Greatest player you'd seen when you were 12, 18, 25, 35, 50

I can't work out if by choosing someone of a later generation you're saying they've overtaken a previous one selected, or if it's just meaning at that exact moment in time (so the previous one retired / past their prime by then). I'm assuming the latter, as otherwise Maradona could arguably be all of them!

12 - Diego Maradona (was 7/8 in 1986, so that's the first World Cup I remember and, despite being English, I loved watching Maradona play).

18 - Ronaldo (Brazilian). Tough one this, for the mid 90's. There were a few options but have to go for Ronaldo.

25 - Zinedine Zidane (though favourite player to watch at this age was a different Madrid player - JM Guti with his sublime left foot passes. :drool:)

35 - Cristiano Ronaldo (I'll always treasure that first spell with us, and admire what he achieved after that for many years. Yet another in the many 'never go back' moral. But doesn't change what the first 20 years of a stunning career).

5 years off 50, so not sure who it'll be by then.
 
12 - Zico or Platini ( 82 world cup, although my favourite Brazilian was Eder )
18 - Maradonna. Simply the best. Hated and loved watching him at the same time.
25 - Roberto Baggio probably. 94 world cup would be him
35 - Zidane. Critstiano Ronaldo wasnt in full stride, and R9 Ronaldo was injury plagued.
50 - Messi
 
oh, good thread idea.

at 12 i was not big into watching football but liked playing it, so i probably thought I was the best player around at that time. Did not quite work out though. Seriously though I kept an eye on the 2 Brians, Robson and McClair at this stage but would not have noticed others so much.

at 18 , Eric Cantona. Also USA94 was probably my favorite world cup, so i thought Baggio, Stoichkov, Bebeto, Romario, Klinsmann, Dahlin and those lads were awesome.

at 25 - Ronaldo 9

at 35 - Cristiano, with an honorable mention to Kaka who i though was great albeit for a shortish run.

at 50 - not got there yet but I have high hopes for Kobbie
 
12 - Gascoigne. - Robbo was fading when I got into football hard core. Euro 90 was my introduction to some of the best players in the world as TV coverage was scant and I couldn't remember much before that. I thought Paul had everything and was unstoppable on his day. United only? Sparky for sure. Though I had A MASSIVE unreciprocated love affair with Lee Sharpe.
18 - Figo. - Probably revealing my bias for mercurial flair players. Cantona had recently retired. Untied only? Giggsy.
25 - Kaka. - United? Ruud with Rooney nipping on his heels.
35 - Cristiano. - United? RVP but honestly I'd rather not think about Moyes.
45 - ????? Hopefully Yoro, Mainoo, Hojlund, Garnacho, Zirkzee or any other United player. They don't have a ton of time though so they better get on their bikes.
 
12, Maradona

18, Romario (criminally underrated I feel), Baggio

25, R9. Zidane

35, Messi

50, approaching it.

edit: added R9. No idea how I forgot him!!
 
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12: Brian Laudrup - He was incredible playing for Rangers. Just levels above the rest. Quick, great dribbling and a nasty opponent for the full backs.

18: Ronaldo Nazario - Speed, ball control, finishing. What an incredible, incredible player. Too bad injuries destroyed his career.

25: Cristiano - I was completely hooked after his debut against Bolton. My god, what an entertaining and flamboyant player. So excited that he was playing for us.

35: Cristiano - Despite him joining Real, I was still in awe of his qualities.

50: Not there yet. But i'm probably going to say Messi. Unless some ridiculous talent enters the scene very soon. Ronaldos second stint at United has tainted my opinion about him, unfortunately.
 
12 - Roy Keane
18 - Messi
25 - De Gea
Now (30) - Mainoo (why not)
 
12. 1986-1998
My favourite players up to then were Cantona, Batistuta and Baggio. Maradona was obviously the best player of this period but his prime was before I was old enough to appreciate it. I'd say the best player I'd seen up til then was Maldini.

18. 1999-2004
My favourite players of this era were Keane, Bergkamp and Nedved. The best players I saw during this period were Zidane and Ronaldo.

25. 2005-2011
My favourite players during this spell were Cristiano, Rooney and Scholes. The best player of this period was Ronaldinho with guys like Zidane, Kaka, Henry and Cristiano not too far behind.

35. 2012-2021
Not a great decade for favourites (as a United fan). Mine were Kante, Modric and Iniesta. The best players of the decade were Cristiano and Messi.
 
12 - Baggio just after 94 World Cup which is probably the point i really got into football and he was great and a lot of fun to watch. Weah seemed crazy talented at the time too.
18 - Zidane probably. Just short of his champions league final volley against Bayer Leverkusen and a poor world cup. Keane probably deserves special mention, i think he got even better after 99 and he was pretty immense. You'd be biased towards more attacking players like Ronaldo or Rivaldo normally i guess.
25 - Ronaldo just pips Messi around 2008 for me before being overtaken
35 - I'd say Messi is still best player in the world.
50 - Not there yet :) Mainoo hopefully.
 
caid said:
12 - Baggio just after 94 World Cup which is probably the point i really got into football and he was great and a lot of fun to watch. Weah seemed crazy talented at the time too.
18 - Zidane probably. Just short of his champions league final volley against Bayer Leverkusen and a poor world cup. Keane probably deserves special mention, i think he got even better after 99 and he was pretty immense. You'd be biased towards more attacking players like Ronaldo or Rivaldo normally i guess.
25 - Ronaldo just pips Messi around 2008 for me before being overtaken
35 - I'd say Messi is still best player in the world.
50 - Not there yet :) Mainoo hopefully.
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I thought about Baggio as well but I think USA 94 it was Stoichkov that really blew me away.
 
That_Bloke said:
12 - Maradona

18 - Ronaldo R9

25 - Ronaldinho / Zidane

35 - Messi
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This was the one I was literally about to write down. We may be similar age profile. If I have to choose one for 25 … it would have to Ronaldihno for me though. Love Zidane, Truly great, but at that age for me Ronaldihno was at about the height of his powers and made football just the most fun thing to watch, and the ways of getting to watch non-international football were finally starting to open up for me.
 
Avatar said:
12, Maradona

18, Romario (criminally underrated I feel), Baggio

25, Zidane

35, Messi

50, approaching it.
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Some player he was.

He's not criminally underrated, he just chose blackjack and hookers over football.

Romário simply lacked the mental fortitude and professionalism to truly shine in an era that was blessed with many outstanding footballers.
 
Bluelion7 said:
This was the one I was literally about to write down. We may be similar age profile. If I have to choose one for 25 … it would have to Ronaldihno for me though. Love Zidane, Truly great, but at that age for me Ronaldihno was at about the height of his powers and made football just the most fun thing to watch, and the ways of getting to watch non-international football were finally starting to open up for me.
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My first unedited post was Ronaldinho.

Beyond his achievements which are many, it simply was for what he was able to do with a football and the joy he brought in every single game, despite of his relatively short peak. I like to think of Ronaldinho as a Garrincha regen. You can't possibly hate the guy, no matter the team you support. I watched him since his PSG days and used to laugh at how Luis Fernandez (PSG's coach back then) could neither realize nor appreciate the diamond he got in his hands. When on form, he simply was unplayable.

But it's hard to overlook what a player Zidane was, his silky first touch, his vision, his passing and influence on the game. I personally consider him as the last great classic #10.
 
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I'm born 93.
12 - Ronaldinho
18 - Messi
25 - Messi

My top 5 players at their peak are:
Messi

Neymar (in PSG)
Ronaldinho
Suarez (early Barcelona)
C.Ronaldo
 
I'm 36 so I don't know yet about the last one but at 12 around 1999 would be Ronaldo Nazario. At 18 around 2005 would be Ronaldinho. At 25 and to date it would be Messi. The current generation of players is kind mediocre tbh.
 
Kayla40TS said:
I thought about Baggio as well but I think USA 94 it was Stoichkov that really blew me away.
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Serie A was easier to catch at the time than most leagues. There was a lot of great forwards in the tournament. Maradona was interesting.
 
12 - Ronaldo Fenômeno - 20 year old prodigy taking football by storm. He burst into the scene and no one had seen anything like it before. The mixture of pace, strength and quick feet was breathtaking. No one was as exciting as him.

18 - Ronaldo Fenômeno - 2002 World Cup, decisive 8 goal tournament and the man in the final. To come back from his knee injury, adapt his game and still be so decisive, proved his greatness. Denying him those physical gifts of his early years, he was still such a good finisher.

25 - C.Ronaldo, just off the back of our treble, I was convinced that we had the best player in the world in our squad. Watching United back then and waiting for him to get on the ball was so exciting. It felt like he was decisive on a weekly basis and he usually was!

35 - Messi, he did things on a monthly basis that most players would see as the greatest play or goal of their careers. A genius whose consistency made us take the greatness for granted.
 
Surprised so many have Cristiano as the best in the world at one age and then Messi at next age because at no point in his career was he the best ever.

Messi was already a far superior footballer even when Cristiano won his first ballon d'Or.
 
12 - Ronaldo9

18 - Zidane

25 - Messi

35 - Messi

50 - Yamal’s son if he’s born soon and with the way football is going we might see kids ripping it up at 11 in a decade’s time.

Scottynaldinho said:
Surprised so many have Cristiano as the best in the world at one age and then Messi at next age because at no point in his career was he the best ever.

Messi was already a far superior footballer even when Cristiano won his first ballon d'Or.
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I disagree.

I think there was a brief period in time where Cristiano Ronaldo was the best footballer on the planet.
2007 - 2008 I would say is about right, Ronaldo was arguably better than Kaka the season prior as well.

Messi was special but he wasn’t the main man in Barcelona yet.
From the second part of Pep’s first season it certainly was Messi.
 
12: Bryan Robson - From aged 8 he was myhero alongside Zico who neversawplay again afterthe 82 world cup
18: Maradona isthe best player everseen.....though also Maldini at left back was way betterthanany left back seen since so up there
25:Tale end of his greatness but Brazilian Ronaldo second best player ever seen.....I also loved Del Piero at Juventus
35: Messi...though for 2/3 years preferred to watch Ronaldhino and Ronaldo for us personally
50: Only just turned it sothe only one canbe Mbappe...but I amgoing topredit Desire Doue to be the one who breaks out as a suprestar this season....and that is why I am desperate for us to make a move
 
I was 12 in 1990, so Maradona, easily.

18 in 1996, I'd say Baggio at that point.

25 in 2003, Ronaldo.

35 in 2013, Messi.
 
12- R9
18- Ronaldinho/ Zidane
25- Cristino/Kaka
35- Messi.
 
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