The foz all time ballon d'or....

[lquiquer]

In no particular order name your top 5 best / most influencial players of all time

Mine:
Cruyff, Maradona, Pele, Platini, Messi

[boz-monaut]

I'd go with your list right there but I'd replace Plantini with Griff



and also Pele with Griff

[lquiquer]

[q-money]

griff, parisi, slobs, sayers, fletcher

[baldrick]

Bergkamp, Cantona, Zidane, Beckenbauer, Zico

[Premy]

Of who I've watched growing up.
Figo, Zidane, Xavi, C. Ronaldo, Messi.
Honorable mentions. Owens, Cantona, Pirlo, Ibrahimovic.

Limited footage of what I've seen from players of past.
Best, Pele, Charlton, Maradona, Eusebio
Honorable mentions. Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Puskas

[lquiquer]

What Platini did in the 80s was remarquable .... 3 times top scorer in Serie A as a number 10 at a time when catenacio was King in Italy and 9 goals in 5 games at euro 84 to give the title to France....

[The Dunster]

The youngsters here might want to Google Stanley Matthews. He's the best that England have ever produced and by a country mile.

For me though Maradonna is definitely the greatest I have ever seen. The bigger the occasion the better he played. Comparing Messi to Maradonna is like comparing Watson to Griff at his peak.

[furns]

griff, parisi, slobs, sayers, fletcher

This

[parksey]

from my era:

ronaldinho, zidane, cristiano ronaldo, messi and henry

i think everyone forgets just how good ronaldinho was at his peak, which isn't hard considering how far off the rails he went.

all time (from what i've seen):

best, maradonna, pele, cruyf, beckenbauer