UEFA publish "Best footballers of the CL era"

So of the past 20 years in the CL. The rankings are derived from a survey to players, managers and journalists. Here's what they think:

1. Zinedine Zidane
2. Leo Messi
3. Paolo Maldini
4. Xavi
5. Raúl
6. Ryan Giggs
7. Clarence Seedorf
8. Luis Figo
9. Samuel Eto'o
10. Steven Gerrard
11. Andrés Iniesta
12. Oliver Kahn
13. Andriy Shevchenko
14. Paul Scholes
15. Javier Zanetti
16. Alessandro Del Piero
17. Iker Casillas
18. David Beckham
19. Thierry Henry
20. Ronaldo
21. Carles Puyol
22. Edwin van der Sar
23. Andrea Pirlo
24. Didier Deschamps
25. Alessandro Nesta
26. Fernando Redondo
27. Wayne Rooney
28. Frank Rijkaard
29. Kaká
30. Cristiano Ronaldo
31. Ruud van Nistelrooy
32. Roberto Carlos
33. Marcel Desailly
34. Jari Litmanen
35. Peter Schmeichel
36. Filippo Inzaghi
37. Dejan Savicevic
38. Gaizka Mendieta
39. Roy Keane
40. Claude Makelele
41. Fernando Hierro
42. Edgar Davids
43. Gianluigi Buffon
44. Steffan Effenberg
45. Ronaldinho
46. Deco
47. Lothar Matthaus
48. Frank Lampard
49. Fernando Morientes
50. Paulo Sousa

This list is a bit biased. Overall its okay tho.

Xavi ahead of Raul

I agree with the names present, the order is a very subjective thing imo. I personally would change it around a bit. But so long as the right names are there I'm OK with that.

Regardless of order there are 50 fantastic footballers there.

Kahn ahead of Casillas

How the hell is Beckham ranked 18th ?

omarish wrote:Kahn ahead of Casillas

Casillas ahead of Buffon


Not trying to start a GK war, but I think Buffon should be higher than 43rd.

eto'o should be first won it 3 times with 2 different clubs

Is this based on performance in CL?

Zanetti 15th, Ronaldinho 43rd

Beckham ahead of Pirlo

Rooney ahead of Ronaldinho

Based on CL performances only

Raul should be first imo : \

Raúl should be first, won CL 3 times and is the all time leading goalscorer in CL

Why should Raul be first? Messi has as many CL knockout goals as he does and is much younger.

List is fine. Probably Raul should be higher but it really is small mercies. I think it has to do with performances and how far their team went in the UCL. Messi has accumulated an insane amount of goals plus 3 winners medals and a semi final appearance. Suffice to say, his name is gonna be quite high regardless...

Raul was more than just goals though. He had stand out performances without scoring.

Can't you say the same about Messi though? Messi has the same amount of CLs as Raul, but Messi's only 24. That's factored in to the ranking.

I see your point but that's like adding a cheque as part of your property, the cheque can still bounce :lol!:

In any case like I said these things are subjective.

Raul should be higher than Xavi at least anyhows.

Doc wrote:List is fine. Probably Raul should be higher but it really is small mercies. I think it has to do with performances and how far their team went in the UCL. Messi has accumulated an insane amount of goals plus 3 winners medals and a semi final appearance. Suffice to say, his name is gonna be quite high regardless...

LOL Scholes. Seedorf won CL 4 times with 3 different clubs

Zidane ahead of messi? messi 3 cl title, more goals assists better performances 2 goals in final and other historic performances

and i didnt even mention he is cl top scorer 3 times in a row (this season will be 4)

platini at his best

How did this reach the 2nd page before someone got outraged about Inzaghi being 36th?