17 Nov 2022 14:04:16
Given my last post regarding world cups was well received and invited opinions. How about who does everyone think was the best two players to never win a World Cup? More difficult question but it something to talk about. I was going to say one but it makes it more difficult.

I'm finding picking two hard enough, but will go for Cruyf and Hagi (Romania) . I was going to say Hansen as he was excellent in his day and would be an international legend if he had played for say Italy, Brazil etc.

1.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 14:37:29
Cruyff and Puskas, especially as they came so close and really should have won it. Interestingly, both lost to West Germany in the final.

2.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 14:44:47
Dalglish, Souness, Stanley Matthews, Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten.

The likes of George Best, Ian Rush or George Weah who didn’t even get to go to one.

3.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 15:36:45
All of the above plus the likes of Predrag Mijatovic and Dejan Savicevic. Seedorf and Davids, Bergkamp, Overmars and Van der Sar. Raul. Messi and Ronaldo obviously, unless they can this year.

4.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 15:42:05
OP, so many to choose from bro. I would say based on the great players who actually had the opportunity to win one and didn't would be Puskas, Roberto Baggio, Johan Cruyff and Karl-Heinze Rummenige. Oh I almost forgot: Gheorghe Hagi.

For those who never got the opportunity to win one at all nor even played in one, I would go with Guillit, Van Basten, George Weah, Dennis Bergkamp or Paul Gascoigne.

5.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:06:55
George Best.
Ronaldo and Messi, although the latter has one more decent chance.

6.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:11:13
For me Roberto Baggio lit up the 94 world cup but obviously didn't go on to win it. According to my dad the Brazil teams of 82 and 86 were amazing and Zico was the star man so I will say him and Baggio.

7.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:28:11
Aye, Zico, Socrates and Falcao. wow.

8.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:29:27
Eusebio.

9.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:46:51
Cryuff, Puskas etc were a bit before my time so I would have to say Marco Van Basten and Roberto Baggio.

10.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 16:49:16
Ian Rush and Billy Barnes.

11.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:00:57
Oli, some of those players did play in a World Cup.
Gazza famously in Italia 90.

12.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:33:40
There’s lots and lots of great players past and present who have never won a World Cup and then on the other hand there’s lots of average (in professional football terms) players who have a World Cup winners medal.

13.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:35:40
Never to Win a World Cup Rigsby

George Best, obviously for me. Didn't even get to go to one, never mind win the thing, as if that was ever going to happen playing for the GAWA.

14.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:38:05
Johan Cruyff and Zico.

Wasn't the question regarding who hadn't won the World Cup, and not who had not played in one?

15.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:45:07
Best and Cruyff.

16.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:45:15
Given my age, it’s impossible to look past Ronaldo and Messi, although I have a sneaky feeling that it could be a Argentina v Portugal final given how the tournament tree may pan out, which would be incredible.

Beyond them though, the England Golden Generation as a whole have to be mentioned. Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Ferdinand, Cole, Terry. Beckham, Scholes and Owen as well if you include the 98-04 period. All of these players were probably the best in the world in their positions in the 2000’s, and they never got anywhere close. It’s an embarrassing indictment of the culture of English football from top to bottom. Likewise, I actually think England have possibly the strongest pool of players to choose from at the moment, but won’t get anywhere close.

Special shout out for Michael Ballack, who surely has one of the unluckiest records in the game. Quality player.

17.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 17:56:22
Good shouts. It’s to win a World Cup and not play in one.

18.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 19:24:04
Although it seems fair to say that if you don’t play in one the chances of winning it are fairly limited eh?

19.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 19:39:19
To not play in one is still not to win one. Best, Cruyff, Eusabio and Zico are great mentions. Someone mentioned 82 Brazil team. Best team I've seen not to win it. Zico, Eder, Socrates, Falcao, Junior. A young Careca should have been in that side but got injured just before the world Cup. Also other wonderful players over the years not mentioned, Platini, Stoichkov, Neeskens, Riquelme, Batistuta, Gascoigne, Maldini?, Rui Costa, Figo, Prosinecki, Stojkovic.

{Ed025's Note - some great names there supasub..

20.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 19:41:02
Which begs the question then WDW does the fact players like Ronaldo and Mess, who have gone and to date never won it, with their knockout records being sketchy at best, fall behind those who either a) never went or b) never had a good enough team to win it?

21.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 19:43:26
Think how Dutch club teams dominated the old European Cup for several years from 1970 onwards, yet they missed out twice in successive finals in 74 and 78.
Those teams were full of legendary names.
And the Brazil 82 team definitely.

22.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 19:49:38
Messi, Ronaldo and obviously king of kings henke larsson.

23.) 17 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 20:28:26
That Brazil 1982 team was something else. Poetry on the football field. And if they had had a half decent goalkeeper and a competent center forward, they could have gone on to the ultimate prize.

The interesting thing about the 1970 team and this one is the number of No.10's they played with. Brazil 1970 played with 4 #10's (Pele, Tostao, Rivelino and Gerson) and the 1982 team played with 3 #10's (Zico, Socrates and Falcao) . Maybe that's what's missing in today's game?

24.) 18 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 22:59:57
Joe Allen.

25.) 18 Nov 2022
17 Nov 2022 23:04:29
Don't forget Jairzinho up front Aray. Finished top scorer on 6? I'm off the United page but I love these type of threads.

26.) 18 Nov 2022
18 Nov 2022 10:13:53
Paul McGrath, David Platt, George Best.

27.) 19 Nov 2022
19 Nov 2022 16:57:47
Got my wires crossed there Rigsby, lol.