. In passing through the entire English side, Maradonna never touches the ball with his right foot. Some of the best defenders in the world were helpless against the little magician. Off the field, Maradonna strikes a tragic figure, but on the field he was perfection.

Diego Maradona discusses ‘Hand of God’ World Cup goal – BBC

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Here follows my list of the worlds 10 best soccer players of all time. Names like Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud Gullit are all absent from my list, which speaks volumes of the extraordinary talent of the players that rise above them.

10. Lev Yashin

This legendary Soviet net minder revolutionized the goal keeper position. Despite his intimidating size he was incredibly agile and developed the position into the active keepers we see in today’s game. Fearless like any extraordinary goalie, Yashin was all over the penalty area diving at feet and working from post to post better than anyone. Always expanding the role of the goal keeper, Yashin is considered to be the inventor of the sweeping goal keeper role, that is having the goal keeper come out of the penalty area to pick up long through balls before the opposition’s strikers.

9. Eusebio

Portugal’s best player ever, unrivaled until the emergence of Ronaldo, still holds down a spot as one of the very best players to play the beautiful game. With a powerful runs and silk smooth ball control Eusebio was as clinical a finisher as the game ever saw. A long time favorite in Benfica he would score over a goal a game throughout his career. In 715 matches for Benfica he scored 724 goals and still holds the all time scoring record at the club. In an area were Portugal were routinely out-shined by larger European soccer nations Eusebio singlehandedly lifted his country onto the international scene. In the 1966 World Cup Eusebio became the tournament’s top scorer with 9 goals helping Portugal claim the bronze medal.

8. Georghe Hagi

7. Michel Platini

France has produced some of the most memorable playmakers the game has ever seen, but Platini towers above them all. Possibly the best European midfielder Platini had all the qualities of a classic play maker. Flawless ball handling, a super accurate passing foot, a deadly free kick specialist but above all an uncanny instinct and vision for the game. Always a threat to release a team mate into space, he was also very capable of deep runs into the oppositions penalty area where he would show off a finishing ability unrivaled by any of his peers. His authority and unbendable winning mentality made him a perfect team captain, qualities he showed of to the fullest in France’s 1982 Euro Cup win. The way Platini carried his team through the tournament to their first European trophy is second only to Maradonna’s unmatchable heroics in the 1988 World Cup.

6. Ference Puskas

The Hungarian ‘little canon’ is probably the best pure striker soccer has ever seen. Short and stocky, he was immensely powerful and his thunderous left foot was feared by everyone. In his career he managed an incredible 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary, still an international goal scoring record. Because of his stocky and powerful build Puskas was frequently overlooked by the opposition. Virtually impossible to move off the ball, he sometimes looked as he could score at will. After defecting from Hungary Puskas finally landed a job with Real Madrid after having been turned down due to his age by several European teams. The ‘old man’ went on to secure 4 championships and even got capped for Spain.

5. Bobby Charlton

4. Franz Beckenbauer

Kaiser Franz was the best defender of his time, and the best defender of any time. Unlike most defenders of his age, and in fact all the way up until today, Beckenbauer was a complete soccer player. Confident with the ball, an outstanding passer and with an overview unmatched by anyone he invented and perfected the libero, or sweeper, role. His elegance on the ball and his natural authority on the pitch earned him the nickname ‘Der Kaiser’. Beckenbauer lead his team and his country to several triumphs, including three straight European Championships with Bayern Munich and a World Cup victory in 1974 for West Germany. In all he played more than 100 international matches for Germany.

3. Johan Cruyff

The brain, heart and soul of the Dutch ‘total football’ Cruyff is probably the most influential soccer player in the world. His approach to the game is now universally adapted and has transformed the game from the core. Cruyff saw soccer as an exercise in creating and manipulating space. The goal of total football was to have the entire team work together with this as their goal. To open up and manipulate space. From the wing or a deep center forward position Cruyff would torment defenders with his flowing dynamic play and creative vision. Always a fast and technically brilliant player, Cruyff’s brilliance was in his deep understanding of the game and the positioning of his teammates. His sense of space and angles earned him the nickname ‘Pythagoras in boots’.

2. Pele

Playing alongside and against the finest players in the world he was still consistently dominant. As a player Pele has a style and flair that would dazzle anyone. After retiring as a player, Pele has added to his status as an ambassador for the game with his winning personality and clean cut image.

1. Diego Maradonna

Any list that has Pele as the second best player in the world invariably puts Maradonna as the worlds finest player. Easily one of the most controversial players ever, he is also the most gifted. Physically short and stocky, Maradonna none the less grew into a giant on the field. At the hight of his playing days Maradonna had not a single flaw on the field. He had unbelievable acceleration and pace, superhuman ball control, flawless technique, unrivaled vision and an infallible instinct for when to pass the ball and when to hold on to it. Despite having every tool imaginable for a soccer player, he was even a good header of the ball despite his diminutive size, he would never hold on to the ball if passing to a team mate was a better option. At his pinnacle Maradonna took Argentina to the very zenith of soccer glory virtually singlehandedly. His performance in the 1986 World Cup is the most impressive feat accomplished in any sport, on any stage. In the midst of his most accomplished moment, Maradonna showed his duality perfectly in the now infamous semi finals against England. In a single half Maradonna scored two of the worlds most remembered and talked about goals. The blatant handball on the now dubbed ‘Hand of God’ goal is in stark contrast to his second goal in the same half that is now widely regarded as the best goal ever scored. In passing through the entire English side, Maradonna never touches the ball with his right foot. Some of the best defenders in the world were helpless against the little magician. Off the field, Maradonna strikes a tragic figure, but on the field he was perfection.

Benefits of Attending a Weekend to Remember

Today we are picking the fourth best player of all time.

Wilson Hatcher picks Diego Maradona and he won the world cup in 1986 and came in runner up in 1990. He is  most famous for the “Hand of God” and the goal of the century. He is third best player ever from South America.

Everette Hatcher’s pick:

Lionel Messi is my pick for the fourth best soccer player of all time.

Lionel Messi 2009 – Top 10 Goals *NEW*

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Another list below I got off the internet:

Called the ‘Angel of Madrid’ and simply known as Raúl, he is a Spanish football striker who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid. Also the three-time winner of the UEFA Champions League and is the second all-time leading scorer in official UEFA competitions after Filippo Inzaghi with 64 goals. He took over the captaincy of Real Madrid when Fernando Hierro departed in 2003, and has since shown himself to be a natural and respected leader.

Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was voted the best player and top goalscorer. Platini, Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana together made up the “carré magique” (magic square), the group of midfield players that formed the heart of the French national team throughout the 1980s. He is also widely regarded as one the best passers in football history as well as one of history’s greatest free kick specialists and finishers. He holds the record for most goals scored in European Championship final.

is a former Brazilian footballer, one of the most highly regarded defenders of all time. He captained Brazil to victory in the 1970 World Cup and is a member of the World Team of the 20th Century, as well as the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame. Carlos Alberto’s goal against Italy in the final of the Football World Cup 1970 is considered one of the greatest goals ever scored in the history of the tournament.

A brilliant and fluid forward, Ronaldo became one of international soccer’s great stars of the 1990s and Brazil’s biggest soccer hero since Pele. Nicknamed “The Phenomenon,” the talented forward has played for Cruzeiro, Eindhoven, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan, amassing numerous records, championships, and cups. An international superstar, Ronaldo has been on the Brazilian national team since 1994 and was part of World Cup–winning teams in 1998 and in 2002, when he was the tournament’s top scorer

Müller was short, squat, awkward-looking and not notably fast; he never fit the conventional idea of a great footballer, but he had lethal acceleration over short distances, a remarkable aerial game, and uncanny goalscoring instincts. He could turn quickly and with perfect balance in small spaces at speeds that would cause other players to fall over. He also had a knack of scoring in unlikely situations. With national records of 68 goals in 62 international appearances, 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and the international record of 66 goals in 74 European Club games, he was by far the most successful striker of his day.

Cruyff is a former Dutch football player and manager/coach. He was named European Footballer of the Year three times. In 1999, Cruyff was voted European Player of the Century in an election held by the IFFHS, and came second, behind Pelé in their World Player of the Century poll. Cruyff was known for his technical ability, speed and acceleration, but his greatest quality was vision, based on an acute sense of his team-mates’ positions as an attack unfolded. He is believed Cruyff superior to any previous player in his ability to extract the most from others.

German football (soccer) player. He is credited with inventing the modern attacking sweeper position. Nicknamed “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer is the only man to both captain and manage World Cup-winning teams (1974 and 1990, respectively). He spent most of his career with Bayern Munich, leading the team to three European Cup championships and four national titles. He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1972 and 1976. He is generally regarded as the greatest German footballer of all time and also as one of the greatest footballers in the history of the game.

Maradona is an icon in Argentina. As a soccer player, he took his team to new heights and became a hero to sports fans – many of whom referred to him as “San Diego.” He also took sports paychecks to new heights, claiming unheard of salaries in trade after trade. Maradona was plagued by cocaine addiction, though, and his career came to an early end. His performance included two memorable goals against England, one scored with his hand (the referee mistakenly thought the ball struck his head) and now remembered as the “Hand of God,” and another that saw him dribble through a pack of defenders.

Pele – called “the Black Pearl,” was the greatest soccer player in the history of the game. With a career total of 1280 goals, he may have been the world’s most popular athlete after he was named Athlete of the Century by the world’s combined National Olympic Committees in 1999, though he never played in the Olympics himself. In March of 2002, the jersey Pelé wore in the 1970 World Cup final sold at auction for $220,850. Pelé became Brazil’s minister of sports in 1995, serving until 1998.

Popularly nicknamed Zizou, he is a French former football midfielder. His career accomplishments include winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2000, in addition to the 2002 UEFA Champions League. He is also one of only two three-time FIFA World Player of the Year winners. Zidane won the Golden Ball as the MVP in the World Cups of 1998 and 2006. Zidane played his first professional First Division game for Cannes and quickly rose through the professional ranks. He sealed his reputation by scoring two goals in the World Cup finals of 1998, helping France defeat Brazil to claim its first-ever World Cup championship. Extremely passionate and a leader by example, he came first in an online poll conducted by UEFA.