Footballers You Wish You Could Have Seen...

[Eco]

I think about this often, but being as I'm American, I was 'late' to the game as I didn't have any idea of European football until I was a teenager. But now it's my favorite sport, and I spend countless hours watching, reading and listening to it. I wouldn't have it any other way TBH. 

So, I was thinking, what are some of the famous footballers I wish I could watch play, but were either before my time, or I was just never able to watch them at their craft. 

After much consideration, I have come up with my list of 5, and while they are in no particular order - 

1. Pele - Obvious here. Did wonders for the game, and played here in the states. Probably the most iconic name in the sport, and would have loved to have watched him play. 

2. Franz Beckenbauer - Another player who ventured over to the US, and even played on the same team with Pele at the New York Cosmos. Franz, to be, is the iconic German footballer. Certainly you could throw in Gerd Muller into the mix, but honestly, Franz is the face of German football and dominance. 

3. Johan Cruyff - Another player that was the king of his era, played in the States a little bit, but ultimately became the face of a nation in terms of their football talent. One of the few people that were really an instrument in change and was part of a new style of football that changed the world forever. 

4. Ferenc Puskas - To go along with my love of Hungarian history, Ferenc is the greatest ever athlete to have come from this country, IMO. He was the leader on one of the greatest NT's ever, and scored at a pace of almost a goal per game, while playing for two powerhouses in that era. 

5. Alfredo Di Stefano - Considered by some to be the 'most complete footballer of the game', he seemed to be able to create a reputation as one of greats and someone who changed the game forever. Something about his name and legacy just makes it feel that it's not a complete list unless he graces it. 

Take some time and let us know who are the 5 footballers you wish you could have seen play, as well as a why. 

 

[Azeem]

Pèle stole Garrincha's legacy 

[Stan]

Cruyff, Maradona, Zico, Garrincha, Pele, Di Stefano, Van Basten, Keith Weller & Frank Worthington (my dad raves about them both) George Best, Beckenbauer, Muller, Cantona (more of him, anyway), Lineker, Dixie Dean.

Will name more...

[Cicero]

1. Di Stefano - Arguably the most complete player in history. When you watch old clips of him, he was so ahead of his time. Touch, control, dribbling, awareness, intelligence and elegance. 

2. Garrincha - Touted by many Brasilians to be better than Pele. 

3. Scirea - Greatest CB in history

4. Best - Much like Di Stefano, he was ahead of his time. 

5. Pele - The man who revolutionised the sport itself. 

[Stan]

Socrates, Platini, Kempes, Charlton brothers, Rivelino, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Eusebio, Hoddle, Barnes, Hugo Sanchez, Baresi...

[Eco]

4 minutes ago, Stan said:

Cruyff, Maradona, Zico, Garrincha, Pele, Di Stefano, Van Basten, Keith Weller & Frank Worthington (my dad raves about them both) George Best, Beckenbauer, Muller, Cantona (more of him, anyway), Lineker, Dixie Dean.

Will name more...

 

1 minute ago, Stan said:

Socrates, Platini, Kempes, Charlton brothers, Rivelino, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Eusebio, Hoddle, Barnes, Hugo Sanchez, Baresi...

I say name 5, and you are currently on 35 names. 

[Cicero]

Someone tell @Stan how to read 

[CaaC (John)+]

1. Pele - The greatest for me, to think as a young kid his parents could not afford a football and he would practise his skills with a can on the beaches of Brazil.
2. Duncan Edwards - Only young when he died (22) in the Man United Munich aeroplane disaster but they say he had the potential of being one of the greatest. 
3. Bobby Moore - My old man was a West Ham supporter and all he talked about when I was growing in Australia in the 60's was of his hero Bobby Moore.
4. Arthur Antunes Coimbra - Or better known as the Brazilian footballer Zico, watching Brazil on tv in Australia and the UK this guy always mesmerized me when he played.
5. Johan Cruyff - Another player that mesmerised me watching him play and through him I loved watching the Netherland teams play then and today. 

[Guest]

1. Teofilo Cubillas

The best Peruvian player of all time and often regarded as one of the 70 best players of all time.

2. Hector Chumpitaz

Another one of the best Peruvian players ever and arguably the best South American defender in history. Known as "capitan de America".

3. Bobby Charlton

Not only have I heard he was a phenomenal footballer, but his story is also quality. 

4. Lev Yashin

Love keepers and wanted to see what the supposed "best one ever" was like.

5. Pele

As Cicero said, revolutionized the sport.

I would also put Maradona in there but I've seen enough of him I think. Just without any context or patterns, so wasn't sure if I should include him.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, CaaC - John said:

1. Pele - The greatest for me, to think as a young kid his parents could not afford a football and he would practise his skills with a can on the beaches of Brazil.
2. Duncan Edwards - Only young when he died (22) in the Man United Munich aeroplane disaster but they say he had the potential of being one of the greatest. 
3. Bobby Moore - My old man was a West Ham supporter and all he talked about when I was growing in Australia in the 60's was of his hero Bobby Moore.
4. Arthur Antunes Coimbra - Or better known as the Brazilian footballer Zico, watching Brazil on tv in Australia and the UK this guy always mesmerized me when he played.
5. Johan Cruyff - Another player that mesmerised me watching him play and through him I loved watching the Netherland teams play then and today. 

No one reads anymore. 

Love the shout out of Duncan Edwards, as I have never heard of him. But it's a list of footballer you never got to see, not that mesmerized you when you were a child. 

[Spike]

1. George Best - Not only was he the best on the planet but he personified a different character of the sport. He was larger than life.
2. Michel Platini - Eclipsed by Zidane as France's legend but he scored an unreal amount of goals for a midfielder.
3. Enzo Francescoli - Similar to Platini in the mould of the midfielder than can do anything.
4. Johan Cryuff - He is football.
5. Paul Gascoigne - An entire generation of English can't be wrong.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, Grizzly21 said:

 4. Lev Yashin

Love keepers and wanted to see what the supposed "best one ever" was like.

5. Pele

As Cicero said, revolutionized the sport.

I would also put Maradona in there but I've seen enough of him I think. Just without any context or patterns, so wasn't sure if I should include him.

I thought about Lev...but I'm not sure anyone can honestly say there is a better, more feared and commanding GK than what Buffon is/was. Still, he did cross my mind. 

I thought about Maradona, but he's just the type of player that would annoy the fuck out of me. Hell, I've never seen him play and he annoys the fuck out of me when I see or hear about him. 

[Guest]

Quality quality list that Spike. I came so close to including Platini as the "modern" generation talks about Zidane to no end, but my family always told me Zidane couldn't tie Platini's shoelaces.

[CaaC (John)+]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

No one reads anymore. 

Love the shout out of Duncan Edwards, as I have never heard of him. But it's a list of footballer you never got to see, not that mesmerized you when you were a child. 

Well, I was going by watching maybe on tv or videos? if that does not count them I am lost.  

[Guest]

Just now, Eco said:

I thought about Lev...but I'm not sure anyone can honestly say there is a better, more feared and commanding GK than what Buffon is/was. Still, he did cross my mind. 

I thought about Maradona, but he's just the type of player that would annoy the fuck out of me. Hell, I've never seen him play and he annoys the fuck out of me when I see or hear about him. 

I was born in 1998, so just around the very end of Maradona's career. However, occassionally here in Peru they would show old World Cup matches, and I got to see a couple of Diego's games. Like I said, no context or patterns but I at least got to see his football ability... I can echo everyone who says he was on another planet.

[Stan]

18 minutes ago, Eco said:

 

I say name 5, and you are currently on 35 names. 

 

18 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Someone tell @Stan how to read 

Just thinking out loud. Will refine the list later. That was the intention all along

[Guest]

In terms of Peruvian players... I've already mentioned Cubillas and Chumpitaz, our 2 best ever.

Oblitas, Sotil, Velasquez, Chale, Quiroga, Mifflin, Gallardo and Cachito Ramirez (the real one) are all some I would have loved to see.

I saw footage of the draw against Argentina in La Bombonera in 1969... our team now doesn't even come close to the one then.

I also would have loved to see the 1936 Olympics team. Lolo Fernandez, Jorge Alcalde, Manguera Villanueva and Adelfo Magallanes as a few examples.

[CaaC (John)+]

7 minutes ago, Eco said:

Love the shout out of Duncan Edwards, as I have never heard of him. But it's a list of footballer you never got to see, not that mesmerized you when you were a child.

I am 69 years old and was 24 in Australia when I was mesmerized in Australia watching them on tv play with my old man. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

1. Kenny Dalglish - I'm a Liverpool fan, so I would have liked to see the man who's universally considered the best Liverpool player in his prime. I've seen Rush play (just the very tail end of his career) so I'm leaving him off this list, but it's not quite the same as having seen their partnership in it's best. I've only seen highlight reels. But yeah, King Kenny is my #1 pick here.

2. Kevin Keegan - Keegan's my dad's favourite player ever, so I think I've got to have him on the list.

3. Emlyn Hughes - He just sounds like a player I would have liked from his wiki: "Hughes started his career in 1964 at Blackpool before moving to Liverpool in 1967. He would eventually turn out for Liverpool on 665 occasions, and captain the side to four league titles and an FA Cup victory in the 1970s. Added to these domestic honours were two European Cups, including Liverpool's first ever, when the Reds defeated Borussia Moenchengladbach in 1977; and two UEFA Cup titles.[3] Hughes won the Football Writers' Player of the Year in 1977. Hughes would complete a full set of English football domestic honours by winning the League Cup with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1980. In addition to Wolves, he later played for Rotherham United, Hull City, Mansfield Town and Swansea City.[3] Hughes earned 62 caps for the England national team, which he also captained."

4. Pele - I'm leaving Maradona off this list because... I actually remember watching Maradona play in World Cup '94 (and him getting sent home from that world cup) as a kid. So Pele's an obvious one; pre-Messi v. Ronaldo there was the debate over who was the best, Pele or Maradona. Personally off highlight videos, I think I like the look of Maradona's play better... but Pele is Pele. So he's on the list.

5. Johan Cruyff - Cruyff highlight reels are great to watch, so he was probably fucking fantastic to watch. Like Pele and Maradona, he's just a legend - even to people that never saw him play. So he goes on the list.

[Eco]

1 minute ago, CaaC - John said:

I am 69 years old and was 24 in Australia when I was mesmerized in Australia watching them on tv play with my old man. 

I'll be honest to say you're a lucky man then. While I'm blessed to have been able to witness the likes on Maldini, Del Piero, both Ronaldo's, Messi, and co...you got to see what I consider the true legends of the game. 

[CaaC (John)+]

1 minute ago, Eco said:

I'll be honest to say you're a lucky man then. While I'm blessed to have been able to witness the likes on Maldini, Del Piero, both Ronaldo's, Messi, and co...you got to see what I consider the true legends of the game. 

Football was a man's game in my time buddy, you just have to touch a player nowadays with your little finger and they go down like a ton of bricks rolling around as if they had been hit by an express train, the old days players would be hacked down by the hard men then like Norman 'Bite Your Legs' Hunter, Dave Mackay, Tommy Smith etc and they would just get up, dust themselves down and got on with it and give back just as much as they got, no wet weather footballs then or stadiums that could close their roofs because of the weather......now I DO feel old      

[Smiley Culture]

England’s 1966 team

The Dutch “Total Football” team of the 70’s. 

Liverpool of the 80’s. 

The Hungary side of the 50’s. 

Manchester United circa 1968. 

[Eco]

2 minutes ago, CaaC - John said:

Football was a man's game in my time buddy, you just have to touch a player nowadays with your little finger and they go down like a ton of bricks rolling around as if they had been hit by an express train, the old days players would be hacked down by the hard men then like Norman 'Bite Your Legs' Hunter, Dave Mackay, Tommy Smith etc and they would just get up, dust themselves down and got on with it and give back just as much as they got, no wet weather footballs then or stadiums that could close their roofs because of the weather......now I DO feel old      

[Stan]

25 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

I assume you struggle to count to five?

@Eco and @Cicero have already been there, sorry.

[Eco]

13 minutes ago, kapisevicius said:

I don't have any footballer from the past I would like to watch, the reason is simple: they were much worse than contemporary players.