All-Time Best player from each country

[Physiocrat]

Following Fortitude's post in the mains, I wonder whether there is consensus on the best players from each country.

I'll start with a few:

Argentina - Messi or Maradon
Brazil - Pele
England - Charlton
Northern Ireland - Best
Netherlands - Cruyff

 

[P-Nut]

Germany - Beckenbauer
Portugal - Cristiano
Croatia - Modric
Wales - Bale
Spain - Xavi

 

[2mufc0]

Germany - Beckenbauer
Portugal - Cristiano
Croatia - Modric
Wales - Bale
Spain - Xavi

I think it's debatable that it's Iniesta for Spain, maybe that world cup final goal edges it for me.

 

[Reditus]

Portugal - Eusébio

 

[Gio]

Quite a few countries where the view would be split across two or more players - Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Argentina, England (consensus on here, but not as clear-cut elsewhere), Uruguay, Italy. Sometimes that's due to the challenge of comparing positions.

 

[Šjor Bepo]

Quite a few countries where the view would be split across two or more players - Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Argentina, England (consensus on here, but not as clear-cut elsewhere), Uruguay, Italy. Sometimes that's due to the challenge of comparing positions.

mine would be:
spain - xavi
belgium - de bruyne
scotland - law
argentina - messi
england - charlton
uruguay - suarez(this should be clear as day no?)
italy - maldini

 

[prolifik]

I'd go Iniesta for Spain and Maldini is a clear choice for Italy IMO.

France is an interesting one. Think I lean Platini.

 

[harms]

Quite a few countries where the view would be split across two or more players - Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Argentina, England (consensus on here, but not as clear-cut elsewhere), Uruguay, Italy. Sometimes that's due to the challenge of comparing positions.

Who would you say is England's main alternative to Charlton?

I think it has an enormous pool of contenders (Moore, Matthews, Finney, Greaves, Gascoigne, Shearer, Rooney, Kane — I'm only naming those that I've seen getting mentioned as England's greatest even though I don't agree with some of them *cough* Kane *cough*) but none can quite rival his overall success (for club and for country), longevity and insane peak, most lack at least 1 key component.

I'd add France to the list as well — most of the votes would be split between Platini & Zidane, I'd imagine, but even though I have my favourite, I wouldn't say that it's clear cut. And then there are the likes of Kopa, Henry, Benzema and even Mbappé (not now perhaps, but when he retires).

 

[Gio]

Who would you say is England's main alternative to Charlton?

I think it has an enormous pool of contenders (Moore, Matthews, Finney, Greaves, Gascoigne, Shearer, Rooney, Kane — I'm only naming those that I've seen getting mentioned as England's greatest even though I don't agree with some of them *cough* Kane *cough*) but none can quite rival his overall success (for club and for country), longevity and insane peak, most lack at least 1 key component.

I'd add France to the list as well — most of the votes would be split between Platini & Zidane, I'd imagine, but even though I have my favourite, I wouldn't say that it's clear cut. And then there are the likes of Kopa, Henry, Benzema and even Mbappé (not now perhaps, but when he retires).

Agree it's Charlton too. Particularly when you weave in longevity. That might be the crux of the argument as longevity won't always get considered by the average punter who might put more weight on peak. In the last 50 years it's only Gascoigne, Owen and Rooney who have captured the imagination as guys who looked like genuine world-beaters at the top international level. And it's only really Moore, Charlton and Gascoigne who have kicked the arse out of it at a World Cup (Lineker too but not in this convo), and Gazza is arguably the one who got the juices flowing more than anyone.

Many of those who grew up in the 30s-50s would probably go Matthews and Finney ahead of Charlton. But all three might be starting to fade in the consciousness of English football and it's certainly happened to Matthews and Finney over the last two decades. And there's the recency bias with Rooney and Neville lauding Kane as England's best ever player.

Position is also a factor. Works against the likes of Moore, Rio and Cole, as all three are closer to being 'best-of-all-time' in their position than the attackers who are often considered as contenders ahead of them. And then there's club biases as most of the top English clubs have all had players who are, at least, in the conversation.

 

[Enigma_87]

Quite a few countries where the view would be split across two or more players - Spain, Belgium, Scotland, Argentina, England (consensus on here, but not as clear-cut elsewhere), Uruguay, Italy. Sometimes that's due to the challenge of comparing positions.

Spain - Xavi, edging it from Iniesta
Belguim - KdB, don't see it being debatable tbh
Scotland - Law, same as KdB, unless you are a heavy Pool fan.
Argentina - Messi, edges it
England - Charlton, again IMO clear
Uruguay - Suarez
Italy - probably the toughest - you can split it between Baggio, Maldini, Baresi and Buffon. Buffon, Maldini, Nesta, Scirea and Baresi with legitimate call for greatest at their position, whilst Baggio as a pure talent and player IMO is right up there, but being compared to plethora of other 10's and 9.5s has made him really underrated.

 

[P-Nut]

I think it's debatable that it's Iniesta for Spain, maybe that world cup final goal edges it for me.

Strangely given they both played together for all of their peak, I think it depends on if you're viewing it as achievements with a country or just their best ever player. Xavi is a notch above Iniesta if we're looking at overall peaks, but Iniesta had a better Drain career.