How Good Was:

[peekay]

I just learned today that Trifon Ivanov died of a heart attack at age 50. He was a part of the legendary Bulgarian team along with Stoichkov. Proper character and old school footballer. I loved watching that Bulgarian team in USA 94.

There are plenty of discussions, documentaries, and articles on players like Pele, Zidane, Messi, Ronaldo, Maradona, Cryuff, Beckenbauer, Maldini, Dalglish etc - obvious legends of the game.

I was wondering if there is interest in this forum to have a separate thread on discussing players like Ivanov ( a tier or two tiers below the top list) or better than him, incidents, memories etc.

 

[Fabio]

I enjoy this idea

There were a ton of players in the early 00's who were phenomenal at the time, but rarely mentioned now

Nedved was my boy. Loved him. He was a complete midfielder, but seemed to just get on with it with little plaudits

 

[Fabio]

Fucking LOVED Figo as well. Now he seems to only get mentioned in articles about players who moved from one rival to another.

 

[leftpeg]

Going back to the 80s/90s I was a big fan of Pierre Littbarski. Really clever, skilful German. I'm sure we were linked with him at one time.

 

[Leo]

Carlos Valderama was a don playing for Columbia but was average enough at club level.
Still loved him.

 

[keniget]

It does sometimes feel like the achievements of Messi and Ronaldo have shat all over some of the recent world class players who weren't fortunate enough to have a bit of time between them.

 

[Bradley]

Ravanelli at Juve. Edgar Davids. Kluivert. Benedict Lazarazu. My spelling might be shite but I thought these lads were great.

 

[Modo]

Chris Waddle was one of my favourite players.

 

[doctor_mac]

Yeah @Fabio. You've picked a few under-the-radar players there. Pavel Nedved 2003 ballon d'or winner and Luis Figo FIFA world player of the year 2001 and Ballon d'Or winner 2000.

 

[gkmacca]

Ivanov always looked to me as though Robert Mitchum had been forced to play a footballer in some weird 'otherwise we'll arrest you' agreement.

 

[JurgenKlopp]

Signori
Bierhoff
Papin

 

[Le Chacal]

Papin also won the Ballon d'or!

 

[gene hughes]

Loved Ivanov in that great 94 team.

 

[SummerOnions]

I remember batistuta and Marcelo Salas being my favourites

 

[dantes]

That thing Bergkamp did to score against Newcastle was the greatest piece of football I've seen. It didn't make sense until the tenth replay.

 

[peekay]

Can folks post some videos of the greatest goals, compilations along with the player.

Hagi - I did not have the opportunity to watch a lot of his games but I was so impressed whatever little I saw. I remember him scoring a great goal in USA 94. Then I remember watching him in a Europa league final in the late 90s or early 2000.

 

[peekay]

I remember batistuta and Marcelo Salas being my favourites

A very good article about Ivan Zamorano and Marcelo Salas.



AFTER COMING TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 1994, Iván Zamorano and Marcelo Salas would leave a footprint on world football that would cement their legacy as one of the international game’s greatest strike duos, and Chile’s two finest strikers.

Though few at the time knew, they were perhaps the final generation – the last breed – of the powerful, unrelenting centre forward succeeding at the very highest level. Despite a number of powerful number 9s since, few have managed to maintain the consistency of the Chilean duo, let alone thrive in the stats-based world of goalscorers.

Their journey to Europe, though convergent at the highest level, couldn’t have been more different. In a nostalgic world where it seems impossible to have Zamorano without Salas and Salas without Zamorano, their early years, in particular Zamorano’s, gave few glimpses into what would become one of the great strikeforces in South American history.

For the full article click the link below:

http://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/10/22/in-celebration-of-ivan-zamorano-and-marcelo-salas/

 

[Mersey86]

Johan Neeskins was my favourite international player when I first watched. Jean Tigana was another I enjoyed watching.

 

[gareth_thomas]

Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Di Canio & Jay Jay Okocha. All massive show ponies but would keep me glued to the tele.

Can't attach videos...turns out I'm a little bit dim.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Most of the memories of such players will come from the World Cup and Euros in the '80s and early '90s, as well as the Serie A at that time, when it was at its peak. I'm not sure if some of these guys are legends but I'll just toss the names that come to my mind and let guys decide.

Since nobody has mentioned keepers, I'll chime in with a few to start:
-- Thomas N'Kono and Joseph-Antoine Bell (both Cameroon) - nothing went past them; unbelievable athleticism and saves. Most guys will think of Roger Milla when Cameroon is mentioned, but N'Kono's name almost always comes to my mind first.
-- Joel Bats (France)
-- Jean-Marie Pfaff (Belgium)

 

[doctor_mac]

I had a big soft spot for the Mexican forward Blanco, who was just wonderfully unpredictable. This wee vid showcases some of his more outlandish pieces of skill (who can forget the infamous 'Blanco Hop').

 

[Fabio]

Yeah @Fabio. You've picked a few under-the-radar players there. Paulo Nedved 2003 ballon d'or winner and Luis Figo FIFA world player of the year 2001 and Ballon d'Or winner 2000.

As I said, they're very rarely mentioned now!

 

[Fabio]

Alvaro Recoba. Brilliant player.

 

[Pesam]

I have very fond memories of the Romanian team from the 90's including Haji, Dumetrescu, Popescu, Lacatus, Radiciuou and Belodadici (who was an awesome CB). Most of them did not replicate their international form at club level but the national team was a joy to watch during several tournaments.

 

[Athens]

Who was the baldy Bulgarian geezer that scored that cracking goal against ze Germans?

 

[Pesam]

Who was the baldy Bulgarian geezer that scored that cracking goal against ze Germans?

Baldy lad I think his name was Lechkov.

 

[Athens]

Baldy lad I think his name was Lechkov.

That's him,



I love players that just look like your average ugly bloke that walks down the street but perform magic on the pitch.

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

Who was the baldy Bulgarian geezer that scored that cracking goal against ze Germans?

Letchkov.

 

[manwithnoname]

I'm not sure the likes of Pavel Nedved and Luis Figo belong in the same thread as fucking Letchkov.

 

[Insignificance]

Luis Enrique (Barca coach) was exact such a player.... I also loved Redondo.