He’s not even the best one currently playing lol, Messi’s just scored a hat trick at 39. He was great in 2018 and 2022 and is definitely one of the best but like the GOAT is right here
As mentioned, he’s not even greatest active player, let alone all time great. I honestly he’ll have a hard time breaking into the top five or even ten once his career ends. My personal greatest players behind Pele (in no particular order) would likely be Maradona, Beckenbauer, Zidane, Messi, Matthäus, Ronaldo (the real one) and perhaps Cruyff, but that could be my Dutch bias.
For his overall impact on the game as a whole, Cruyff is absolutely one of the all-time greats. If you count his influence he might be the most important player of all time period, or at least close second behind Pelé.
The article was specifically about World Cup players. While Cruyff probably revolutionised football like few others before or after, his impact at the World Cup was limited. While the Netherlands probably should have won in 1974, they were just outsmarted by West Germany in the end, despite Cruyff and his brilliance.
Can’t see him surpassing Pelé, nor Maradona for that matter
As a player? No. As a World Cup player? Maybe. If he leads them to another gold and ends up top scorer and scores in the final in the process again he will be in the conversation already, and he definitely still has one more world cup in him.
It will still probably be Pelé, though.
I was specifically talking about him as a World Cup player. Nobody ever brought up Klose even though he was/is the record holder for most goals. I suppose in only matters if you’re a superstar.
Pelé with 3 World Cups sits untouchable at the top. Maradona has the most iconic/controversial moment in sporting history from the quarter finals against England.
Mbappe wasn’t even the main man in the 2018 World Cup, Griezmann was. If he wins 2 more, maybe he got an argument.
I don’t know man
He was a major player in the greatest world cup final game of my life time!
