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USA Today

France and Italy have 14 players each on the all-time greatest soccer player's list.

Is Enzo Scifo (bel) still alive. I know Fernando Hierro (esp)is still breathing. No Paul Gascoigne (eng), Paul McGrath(irl), ryan Giggs (wal), Paulo montero (uru), Archie Gemill (sco),
Dunga & Tostao (bra)

I know he probably couldnt put in everybody, but having Diouf in there is a bit suspect.

Anybody else who deserves to be there?

I'd add a few others and axe a few off that list too.

Additions:

Liam Brady (ex-Arsenal, Inter & Ireland)
Damien Duff (Ireland & Chelsea)
Recoba (Inter & Uruguay)
Raphael van der Vaart (Ajax & Holland)
Marcello Salas (Chile)
Fernando Hierro (Some club in Qatar & Spain)
Ryan Giggs (Manchester Utd & Wales)
Steffan Effenberg (ex-Bayern Munich & Germany)
Tim Howard (Manchester Utd & USA)

For the Chop:

Nakata (Japan)
Clarence Seedorf (Holland)
Michael Owen (England)
Hernan Crespo (Argentina)
Diouf (Senegal)
Kluivert (Barca & Holland)

Brady is a great shout.
Chopping Owen is a bit harsh him and Becks are the only ones that perform for England

What a difference a year makes.Young Tim Howard,with not quite a year under his belt in the EPL has played well enough to earn a spot on Mr.Foley's all-time list{which I don't necessarily disagree with}.Perhaps in another 5 years at this form,Pele will feel the same way.
Just for arguements sake,Georgie Best was the best player I ever saw.

Just wondering... why no american men?

No american men besides Howard - cos all the rest of them are useless - Howard is on that list cos he's the best of a bad lot - take it or leave it.

Owen got the axe cos he is no better a player than he was when he scored that goal vs Argentina in the '98 World Cup - thats all he ever did and thats why everyone thinks he's great. Him and Becks are the only ones who perform for England??? Yeah right - Owen Hargreaves, David Seaman (ret.), Sol Campbell, Gary Neville and Ashley Cole might have something to say about that!! (I'd include Scholes only he hasn't scored for so long for England).

Georgie Best - ha hah hah - yeah, he coulda been great, but those highlight reels of him taking the p*ss outta opponents are against mediocre club opposition - Maradona et al did it against the best in the World.

a.foley, in regards to Owen are you solely talking about his form at international level or club level as well. International level he has scored 24 goals in 44 starts. With all things considered he will no doubt go on to break Sir Bobby Charlton’s record for number of goals scored by an England player. I don’t know if "that goal" against Argentina is all he ever did. Certainly it propelled him into the limelight and gave him time to establish him as one of the most feared international strikers in the game. Unfortunately for Liverpool fans he is not reproducing that form for his club.

Hargreaves at 6 starts has not done enough to credit that he "performs" for England. In the games he has played he has looked useful enough. Energetic, hard working, but one that I would not look to for a great contribution to England’s success this summer. David Seaman Retired after the world cup blunder with Ronaldinho. At his peak, "safe hands" was a vital part of England’s national team, however seeing as he has retired I did not consider him for a "performer" Sol Campbell I think is a good shout, the big man is a world class centre back that took a little time to settle in the England ranks, but would have to agree that he is among the "performers". Gary Neville? erm, not so sure Gary should be playing professional soccer at all. Average at best, and for the lack of England producing any full backs of note lately he makes the squad from his experience, in my opinion definitely not a "performer". Ashley Cole, he is a strange kettle of fish. Wonderful going forward, but couldn’t defend one on one as long as the pope is a catholic. Would rate him as a very frustrating player, with international soccer’s room for error marginal, he may be suited to a more forward position, in front of a left back that can defend (NOT Wayne Bridge). You mentioned the fact about Scholesy’s abysmal scoring record in comparison to his club form. Add to that poor record, poor performances and I hope you would see why he did not count as a “performer” in my opinion.

I’m not sure if George Best was ever the greatest to play the game, Pele said he was, so who knows. My personal opinion would be Garrincha. I do take an issue with the “highlights.....against mediocre teams” comment. Best scored 115 goals in 290 games for united, yes some were against weaker opposition. However (in 1964-65) others like the 2 he scored against a Benfica side who had not been beaten at home for 19 games in the European cup, would surely not be called mediocre. This side including current (at the time) European footballer of the year Eusebio. And again to beat a Benfica side in the 1966 final with arguably one of the finest goals ever scored in European cup history. At that time Benfica were appearing in their 5th European final in 8 years. So I’m not sure even though he didn’t play in a major international tournament that you can just dismiss his contribution to World soccer and possibly being the best that ever was. Maybe in fact it is a tribute to his sublime skills that people talk about him in the same breath as Pele, Maradonna and Cruyff, all of which had the world cup to shine.

You need to put your football encyclopedia away and take a few deep breaths.

RE: Michael Owen - he is not any better now than he was when he scored the goal in '98 - that was 6 years ago - has not reached the potential he showed back then. Still a "good" player, but should be at another level entirely. Maybe if he leaves the pool in the summer he'll develop as Becks has done at Real.

I was not aware that Pele had payed such a complement to Best--I think he qualifies as an authority.Pele was just full of complements for the Brits,crediting Gordon Banks{with both eyes} with the best save he had ever seen.

a.foley- In your first post you stated "thats all he ever did"(in regards to his goal against Argentina) about Owen, I think his strike rate AFTER that goal proves that he has done more than just score that (Argentina) goal.

As for saying he is no better now than he was then, i disagree. If were talking about international soccer he has been England's only consitent scoring threat since super Al retired. Knowing plenty of Liverpool fans (as im sure you do) I found that at the club level in the seasons since he scored that goal Liverpool fans have always found him amongst their favorite players. The reason for his lack of performance this season could be down to Houlliers stifiling style of play, and poor player judgment to support Owen. Also remember he has had terrible luck with injuries.

I am wondering what he would have to do in your eyes after that goal to make him better?

Because in my opinion 6 years extra experience playing in the premiership, European competitions and the European championships have made Owen a better player.

(taking a few deep breaths) I hope you find this subjective post more to your liking.

Anthony Pelton- Im not surprised Pele said it was the best save ever, it was off his header!!

That save was incredible. The rumor is Pele was already shouting GOAL!! and was off to celebrate when Banks flung himself full extension and tipped the ball out of play.

Jimmy--Yes I have seen replays of the goal many times,I knew it was off of Pele's head.His arms are clearly extended momentarily as if he has scored.Banks did fling himself in wht seemed like a futile attempt as the header was at the ground,just in front of the goal--Bank's top hand managed to deflect it over the bar.Pele can be seen with hands on hip,shaking his head seconds later.

Why do I get involved in these arguments???

With Owen, he literally burst onto the scene with that goal vs Argentina - up until then he had not featured on such a stage - since then, defenders have cottoned on to Owen, he has blistering pace, granted, but does not have the intelligence or dribbling skills of say Henry.

6 years playing would, in theroy make him a better player, but I'm afraid it hasn't....then again, he'll probably bang in 5 or 6 at the Euros in the summer!!!

You think Jermaine Defoe will make the squad??

a.foley,
Defoe may not be ready yet, but im a big believer in taking along a surprise package to major tournaments (the irony of it being Owen in 98 is not lost on me!).

The squad i would take is as follows (23)

GK's (3)
D. James (Manchester City)
P. Robinson (Leeds United)
N. Martyn (Everton)

DEF'S (7)
G. Johnson (Chelsea)
J. Terry (Chelsea)
S. Campbell (Arsenal)
A. Cole (Arsenal)
J. Woodgate (Newcastle)
G. Southgate (middlesborough)
O. Hargreaves (Bayern Munich)

MID'S (8)
D. Beckham (c) (Real Madrid)
S. Gerrard (Liverpool)
P. Scholes (Manchester United)
K. Dyer (Newcastle)
J. Cole (Chelsea)
G. Barry (Aston Villa)
N. Butt (Manchester United)
F. Lampard (Chelsea)

FWD'S (5)
M. Owen (Liverpool)
W. Rooney (Everton)
D. Vassell (Aston Villa)
A. Smith (Leeds United)
J. Beattie (Southampton)

The starting line up i would go with is:


James
Johnson Campbell Terry Cole. A

Beckham Gerrard Scholes Dyer

Owen Rooney

Here's mine:

GKs: James, Martyn, Robinson (3)

Defs: Campbell, Terry, King, Southgate, G. Neville, Bridge, A.Cole (7)

Mids: Becks, Gerrard, Lampard, Hargraves, Scholes, Dyer, Jenas or J. Cole. (7)

For: Owen, Hesky, Beattie, Vassell, Rooney, and of course if they can "swoo" him out of retirement then Shearer!!!!

My "11" is:

GK: James

Def: G.Neville, Campbell, Terry, A.Cole

Mid: Becks (c), Hargraves(DefMid), Scholes, Gerrard

For: Beattie, Owen.