Diego Maradona, Pele or Lionel Messi — who is football's greatest ever player?

[ASFN Admin]

Jim White: Diego Maradona The list of those who could legitimately be deemed the best footballer ever is limited to no more than half a dozen names. But at the top, there can be no doubt is Diego Maradona. George Best, Lionel Messi, Ferenc Puskas and Johann Cruyff were all magnificent club champions, but none has won international as well as domestic honour. Pele won with Brazil but he never tested himself at the highest club level. But Maradona did it all, moreover he did it almost single-handedly. He drove a reasonable but not outstanding Argentina side to the World Cup in 1986, almost repeated the trick in 1990 and in between carried Napoli to their only two domestic titles in their history. More to the point he did so at a time when assault was a legitimate part of the defender's armoury. Above the most cynical defences in football history he soared, refusing to be kicked out of games no matter the vigour of the attacks, never shy of getting his retaliation in first. Before or since no one has triumphed over such competition so effectively. He was the greatest.

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