Platini or Zidane

Originally Posted by Zorg

When they got knocked out of the World Cup without scoring a goal?

He obviously means Euro 2000, the last great international tournament. Zidane was exceptional in that competition as well, especially in the knock out ties against Spain and Portugal.

It is hard to argue with the goal scoring record of Platini, add that to his reputation as a passer and you have an incredibly well rounded attacking midfielder.

Zidane has a poor goal record for his level of talent, especially as he was often given a large amount of tactical freedom. However i always think back to the Madrid team he was involved in, with Raul, Ronaldo, Figo, Carlos, but he was on a different level as a player.

Have to look beyond the stats, otherwise the likes of Lampard could be considered the best player of this era.

Originally Posted by Rhodzy

Javier Zanetti

Great player and a great fella too, but his CV really doesn't come close to Cafu's.

Originally Posted by dodger

Cantona pisses on both

Cantona on the French stage is competing more with the likes of Dugarry and Djorkaeff.

He was never on the level of Platini or Zidane, or close to it in truth.

Speaking of great French footballers, Raymond Kopa?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nzz5M_EFYs

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Zidane was definitely instrumental at Euro 2000, albeit not to anything like the degree to which Platini was in 1984 and fairly poor in the final, but in 1998? When he was suspended for two matches, both of which France won, and quite ordinary until the final?

Apologies, I meant 98 and 2000. Perhaps he was quite oridinary until the final, but in the final, when it really mattered he scored twice ( both headers I believe )

And again I come back to my original point that France had some superb players back in 84, all of whom seem to have been conveniently forgotten, but as you said, Zidane was indeed instrumental in 2000.

Don't forget the Juventus side he played in also reached two European Cup finals.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Great player and a great fella too, but his CV really doesn't come close to Cafu's.

I think the CV thing also can be a tad harsh.

I mean, look at Roberto Carlos' CV in comparison to Zanetti's as well. (I know, ones a lb ones a rb but...)

For some reason Ive never thought of Carlos as a truly great player like I do Zanetti.

Also - the Shearer CV speaks for itself. (but obviously we lap that up)

Serenity, what you say is true. Ronaldo probably didn't achieve during the length of his career. But what he did during his peak, I haven't seen Zidane do it.

I think Zidane is also reverred be he got things right at the biggest occassions and best possible times.

That fantastic goal in glasgow, 1998 world cup final.

I think there are levels the truly great players get to, and the top top level has only been achieved by a few...

In no particular order....

Pele
Maradonna
Best
De Stefano
Zidane
-----------------------------------
Cruyff
Platini
Ronaldo (fat one)
Zico
etc...
-----------------------------------
Rivaldo
Figo
Rivaldo
etc...

Add in your own.

The French team of the 1980s had a fantastic midfield, one of the most creative and technically gifted ever seen at major international tournaments - Platini still managed to stand out, of course - but they had no real goalscorers up front (Rocheteau and Six were both wingers by training, which I think shows when you consider that they played in front of one of the greatest midfields in history and yet both players scored less international goals than Laurent Blanc), and their defence was no match for the machine that France assembled around the turn of the century.

Originally Posted by Stickman

I think the CV thing also can be a tad harsh

Of course, but all things being equal I'll go for the guy who's won two World Cups, two Copa Americas, two Copa Libertadores, three Intercontinental Cups, a Cup Winners Cup, two Scudetti, one Brasileirao, and the Champions League

There was a poll taken in France Football Magazine to see who readers voted as the best French player of all time. The results were as follows:

1. Michel Platini
2. Zinedine Zidane
3. Raymond Kopa
4. Laurent Blanc
5. Just Fontaine

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

There was a poll taken in France Football Magazine to see who readers voted as the best French player of all time. The results were as follows:

1. Michel Platini
2. Zinedine Zidane
3. Raymond Kopa
4. Laurent Blanc
5. Just Fontaine

Blanc at number 4.. yet no Giresse, no Thuram.

Well Blanc was a little surprising to me, but he played for top clubs in England, Spain and Italy, while racking up 97 caps (with an impressive 17 goals) and winning the World Cup and the European Championships with France. He also played for possibly the biggest club in France, Marseillle, as well as being part of the historic double winning season at Auxerre in 96.

He's got quite a CV.

Originally Posted by Fountz

Blanc at number 4.. yet no Giresse, no Thuram.

No Cantona.

Originally Posted by dodger

No Cantona.

To be fair I can see where you're coming from. Cantona to me was a wonderful player, and I do feel there's an ever growing tendancy to undervalue him.

We assume that most on here saw him, but actually he retired 11 years ago which may explain why the younger more giddy Fredsters downplay his contribution and get so antsy about Ronaldo.

I for one genuinely couldn't give a £#%&! if he stays or goes. Just make your mind up and stop acting like an attention seeking tart. And no, I wouldn't give him anymore money.. Not a bean more.

Originally Posted by dodger

No Cantona.

The French wouldn't have much reason to rate him very highly.

Blanc was a tremendous centreback, absolute master at reading the game.

Of course, he was not Baresi!

And on Platini it's not just the quantity of his goals that is impressive, but the quality and variety - he was as good a finisher as you're ever likely to see imo, as I said, Bestesque balance and finishing. Two very bold statements in one sentence, but how can anyone argue against it, particularly if you discount 6 yard poacher types from the equation?

From what ive seen of both players it's a score draw, both exceptional talents. I wouldn't say one is better than the other.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Of course, he was not Baresi!

Now he was a player !

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Zidane was a fantastic player to watch, an old school technician playing in an era of hard running atheltes, and if you start watching match with Zidane involved it's almost impossible to get sucked in by his sheer elegance. Because of his style of play, Platini didn't have this same magnetism; however, I still think he was was the superior player.

Platini dictated matches in a way that Zidane never did; his vision, tactical intelligence and range of passing were superior; he was a leader in his teams in a way that Zidane never was (for me, Zidane throughout his career - perhaps with the exception of his performance for France at Euro 2000 - was generally more the icing on the cake than the fundamental component of his teams); he was perhaps the deadliest free-kick taker in European football history; he played significantly more decisive passes than Zidane at both club and international level; and scored far more goals than Zidane ever did in a league which was tougher than any that Zidane played in (capocannoniere for three years in a row, if you didn't know).

I would also say that Platini was far more dominant at major international tournaments than Zidane ever was. He was the leader and creative fulcrum of one of the most technically gifted and brilliant midfields in World Cup history in 1982, and dominated Euro '84 from start to finish as much as perhaps any player has ever done in that competition, scoring nine of France's fourteen goals in the tournament, whilst still maintaining his function as the orchestrator in chief. Even Zidane's greatest performance at a major tournament - Euro 2000, of course - doesn't remotely compare with this.

Also, if we're talking about the best player of the past 20 years, then I think that's Paolo Maldini. For me, probably the only outfield player to have plied his trade during this period to have a very strong shout as the greatest ever in his position.

Mentioned on here a while ago that Zidane was overrated and got dogs of abuse. Zidane was one of the best players since Maradonna but don't think he's far and away the best player since Maradonna as many make out.