L E G E N D A R Y
What is a legend?
Well, a legend is a person or thing that inspires a story coming down from the past.
I guess in football terms, a legend represents the very best of football. A model of the type of player you want to become, the ones we were told about growing up and the ones we will tell our children about. Most importantly, the ones that leave you emotional after you see what beauty they brought into the beautiful game. Legends are usually pointed out by managers, soccer experts, or fellow footballers.
The legends I refer to in this blog, are those who graced football pitches all across the world with their skills and talent. Some of these men were before and during a small portion of my time on earth, others are still alive while a few are sitting on a crescent moon alongside Michael Jackson watching football from a heavenly place.
To the ones who came before the ones we now call legends … The ones who made the beautiful game what it is today .... The ones who stand as statues where they made the most impact … Here are some of these greats …
Before Iker Casillas, there was Peter Schmeichel.
Before Zlatan Ibrahimovic, there was Ferenc Puskás.
Before Lionel Messi, there was Maradona.
Before Wayne Rooney, there was Pele.
Before Cristiano Ronaldo, there was George Best.
Peter Schmeichel – The Great Dane
1981-2003
Gladsaxe-Hero (1981-1984)
Hvidovre IF (1984-1987)
Brøndby (1987-1991)
Manchester United (1991-1999)
Sporting Portugal (1999-2001)
Aston Villa (2001-2002)
Manchester City (2002-2003)
Peter Schmeichel earned his name as a legend during his time at Manchester United. He has the greatest ratio in league history for the most clean sheets, won 5 Premiership titles, 3 F.A. Cups, 1 League Cup, and the most desirable, the 1998-1999 UEFA Champions League on his last night as a red devil. With individual accolades, Schmeichel was voted UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and World Goalkeeper of the Year in 1992 and 1993 and was recently voted “Greatest Goalkeeper of All-Time” in a Reuters poll. In his international career, Schmeichel is still the most capped Danish player with 129 appearances; he led Denmark to the 1992 European Championship and was the number one keeper for Denmark in the 1998 World Cup.
Who would’ve thought that someone who started their career as a striker would turn out to be the world’s greatest goalkeeper of all time. After his stint at Old Trafford, his shadow still remains, leaving Edwin Van der Sar with big gloves to fill. However, in terms of trophies won, Van der Sar is always described as “the best goalkeeper since Schmeichel.” That’s a legend. Interesting how some of the best goalkeepers were once red devils.
1943-1966
Kispest A.C. (1943-1949)
Honved (1949-1955)
Espanyol (guest 1957)
Real Madrid (1958-1966)
In simple terms, Puskás was a goal machine; he was able to set up goals as good as he could score them. Puskás had an enviable goal-to-games ratio, netting 187 goals in 177 league appearances for Kispest A.C., 165 goals in 164 league appearances for Honved, and 157 goals in 182 league appearances for Real Madrid. Throw in his 84 goals in 85 appearances for Hungary, and Puskás was unquestionably one of the most efficient scorers of all time. At club level, Puskás won five La Liga crowns and was a member of the team for three out of Real Madrid’s five consecutive European Cups. He also won five Hungarian League crowns and was named FIFA World Player of the Year twice. In spite of Puskás leaving Hungary, he was named the country’s greatest player of the last 50 years, and the Puskás Ferenc Stadion in Budapest was named in his honour.
Created in 2009, in honour of Ferenc Puskás, captain and star of the Hungarian national team during the 1950’s, the FIFA Puskas Award bestows upon the player from either the men’s or women’s game judged to have scored the best goal of the year. An award for the best goal of the year … now that’s on point, Puskás’ legendary status earned him an award for many generations to come. The last award was won by Neymar last year, which originated from a man whose career began about 63 years ago.
1976-1997
Argentinos Juniors (1976-1981)
Boca Juniors (1981-1982, 1995-1997)
Barcelona (1982-1984)
Napoli (1984-1991)
Sevilla (1992-1993)
Newell’s Old Boys (1993)
Maradona was often lined up in midfield but he was so skilful that he was found all over the field. He had remarkable dribbling skills and a deadly free kicker. The Rabona (a football technique) was popularized by him.
At club level, he won an Argentine League title with Boca Juniors in 1981, won the double (La Liga & Copa del Rey) with Barcelona in 1983. It was his years at Napoli that made him into an icon, where he won the only two Scudetti in club history and guiding the team to a UEFA Cup title in 1988-1989. However, it was at international level where Maradona earned his name as a legend and led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986.
Maradona was sensational and a walking tabloid. However, he was a legend in every sense of the word, and his impact on the game is absolutely immeasurable.
1956-1977
Santos (1956-1974)
New York Cosmos (1975-1977)
There are legends, there are icons, and then there’s Pele (this goes to show that no name can describe this man but his very own). Without question, Pele is the greatest player of all time, someone whose talent transcended the game. He is the greatest footballer ever to walk the planet. Well, with so much praise, I may as well just wrap this blog up. What? There’s more … he is a national icon, a global ambassador for the game, and a philanthropist who has used his fame to help those less fortunate than he is.
Pele changed the forward position with his ability of blending his playmaking skills with his deadly shot a great dribbler and passer and had superhuman pace and aerial skills. This allowed him to score 1,281 goals, and these are only the goals that are recognised by FIFA. He scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil, and scored 589 domestic goals in 605 appearances. When he came out of retirement to play for the Cosmos, he managed to net 31 goals in 56 games, and in the process, turned the Cosmos into an American phenomenon. Pele won three World Cups, out of four, 25 trophies while playing with Santos and a NASL Title with Cosmos. He has a list of individual and lifetime achievement awards which are just too countless to list.
1963-1984
Manchester United (1963-1974)
Dunstable Town (loan, 1974)
Stockport County (1975)
Cork Celtic (1975-1976)
Los Angeles Aztecs (1976, 1977-1978, 1978-1979)
Fulham (1976-1977)
Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1978-1979)
Hibernian (1979-1980)
San Jose Earthquakes (1980-1981)
Bournemouth (1983)
Brisbane Lions (1983)
Tobermore United (1984)
With a name like “Best” you had to live up to it. Best was one of the best wingers of all time (excuse the pun) owed to his pace and speed. His trickery with the ball won him fans and admirers all around the world, especially women. He was also a deadly goal scorer with 138 goals in 361 appearances for Manchester United, and finishing with 204 in his career for both club and country.
His best years were at Manchester United, where he was seen as a replacement for the late Duncan Edwards (after the Munich Air Disaster) and Best soon set about making his own legend at Old Trafford. He won two League titles in 1966 and 1967, and in 1968, he won a European Cup title and was voted European Player of the Year and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.
In Northern Ireland, they have a saying there that goes: “Maradona: Good. Pele: Better. George Best.”
Well, that sums it all up, and I hope you noticed that my post goes according to the Northern Ireland saying … “Maradona: Good. Pele: Better. George Best.”
PS. This blog post was more factual than I expected it to be, but a legend’s success is based on facts, and not on an individual’s love for him.
