Who is the best footballer ever?

me

Brazilian Ronaldo deserves was my favourite player growing up, he did things that will never be replicated. While admittedly one of those things is scoring a world cup goal looking about 6 stone overweight, he used to have everything.

However, Messi is untouchable at times... C.Ronaldo's goalscoring record can't be beaten.

I think it's always difficult to choose one outright player, because there are so many attributes to measure against

Dan Marino

the dog killer vick!.... Just kidding :-)

Pele said George Best :o)

In before confused Americans. :D

I dont know half the people on the poll but Ronaldo... So... Y'know... I havent seen them play so i cant speculate which one is better... I dont even know the name of the guy i was gonna suggest!! Haha x i think ill just walk away now...

Well, I have a personal opinion. And I'm also lucky enough to know a professional footballer so I know his opinion too. And they're the same opinion. Before I say it, though...

I think the list given is about right (apart from Ronaldo, prodigiously talented though he is). But there are a few other players who could have had the nod. George Best, Johan Cruyff, Zico, Paul Gascoigne, Franz Beckenbauer, Lev Yashin, Ferenc Puskas, Bobby Charlton, Franco Baresi, Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane. People whose careers are now over so they can be judged on a whole career. And Zinedine Zidane is the most gifted player I've ever seen. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhcM4WP2cTc If you don't want to watch it all, watch the goal from about 2:50 to 2:58.

The opinion of my friend and I, though, is that Messi is currently the best player in the world and - if he fulfills his promise for a full career - may become the best player ever to live.

I think Lionel Messi's adorable, his hair is so cute:3 He's the best footballer out the list as well, in my opinion.

Please excuse the novel, I'm about to go off on a ramble.

Really, it depends if we are adjusting for advances in technology and training facilities since Pele's day. If Pele was in the prime of life right now, with the technology and training that exists today, he'd undoubtedly the greatest. If we were to transport Lionel Messi back into Pele's day, he'd probably rip Pele to shreds because Messi has had much more advanced training and equipment. But then, it was also a more physical game in Pele's day.

The bottom line is, we can't realistically compare players from different time periods, because what was required of them was entirely different. One thing we can all agreed on is the Cristiano Ronaldo would do better in the swimming pool than the football field, what with all that diving practice.

In fact, I'm going to be a bit controversial and go even further back in time. We could certainly do with more players like Sir Stanley Matthews in todays game. What about goalkeepers? There have been goalkeepers who are much more important than outfield players in the past. Why could the best player of all time not be a goalkeeper? Or even a defensive player? It speaks volumes that all of the players you mention are offensive players, while defenders are so often over-looked.

If we are staying within the territory of strikers, there is enough evidence to say that Dixie Dean was the greatest of all time. 60 goals in a season is difficult to argue against.

As I've already stated: the fact is, we can never know for sure, but there are hundreds of contenders. It all comes down to personal opinion.