The greatest footballer that you ever saw play live

[sussex_guy2k2]

A random one, but the best individual performance I've ever seen was from Adriano of Inter. Scored a hat trick on the day, but absolutely blazed through the opposition as if they weren't there. It was in his 2004/5 pomp at Inter, but I've forgotten the opposition.

 

[papajaff]

Saw Georgie Best play 3 times, absolute genius and a pleasure to see the great man.

I also saw Elton John play in a charity game at the Goldstone. But he wasn't so good. Anyone else remember that game?

 

[LlcoolJ]

Saw Gazza play at a charity tournament about 10 years ago. He was obviously well retired by then but you could still see the skill. Managed to run onto the pitch as they had just finished a match and get him to autograph my copy of his book. A really nice bloke too.

Best I ever saw in his prime was Bergkamp for Arsenal though.

 

[amexer]

George Best by a long way. Went past defenders both sides, two footed, good in air and good tackler. Only top player that could play in any position. First top div game saw was Palace v Man Utd and Best, Law and Charlton played. Got tickets from Palace keeper who lived in Hangleton

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Another Best, saw him lob Beal at WHL and saw him play against Marinello at Highbury, certainly not the best game I've seen there! The Case wonder strike comes to mind.

 

[goldstone68]

George Best for me.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

None of the world's best.

Candidates would be from a couple of shelves down...

Kenny Dalglish, Paul Gascoigne, etc

 

[1234andcounting]

Cruyff, relatively early in his career against an England team that still contained several of the World Cup winning side, including Bobby Charlton who also played for Preston at the Goldstone in the 70s.

 

[the slow norris]

Bobby Moore, in my first ever Albion game v West Ham reserves on 7th November 1959. I started the match as a 13 year old schoolboy West Ham fan and finished it as a Seagull, except we weren't seagulls then.

And thanks to Tim Carder I still have the programme View attachment 73034

And I played against the great Johann Cruyff.

To be fair, it was a friendly in Amsterdam between Amsterdam Hotels and London Hotels right at the start of his career with Ajax; he offically kicked off the game and although he had started to become well known in Holland none of us had a clue who he was.

Interesting, my 1st Albion match was vs West Ham (around 1988 I think?). I too went into it a West Ham fan, and ended an Albion fan.

To answer the topic, bergkamp at Arsenal, sublime

 

[Postman Pat]

Gazza by some distance.

Matt Le Tissier in an England B game, the guy oozed class. Would be one of the most valuable players in the world if he was in his pomp now.

Paul McGrath in defence, how a guy with no knees could be that good is beyond me.

Vicente in a Brighton shirt.

 

[wardy wonder land]

Gazza by some distance.

Matt Le Tissier in an England B game, the guy oozed class. Would be one of the most valuable players in the world if he was in his pomp now.

Paul McGrath in defence, how a guy with no knees could be that good is beyond me.

Vicente in a Brighton shirt.

Similar from me,

1 Paul Gascoigne
2 Matt Le Tissier
3 John Barnes

Vicente in a Brighton shirt

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Cristiano Ronaldo
Gazza

Edit- seen Bobby Moore as well.

Depends on criteria I suppose.

 

[Rogero]

Jennings, Osgood, Mullery, Coppell

I remember Roy Jennings. a very good cenre half for us.

 

[rocker959]

Bobby Charlton Preston v Brighton

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

messi twice last season

firstly away to Levante where he missed a penalty and secondly at home to Sevilla where he bagged a hat trick and broke the all time La Liga scoring record

their front three is unbelievable


the only player that came close was Dennis Bergkamp

 

[turienzo's lovechild]

oh- and I saw Kevin Keegans Newcastle side play a few times with Asprilla, Beardsley, Albert, Shearer, Ginola and Ferdinand...gloriously entertaining

 

[T soprano]

Ralph Coates, Leyton Orient
Noel Brotherstone, Blackburn Rovers
Pele, Santos & Brazil
(In any order)

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Ozzie Ardilles for Spurs against us in the eary 80's.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

It would be biased but the greatest players I have seen, and I've seen most from the 70's onwards, are Peter Ward and Mark Lawrenson. Actually, that is heavily biased.

 

[Sweeney Todd]

Johnny Crumplin, football genius...