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Who are the top 10 active living legends of Football?

007Fusion007Fusion Posts: 3,657
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I stress, players whose accomplishments within football are outstanding and not simply quantified by ability alone.

So far, I would include: Pirlo, Messi, Ronaldo. Any others who would fill out the top ten? As well as honourable mentions.

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    circlebro2019circlebro2019 Posts: 17,560
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    harder question now giggs and zanetti have called it a day!

    off top of my head

    messi
    ronaldo
    zalatan ibrahimovich
    pirlo
    iniesta
    xavi
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    TheMunchTheMunch Posts: 9,024
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    The likes of Gerrard and Lampard have won pretty much all you can win at club level (minus the league title for Gerrard), and have played a big part in those achievements, so I'd include them. Note: not just those two, of course, before someone mentions John Terry or Rio Ferdinand.

    Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho aren't retired yet so they can still qualify.

    Oh, wait, I missed the "top 10" part of the title. Some people might not put any of these in the top 10. I probably still would, though. Henry and Ronaldinho at least since they've also got a World Cup winner's medal (and Henry's got a runners-up medal).
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    Astra 1AAstra 1A Posts: 1,704
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    Any list such as this must start with Nigel Reo-Coker.
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    007Fusion007Fusion Posts: 3,657
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    Astra 1A wrote: »
    Any list such as this must start with Nigel Reo-Coker.

    Sorry. I thought it went without saying.
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    batdude_uk1batdude_uk1 Posts: 78,722
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    Until November or December, Rogerio Ceni should be on the list, (he retires at the end of one of those months, but I forget which it is) he is the highest scoring goalkeeper of all time, I doubt very much if his records will be beaten any time soon.
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    celesticelesti Posts: 26,013
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    Rogerio Ceni should be on the list of top 10 highest scoring goalkeepers and top 10 'look at who I've heard of' lists, but nothing else. He's a bog-standard keeper who's a quiz answer.
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    TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,887
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    To be top ten (as that's a limited number) they'd have to not just be players who've won lots of domestic cups and perhaps one or two continental trophies for a single club. Unless they've had a significant individual role in securing those trophies. Otherwise, you're judging them on their team's success.

    A bit of international acclaim would probably be the difference for some, even if they've not won much domestically whilst others may have won titles for numerous clubs so thereby suggesting they individually make a difference rather than just having longevity in a successful club.

    It;s players whose names will crop up in conversation in decades to come (for positive footballing reasons).

    I'd therefore tentatively suggest, in no particular order...

    Messi (output, honours & talent)
    Ronaldo (output, honours & talent)
    Ibrahimovich (multi-club influence, output, honours & talent)
    Robben (multi-club influence, output, honours & talent)
    Xavi (club/international influence & success, honours & talent)
    Iniesta (club/international influence & success, honours & talent)
    Klose (international output at highest level)
    Gerrard (club influence, direct input to honours & talent)
    Henry (output, club/international influence, honours & talent)
    Pirlo (club/international influence, honours & talent)

    If there were an 11, it would naturally be Giggs (longevity, honours, output and talent). Misses out on direct influence and international success.

    Probably missed some club and country legends further afield but I only had ten, er, eleven (this poll goes up to eleven...)
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    Xela MXela M Posts: 4,710
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    No one mentioned Francesco Totti?! :eek: Someone I know said that God was wearing football boots when He created Totti. Absolutely perfect footballer in my eyes, a one club man and at the age of 38 still the best!

    Del Piero also has to be on the list.
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    RichmondBlueRichmondBlue Posts: 21,279
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    TheSloth wrote: »
    To be top ten (as that's a limited number) they'd have to not just be players who've won lots of domestic cups and perhaps one or two continental trophies for a single club. Unless they've had a significant individual role in securing those trophies. Otherwise, you're judging them on their team's success.

    A bit of international acclaim would probably be the difference for some, even if they've not won much domestically whilst others may have won titles for numerous clubs so thereby suggesting they individually make a difference rather than just having longevity in a successful club.

    It;s players whose names will crop up in conversation in decades to come (for positive footballing reasons).

    I'd therefore tentatively suggest, in no particular order...

    Messi (output, honours & talent)
    Ronaldo (output, honours & talent)
    Ibrahimovich (multi-club influence, output, honours & talent)
    Robben (multi-club influence, output, honours & talent)
    Xavi (club/international influence & success, honours & talent)
    Iniesta (club/international influence & success, honours & talent)
    Klose (international output at highest level)
    Gerrard (club influence, direct input to honours & talent)
    Henry (output, club/international influence, honours & talent)
    Pirlo (club/international influence, honours & talent)

    If there were an 11, it would naturally be Giggs (longevity, honours, output and talent). Misses out on direct influence and international success.

    Probably missed some club and country legends further afield but I only had ten, er, eleven (this poll goes up to eleven...)

    That's a good call. I'd leave out Gerrard and Klose in favour of Buffon and Rivaldo (cheating a bit, he retired a few months ago)
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    celesticelesti Posts: 26,013
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    Jimmy Glass still play?
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    The SackThe Sack Posts: 10,415
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    Chris Waddle
    Paul Gascoigne
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    carefree_bluecarefree_blue Posts: 9,050
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    Eto'o is worth a shout if we're basing it on achievements. 3 x CL winners' medals (2 Barca, 1 Inter) , 3 x La Liga titles, 1 x Serie A title, won all the cups in Spain & Italy as well. Won the ACON with Cameroon twice too, plus an Olympic gold medal. Not a bad haul.
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    TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,887
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    The Sack wrote: »
    Chris Waddle
    Paul Gascoigne

    You should read the OP again. Or the title.

    :D

    Even when said North Easterners were still active, they'd have struggled to make the list, especially in Gazza's case. For all his (wasted) talent, what did he achieve that would make him legendary? (in football, and in a positive way, that is!). Waddle did win three French titles but seemed to be on the wrong end of final defeats otherwise.

    Both were great to watch, mind, especially Gascoigne. The phrase what could have been was made for that guy. And George Best. If they'd not gone down the path of self destruction during their careers it's mind blowing to think where such natural talent could have taken them. Waddle's only crime was he could neither take or say a penalty.
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    Joey_JJoey_J Posts: 5,146
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    Not Always got to be the out field players

    Its all opinion

    But I think Buffon will generally go down as one of the greatest Keepers of all time, in his prime, he was untouchable

    Not playing anymore but I'd also throw Peter Schmeichel in there too, jaw dropping Keeper, only keeper I can think that was aloud to build a brick wall covering his goal I reckon

    Easily the Maradona's or Pele's/Messi or Ronaldo's of the Keeping world for me

    Legends
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    The SackThe Sack Posts: 10,415
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    TheSloth wrote: »
    You should read the OP again. Or the title.

    :D

    Even when said North Easterners were still active, they'd have struggled to make the list, especially in Gazza's case. For all his (wasted) talent, what did he achieve that would make him legendary? (in football, and in a positive way, that is!). Waddle did win three French titles but seemed to be on the wrong end of final defeats otherwise.

    Both were great to watch, mind, especially Gascoigne. The phrase what could have been was made for that guy. And George Best. If they'd not gone down the path of self destruction during their careers it's mind blowing to think where such natural talent could have taken them. Waddle's only crime was he could neither take or say a penalty.

    Says the man who picked a player who cost Liverpool the Premiership and ultimately got England knocked out of the world cup.
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    RichmondBlueRichmondBlue Posts: 21,279
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    Eto'o is worth a shout if we're basing it on achievements. 3 x CL winners' medals (2 Barca, 1 Inter) , 3 x La Liga titles, 1 x Serie A title, won all the cups in Spain & Italy as well. Won the ACON with Cameroon twice too, plus an Olympic gold medal. Not a bad haul.

    Yes, I think Eto'o and Drogba could reasonably be called "legends".certainly in Africa. Playing for Cameroon and Ivory Coast means they don't tick the international football box, but plenty of other legends haven't done that either.

    I think it's the same as any otther form of entertainment, a true global legend should be recognisable anywhere in the world. As football fans we may disagree with some of the names that fall into that category, but that's the same in the music industry.
    Our own personal legends of both football and music are probably different to the mega stars who have become household names.
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    ParthenonParthenon Posts: 7,499
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    Messi
    Ronaldo
    Ibrahimovic
    Totti
    Buffon
    Iniesta
    Gerrard
    Henry
    Xavi
    Ronaldinho

    Honourable mentions: Lucio, Lahm, Kaka, Pirlo, Casillas, Klose... could be here all day.
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    TheSlothTheSloth Posts: 18,887
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    The Sack wrote: »
    Says the man who picked a player who cost Liverpool the Premiership and ultimately got England knocked out of the world cup.

    What a petulant and ignorant response to a valid point. All players make individual mistakes. Why are some fans SO bitter they can't or won't see the bigger picture.

    Grow up.
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    Corkhead.Corkhead. Posts: 445
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    007Fusion wrote: »
    Who are the top 10 active living legends of football?.


    What an odd way to phrase a question.

    One presumes that if a player is active, then he must be living. He wouldn't be very active if he wasn't, would he..?

    So.... Are you looking for nominations of players who are active (and by definition, still alive) or can any player active or otherwise, but who still draws breath be nominated...?


    Don't even get me started on that clapped out old cliché "legend".
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    jclock66jclock66 Posts: 2,411
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    delete
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    007Fusion007Fusion Posts: 3,657
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    Corkhead. wrote: »
    What an odd way to phrase a question.

    One presumes that if a player is active, then he must be living. He wouldn't be very active if he wasn't, would he..?

    So.... Are you looking for nominations of players who are active (and by definition, still alive) or can any player active or otherwise, but who still draws breath be nominated...?


    Don't even get me started on that clapped out old cliché "legend".

    'A player that is currently still playing football, with legendary status'. The oddity of the question only comes from how you've wrongly interpreted it.
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    homer2012homer2012 Posts: 5,216
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    Ronaldo
    Messi
    Klose
    Robben
    Ibrahmovic
    Iniesta
    Xavi
    Sergio ramos
    Terry
    Pirlo
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    ShadoutShadout Posts: 1,000
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    Xela M wrote: »
    No one mentioned Francesco Totti?! :eek: Someone I know said that God was wearing football boots when He created Totti. Absolutely perfect footballer in my eyes, a one club man and at the age of 38 still the best!

    Del Piero also has to be on the list.

    Good call on Totti there - the man just about IS Roma.

    I'd put Toto Di Natale in there as well.
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    Tom-Bennett.Tom-Bennett. Posts: 2,558
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    Dennis Bergkamp deserves a mention, one of the greatest players I've ever seen play
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