Soundoff: Which Current (or Recently Retired) Footballers are Future Legends?

H.Larsson and Zanetti are big under raters , should defo get some recognition

Got to be Zidane, he scored in pretty much every major final and won games...that goal against Leverkusen, came down 20 feet in the air, weaker foot, on a volley, outside the area against one of Europe's then best goalkeeper and Defender (Butt and Lucio) and dipped it into the roof of the net was simply incredible, 1 of the most under-rated goals in history!

Apart from that, Batistuta...he was simply a gladiator, left foot, right foot, air and ground, he was complete and maybe if it wasn't for his loyalty for Fiorentina (stayed with them even when they got relegated) he would have won everything with another club!

Brian Laudrup could have gone far but went AWOL when he joined Chelsea, Luis Figo was awesome aswell as Maldini, Cafu, Kahn, Desailly, Rivaldo, Baresi, Hierro, Ronaldo, Raul and Van Basten.

I think some of the most over-rated were players like Ortega, Boban, Roberto Carlos (Bar his free-kicks) Kluivert and Edgar Davids and some of the most under-rated were players like Hagi, Larsson, Crespo, Blanc, Inzaghi and Bergkamp.

henry
giggs
zanetti
totti
puyol
villa

ALAN SHEARER

Mustafa: you overlooked someone.
Webster was already the new Bosman.

We can tell by reading these comments, Zidane is already a total legend.

Also, Raul has been overlooked. As for current players, Rooney will be an England great, and Villa is the next Raul.

There is absolutely no way that Zidane is over-rated. Best player of the past 50 years, IMO he is already there. Thierry Henry and Paolo Maldini also are unquestionably on/about to be on the list.

the legend question was too biased for attackers. f. beckenbauer is a legend too. be more specific.

pele, di stefano and maradona are basically the top three best attackers of the game. i'm sure many would not want to compare zidane again these legends as he plays in different position but still such a pure inspiration. it would be hard even for messi to better the three legends although time in his side.

the standout player of the 2000-2010 generation are ronaldo, kaka, buffon, cannavaro, zidane, figo, t. henry, maldini, r. carlos, cafu in no orders.

Zidane is over-rated.

What about Casillas? Xavi? Iniesta? Eto'o? Rivaldo?

ronaldinho, the most amazing player of the new millenium. Epitome of brazilian flair, new garrincha. Has a world cup medal, CL, la liga. Has basically won everything a player can win and did it in style, hell his highlight reel alone makes him a star.

Leo Messi, same as ronnie but younger and plays like maradonna. Amazing to watch him.

Zidane, classic player, never the fastest but in terms of class he oozes it.

Maldini, the best defender in the world for 10+ years and an excellent leftback as well.

Buffon, best keeper in the world. Simply class, has won everything.

ronaldo, best striker in the world during the 90s and equal to pele in terms of achievements.

c.ronaldo, great striker with an eye for the fancy.

the others who will be remembered as great players but with less flair are gerrard, lampard, giggs, xavi, pirlo and plenty of others

zidane, balotelli that is all.

I think people are making this way harder then it is. There are way more players that will be remembered in 20 years then you are giving credit. R10 at Barca will always be remembered. Henry at Arsenal will always be remembered. Kaka, CR7, and Messi as well. Then you can go Maldini, Zidane, Totti, Raul, and so many others. Tough to mention them all to be honest

Regarding Totti, other than sucking his thumb as is his habit after scoring a goal, I can't recall a goal he's ever scored which would put him in a "Legendary" category of any kind...

Recoba, how bout the two goals against Brescia? The Goals when Inter came back against Sampdoria? The Corner kick goal against Empoli... a true legend makes you remember all of his goals.

I'm glad no one brought up the Golden Asshole, David Beckham... although the penalty against Argentina in 2002 and the goal against Ecuador in 2006 were really classic all-world goals. But just mentioning his name makes me sick to my stomach.

Whoever said Zidane got it right, the "monk" was the best I've seen... Messi is a Club Player at best. Ribery has insane playing ability but the inability to lead France to a World Cup will come back to haunt him, also he's playing in the wrong league and won't get noticed for a while, he needs Serie-A or La Liga action. You want me to nominate a "legend" or a really good player that years from now will appreciate in value? If that's the case, then its Alvaro Recoba, all of his goals are "YouTube" specials... really insane ability, too bad his poor training habits destroyed a promising career.

I think Andrea Pirlo should have been better than what he is now... as for Del Piero & Totti, history will look back at them as mediocre at best... Cristiano Ronaldo might need to win a Euro or qualify Portugual to a World Cup since they aint going for this go-around.

Batistuta should be included in this list somewhere, although where you want to stick him is up for debate probably.

zizou, ronaldo (although he was only really legendary before his first knee injury. After that he was only really really good). Messi if he keeps it up.

For the "Recently retired legends", I think that Zidane must be on the list, as well as Maldini, and perhaps (and this pains me as a Spurs fan to admit) Dennis Bergkamp is being slightly overlooked... maybe because he was a slightly quiet player and the whole "no World Cups" thing, but his skill was undeniable. Also, (fat) Ronaldo also deserves some credit... when he was on top of his game, he was undoubtedly the best striker in the world

From the current crowd of players, I believe Ronaldinho belongs on the list, not just because of his extraordinary skill, but because (like Garrincha) he will simultaneously be a cautionary tale warning player against the dangers of spending more time in night clubs instead of on the training ground. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are by far two of the most talented players, and they're so young (in 2016, Messi will still be 29) and have accomplished so much that if they keep up their current form for a few more years (and World Cups), they will also have their names amongst the best ever.

My last name (which should come as a surprise) is Gael Kakuta, only because his name is gonna be synonymous with underage transfers, and he will be this generation's Jean-Marc Bosman (does anyone even know what teams he played for? All we know is that he left on a free transfer and now, anyone can)

And as a final note, I think that one of the criteria for "Legend" status is the ability for you to watch that player on YouTube over and over again while saying "WOW!" to plays you've seen hundreds of times before, and also that player to have enough skill to overshadow whatever crappy music the person who put the video together used ("Wait... isn't this a Britney Spears song?")

definitely maldini with 5 champions league titles under his belt, that alone should make him on this listt

buffon definitely, maybe pirlo and totti, cannavaro maybe alsooo

Shearer. Alan Shearer

Zidane is already at the top of that list and if he isn't, then don't bother with these lists. After him it's the real (Brazilian) Ronaldo and that's all folks!!!

Zizou is probably on that list, and if he isn't then time is the only thing keeping him off it.

Current players, Messi, but it depends on if he can win a World Cup (doubtful with fatty-McCoke-face Maradonna in charge)

Cafu definately belongs on the list as one of the best left backs of all time who won 2 World Cups for Brazil.

Zidane. the headbutt alone is legendary.

and of course, Ryan Giggs.

Zidane is a given. What a player does in one game does not tarnish a carer.

Peter Schemical has to be considered a great. Goal keepers really don't get enough love. I remember watching Man Utd in the 90s, beating the defence meant nothing with him in you way.

if maldini is in , so should roberto carlos

i've already mentioned figo as well, a complete player

Zidane, Baggio, Maldini and despite no World Cup, Sir Ryan Giggs.

What’s the selection criteria? What’s the measuring stick (statistical benchmark)?

If player A has scored 1 million goals, fails to score a goal the next 40 years but still ends up holding the record for the most goals scored, shouldn’t he be regarded as one of the best who ever played the game? Some of the current players are already better than “the greatest players who ever lived.”

The defenders are at a disadvantage. How do you rate a defender?

As long as there is no “black and white” selection criteria, most people here will “nominate” players who play for the clubs they support.

Francesco Totti is going to finish his career as one of the best Italian goalscorers of all time. He only needs 18 more to reach the 200 milestone of goals scored in Serie A, and the only other player to reach that in the modern era was Roberto Baggio, who he may actually surpass.

Messi isn't ahead of Ronaldo - either of them could go down the Ronaldinho route yet.

Agreed with cap123 - while these players are all good, the term "great" and/or "legend" is all too often misused.

I think I can safely say that Zidane, Buffon, Maldini, Baggio and the real Ronaldo all fit the bill.

The Phenomenon, the originial Ronaldo is the only one at the moment I would include in that list. Even if he did completely give up on his fitness, he still managed 3 world player of the year awards, dominated 2 world cups (If he was healthy for the final in '98 they would've won IMO) all while suffering 3 career threatning knee injuries. In his prime he was absolutely unstoppable at times the only person I rank above him from the modern era is Zidane (but that should be obvious).

all this talk of gerrard, lampard, even ronaldo, is just silly, unless they perform mirales in the next couple of world cups perhaps.. Messi has a chance to go down the with the greats though!

also im a chelsea fan, i just think messi has that something special that really makes me think of what the true greats must have been like.. i hope he makes it to the world cup.

Yeah, i think Maldini probably is in the top tier already - he's position-for-position the best player I've seen in my lifetime I think.

Buffon is another good shout. Him vs Zoff is one of the great debates in terms of keepers - its like Banks/Shilton for England.

Gerrard and Lampard if they continues the way they're going but they really need to stand out in a major tournament.

i am very surprised and a little disappointed that no one has mentioned maldini yet. He surely belongs in this catagory.

Zidane and Ronaldo (original)..Ronaldo has some quirky things about him, but he has always played well. And after that serious injury that he supposedly wasn't going to recover from, I think it was legendary for him to return in such a good way. He's not playing grade A footy still, but he's doing great with what he has.

Del Piero is also a good bet..

and for the team I support, I'd say Puyol has a great chance at reaching legendary status.

Buffon is the only one at the moment, even ahead of Casillas. Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are still very young and they could both fall down before they get to 27/28, so we cannot count them. As for Kaka, if Zico is not counted as a LEGEND of the game, then Kaka cannot as Zico was a better player.

Why not nominate Cannavaro in that list as well?

There are many elite players like Shevchenko-Totti-Henry etc that will fall short on being legend in the global game, players who in 50 years time are they a reference point in the sport? Not sure they will be, Buffon is a big reference point for goalkeepers.

Zidane should have already been on there 5 years ago.

btw to me,if Messi can keep up his performances and goals until he's 26-27 he can even surpass Maradonna/Pele/Eusebio...

Dirk Kuijt! --'

Am I right in thinking everyone is nominating players who play for clubs they support?

Zizou is the only player I feel comfortable with right now. Ask me again in a few years and I'm sure I'll add Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Wait, what? I'm confused. You're saying Zidane isn't already in the legend category?

First I've heard of it.

andrea pirlo and gianluigi buffon and francesco totti def make that list

van berstein as well had he not been injured

zidane, ronaldo,figo

Casillas?

Zidane is the greatest player of modern times and if someone should join the shortlist - it must be Zizou. Fantastic not only on the pitch but also outside it, as a UN ambassador. Gentelman at (almost) all times and what a style and skill! Praise Zidane!

Definitely Zizou & Ronaldo...also. Raul *ducks*

For me, Ronaldinho is now like the other Ronaldo - from their primes there is little doubt they had the ability to be in that top class - but yeah, they never coped with the big stage that well. Not that El Diego ever entirely did, mind.

Messi and Ronaldo are interesting to think of in terms of say Pelé and Diego, because well one of those is the "good guy" and one is the "bad boy". And its easy to see which is which of the current two.

I think Ibrahimovic is an interesting one. He has to knuckle down (can he knuckle down? Does he know what this means?) and do it in the CL for Barca if he wants to prove he's more than a YouTube player, but he undoubtedly has the talent, and at Barca the team around him to do it.

Roberto Baggio belongs in that list.

Zidane and Ronaldo both deserve to be there as well.

Alessandro Del Piero