The 6 players Van Basten considers in the GOAT debate alongside Lionel Messi
Throughout football history, few have had the same impact on the game as Marco Van Basten who changed the game on and off the pitch across his career.
While he was a three-time Ballon d’Or winner and a European Championships winner, he was forced to retire at age 28. His records and achievements still read as good as anyone with his type of legacy but it was certainly a premature end for one of the true greats.
Since retiring, he has spent his time largely commenting on the modern game and his opinion certainly carries weight given all he achieved. If anyone knows what true footballing greatness looks like, it’s Van Basten.
When speaking in 2022, he gave his view on the greatest players of all time, opting to leave out both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he did include the duo when listing seven players he considers to be in the ‘greatest of all time’ conversation.
Pele
Heralded as the greatest player of the 20th century, Pele’s achievements will stand forever in time, and it still seems surreal that he was the youngest ever player to feature in a World Cup final in 1958 – and then he went and set new records after netting two goals in the final.
He would eventually pick up two more World Cup trophies and was the talisman of the 1970 winning side that dominated Italy.
His achievements on the international stage may never be matched, but he was named the Player of the Century by FIFA in 2000, edging out Diego Maradona. Due to the fact he only played in Brazil and America in his club career, he wasn’t eligible for the Ballon d’Or award, which, at the time, was only available for those who played in Europe.
Pele was then awarded seven Ballon d’Ors by French publication France Football as he was retrospectively recognised for his career performances.
Of course, the Guinness Book of World Records has him down as the highest goalscorer in football history with 1,283 in 1,363 games (including friendlies), but there has been a lot of dispute over which goals should count.
Regardless, he transcended the sport, and his legacy is that he remains one of the greatest and most influential sportsman of all time.
Diego Maradona
Before Messi, there was Diego Maradona. The Argentinian is one of the most talented players to ever kick a ball and while there controversy spread across his iconic career, there were moments that will never be erased from history. Everyone knows about the ‘Hand of God’, but the ‘Goal of the Century’ which followed in the same game may well be one of the greatest goals of all time.
His time at Napoli was record-breaking, and he became a legend at the club, having led them to their first league title in 1987, he was the club’s record scorer until 2017. When he passed, they named their stadium after him and his legacy and influence were felt all around the world.
He was also a joint-winner of the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000 alongside Pele, and he stands at the very top of the game’s greatest-ever players.
Blessed with an ability that is yet to be quite replicated, he would dazzle fans by beating players at will with pace and skill and his 1986 World Cup campaign may well be the best individual tournament performance of any player at any World Cup – he was a true sensation and they’ll be never be another Diego.
READ: Pele vs Diego Maradona: Which all-time legend notched more goals and assists?
Johan Cruyff
A man who transformed football both on and off the pitch, Johan Cruyff is one of the most well-respected and adored figures in football history. On the pitch, he dazzled with skill and innate quality and he was a three-time Ballon d’Or and European Cup winner and starred for Ajax and Barcelona.
Having played under Rinus Michels, the man who installed the idea of ‘total football’, Cruyff later adopted that approach and built upon it as a manager.
Cruyff went on to great success at both Barcelona and Ajax and inspired a whole generation with his football, including Pep Guardiola, who later inspired the current generation; the knock-on effect of his influence is felt in the very fabric of the sport and his legacy is unmatched when it comes to that level of influence.
Lionel Messi
When Messi captained Argentina to the World Cup in 2022, many believed the GOAT debate was now over, given he had completed football by capturing the ultimate prize.
Given all he has achieved at both club and international levels, it is hard to argue against Messi being the greatest to ever play the game. With seven Ballon d’Ors and his trophy cabinet making him the most decorated player of all time, he also has the incredible statistics to match.
His brilliance can be measured in every single way possible. However, his brilliance is best explained by simply watching him in action. Not only an incredible goalscorer, he may well be the best playmaker of all time as well as the best scorer, given how incredible he was at doing both sides of the game.
Messi has won it all, scored every type of goal, produced on the biggest of occasions time and time again, won trebles, European cups, league titles in multiple countries and earned the most individual accolades with his Ballon d’Or tally – he surely has to be the GOAT.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Interestingly enough, Ronaldo is the only player on the list not to win a World Cup, yet his career overall trumps nearly everyone on the list. He is currently on his way to reaching the incredible tally of 1000 career goals for club and country and he also has 33 trophies to boot as well.
Having gone from the tricky aspiring winger to one of the greatest goalscorers of all time, charting Ronaldo’s journey has been spectacular, and he, alongside Messi, dominated the sport in their prime.
With five Ballon d’Or, Ronaldo sits at the very top of the conversations, and the fact that he remains one of the most complete and physically capable players of all time in his position is also one of his most important qualities.
He can score every type of goal, rise higher than any towering defender, score free-kicks, penalties, wonder goals and make players look silly with his skills – he truly was the ultimate player in his prime and there are many who have him as the greatest to ever play the game.
Zinedine Zidane
The Frenchman was simply the ultimate midfielder for multiple reasons, and his legacy and aura are unmatched when it comes to the levels he achieved for both club and country. His career, simply put, was full of iconic moments.
Take the incredible weaker foot volley in the European Cup final, the two goals in the World Cup final, the day he dominated one of Brazil’s greatest midfield or one of the countless other incredible moments, his career was sensational.
Winning the Ballon d’Or on just one occasion seems unfair to a man of his quality but he was FIFA’s Player of the Year on three occasions as well.
Granted, he only won 15 trophies as a player for both club and country, which certainly feels short given his quality, but he has left an indelible mark on the sport, and there is unlikely to be anyone who can match his grace, quality and presence on a football field.
READ: In one pirouette, Zidane showed why sometimes it’s better not to score
Michel Platini
Featuring as an attacking midfielder for most of his career, he was the top scorer and best player at the 1984 Euros, reached the semi-finals of both the 1982 and 1986 World Cups and was a titan in midfield.
Interestingly, Platini was his country’s record goalscorer until 2007, and held the record for most goals scored (nine) in the Euros until being surpassed by Ronaldo in 2021, despite only appearing in the 1984 tournament.
Not only was he graceful and full of quality, but he could also do it all in midfield. Whether it was creating, scoring or dominating and he inspired a whole generation of players with his career.
His otherworldly peak was recognised with three successive Ballon d’Or. That’s true greatness.
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