Topic: Top 100 Attacking Players

[PoetryInMotion]

I've compiled a list of the Top 100 Attacking Players, including players who primarily played in the positions - Central Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder, Winger, Deep Lying Forward, Support Striker, and Striker. They were arranged with respect to their positions and then placed in this list, hence Central Midfielders, who are not purely attacking players per se, could be high up the list. Comments and Discussions are welcome.

Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona, Argentina)
Pelé (Santos FC, Brazil)
Diego Maradona (S.S.C. Napoli, Argentina)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Portugal)
Johan Cruyff (AFC Ajax, Netherlands)
Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid CF, France)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Brazil)
Garrincha (Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, Brazil)
Lothar Matthäus (FC Bayern Munich, Germany)
Eusébio (S.L. Benfica, Portugal)
George Best (Manchester United F.C., Northern Ireland)
Ferenc Puskás (Budapest Honvéd FC, Hungary)
Michel Platini (AS Nancy Lorraine, France)
Bobby Charlton (Manchester United F.C., England)
Didi (Fluminense FC, Brazil)
Stanley Matthews (Blackpool F.C., England)
Zico (Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Brazil)
Gerd Müller (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Giuseppe Meazza (Inter Milan, Italy)
Gianni Rivera (A.C. Milan, Italy)
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Rivellino (Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, Brazil)
Romário (PSV Eindhoven, Brazil)
Dragan Džajić (Red Star Belgrade, Yugoslavia)
Roberto Baggio (Juventus F.C., Italy)
Zizinho (Clube de Regatas do Flamengo, Brazil)
József Bozsik (Budapest Honvéd FC, Hungary)
Michael Laudrup (FC Barcelona, Denmark)
Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona, Uruguay)
José Manuel Moreno (Club Atlético River Plate, Argentina)
György Sárosi (Ferencvárosi TC, Hungary)
Xavi (FC Barcelona, Spain)
Ruud Gullit (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
Luis Suárez (Inter Milan, Spain)
Luís Figo (FC Barcelona, Portugal)
Marco van Basten (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
Andrés Iniesta (FC Barcelona, Spain)
Jairzinho (Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas, Brazil)
Matthias Sindelar (FK Austria Wien, Austria)
Ernst Ocwirk (FK Austria Wien, Austria)
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich, Poland)
Francisco Gento (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Raymond Kopa (Stade de Reims, France)
Flórián Albert (Ferencvárosi TC, Hungary)
Ronaldinho (FC Barcelona, Brazil)
Pavel Nedvěd (Juventus F.C., Czech Republic)
Antonio Sastre (Club Atlético Independiente, Argentina)
Luka Modrić (Real Madrid CF, Croatia)
Hristo Stoichkov (FC Barcelona, Bulgaria)
Julinho (Sociedade Esportiva Palmeiras, Brazil)
Paulo Roberto Falcăo (Sport Club Internacional, Brazil)
Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal F.C., Netherlands)
Sándor Kocsis (Budapest Honvéd FC, Hungary)
Nils Liedholm (A.C. Milan, Sweden)
Rivaldo (FC Barcelona, Brazil)
Steven Gerrard (Liverpool F.C., England)
Wolfgang Overath (1. FC Köln, West Germany)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool F.C., Egypt)
Tom Finney (Preston North End F.C., England)
Uwe Seeler (Hamburger SV, West Germany)
Arjen Robben (FC Bayern Munich, Netherlands)
Zoltán Czibor (FC Barcelona, Hungary)
Johan Neeskens (FC Barcelona, Netherlands)
Josef Bican (SK Slavia Prague, Austria)
Günter Netzer (Borussia Mönchengladbach, West Germany)
Franck Ribéry (FC Bayern Munich, France)
Fritz Walter (1. FC Kaiserslautern, West Germany)
Pirri (Real Madrid CF, Spain)
Thierry Henry (Arsenal F.C., France)
Ademir de Menezes (CR Vasco da Gama, Brazil)
Sócrates (Sport Club Corinthians Paulista, Brazil)
Antoine Griezmann (Atlético Madrid, France)
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Sweden)
Ángel Di María (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Argentina)
Bryan Robson (Manchester United F.C., England)
Leônidas (Săo Paulo FC, Brazil)
László Kubala (FC Barcelona, Spain)
Kazimierz Deyna (Legia Warsaw, Poland)
Jimmy Greaves (Tottenham Hotspur F.C., England)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester United F.C., Wales)
Jean Tigana (FC Girondins de Bordeaux, France)
Gunnar Nordahl (A.C. Milan, Sweden)
Juan Román Riquelme (Boca Juniors, Argentina)
Tostăo (Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, Brazil)
Sandro Mazzola (Inter Milan, Italy)
Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic F.C., Scotland)
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid CF, France)
Josef Masopust (Dukla Prague, Czechoslovakia)
Dixie Dean (Everton F.C., England)
Teófilo Cubillas (Club Alianza Lima, Peru)
Oreste Corbatta (Racing Club de Avellaneda, Argentina)
Alain Giresse (FC Girondins de Bordeaux, France)
Willem van Hanegem (Feyenoord, Netherlands)
Piet Keizer (AFC Ajax, Netherlands)
Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool F.C., Scotland)
Gabriel Batistuta (ACF Fiorentina, Argentina)
Oleg Blokhin (FC Dynamo Kyiv, Soviet Union)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City F.C., Belgium)
Adolfo Pedernera (Club Atlético River Plate, Argentina)

[Barneylfc∗]

Close the thread. Never start a new one ever again.

No Divock Origi? Fucking travesty 

[PoetryInMotion]

Close the thread. Never start a new one ever again.

No Divock Origi? Fucking travesty 

He will be in the 'Player with the Most Important Liverpool Moments' list 

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Close the thread. Never start a new one ever again.

No Divock Origi? Fucking travesty 

Or David Fairclough!

[killer-heels]

Dixie Dean so low? Will invoke a lot of fume.

[markmywords]

So your British Football league/s list is;


1.Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Portugal)
2.Bobby Charlton (Manchester United F.C., England)
3.Stanley Matthews (Blackpool F.C., England)
4.Michael Laudrup (FC Barcelona, Denmark)
5.Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona, Uruguay)
6.Ruud Gullit (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
7.Luka Modrić (Real Madrid CF, Croatia)
8.Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal F.C., Netherlands)
9.Steven Gerrard (Liverpool F.C., England)
10.Mohamed Salah (Liverpool F.C., Egypt)
11.Tom Finney (Preston North End F.C., England)
12.Arjen Robben (FC Bayern Munich, Netherlands)
13.Thierry Henry (Arsenal F.C., France)
14.Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Sweden)
15.Ángel Di María (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Argentina)
16.Bryan Robson (Manchester United F.C., England)
17.Jimmy Greaves (Tottenham Hotspur F.C., England)
18.Ryan Giggs (Manchester United F.C., Wales)
19.Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic F.C., Scotland)
20.Dixie Dean (Everton F.C., England)
21.Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool F.C., Scotland)
22.Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City F.C., Belgium)


Henry feels a bit low, no alan shearer, scholes or Rush!!, I would have Barnes over robson, I see no justification for Robson over John barnes, they had a similiar career trajectory, but Barnes undoubtably hit higher heights

[I've been a good boy]

Never heard many of these players, but I always enjoyed watching Del Piero and Raul.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

No Barnes, Rush and many others, in fact where are the Liverpool players ? (Ignoring Salah)

[PoetryInMotion]

So your British Football league/s list is;


1.Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Portugal)
2.Bobby Charlton (Manchester United F.C., England)
3.Stanley Matthews (Blackpool F.C., England)
4.Michael Laudrup (FC Barcelona, Denmark)
5.Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona, Uruguay)
6.Ruud Gullit (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
7.Luka Modrić (Real Madrid CF, Croatia)
8.Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal F.C., Netherlands)
9.Steven Gerrard (Liverpool F.C., England)
10.Mohamed Salah (Liverpool F.C., Egypt)
11.Tom Finney (Preston North End F.C., England)
12.Arjen Robben (FC Bayern Munich, Netherlands)
13.Thierry Henry (Arsenal F.C., France)
14.Zlatan Ibrahimović (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Sweden)
15.Ángel Di María (Paris Saint-Germain F.C., Argentina)
16.Bryan Robson (Manchester United F.C., England)
17.Jimmy Greaves (Tottenham Hotspur F.C., England)
18.Ryan Giggs (Manchester United F.C., Wales)
19.Jimmy Johnstone (Celtic F.C., Scotland)
20.Dixie Dean (Everton F.C., England)
21.Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool F.C., Scotland)
22.Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City F.C., Belgium)


Henry feels a bit low, no alan shearer, scholes or Rush!!, I would have Barnes over robson, I see no justification for Robson over John barnes, they had a similiar career trajectory, but Barnes undoubtably hit higher heights

The other strikers above him were better. Who among the below will you swap with Henry?

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Portugal)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Brazil)
Eusébio (S.L. Benfica, Portugal)
Gerd Müller (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Romário (PSV Eindhoven, Brazil)
Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona, Uruguay)
Marco van Basten (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich, Poland)
Sándor Kocsis (Budapest Honvéd FC, Hungary)
Uwe Seeler (Hamburger SV, West Germany)
Josef Bican (SK Slavia Prague, Austria)

Shearer was in my Strikers Top 50, but you need to be in the Top 20 to be in this list. Close, but didn't make it. The same goes for Rush. Scholes, I think is over-rated and his reputation grew after his retirement. He had a good passing range but was a horrible tackler and he didn't get a single Ballon d'Or vote in his career. I'm not even talking podium, I'm talking just a vote.

As for Robson and Barnes, Barnes injury was the issue here, so in terms of longevity, Robson scores. Also they were different types of players - Robson was more Box to Box, while Barnes was a winger and then later settled into a deep lying midfielder.

[PoetryInMotion]

Never heard many of these players, but I always enjoyed watching Del Piero and Raul.

Top-class players, just didn't make the cut. Would've made the Top 200 one.

[PoetryInMotion]

No Barnes, Rush and many others, in fact where are the Liverpool players ? (Ignoring Salah)

Barnes and Rush were in the Top 50 in their respective positions but missed out here. Apart from Salah, we also have Suarez, Gerrard, and King Kenny. Keegan just missed out. Which other Liverpool player should be in the reckoning, considering it's a tight list of the greatest to have played the game?

[markmywords]

The other strikers above him were better. Who among the below will you swap with Henry?

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Portugal)
Ronaldo (Real Madrid CF, Brazil)
Eusébio (S.L. Benfica, Portugal)
Gerd Müller (FC Bayern Munich, West Germany)
Romário (PSV Eindhoven, Brazil)
Luis Suárez (FC Barcelona, Uruguay)
Marco van Basten (A.C. Milan, Netherlands)
Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich, Poland)
Sándor Kocsis (Budapest Honvéd FC, Hungary)
Uwe Seeler (Hamburger SV, West Germany)
Josef Bican (SK Slavia Prague, Austria)



As for Robson and Barnes, Barnes injury was the issue here, so in terms of longevity, Robson scores. Also they were different types of players - Robson was more Box to Box, while Barnes was a winger and then later settled into a deep lying midfielder.

I can accept Henry, shearer, scholes and rush evaluations to a degree

But Robson over Barnes is a mystery, Barnes was effectively a 2 time player of the yr in the late 80's, robson never got that accoclade, whilst Barnes' career took a dive post that injury, Robson wasn't pulling trees in his 30's either.  Fergie said he only managed 4 great players(inc scholes btw) and robson wasn't 1 of them. Sure Robson was about 29 when fergie took over but this undermines the idea that robson had this great indian summer to his career. I didn't think that Robson particularly stood out in the late 80's or early 90's, he was quite injury prone during this time, probably due to his drinking

[rocz189]

I can accept Henry, shearer, scholes and rush evaluations to a degree

But Robson over Barnes is a mystery, Barnes was effectively a 2 time player of the yr in the late 80's, robson never got that accoclade, whilst Barnes' career took a dive post that injury, Robson wasn't pulling trees in his 30's either.  Fergie said he only managed 4 great players(inc scholes btw) and robson wasn't 1 of them. Sure Robson was about 29 when fergie took over but this undermines the idea that robson had this great indian summer to his career. I didn't think that Robson particularly stood out in the late 80's or early 90's, he was quite injury prone during this time, probably due to his drinking

Robson was it seemed constantly injured throughout his career. He was certainly not a patch on Barnes as a football player, not even in the same universe

[tubby]

What's Michael Laudrup doing in that British league list, he didn't play over here, did he?

[markmywords]

What's Michael Laudrup doing in that British league list, he didn't play over here, did he?

Good point, I got him mixed up with his brother

[Lastrador]

Overall, I really like this list but I think there are some pretty noticeable omissions in South American football.

You seem to put a lot of emphasis on Brazilian and Argentinian players, but there are some pretty big names missing that are way more important in South American football history, than the likes of de Menezes, Leônidas, Sastre, Pedernera, or Corbatta. It seems weird how you put so much emphasis on players from the 30-50s, when there were no major continental competitions at that time at the club level, so not much objective way of measuring their achievements, while completely ignoring players from the 50-80s. I know how influential River's La Maquina was to world football, but I think having Moreno and (even though he was very young) Di Steffano is enough, no need to name-drop Pedernera. I would have any of these over those five you put in there:

Héctor Scarone
Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Alberto Spencer
Pedro Rocha
Omar Sivori
Rene Houseman
Ricardo Bochini
Enzo Francescoli

A modern omission that raised an eyebrow was Andrea Pirlo. Especially when you have Tigana, Giresse, and even van Hannegam over him. I think there's no objective or subjective justification for that, but happy to be proved wrong.

[Samie]

Shit attempt at a Draft mate. 

[PoetryInMotion]

I can accept Henry, shearer, scholes and rush evaluations to a degree

But Robson over Barnes is a mystery, Barnes was effectively a 2 time player of the yr in the late 80's, robson never got that accoclade, whilst Barnes' career took a dive post that injury, Robson wasn't pulling trees in his 30's either.  Fergie said he only managed 4 great players(inc scholes btw) and robson wasn't 1 of them. Sure Robson was about 29 when fergie took over but this undermines the idea that robson had this great indian summer to his career. I didn't think that Robson particularly stood out in the late 80's or early 90's, he was quite injury prone during this time, probably due to his drinking

Yeah, fair enough. I'll have a look at Robson, and maybe bump him down. It wasn't Robson's later 80s or early 90s that got him high up. He was considered the best player in England for a while. He played a lot of games in the late 70s to mid-late 80s. But you also have to consider their International profiles - Robson had a better International career than Barnes. He made the PFA Team of the Year 6 times.

I'll look this up as this is an interesting comparison.

 

[PoetryInMotion]

Overall, I really like this list but I think there are some pretty noticeable omissions in South American football.

You seem to put a lot of emphasis on Brazilian and Argentinian players, but there are some pretty big names missing that are way more important in South American football history, than the likes of de Menezes, Leônidas, Sastre, Pedernera, or Corbatta. It seems weird how you put so much emphasis on players from the 30-50s, when there were no major continental competitions at that time at the club level, so not much objective way of measuring their achievements, while completely ignoring players from the 50-80s. I know how influential River's La Maquina was to world football, but I think having Moreno and (even though he was very young) Di Steffano is enough, no need to name-drop Pedernera. I would have any of these over those five you put in there:

Héctor Scarone
Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Alberto Spencer
Pedro Rocha
Omar Sivori
Rene Houseman
Ricardo Bochini
Enzo Francescoli

A modern omission that raised an eyebrow was Andrea Pirlo. Especially when you have Tigana, Giresse, and even van Hannegam over him. I think there's no objective or subjective justification for that, but happy to be proved wrong.

Some of those South American names like Scarone, Schiaffino, Pedro Rocha, Ricardo Bochini, Francescoli missed out closely. Sivori was the closest, just 1 or 2 names behind in his position.

As for Pirlo, he missed the list by 4 numbers in his position, he was close too. I have Tigana as a more rounded player, Giresse was a more pure playmaker than him.

[PoetryInMotion]

Shit attempt at a Draft mate. 

 

[PoetryInMotion]

What's Michael Laudrup doing in that British league list, he didn't play over here, did he?

I thought he meant Brian 

He missed George Best in his British League list!

[4pool]

Barnes and Rush were in the Top 50 in their respective positions but missed out here. Apart from Salah, we also have Suarez, Gerrard, and King Kenny. Keegan just missed out. Which other Liverpool player should be in the reckoning, considering it's a tight list of the greatest to have played the game?

God.

How in the Hell did you leave God off the list.

Fowler, 369 matches, 183 goals. 0.50 goals per match.

[vblfc]

God.

How in the Hell did you leave God off the list.

Fowler, 369 matches, 183 goals. 0.50 goals per match.

Rush?  Torres?

[Son of Spion]

Bryan Robson higher up the list than Kenny Dalglish? 

[RedSince86]

No John Barnes.

 

[darragh85]

Ryan giggs lol


I can't see any african player. I'm actually not surprised George Weah isn't there. Must be the most underrated footballer in history . The polar opposite to giggs

[Terry de Niro]

What a pointless thread this turned out to be.
Well done.   

[Kenny's Jacket]

Ryan giggs lol


I can't see any african player. I'm actually not surprised George Weah isn't there. Must be the most underrated footballer in history . The polar opposite to giggs

Salah is

[boots]

If it omits Rush, then it is a shit list. Ner.

Wait! There's no God either. Banish him.