Football / Soccer / Calcio / Futebol / Fußball

Ozil

Mago Valdivia was a different player. Shame he didn't have the work ethic to back up his magic.

Gascoigne

Dennis Bergkamp

The thing I like about Joe Allen is, when he's on the pitch he doesn't look docile. He doesn't look vacant. Some players seem to be so naturalistic in their play, like they're acrobats or dancers or something. Just moving from one position to the next without thinking, all muscle memory. Allen always has this stern concentration. Like he's thinking all the time. constantly analyzing the game on a higher level. A strategists and a master tactician. Look at the way he watched Bale's free kick. And the way he celebrated when it goes in. He's anxious, he can immediately sense the flight of the ball is good, but he also knows that if it rebounds or is deflected, there's a whole other plan to enact. A new set of conditions that he's going to have to solve. You never really see him explode with delight. When a goal is scored, no matter how amazing the shot, he always looks more relieved than elated. Because he knows the job is done and the whole process is starting over. I'd be hard-pressed not to put Wee Joe in my All-Time XI. I think he represents my favorite footballing archetype: the professor, the architect. The guy who's running the whole goddamn show.

Lee Trundle what a legend

Lee Trundle what a legend

A lot of great players mentioned, but for "magic" -- ie, "I've never seen that before and I don't believe I've seen it just now" -- it's got to be Ronaldo Narario (Brazilian Ronaldo).

James Milner

Zidane for sure.

Messi, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Neymar

Young Cristiano. Messi. R10. R9. Maradona. Neymar. Zidane.

I've always been a fan of the playmaker type players which is why I put Iniesta in that bracket too. Just pure footballing ability. Some have come close, like David Silva, Fabregas and Ozil.

Ronaldo Nazario Ronaldinho gaucho Jay Jay Okocha Robinho Messi

Moussa Dembele. Imo very underrated. When he's on the ball nobody will take it from him, passes other players like it's nothing and with such grace.

We had to many of those threads recently.

Neymar... when the most important part of the season is about to start he disappears

Ronaldinho, Dennis Bergkamp, Zlatan and of course Messi

Gonna give a less known name from the obvious ones.

One of my favourite players of all time, luc nilis. Only scored beautiful goals for anderlecht and psv before his career got cut short at Aston villa with a horrific injury what a shame.

Ronaldo from Brazil said he was one of the best players he ever played with.

Just youtube his name and enjoy.

Ronaldinho. His dribbling, skills, and passing was incredible. He deserves the nickname, "O Bruxo," or The Wizard.

Guti by far

Juan Román Riquelme

Thierry Henry

Payet at west ham

Though we rarely got to see international football on tv back in the late 80s early 90s.. must probably say some of those players from what then was then Yugoslavia. Dragan Stojkovic had crazy skils. Though he didn't get the same career as others of that generation (Procineski, Savicevic, Pancev etc), think he had the best skils of them all.

Found this videoof his skills.. just look how he dribles Ruud Gullit.. one the best players and biggest star in AC Milan in the world at that time... just falling to the ground..

CR7 made me fall in love with the game. Absolute beast - speed, power, agility, trickery, touch, weight of pass, technique, leap. He was amazing to watch.

Wayne Rooney was another one. There is no type of goal he couldn't score - lob shot, chip shot, instep, outside foot, tap-ins, bangers, volleys, overhead kicks, headers. On top of all that, he could switch play like the best of them, he had a fantastic long pass. And that raw aggression matched with his strength made him incredibly formidable.

Showing my United bias here, but if you mention the word magic, then for me, these 2 especially are the ones who made me feel this way watching them week in week out.

For me Messi always tops the list, but even as an Evertonian, some of the things I saw Luis Suarez do in the Premier League I’d just not seen before in this country (started watching in the late 00’s), only just overshadowed his god awful character…

Growing up in the early 00s Ronaldinho was the epitome of magic. Every time he had the ball it seemed like he was challenging himself to do something crazy.

His peak was only a season or two but oh man, he was the most electric player I’ve ever seen

Lionel Messi. Literal alíen

I only know from where I grew up in Australia, but EVERYONE and I mean everyone loved Ronaldinho. If you had a shirt it would be a Barca Ronaldinho one.

Berbatov, Di Canio, La Tissiere

Of course, Pablo Aimar and Joaquin;

Brian Laudrup the man is simply God to us of a certain era as well as Gazza to have them both play in the same team was ridiculous.

Neymar, Cr7, Bergkamp, Maradona

Rai