The Duel: Roberto Baggio vs Johan Cruyff

@juventus1: Oh, I'm sorry that I forgot the year 1993. Ok it's one year.
And yes, here's only a small forum BUT I don't make my own opinion about Baggio AGAINST the whole world, since like most others, I don't think he is on the top 10 or higher.
Moreover, I don't think that my opinion make any sense to the experts or could change anything. I know that I'm only a football fan.
Perhaps, that is the difference between us.

Yea, its one year. But he shouldve won it more and in almost any other generation woyldve won it many times. Experts actually consistently claim hes in the Top 20 of all time, i just think hes in the Top 5. You guys are acting likw this is some outrageous claim because you obviously didnt watch Baggio. I read an article about a year ago wgete the experts said if Baggio had won the WC in 94, Baggio wouldve been 'untouchable'. So i know thats another 'if', but losing the finals on PKs doesnt drop you from 'untouchable' to not even being an elite player like you guys are acting. Fabio Cannavaro also said in his opinion Bagio was the bestof all time, and he was definitely the best he ever played against. Those were Cannavaros words.

I've seen Italy's matches in WC 1994. Baggio was decisive, scoring those goals yes, but his performances weren't great(except Bulgaria). Romario had a better World Cup. And about Pele and Garrincha? We have NUMEROUS ex players, coaches who put Pele number 1 of all time. I agree that Roberto is a top 25, 20 player, but top 10 never. He wasn't as successful as Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Di Stefano, Beckenbauer, Platini, Puskas, Garrincha,Gerd Muller,Ronaldo, Van Basten, Zidane,Gullit.

As Baggio was just as good as anyone in 94, and he was fighting yhrough an injury which is why he didnt track back as much as he usually did, but he was just as decisive as anyone. He deserved the Ballon Dor in 92 and 94 too in my opinion on top of 93. Yes he wasnt as sucxessful as Zidane for example, but as a Juve fan, id.still take.Baggio over him any day of the week. Theres no way hes not Top 10. Okay, maybe Top 3, but Top 25 is insulting. Hes easily Top 10 in my opinion, and the best dribbler and free kick taker of all time.

Best free kick taker of all time is Zico followed by Platini IMO. And in dribbling I would put Garrincha as number 1(or even Messi), followed by Maradona, George Best,Ronaldo(R9),Cruyff, Pele,Sindelar ,Matthews,Sivori,Ronaldinho. Baggio would be in my top 20 dribblers.

Cruyff was better than Baggio & its not that close tbh.

Roberto Baggio was a fabulous player but would do well to get in a top 15 players ever list, if Johan Cruyff was ever found outside a top 5 players of all time list that list would be ripped up & put in the bin where it belongs.... that is the gap between Cruyff & Baggio.

juventus101 wrote:I disagree that Cruyff is even Top 5, and i highly disagree that Baggio isnt Top 10.

You honestly haven`t got a clue then mate, no offence but that statement is ridiculous.

I can easily name 10 players better than Baggio, I can`t name 5 players better than Cruyff

I dont think you have a clue. If you dont think Baggio was an elite player in the Top 10 of all time then you havent watched him live. Few players had hos ability on the ball but also the ability to control a game.

juventus101 wrote:I dont think you have a clue. If you dont think Baggio was an elite player in the Top 10 of all time then you havent watched him live. Few players had hos ability on the ball but also the ability to control a game.

I don`t have a clue ?

I`m not the guy that has Maradona, Garrincha & Baggio as the top 3 players ever, that`s some bizarre behaviour mate.

Cruyff, Pele, Maradona, Messi, Zidane, Platini, Van Basten, Beckenbauer, Best, Zico, Di Stefano, were all better players than Baggio, c`mon man stop trolling, seriously, Baggio is not a top 3 player.... he`s a fantastic footballer but not top 3... top 10 flatters him in a big way.

juventus101 wrote:Im not saying Baggio was dominant, but he was well kbown back then, not only to italians, to be the #1. Stoichkov and Romario were amazing, bit Baggio was better. And i disagree that Di Stefano, Platini, etc were above Baggio. Baggio is ampng the Top 5 of all time for sure in my opinion, but again, its really all opinion. But to say Romario was better than.Baggio in the WC is ridiculous. Baggio scored one less goal than Rrio but was far more influential as a team player. Baggio shouldve won the Ballon Dor at least 2-3 times in my opinion not only once.

Im not even going to debate this with yu about Pele and Garrincha. You did not watch them live. You cant argue with someone that did, based on videos of however your basing your argument. Simple as that.

So you put Garrincha over Pele based on someone else`s opinion ?... its supposed to be your list.

Ps. I agree Baggio was the best player in the world in 1994 but he only inherited it when Marco van Basten was forced to retire in 1993, if Marco had not retired, Baggio, Romario & everybody else would all have been battling for 2nd place - fact.

Again, i disagree. I rate Baggio higher than Van Basten. I also believe Baggio is in the Top 5 of all time. Its absurd that you think he barely makes Top 10. I rate him higher than half of the players you mentioned.

juventus101 wrote:As Baggio was just as good as anyone in 94, and he was fighting yhrough an injury which is why he didnt track back as much as he usually did, but he was just as decisive as anyone. He deserved the Ballon Dor in 92 and 94 too in my opinion on top of 93. Yes he wasnt as sucxessful as Zidane for example, but as a Juve fan, id.still take.Baggio over him any day of the week. Theres no way hes not Top 10. Okay, maybe Top 3, but Top 25 is insulting. Hes easily Top 10 in my opinion, and the best dribbler and free kick taker of all time.

You`re trolling aren`t you ?... you cannot be serious.

Baggio best dribbler ever ? GTFO, there`s too many to mention that were better dribblers.
Baggio best freekick taker ever ? Maradona, Zico, Platini to name just 3 were all much better.
Baggio deserved the Balon d`or in 1992 ? hahahaa... Van Basten was far & away the best player in the world that year, hence why he also recieved the FIFA world player of the year.

You really haven`t got a clue have you ?

juventus101 wrote:Again, i disagree. I rate Baggio higher than Van Basten. I also believe Baggio is in the Top 5 of all time. Its absurd that you think he barely makes Top 10. I rate him higher than half of the players you mentioned.

I know you do, that`s the sad thing.

Van Basten was a better player than Baggio talent wise, was more consistent & ranks higher achievement wise too, none of that is even debatable IMO.

No im not trolling and i think its you that doesnt have a clue. You obviously did not watch Baggio so stop acting like you know what youre talking about. Im not even gonna discuss this anymore with you until you learn some respect.

juventus101 wrote:No im not trolling and i think its you that doesnt have a clue. You obviously did not watch Baggio so stop acting like you know what youre talking about. Im not even gonna discuss this anymore with you until you learn some respect.

Believe me, I`ve seen Baggio play, I`m in my 30s.

The reason you seen my comments as disrespectful is because I was LMAO at your comments because I wasn`t sure if you were being serious or trolling... to be honest it would be better for you if you were trolling because your overrating of Baggio is bizarre.

No its not bizarre. Its accurate. Because you dont believe hes Top 10 or whatever you believe doesnt make it true. Fact is, Baggio was PKs away from carrying that 94 Italy team to the WC, while fighting through an injury, in one of the greatest generations for football ever. He also used to score beautiful free kicks and score from corners for fun. He alsi used to dribble entire defenses for fun. He also averaged a goal every other game throughout his career, playing as a creative second striker/trequartista. The man is a legend, Top 10 without any doubt in my mind and i dont think that is even arguable. Well known as the best italian player of all time. Called the greatest of all time by Fabio Cannavaro. Experts have said he wouldve been UNTOUCHABLE if he had won that World Cup, which he lost on a lottery.

juventus101 wrote:No its not bizarre. Its accurate. Because you dont believe hes Top 10 or whatever you believe doesnt make it true. Fact is, Baggio was PKs away from carrying that 94 Italy team to the WC, while fighting through an injury, in one of the greatest generations for football ever. He also used to score beautiful free kicks and score from corners for fun. He alsi used to dribble entire defenses for fun. He also averaged a goal every other game throughout his career, playing as a creative second striker/trequartista. The man is a legend, Top 10 without any doubt in my mind and i dont think that is even arguable. Well known as the best italian player of all time. Called the greatest of all time by Fabio Cannavaro. Experts have said he wouldve been UNTOUCHABLE if he had won that World Cup, which he lost on a lottery.

If you think Baggio is top 10 that`s fair enough, I think that flatters him too much but that`s just my opinion.

However... there is no way on God`s earth he was as good a player as Johan Cruyff, Cruyff was a level above him & its not up for debate. Cruyff never got voted European player of the century in 1999 for a laugh you know, it was because he was a ridiculously good player, far better than Baggio ever could be.

Baggio greater than Cruyff

What a joke

ive  had chance to watch Baggio but not cruyff therefore cant decide on that , he stopped playing in the year i was born ffs