Well according to our friend Lloris here, they've got guaran-damn-teed first team football for him. We on the other hand couldn't guarantee him that, what with our little circus of three goalkeepers. He'd have certainly come to us, but didn't want to do a Gorcuff with his career.

And yeah these were his official words. He said something like this right after he signed up for the French club.

The ability to make him feel at "home" with many French speakers in the team (You'd be surprised at how important that is!) and Champions League football.

He's past it. He's too old and he's too slow. I don't ever want to see him lose points for us again.

As far as Lloris? That was his decision to make who to join. If we got Felipe from Santos FC, I'm fine by that. 20 years old and frankly I hear just as good as Lloris. I was not happy about Milan not getting Lloris, but there are other keepers out there. It isn't the end of the world.

The reason why we were more likely to get a Brazilian keeper than a French one is the high level of Brazilian players already at Milan (as mentioned with Lloris also probably wanting French speaking teammates). Lloris would only have Flamini (unless other players knew French)...

So reading between the lines here, he basically says that he can't be a*sed to pack his bags and travel to Italy and would rather live on Croissants and Coq au vin than lasagna and spaghetti? Well, he can go to Tennie's piranha tank.


I truly am. I despise the French.

The Frenchman's got a point. What were we thinking trying to sign him up after calling back Abbiati. Milan seems mouthwatering, but what good is it if you can't break in into first team, even though being decently talented? As much as we hate it, he made the right choice, in my opinion. Plus, French speaking population wasn't the only reason, otherwise we'd not have had Gorcuff. Or Flamini.


You're not alone, then. Half the forum is with you, I'd reckon.

And the other half.

Very. French football team doesn't really care about what others think of them. They're too self-obsessed with themselves to notice. For them Henry is the greatest striker to ever walk the face of the earth, and Zidane was sent from the heavens to help other mortals learn football.

They're right about Zidane though.

Nope....Zidane was very very brilliant. A true footballing great. But when you go up against the likes of Pele or Maradona who inspired kids in the backwaters of Kerala to play football, then Zidane falls short. I don't mean his impact as just a player, but his impact as a footballing personality and a cultural phenomenon.

+1. Excellent explanation right there, captain.

Can you name ANY big-name players in Ligue 1 right now? Neither can I.

There are some future stars in it, but you're right, I can't recall any big name playing in the French League. I do view Gorcuff, Benzama, Lloris, etc as future stars. Plus, they've got guys like Juninho, who does not exactly light the world on fire, but is a utility player nonetheless. Guys like him. And that's that.

Grosso. I consider him big name and world class...

But in all honesty, besides Benzema, Ben Arfa and Gourcuff... who may be world talents in the future... I can't really name any big name players at the moment other than Grosso.

So do I. But there are two different Grossos - one for his club, and the other one that plays for the Azurri NT. The later one is the one that's better than the club one.

You know... I think if he played for Milan he would do better... considering our team has many of the NT players...

Agreed. Pity our management seems to think otherwise. He'd be at least as good as our Italian regulars.

I can: Milan Baroš, Juninho (Lyon); Djibril Cisse (Marseille); Makelele, Landreau, Giuly (PSG) - some of them. But I agree, no world class stars. Still, I enjoy watch Ligue 1 from time to time,..

I forgot that Giuly moved to PSG from Roma.. wow.. Roma did really lose a lot of depth this transfer season.

Why did they sell him again? I would have thought that they would have kept him especially if they were going to sell Mancini, which I think was stupid, why sell one of your best players to you direct competition that was stronger then you already? And not only that but repeat the process (Chivu) I think it was stupid on Roma's part. I mean sure you want to sell, but why to Inter? If they need the money that badly then they should have sent them abroad

It is strange when you think about it, but I guess inter have more to offer $$ than the choices these players had abroad. Anyways, Roma do look deflated, and they are in dire need of another a winger/midfielder ... Then again Spaletti seems to be very shady in his decisions, so you never know what is going on. I hope they do something before the window closes, I would be one hell of a Championship if Roma plugs the holes

Maradona who took cocaine for many years and nearly died of it, and also was expelled from 1994 World Cup for doping inspires the kids but Zidane does not? I can't accept that, sorry. Zidane was a phenomenal footballer (he's probably the most successful footballer in history), a very cool and nice person and everyone knows that. you should see the kids with #10 Zidane shirts on them all over the world. he will never be judged based on red cards he got or Mate headbutt. I don't think he falls short of Pele or Maradona either. he is rightfully Europe's best ever trequartista.

How many people still talk about Zidane zd??

As for drugs?? If in the 1980's you talked to some guy in India about cocaine, he'd say 'You mean coconut?'. In those days, these off-field antics didn't receive a lot of attention.

Zidane perhaps came at a wrong time, when football saturation was already at it's max. So there were other idols to worship for the football follower. Figo, Beckham, Ronaldo etc.

Like I said, I'm not saying Zidane was not good enough...merely that he could never occupy the kind of unquestioned admiration enjoyed by Pele and Diego. The media makes too many heroes nowadays.

Many! they will talk about him even more in the future. time makes legends.

Seems we disagree.

We don't disagree, as in I don't think you're wrong...maybe I'm perceiving it from an Asian point of view. Perhaps it's just that Zidane doesn't have the same kind of impact in India as he did in Europe.

Successful? Yes. Talented? Of course. Europe's best ever trequartista? Maybe. In company of Pele and Maradona? Okay. But cool and very nice perosn? No. I'd have to humbly disagree here. They guy stomped on a Saudi Arabian player deliberately injuring him. He's about as hothead and low class as it gets. That still doesn't take away from the player he was. He's in good company, with the best number 10s ever. But I'd not want to invite him to tea at my place, if I had my way.

Besides, he got very, very lucky in France 98. It was Ronaldo's World Cup (recall how he scored vital goals towards the end to put Brazil in the final), and had luck been on the Brazilian's side and they won that tournament, we probably won't be talking about the Frenchman as passionately. He'd have been at best Figo level. Which is never a bad thing. But two headers in that final made things go Zidane's way.


Could very well be. Could very well be.

Am I European?

I can accept this: Pele, Maradona and then Zidane. I can't see a better candidate for 3rd place than him.

No offense to Arabs at all, but I wouldn't be surprised one bit if there was a reason behind that one (just like Mate's case). I agree he sometimes lost his nerves, especially when his team was losing, but it's not like he headbutted people just for fun. the man had a big heart!



I wouldn't question Zidane's success. it's just that he proved himself over and over again. France's 2006 World Cup final appearance was mainly thanks to him. as soon as he started his engines, France took-off. he singlehandedly destroyed Brazil.

As for 98 World Cup I disagree with you. what luck? France completely earned it. it was just meant to be their World Cup and they overcame all the odds, won the World Cup for the first time, and won it deservedly. that team was legendary... I'll never forget the final especially. I believe that was when I first realized what a great player Zidane was.

Ronaldo,
Paolo,
Baggio,
Rui Costa,
George Best,
Romario,
George Weah,
Van Besten.

Some of them may not be better, yes. But they aren't much worse either. For me Zidane walks into any top 10 of all time in his sleep. But top 3 would be, just meh.

Maybe there is. Luckily or unluckily, we'll never know. But that still doesn't entitle him to swamp his football boots all over a human being's face. If you saw that video, you'll understand. Even his most ardent fans believe him to be a hothead at times.


I wasn't talking about France. Zidane was the man in question. He was not on the world stage before that, people didn't know about him. Ronaldo has already created waves before that. His two header goals in the final propelled him to his stardom. If they had lost, I fail to see Zidane creating the same impact like he did. That's what I meant by getting lucky. Ronaldo had that mystery injury which helped the French team. Some even suggest he got death threats before the final match from the French mobs. The doctors never got what the problem was with R99. And World Cup 2002 for Zidane? He got out in the group stages, without France scoring a goal.



Yeah. Zidane. World Cup 2002. Sorry about that.

I don't think there's any right answer.

People see some players more than they see others, each person has their own "legends" and "heroes" of modern day football. I probably don't rate alot of guys you look up to, and I'm sure it's the same the other way around too.

Truth.

For each his own opinion, but I agree with this order too.

This is history ... All those greats, they each succeeded in their own respective positions and inspired the world. And considering Paolo Maldini on his way onto that list, I don't know how biased people will be. I know the Italians will be very controversial about this

My view is that you cannot have the best 3 football players of all times among all of them. I would rather have it categorised as the best 3 goalkeepers of all times, the best 3 full backs of all times, the best 3 holding midfielders of all times because frankly people always worship the goalscorers and not those who do their best to create those goals, prevent those goals or to win the ball back and start the move for the goal. Which is very narrow, in my opinion. So instead of going for the greatest players among all, I'd rather have them for each position and then discuss. Otherwise, great goalkeepers and great defenders will face obscurity in front of the goalscorers. And I don't like that one bit

He's already there. Sitting on the very top of the all time greats, and laughing (smirking, most probably) at the likes Pele and Maradona, and George Best, and all other spoiled kids.

Well, it's a matter of opinions. I like to consider some other factors beside being a great footballer. to be honest, I care a lot about titles (both individual and team titles) and you know Zidane is the most successful footballer in history since no one has won more than him.

The other thing I like A LOT about him is something I see in neither Pele nor Maradona. guess what?

He wasn't explosive... he wasn't fast. it can even be said he was kinda slow. but he played like he was dancing to a tango or waltz. he had a very special and soft style of play. I don't remember Maradona in his days since I was a little kid those days, but I've seen lots of footage and clips of him both on youtube and on TV/satellite. you never can say he had such style. he was explosive. he was like a bomb. the same can be said about many other great footballers (mostly Ronaldo). but Zidane was very different from this viewpoint. he wasn't fast at all, didn't need to be fast ebcause he had a very special control on the ball like no one else.

From the list above, only Ronaldo (LNdL!) can level with Zidane for me...


I said too that he lost his temper every now and then. but he wasn't evil by default!



I don't agree with that bold part. why do we have to talk about IFs? well he DID perform in that match. he scored two great headers (you can hardly label one who score two times in one game 'lucky'). that's the reality. that's what happened. there's no need to think IF he didn't what would have happened.



You don't believe those fictions, do you?


He was suffering from injury

Besides you can't do much when all your teammates play like **** France was really awful in that World Cup.

Not sure what you mean by that. But Ryan Giggs has 10 league titles, 4 FA Cups, 1 League Cup and 2 European Cups.. that's alot of titles! I think Giggs own him with team titles, but Zidane beats him out on personal titles..

I mean 'both' personal titles and team titles. Zidane has Scudetti, CL, La Liga title, Intercontinental title, World Cup, European Championship, etc.

As for individual titles (which is just as much important) it's clear who beats whom.

^^^
Yup...Maradona.

What?

Beats Zidane and Giggs.

I have no problem with that! Maradona will always be up there...

Damn... You gave up too easily...

Ok...Ronaldinho is greater than Zidane...

That kinda of comment should be punished with the death penalty.

The greatest players I have seen play
Paolo Maldini
Roberto Baggio
Ronaldo
Zidane
Roberto Carlos
Buffon

These are the best players I know of. And it does not get better than them...

If Ronaldinho maintained his form of 2004-06 and had consistency, he could be considered.

Agree with the list. The first three in particular!

No Argies?

Argies aren't great players. They're just humble people. With loser mentality. At least most of them do.

Messi is a favorite of mine though (from active players).

Sometimes.


He's mine too. But let's move this discussion to 'The Great Players Thread!', shall we? Linky