For me, that hardly can be take as a written in stone thing, there is no such thing as a solely best player ever. And I hate the type of assertions (demeriting or glorifying in an obtuse way) a certain player that discussions like the GOAT thing usually bring, like many I'm already reading here.
There is a liitle group of players, from every period of the game (let's say a decade) that maybe deserve that Best of the Best from such period status.
PD: as a side note, only because there are some players that we fans many times feel "clearly" in another level of talent, because I'm not that fond of trying to find huge gaps between a Di Maria, Ribery, Salah, etc..on any role, or let's say Kross, Modric, Rodri, Rikjaard, Redondo, Xavi, etc.
I can find some of these last type of names Phenoms in their roles, absolute legends, cracks, many even forgotten and deserving the same praise that usually players that won a lot in such roles (I wish people remember a lot more an Overath for instance).
Yet the Top of the Crop are a combination of let's say Genius talent (and traits in the form of power, atheltism, pace combine with extraordinary skills) and not few times with quite a carreer to boost too.
For me, I know I'm a bit alone in this one, I'll never rate a defender, defensive mid, organizative one at the same level of a rarity someone like Pele is.
This on the other hand doesn't mean that because what Pastore can do with a ball it's more of what Baresi can, I'll say that Pastore was bigger for the history of the game, yet when we go up the ladder, the Pastores are replaced with players in the offensive roles that trully are freaks, more rare human specimens than any Figueroa, Passarella, Baresi and such (as freaky as for their roles many of those legendary defenders were).
In this line, certainly Maldini and Baresi have bigger, better and more easily rated as among the best of the best ever in their roles, but Baggio for me would always closer to that level people tend to grant to GOAT fellas, he is better than them and had enough of a carreer.
The only exception I at least consider, is Franz, more due to his array of roles and level of skills for those and his importance for a major powerhouse, but still not entirely my Cup of tea to have him in that trully upper echelon in terms of talent, sounds sacriledge, I know, but it goes with what I've said above.
Finally like every player, the so call GOATS, face diff circumstances that will help or create problems to have a better carreer in terms of titles, stats, etc. From injuries, to being in a club in a bad period, to just a coach not that fond of them. So I'm not that incline to dismiss anyone that thinks that Maradona was the best, enough arguments for me, yet, at the same time I'll be more prone to say: "from the best ones I've seen, I rate, I LIKE HIM MORE". That's diff from sthg that will never be as tangible as we sometimes would like it to be. No matter if it's Messi, Pele, Di Stefano, Puskas, etc.. with tons of titles and stats in their back.
In any case on any of these discussions, with parameters like some of the ones I've preffer, it's just a prefference, we sometimes put too much effort in trying to always find the One and only, when there is no real need.
Get out.
I was just trying to shed some light on the perception of him over here. But very interesting to hear how people view(ed) him in Mexico. Always thought he was reviewed mpre positively in Germany than elseqhere in the world