That summer I watched as many World Cup games as I could on my Dad's tiny black and white TV. I would stand inches away from the screen because it was so grainy and I'd have to adjust and re-adjust the rabbit ears. I remember watching this bald guy in a baggy adidas shirt humiliate all of Brazil. I was young, but not too young to understand that he was different. The ball was different when he was around. He commanded. Somehow I just knew he was the best on earth.
By that time in my life, I'd seen Nolan Ryan pitch live. I'd seen Wayne Gretzky score a hat trick in a game 7. The summer before I saw Michael Jordan destroy the Jazz while suffering from the flu. I had seen greatness before.
Zidane was more.
I was just a little too young to "get" the World Cup of '94. But that summer in '98, Zidane helped me "get it". He converted me from a kid who played for fun on Saturdays to a lifetime disciple of the game.
Throughout the history of Football, many players have been considered "the Greatest on earth." Zidane was the first that I saw, but there were many others before, just as there will be many "Greats" to come. What I wanna know, is when Football itself was "the Greatest on earth." I'm not asking about individual players, but rather Football as a whole. Since it's inception, which generation of fans have been the most blessed? When did the world experience it's 'Greatest Age?'
Let's find out.
I believe it is strongly related to the Greatest Rivalries and the Greatest Players, so let's define it:
Greatest Leagues + Greatest Rivalries + Greatest Players + Highest Stage = 'Greatest Age'
Greatest Leagues + Greatest Rivalries + Greatest Players + Highest Stage = 'Greatest Age'
A dynasty won't fit the bill. The world isn't the fan of the same team. We are looking for parity. Also, as crazy as the fans make the rivalry, that doesn't necessarily make the Football Great.
The best way to do this is to determine the following;
1.) Which leagues are the most competitive, and what are their greatest rivalries?
2.) Who were the greatest players, and how did their careers overlap?
Most Competitive Leagues and their greatest rivalries:
English Premiere League - Liverpool & Manchester United
Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid & Barcelona
Italian Serie A - Milan & Inter & Juventus
Greatest Players and the club(s) they contribute most to:
1."Pelé"
(Brazil) Santos 1956-74
2.Johan Cruijff (Netherlands) Ajax 1964-73, Barcelona 1973-78
3.Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) Bayern Munich 1964-77
4.Alfredo di Stéfano (Argentina)
Real Madrid 1953-64
5.Diego Armando Maradona (Argentina)
FCB 1982-84, Napoli 1984-91
6.Ferenc Puskás (Hungary) Budapest Honved 1943-56,R.M. 1958-66
7.Michel Platini (France) Juventus 1982-87
8.Garrincha (Brazil)
Botafogo 1953-65
9.Eusébio (Portugal) Benfica 1960-75
10.Robert Charlton (England) Manchester United 1056-73
11.Stanley Matthews
(England) Stoke 1932-47,
Blackpool 1947-61
12.Marco van Basten
(Netherlands) Ajax 1981-87, AC
Milan 1987-95
13.Gerd Müller
(Germany) Bayern Munich 1964-79
14.Zico (Brazil) Flamengo 1971-83, Udinese 1983-85
15.Lothar Matthäus
(Germany) Bay.M 1984-88,92-00,Inter 1988-92
16.George Best (N.
Ireland) Manchester United 1963-74
17.Juan Alberto Schiaffino(Uruguay) AC Milan 1954-60
18.Ruud Gullit
(Netherlands) AC Milan 1987-93
19.Valdir Pereira Didi
(Brazil) Real Madrid 1959-60
-Gianni Rivera (Italy) AC Milan 1960-79
21.Giuseppe Meazza
(Italy) Inter 1927-40
22.Matthias Sindelar (Austria) FK Austria Vienna 1924-39
23 Fritz Walter
(Germany) FC Kaiserlautern 1937-59
24.Robert Moore
(England) West Ham United 1958-74
25.José Manuel Moreno
(Argentina) River Plate 1935-44
This list comes from IFFHS and represents the "World Player of the Century." Unfortunately this leaves out many players who reached their Greatness after the year 2000, so here is a shortlist of those players who will have retired after the year 2000.
(In no particular order)
-Zidane Juventus 1996-2001, Real Madrid 2001-2006
-Messi Barcelona 2004-
-Ronaldo Barcelona 1996-97, Inter 1997-2002, Real Madrid 2002-07, Milan 2007-08
-C. Ronaldo Manchester United 2003-2009, Real Madrid 2009-
-Beckham Manchester United 1993-2003, Real Madrid 2003-07
So now let's add the categories together and see who overlaps-
List of Century/Post Century players to play for a "5 Greatest Rivalry Team":
-Cruyff Barcelona 1973-78
-Di Stefano Real Madrid 1963-74
-Maradona Barcelona 1982-84
-Puskas Real Madrid 1958-66
-Puskas Real Madrid 1958-66
-Platini Juventus 1982-87
-Charlton Manchester United 1956-73
-Van Basten Milan 1987-95
-Matthaus Inter 1988-92
-Best Manchester United 1963-74
-Schiaffino Milan 1954-60
-Gullit Milan 1987-93
-Didi Real Madrid 1959-60
-Rivera Inter 1960-79
-Meazza Inter 1927-40
-Zidane Juventus 1996-2001, Real Madrid 2001-2006
-Messi Barcelona 2004-
-Ronaldo Barcelona 1996-97, Inter 1997-2002, Real Madrid 2002-07, Milan 2007-08
-C. Ronaldo Manchester United 2003-2009, Real Madrid 2009-
-Beckham Manchester United 1993-2003, Real Madrid 2003-07
Player that never had a rivalry with another listed "Great":
-Maradona, Puskas, Platini, Charlton, Best, Schiaffino, Didi, Rivera, Meazza
Which leaves us with:
Cruyff vs. Di Stefano - 1 season (FCB/RM) Real Madrid didn't finish in top 3 of La Liga. Out.
Zidane vs. Messi - 2 seasons (RM/FCB) Messi wasn't a starter. Out.
Messi vs. Ronaldo - 3 seasons (FCB/RM) Messi wasn't a starter. Out.
Messi vs. Beckham - 3 seasons (FCB/RM) Messi wasn't a starter. Out.
Here are the 3 surviving candidates for "Greatest Age"
Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit vs Lothar Matthaus / Milan vs. Inter / Netherlands vs. Germany
1988-92
-Both Van Basten and Gullit played for Milan, both played for the Netherlands, and both as Striker.
-Matthaus played for Inter, Germany, as sweeper.
-Both teams won the Scudetto during this time.
-Van Basten and Gullit scored twice in the European Cup final.
-They never met during the European Cup
-The Netherlands beat Germany in the Semifinals of the '88 Euros on their way to win the final.
-They almost met in the '92 Euro Final but the Netherlands lost their semifinal match to Denmark. (Let's remember they did beat Germany in the Group Stage!)
-Germany beat the Netherlands in the 1990 World Cup Group of 16 as they went on to win the Final.
Zinedine Zidane vs. Ronaldo / Juventus vs Inter / France vs Brazil
1997-2001
-Zidane was an attacking midfielder, Ronaldo a complete striker.
-Juventus won the Scudetto in '98, while Inter was runner up.
-While both made appearances in the Champions League, they never met on this stage.
-Ronaldo being Brazilian never participated in a Euro Tournament.
-Ronaldo won Serie A Player of the Year in 1998
-Zidane won Serie A Player of the Year in 2001
-Zidane scored twice in the '98 World Cup Final, helping France beat Brazil 3-0
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo / Barcelona vs Real Madrid / Argentina vs Portugal
2009 - ?
-Messi can play in any attacking role, while Ronaldo is found on the wing.
-Barcelona won La Liga in 2010, 2011, Real Madrid were runner-up both occasions
-Madrid won La Liga in 2012, Barcelona were runner-up
-Messi was the league leading scorer in 2010, 2012, Ronaldo was runner-up both occasions.
-Ronaldo was the league leading scorer in 2011, Messi was runner-up.
-The latter 2 seasons both players set new All-Time Scoring Records for La Liga.
-Messi won El Trofeo de Alfredo Di Stefano in 2010, 2011, Ronaldo got 3rd, 2nd respectively
-Ronaldo won El Trofeo de Alfredo Di Stefano in 2012, Messi was runner-up
-Both met in the Semifinals of the 2011 UEFA Champions League, Barcelona winning 3-1.
-Both lost in the Semifinals of the 2012 UEFA Champions League
-Messi being Argentine never participated in a Euro Tournament
-They have yet to meet in a World Cup
Summary:
While Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Platini, etc. could be thought of as "better" than some of the players left on our list, these guys didn't play against each other! Their careers were spread out over time and geography. Many of them didn't even play in the most competitive leagues, like Pele, Beckenbauer, Garrincha, Eusebio, etc. so they never played against the most competitive teams of all time. They are all easily considered "Greats" but their paths never crossed, and therefore never contributed to the "Greatest Age of Football" we are searching for.
Of the 3 surviving candidates for "Greatest Age," it is a very close race. I honestly don't believe we can reach an objective conclusion for which was the "Greatest." My biased opinion is that the Football of TODAY is the "Greatest Age" and here's why:
-The Van Basten, Gullit / Matthaus saga was wrongly overshadowed by the Maradona / Matthaus rivalry due to the fact that Germany and Argentina traded punches in consecutive World Cup Finals. Maradona and Matthaus never met at the domestic club level. Also there was never talk about if any of these guys were the "Greatest of All Time."The names involved were big, but just not big enough.
-Zidane was always superior to Ronaldo. Both were "Greats" but Ronaldo couldn't keep up in matches vs Zidane. There was never any parity in this relationship. Not to mention in 2002 Ronaldo would become teammates with Zidane at Real Madrid!
-There has been a global shift of focus and importance from the
International level to the Club level in the past years. The best Club teams are almost always better than the best International teams. Club competition is also annual, being more frequent than the 4 year International Tournaments. Because of this, International rivalries aren't as healthy as Club rivalries.
-The Messi vs Ronaldo story isn't overshadowed by anything in Football. Parity exists between the 2 clubs. They are always on the shortlists for Ballon d'Or, UEFA Best Player in Europe, and Best Player in La Liga. Both are Captains for their International squads. Both play for the best 2 teams in all of Club Football right now, and both are the best player of these teams. Barcelona and Real Madrid are part of the Greatest Rivalry in Club Football. Nothing compares to El Clasico. They are both young and yet are already in the conversation for "Greatest Player", "Greatest Team", and "Greatest Rivalry" of all time. Such polarity in Football hasn't been known. They split the world in 2. When I watch El Clasico I get the feeling that the Supreme Football Creator looks down and says, "They are getting it." At no other time in the history of Football have 2 such high caliber players and teams ever been pitted against each other so frequently, and at such high club stages. Although there is not much International rivalry to speak of between Messi and Ronaldo, it will come. I will give the edge in that category to the big names of Zidane and Ronaldo and the year 1998.
-Final Thoughts:
"The Greatest Age" is impossible to quantify with 100% accuracy. But what I do know, is that Football just keeps getting better and better. "The Greatest Age" is found when you felt the way I did the first time I saw Zidane. It is found when you stay up until 3:00 a.m. to watch your favorite team compete halfway around the world. It is found when you pile in cars with your buddies and drive to Colorado to play a team you've never heard of, and then beat them in a shootout. It is found when you just finished winning a game with your best friends and you run off the field because USA is about to play, and then dog pile each other in front of the TV when Donovan scores at the last minute. It is found when you can no longer watch those games with your buddies, but know they are miles away watching it too. "The Greatest Age" is the same at the kickoff of the World Cup Final, as it is at the kickoff to your child's first game. When Football is part of your life, you are always living in "The Greatest Age."
Van Basten & Gullit vs. Matthaus - 4 seasons (Milan/Inter) In.
Zidane vs. Ronaldo - 4 seasons (Juve/Inter) In.
Messi vs. C. Ronaldo - 3+ seasons (FCB/RM) In.Here are the 3 surviving candidates for "Greatest Age"
Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit vs Lothar Matthaus / Milan vs. Inter / Netherlands vs. Germany
1988-92
-Both Van Basten and Gullit played for Milan, both played for the Netherlands, and both as Striker.-Matthaus played for Inter, Germany, as sweeper.
-Both teams won the Scudetto during this time.
-Van Basten and Gullit scored twice in the European Cup final.
-They never met during the European Cup
-The Netherlands beat Germany in the Semifinals of the '88 Euros on their way to win the final.
-They almost met in the '92 Euro Final but the Netherlands lost their semifinal match to Denmark. (Let's remember they did beat Germany in the Group Stage!)
-Germany beat the Netherlands in the 1990 World Cup Group of 16 as they went on to win the Final.
Zinedine Zidane vs. Ronaldo / Juventus vs Inter / France vs Brazil
1997-2001
-Zidane was an attacking midfielder, Ronaldo a complete striker.-Juventus won the Scudetto in '98, while Inter was runner up.
-While both made appearances in the Champions League, they never met on this stage.
-Ronaldo being Brazilian never participated in a Euro Tournament.
-Ronaldo won Serie A Player of the Year in 1998
-Zidane won Serie A Player of the Year in 2001
-Zidane scored twice in the '98 World Cup Final, helping France beat Brazil 3-0
Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo / Barcelona vs Real Madrid / Argentina vs Portugal
2009 - ?
-Messi can play in any attacking role, while Ronaldo is found on the wing.
-Barcelona won La Liga in 2010, 2011, Real Madrid were runner-up both occasions
-Madrid won La Liga in 2012, Barcelona were runner-up
-Messi was the league leading scorer in 2010, 2012, Ronaldo was runner-up both occasions.
-Ronaldo was the league leading scorer in 2011, Messi was runner-up.
-The latter 2 seasons both players set new All-Time Scoring Records for La Liga.
-Messi won El Trofeo de Alfredo Di Stefano in 2010, 2011, Ronaldo got 3rd, 2nd respectively
-Ronaldo won El Trofeo de Alfredo Di Stefano in 2012, Messi was runner-up-Both met in the Semifinals of the 2011 UEFA Champions League, Barcelona winning 3-1.
-Both lost in the Semifinals of the 2012 UEFA Champions League
-Messi being Argentine never participated in a Euro Tournament
-They have yet to meet in a World Cup
Summary:
 |
| Johan |
Of the 3 surviving candidates for "Greatest Age," it is a very close race. I honestly don't believe we can reach an objective conclusion for which was the "Greatest." My biased opinion is that the Football of TODAY is the "Greatest Age" and here's why:
 |
| Diego |
-Zidane was always superior to Ronaldo. Both were "Greats" but Ronaldo couldn't keep up in matches vs Zidane. There was never any parity in this relationship. Not to mention in 2002 Ronaldo would become teammates with Zidane at Real Madrid!
-There has been a global shift of focus and importance from the
International level to the Club level in the past years. The best Club teams are almost always better than the best International teams. Club competition is also annual, being more frequent than the 4 year International Tournaments. Because of this, International rivalries aren't as healthy as Club rivalries.
 |
| Franz |
-Final Thoughts:
"The Greatest Age" is impossible to quantify with 100% accuracy. But what I do know, is that Football just keeps getting better and better. "The Greatest Age" is found when you felt the way I did the first time I saw Zidane. It is found when you stay up until 3:00 a.m. to watch your favorite team compete halfway around the world. It is found when you pile in cars with your buddies and drive to Colorado to play a team you've never heard of, and then beat them in a shootout. It is found when you just finished winning a game with your best friends and you run off the field because USA is about to play, and then dog pile each other in front of the TV when Donovan scores at the last minute. It is found when you can no longer watch those games with your buddies, but know they are miles away watching it too. "The Greatest Age" is the same at the kickoff of the World Cup Final, as it is at the kickoff to your child's first game. When Football is part of your life, you are always living in "The Greatest Age."
