The Absolute Best Legends of Soccer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Absolute Best Legends of Soccer

by HD

 

 

The Sport of Football is the most popular & wide-spread in the world. Played in almost every country, the Football or Soccer can easily be called the king of modern sports, the sport of the nobles. The FIFA World Cup 2014 is currently on the air has already produced some exhilarating and surprising moments as the nations of the world collide for glory, would this world cup produce new heroes of football, would Lionel Messi rise & claim glory at  the grandest stage of them all, or is it the young Benzema of France, is it Van Persie or Robben of the Netherlands, maybe the young poster-boy of the host Brazil itself Neymar, could Christiano Ronaldo shine at the grandest stage of them all this time or is it that he just dont have it for the big time, only time will tell.

The sport of Soccer has over many decades produced great superstars & incredible players, players like David Beckham & Wayne Rooney of England, Luis Figo & Christiano Ronaldo of Portugal, they have acquired celebrity status but yet failed to prove themselves on the grandest stage of the World Cup where legends of soccer are solidified & the skill, passion, true dedication, integrity & strength of a player is tested on a whole different level than on any.

Over the decades some players have solidied their legends and status as the greatest of them all through their magic moments in the sport and performance at every level including the World Cups. And so the countdown begins....

 

 

 

 

 

10. RIVALDO

The highly skilled brazilian attacking mid-fielder was greatly responsible for the elite Brazilian team victory at the FIFA World Cup 2002, the best playmaker amongst the three "Rs" of Brazil which also included Ronaldo & Ronaldinho, it was Rivaldo's incredible coordination & passes that enabled Ronaldo to be the top goal scorer. At his top-form in 2002 Rivaldo displayed incredible distant passes, accurate over-head & free kicks and beautiful close-ball control & dribbling tactics. Rivaldo has also been a key player in the FIFA World Cup 1998 for Brazil and helped his team reach the finals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. RONALDO

The baldish fat striker of Brazil is considered by many the best striker ever in the sport of football. Lurking always around the competitor's goal area in high hopes of scoring at any chance he get, Ronaldo was obsessed with goaling and became the goaling machine for Brazil with much credit due to the incredible team coordination of Brazil all Ronaldo has to do is to touch the ball to make the goal and snatch all the glory for Brazil. Ronaldo was the man who alongwith Rivaldo helped Brazil reach finals of the 1998 World Cup where his dreams of becoming champions were shattered by Zidane but still he won the Golden ball award. In 2002, Ronaldo was part of one of the most formidable Brazilian team ever assembled and scored goal after goal which led his team to become champions of the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. ROMARIO

Before Ronaldo Brazil had Romario, he was a formidable striker and technicaly the most gifted one. Romario had the ability to produce goals with the most beautiful finishes. He helped his strong team to their fourth world championship victory in the 1994 FIFA World Cup hosted in the United States where he won the golden ball for his performance at the World Cup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. ROBERTO BAGGIO

The Italian sensation Roberto Baggio is the all time greatest attacking mid-fielder of Italy. The young Baggio made his great skills evident on the field of the 1990 World Cup displaying some extra-ordinary playmaking and goal scoring abilities. It was in the 1994 World Cup where he really shined and scored incredible match winning goals for Italy and taking his team to the finals. Due to an injury Baggio was not at his 100% against Brazil but still Baggio managed to put up a great fight against the mighty Brazil in the end it was not just enough to overcome Brazil and he won the Silver ball of the tournament. Sadly Baggio was never a part of a World Cup winning Italian team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. BOBBY CHARLTON

Before the likes of English superstars & celebrity-status players like David Beckham and Wayne Rooney back in the 60s was Sir Bobby Charlton. He is the greatest footballer England has ever produced worthy of a title of a "Sir" as he helped the English team to their World Cup Title win and glory in the 1966 World Cup. Where the modern superstars like David Beckham & Wayne Rooney failed miserably Sir Bobby Charlton was the one who brought glory to his nation with his incredible mid-fielding and match-winning skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. GARRINCHA

The legendary Brazilian forward footballer Garrincha is one of the greatest footballer produced by Brazil & his dribbling skill was extra-ordinary. Garrincha along with the likes of Pele, Gilmar, Santos, Pereira & others led an elite Brazilian team in the late 50s & 60s, it was the golden era of Brazil. Garrincha was influentional in Brazil's title victory at the 1958 World Cup and it was he who led his incredible team to their second consecutive title victory at the 1962 World Cup without Pele & winning the golden ball as well as the golden shoe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. FRANZ BECKENBAUER

The German footballer Franz Beckenbaur is the greatest footballing asset of Germany and without doubt the greatest footballer ever produced by Germany, He was an innovator on the field and is known to have created the modern fooball playing position of a sweeper. His refined play was noticeble at the 1966 & 1970 World Cups until he would led his German team to their World title victory at the 1974 World Cup hosted at their own country of Germany, the greatest treat for his nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. ZINEDINE ZIDANE

 

Zidane the attacking mid-fielder & playmaker is a legendary footballer of France and an iconic figure in his country of France. His footwork & tricks with the soccer was magical, his passes & playmaking awe-inspiring and he had the ability to score a goal out of nowhere from unorthodox positions much to amazement of all. Zidane's playmaking was noticeble at the 1998 World Cup hosted by his country France where he helped the formidable french team including superstars like Petit, Barthez, Blanc & others to their world title victory by vanquishing the mighty Brazil in the final giving his French nation the biggest jubilation, so Zidane succeded where Platini had not.

 

In the 2006 World Cup, Zidane returned in top form & led the frenchmen to the very end of the tournament. At the quarterfinal against the star-studded Brazil, Zidane single-handedly defeated Brazil he owned players of the caliber of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho ,Kaka, Roberto Carlos & the entire Brazilian team in gameplay, an amazing performance on a World Cup stage which would never be forgotton. The finals was shocking & controversial as Zidane the hero of France in an outburst of anger would fall receiving a red card after headbutting the italian scum Materazzi to the ground on foul mouthing, the italians were known for their dirty on-field tactics to subdue their opponents psychologically and this one was mega-success as it led them to their victory by removing Zidane from the picture.

 

 

And so the proud Zidane in defiance went past the World Cup Trophy which could have been his, ignoring it completely in the most iconic moments of the 2006 World Cup in which he ultimately went down in a blaze of glory. Zidane's defiance was the most discussed story and so iconic that it overshadowed even the Italian World Cup victory, controversy had always created much bigger icons. Despite Zidane still received the golden ball as there was none who could even come close to his game-play in that tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. PELE

 

 

 

Pele the legendary footballer from Brazil is the most beloved of Brazil itself, the FIFA community, football critics and many fans around the world and considered by them the best. Decent & simple in nature Pele had never been the most glamorous or a flashier footballer but has proved his technical & goal-making skills on the field and has proven himself from time to time during his much decorated football career. The young Pele was instrumental along with the likes of Garrincha and other top-rated Brazilian footballers at their World Cup victory in 1958. The Brazilian team has always comprised of excellent players with great solidarity & coordination amongst themselves and Pele was their best man ever. In the 1970 World Cup Pele helped Brazil to win their third World Title & received the golden ball for being the best player of the tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. DIEGO ARMANDO MARADONA

 

 

Maradona, Maradona, Maradona, Maradona, Maradona...Diego, Diego, Diego..............!

Such were the heavy chants whether by the fans jampacking an arena or commentators witnessing Maradona creating magic on the football field. Such was an aura of Maradona that fans used to be confused whether to chant for Maradona or their own national team when their team faced Argentina.

Diego Maradona is the most intense, passionate, most badazz football player ever, not only an expert magician with the soccer ball Maradona on his own has achieved feats of such magnitude on the football field that no other footballer could ever achieve. Maradona the most intense enigma & phenomenon of his time is the unique & rare player that is only once in a life time there will be no one like him ever & neither has been, the iconic larger than life Argentinian footballer is considered the greatest hero yet by some a villain, he did got stuck in vices and personal issues, he did have a darkside like every incredible & great character in fiction had in fact he is the greatest Anti-hero of the sport of soccer.

 

 

Maradona is the only complete footballer ever created by this sport, his skill, his aerobics, his awesome moves, his close-range & long-range control of the ball, his playmaking, his gameplay, his dribbling, his tactics, his fury & speed, his passes, his accurate & unorthodox kicks are unmatched & yes the evil footballing genius is a master illusionist & can make goals with use of his hands without getting caught the only one to master the trick & use for advantage as evident by the infamous goal dubbed "The Hand of God" against England. But moments later he scored in the same match "The Goal of the Century" the best goal ever in the World Cups, he took the ball alone from his own half to the opponent's goal tackling in-between six players including the goalkeeper and scored the ultimate goal.

 

 

Other than that Maradona had many goals during his incredible career that seem virtually impossible to score, superb & fantastic goals that would surprise & stun the goalkeeper and other players. Maradona had always been the heavily marked man on the field as the opponents would say the only way to stop Maradona is to foul him again & again if dont he would defeat you. The opponents of Argentina would say they won because thay have Maradona if we had Maradona we would have won. Diego Maradona's greatest feat & achievement was realised in 1986 when this "One Man Army" of a footballer won the World Cup for his team Argentina all on his own, a feat impossible in the sport but this madman did it on his own & led his team to their World Title victory and in 1990 being injured & unfit still this Argentinian fury led his team to the very end of the tournament. Maradona once said that he dont want to be remembered as a great footballer but just as a good man & indeed he is a nice & a good man, furious, overly-passionate and crazy on occasions but at the core a good man and the greatest soccer player ever.