Greatest players peaks

[Gregoire]

My rankings - top 10:
1.Pele
2.Maradona
3.Ronaldo Fenomeno
4. Messi
5. Cruyff
6. Garrincha
7.Di Stafano
8. Zico
9. Ronaldinho
10.Zidane or Platini

[Mirjalovic]

i live in original Ronaldo era, so its gotta be him. homer aside, i do think Messi/CR have chance, except they can't do much in NT.

[Slava]

Ronaldo Fenomeno - Early 00s or Pre-Madrid & pre '98 world cup years? His exact prime is actually debatable and was phenomenal even after a perceived dip in form due to injury.
Ronaldinho during his peak was almost invincible. [04-06]?
Cristiano Ronaldo - '08 was the greatest season I followed for every game.
Messi - '12 - 91 goals 'nuff said!

[Massimo]

1-Hagi
2-Hagi
3-Hagi
4-Hagi
5-Hagi

[Man of Steel]

Basically any year in their prime:
Zidane
Fenomeno
Eusebio
Di Stefano
Beckenbauer
Platini

Active players:
CR in 2008
Kaka in 2007 was doing stuff that reminded me of Zidane, but with ridiculous pace as well.
Messi in 2008 (statistically I'd go with 2012) because of that dismantling of Getafe... That was something else.
Henry in 2000 really amazed everyone but 2006 was great for him too.

[J-Mezzy]

Hagi was magnificent in his prime. One of the best leaders I have ever seen in the game

[ardee]

Unfortunately football is not like basketball, can't judge players you haven't seen play live. If I were to go over the last 10-15 years, stretching back to older games I've seen, it'd be:

1. 2012 Ronaldo (He scored against EVERY Liga team, scored in EVERY Champion's league tie, SIX straight Classicos, and then dominated the Netherlands and Croatia at the Euros. He was two kicks away from winning the Liga, UCL and Euros all at once. I honestly don't think any one player has delivered in big matches like Ronaldo did last year. He was probably worth at least 30 points to Madrid in the league).
2. 2011 Messi
3. 1997 Fat Ronaldo
4. 2006 Ronaldinho (the year the Bernabeu gave him a standing ovation)
5. 2004 Henry

Not sure but Shearer, ZIdane, Bergkamp, Figo, Rivaldo, Scholes and Xavi would be in there somewhere too.

[Gregoire]

Unfortunately football is not like basketball, can't judge players you haven't seen play live. If I were to go over the last 10-15 years, stretching back to older games I've seen, it'd be:

1. 2012 Ronaldo (He scored against EVERY Liga team, scored in EVERY Champion's league tie, SIX straight Classicos, and then dominated the Netherlands and Croatia at the Euros. He was two kicks away from winning the Liga, UCL and Euros all at once. I honestly don't think any one player has delivered in big matches like Ronaldo did last year. He was probably worth at least 30 points to Madrid in the league).
2. 2011 Messi
3. 1997 Fat Ronaldo
4. 2006 Ronaldinho (the year the Bernabeu gave him a standing ovation)
5. 2004 Henry

Not sure but Shearer, ZIdane, Bergkamp, Figo, Rivaldo, Scholes and Xavi would be in there somewhere too.

You are very overrate cristiano Ronaldo. He is like Kobe in basktball: great ego, no team play and great hype. Messi,Zidane,Ronaldo Fenomeno,Ronaldinho are CLEAR better at their peaks.

[ardee]

Unfortunately football is not like basketball, can't judge players you haven't seen play live. If I were to go over the last 10-15 years, stretching back to older games I've seen, it'd be:

1. 2012 Ronaldo (He scored against EVERY Liga team, scored in EVERY Champion's league tie, SIX straight Classicos, and then dominated the Netherlands and Croatia at the Euros. He was two kicks away from winning the Liga, UCL and Euros all at once. I honestly don't think any one player has delivered in big matches like Ronaldo did last year. He was probably worth at least 30 points to Madrid in the league).
2. 2011 Messi
3. 1997 Fat Ronaldo
4. 2006 Ronaldinho (the year the Bernabeu gave him a standing ovation)
5. 2004 Henry

Not sure but Shearer, ZIdane, Bergkamp, Figo, Rivaldo, Scholes and Xavi would be in there somewhere too.

You are very overrate cristiano Ronaldo. He is like Kobe in basktball: great ego, no team play and great hype. Messi,Zidane,Ronaldo Fenomeno,Ronaldinho are CLEAR better at their peaks.

Have you even watched him play? Ronaldo's link-up with the Benzema-Ozil-di Maria frontline is absurd. He had 16 assists in the 2011-12 season. His team-mates get a MAJOR lift from his presence, just the amount of defensive attention he draws opens things up like crazy. He's always a threat, it doesn't matter who he's playing with. If you watched the Euros you'll know that trying to play Ronaldo is unconnected with the team he has, he makes do with whoever his team-mates are and still dominates.

You really sound like you haven't watched him play. 71 goals and 16 assists for the 2011-12 season, best player on the only team in major European league history to get 100 points, two spot kicks away from being the reigning Euro champion and the CL champion, scoring in every single big game, it's not possible to have a better season.

I'd really REALLY love to hear your argument for those other players besides 'they're just better'

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JEVAtI-MEQ[/youtube]

Relentless.

You compared him to Kobe, you do realize that's one of the highest compliments you can pay an athlete right?

[Slava]

Comparing ROnnie to Kobe makes him a top 10 player in his sport. I think we can live with that.

[ardee]

Comparing ROnnie to Kobe makes him a top 10 player in his sport. I think we can live with that.

Madrid fan ?

[Gregoire]

Unfortunately football is not like basketball, can't judge players you haven't seen play live. If I were to go over the last 10-15 years, stretching back to older games I've seen, it'd be:

1. 2012 Ronaldo (He scored against EVERY Liga team, scored in EVERY Champion's league tie, SIX straight Classicos, and then dominated the Netherlands and Croatia at the Euros. He was two kicks away from winning the Liga, UCL and Euros all at once. I honestly don't think any one player has delivered in big matches like Ronaldo did last year. He was probably worth at least 30 points to Madrid in the league).
2. 2011 Messi
3. 1997 Fat Ronaldo
4. 2006 Ronaldinho (the year the Bernabeu gave him a standing ovation)
5. 2004 Henry

Not sure but Shearer, ZIdane, Bergkamp, Figo, Rivaldo, Scholes and Xavi would be in there somewhere too.

You are very overrate cristiano Ronaldo. He is like Kobe in basktball: great ego, no team play and great hype. Messi,Zidane,Ronaldo Fenomeno,Ronaldinho are CLEAR better at their peaks.

Have you even watched him play? Ronaldo's link-up with the Benzema-Ozil-di Maria frontline is absurd. He had 16 assists in the 2011-12 season. His team-mates get a MAJOR lift from his presence, just the amount of defensive attention he draws opens things up like crazy. He's always a threat, it doesn't matter who he's playing with. If you watched the Euros you'll know that trying to play Ronaldo is unconnected with the team he has, he makes do with whoever his team-mates are and still dominates.

You really sound like you haven't watched him play. 71 goals and 16 assists for the 2011-12 season, best player on the only team in major European league history to get 100 points, two spot kicks away from being the reigning Euro champion and the CL champion, scoring in every single big game, it's not possible to have a better season.

I'd really REALLY love to hear your argument for those other players besides 'they're just better'

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JEVAtI-MEQ[/youtube]

Relentless.

You compared him to Kobe, you do realize that's one of the highest compliments you can pay an athlete right?

Yes, I watched a lot and he couldnt be compared to great players aforementioned. Kobe comparison is a compliment, but its like compare Kobe to all-time greats like MJ,Wilt,Shaq ect. Like Ronaldo, he was not as good.

[Man of Steel]

You are very overrate cristiano Ronaldo. He is like Kobe in basktball: great ego, no team play and great hype. Messi,Zidane,Ronaldo Fenomeno,Ronaldinho are CLEAR better at their peaks.

If you've ever watched a Madrid game that CR was playing in, watch them now as they play Osasuna without him. I think that will speak to his quality as a team player, as the rest of the team is being forced to step it up immensely right now (and are still held in a scoreless draw). I only bring this up because Madrid never play without him if possible (he is suspended right now due to accumulation of yellow cards).

Cristiano Ronaldo was/is equally as decisive in winning games for Manchester United before he left, Real Madrid after, and Portugal, as any of the players you listed.

And for anyone who claims CR doesn't do enough with his national team, look to the quality of the Argentinian side of Messi, the ridiculous talent of Brazil and France when Fenomeno/Ronaldinho and Zidane played with them respectively. Then look at the talent CR has played with on his national team. The only real disappointment he has brought is losing in 2004, when we had Figo but he wasn't even 20 years old then. Considering that, it is actually remarkable how far he takes the national side in major competitions.

I like the comparison to Kobe, not because of what you said about team play, but because of their almost identical, ridiculously driven nature to improve even as they have reached the pinnacle of their respective sports, to be better. The fact that people still undersell him is ridiculous, when he has shown his quality year after year.

Also, not sure if you're a basketball fan but Kobe is widely considered top 10, and people often compare Kobe to Jordan (positionally no one besides Kobe comes close to Jordan) and Shaq (because of the nature of the way he left the Lakers).

[ardee]

Yes, I watched a lot and he couldnt be compared to great players aforementioned. Kobe comparison is a compliment, but its like compare Kobe to all-time greats like MJ,Wilt,Shaq ect. Like Ronaldo, he was not as good.

I can conclude from this statement that you haven't watched either Ronaldo OR any of the other players you mentioned. Merely because you haven't made a single tangible argument in favor of them or against him besides he 'can't be compared'. For WTF reason is that?

Fat Ronaldo has absolutely nowhere near the CL record he does. Ronaldinho was very impressive in his '06 run but he had durability issues (missed 9 league games that year) and flopped in the WC right after.

Zidane is a great player no doubt, but do you prefer his string-pulling and occasional goal scoring to the constant threat that Ronaldo provides? I know Zidane is a real legend and has scored some magnificent and timely goals, but to start a team, you need someone who can guarantee you X production, and Ronaldo does that better than Zidane easily. I give you that Zidane as the better international record, though if you gave Ronaldo Henry, Viera, Makelele, Thuram, etc. I guarantee you he'd be a World and Euro champion by now.

Messi is a debate done to death. I side with Ronaldo because of his nerves of steel in big games, whereas Messi was basically shut down in three straight season defining games against Chelsea, Madrid and Chelsea again. Not to mention Messi has Aguero, Tevez, di Maria, Higuain, etc. and has achieved nowhere near the success Ronaldo has at an international level even though Europe >> South America.

I can't comment on Maradona because other than some random Barcelona games and the '86 and '90 runs I haven't watched him play that much.

So please, try and make an argument instead of throwing statements around, or if you have never watched these players then just admit it and we can be done with this?

[_SRV_]

I've watched Ronaldo in 97, I still rate Messi's last 2 seasons above him.
Ronaldinho has a case for best peak in the last 20 years.

[Gregoire]

Yes, I watched a lot and he couldnt be compared to great players aforementioned. Kobe comparison is a compliment, but its like compare Kobe to all-time greats like MJ,Wilt,Shaq ect. Like Ronaldo, he was not as good.

I can conclude from this statement that you haven't watched either Ronaldo OR any of the other players you mentioned. Merely because you haven't made a single tangible argument in favor of them or against him besides he 'can't be compared'. For WTF reason is that?

Fat Ronaldo has absolutely nowhere near the CL record he does. Ronaldinho was very impressive in his '06 run but he had durability issues (missed 9 league games that year) and flopped in the WC right after.

Zidane is a great player no doubt, but do you prefer his string-pulling and occasional goal scoring to the constant threat that Ronaldo provides? I know Zidane is a real legend and has scored some magnificent and timely goals, but to start a team, you need someone who can guarantee you X production, and Ronaldo does that better than Zidane easily. I give you that Zidane as the better international record, though if you gave Ronaldo Henry, Viera, Makelele, Thuram, etc. I guarantee you he'd be a World and Euro champion by now.

Messi is a debate done to death. I side with Ronaldo because of his nerves of steel in big games, whereas Messi was basically shut down in three straight season defining games against Chelsea, Madrid and Chelsea again. Not to mention Messi has Aguero, Tevez, di Maria, Higuain, etc. and has achieved nowhere near the success Ronaldo has at an international level even though Europe >> South America.

I can't comment on Maradona because other than some random Barcelona games and the '86 and '90 runs I haven't watched him play that much.

So please, try and make an argument instead of throwing statements around, or if you have never watched these players then just admit it and we can be done with this?

I watched nearly every game of Madrid in last 3 years. But I watched players like R9,Zizou ect too and I can say you - Cristiano not even close. First of all, in football IQ and desision making.

[Gregoire]

Messi, Ronaldinho, Zidane,R9 had peaks way higher than Cristiano. Cristiano in the league of Romario, R.Baggio ect

[J-Mezzy]

I think CR7 has had one of the greatest peaks of all time, but please stop making the he was 2 spot kicks away from winning CL and Euros. You can't make that claim if he didn't reach the final in either tournament. You are assuming he would have beaten Chealsea and Italy in the final.

[J-Mezzy]

Oh and you can't compare Portugal to Argentina. Argentina may have the star power, but Portugal is a much more complete team. Argentina is just loaded up front, but I'll take Portugal over Argentina any day. Portugal can contain teams like Germany and Spain. Argentina? Not so much.

[Slava]

Portugal gave Spain more trouble than the rest if Europe combined, they are a well organized team.

The fact they are so good without a proper 9 or 10 indicates how good Ronnie has been.

Argentina on other hand have a great squad depth compared to Portugal and their biggest weakness, central midfield is still better than portugal's striker options.