City and United ready for ‘clasico’

Manchester may not yet be, as a local newspaper columnist recently declared, “the football capital of the world.” But for 90 minutes at Old Trafford on Sunday, it will certainly feel like it.

A global audience of several hundred million will turn their gaze to the “Theatre of Dreams” as Manchester City attempt to underscore their emergence as the rising power of English football against Manchester United.

A potentially titanic showdown between the two richest clubs in English football will see City open up a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League if they score their first away victory over United since 2008.

It is the first time since 1968 that City and United have met while occupying first and second place in the table.

That statistic lends weight to the view that the power struggle between the red and blue halves of Manchester is poised to become the defining rivalry of the Premier League in the coming years, if it has not already done so.

City served notice of their wherewithal to supplant United with victory over Sir Alex Ferguson’s side en route to capturing last season’s FA Cup.

United duly responded by clinching their record 19th league title before claiming a 3-2 victory over City in this year’s Community Shield curtain-raiser.

Since then the two clubs have been neck-and-neck at the top of the Premier League, before City edged two points clear last weekend with a 4-1 win over Aston Villa while United were held 1-1 at Liverpool.

Yet if City are to extend their lead this weekend, they will have to overcome United’s astounding home form, which has seen them drop just two points in their last 25 games at Old Trafford.

Ferguson’s team have not lost at home since April 2010, and Portuguese winger Nani believes that gives the Red Devil an advantage on Sunday.

“City have a fantastic team at the moment with fantastic players,” Nani said. “They are playing a lot of good stuff and it will be difficult to play against them. But we should not forget; we are United.

“When we play at home it is very hard to beat us. That is why we are so confident. With a record like ours, we should be confident every time we play at home. We have to believe we are going to win most of the games.”

City midfielder Nigel de Jong believes his team-mates will derive confidence from the fact that they are now looking down on United from the summit of the Premier League. “Everyone believes we can go there and win,” de Jong said.

“We’re going there as number one and the aim is to stay number one. We feel we can do that but United will be confident as well, and they’re playing at home, so it’s a massive game for both of us.”

Nani meanwhile rejected suggestions that Sunday’s game could be a title decider, pointing to the improved form of Chelsea, who face west London neighbours Queens Park Rangers in another Premier League derby this weekend.

“City are one of the teams who have been doing fantastically well since the season started,” said Nani. “But there are a lot of teams who are doing well and we need to be aware of them. Chelsea have been excellent for a start.

“It is too early to say it is just going to be about Manchester United and Manchester City for the title.”

Meanwhile third-placed Chelsea will attempt to build on their recent run of form against QPR at Loftus Road. QPR boss Neil Warnock insists his side will not be over-awed by the occasion.

“People will try and write us off, but the challenge of the Premier League is to try and do well against these teams,” Warnock said.

“Who’s to say we can’t do well against the big teams? There will be one or two shocks this season and hopefully we can provide it.”

Fixtures

Saturday

Wolverhampton v Swansea
Aston Villa v West Brom
Bolton v Sunderland
Newcastle v Wigan
Liverpool v Norwich

Sunday

Arsenal v Stoke
Fulham v Everton
Manchester United v Manchester City
Blackburn v Tottenham
QPR v Chelsea

 

© Sapa – AFP

Rwanda make a big moves in FIFA rankings

Rwanda made a huge move after a big result over Benin in the final day of  2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this month. Rwanda move up 31 places to number 112 in the world and 29 in Africa.Bafana Bafana have moved up two places to number 49 in the world and No 8 in Africa, lifting above Burkina Faso in the continental rankings, while the whole country is still shocked by the new rules which saw them missing next year competition.

But they are certainly not alone among the continent’s top 10 ranked sides in not making the finals – Egypt (second in Africa), Algeria (fourth), Nigeria (sixth) and Cameroon (seventh) will also not be there.

Cote d’Ivoire remain the best-placed African side as they lead the continental list, and are placed 19th in the global rankings, followed by Egypt, Ghana, Algeria and Senegal.

The biggest fallers are Benin, who drop 27 places to 119 in the global list and 30 in Africa after loosing to Rwanda in their final 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this month.

There was just one change in the top five in the global list with Brazil moving into fifth. Spain remain the top side in the world, followed by Netherlands, Germany, Uruguay and the Brazilians.

More news visit http://www.ruhagoyacu.com

City, United win, French clubs suffer

Both the Manchester clubs finally got their first wins of the Champions League campaign on Tuesday with United beating Romania minnows Otelul Galati 2-0 and City edging Villarreal 2-1.

However, both were not pretty affairs, United relying on two Wayne Rooney second-half penalties – making him the highest ever scoring Englishman in the competition with 26 goals – in a match where both sides ended with 10 men.

United, though, still trail Benfica in the table, the impressive Portuguese outfit maintaining their unbeaten record in all competitions with a 2-0 win away at Basel.

“They made it difficult for us,” admitted United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

“But we were in control of the game. I’m satisfied with the result. We had to be patient and work our way into the game.”

City’s win was harsh on their resilient Spanish opponents Villarreal as a goal in time added-on by Sergio Aguero gave them the three points and all but ended the losers hopes of progressing with a third successive defeat.

“I said before the game it was important to win and I think we deserved to because we had a lot of chances to score,” said a content City handler Roberto Mancini.

“When you play in the Champions League for the first time you need to improve game after game. We needed to win and I think tonight after this game we can do better.”

City got another boost as group leaders Bayern Munich drew 1-1 away at second-placed Napoli – a game more notable for Manuel Neuer letting in his first goal in 1147 minutes of action.

It took one of his own team-mate Holger Badstuber’s boots to do so.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes said he was satisfied with the result which leaves them unbeaten but thought they could have taken all the points.

“Overall, we played well,” said Heynckes, who is bidding to win the trophy for the second time after guiding Real Madrid to the 1998 trophy.

“I think that it wouldn’t have been unjust if we had won.

“The own goal is obviously unfortunate but we can also sometimes make mistakes.”

Real Madrid’s perfect start to this season’s Champions League continued as they steamrollered French side Lyon 4-0 to make it three wins from three matches.

The meringues have not won Europe’s premier club competition since 2002 and are desperate to dislodge bitter rivals Barcelona from their perch as European champions.

Goals from former Lyon star Karim Benzema, Sami Khedira, an own goal by Hugo Lloris and a fourth from Sergi Ramos rounded off a great night for them.

Real coach Jose Mourinho, a winner with Porto in 2004 and then Inter Milan in 2010, said that the win had significantly eased the pressure on them in terms of topping the group.

“With three games left, Ajax or Lyon can still win the group, but there is less pressure on us,” said Mourinho.

“Each point is a million more and in times of recession a million is a million.”

A bad night for French clubs was compounded by champions Lille’s 1-0 home defeat by Inter Milan.

A first-half goal by Gian Paolo Pazzini was enough to give the 2010 Champions League winners victory in their 100th match in the competition and a much-needed win for Claudio Ranieri and his players, who are struggling in Serie A.

“One swallow doesn’t a summer make but it’s important to win,” said Ranieri.

“The lads are working very hard, it’s a bleak period but I want to turn the page.”

While Lille will do well to compete for a knockout stage spot, Inter face a battle with CSKA Moscow and Trabzonspor, the Russian outfit impressing with a 3-0 home victory over the Turkish side, who stunned Inter in their opening match at the San Siro.

A brace from impressive Ivory Coast international striker Seidou Doumbia and one from Latvian substitute Aleksandrs Cauna, once of modest English side Watford, re-energised the hosts campaign.

“It was much tougher to win today than it may appear looking at the scoreline,” CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky said.

“But we played confidently keeping everything under control and didn’t allow Trabzonspor to create serious threats except one occasion at the start.”

© Sapa – AFP

Amavubi start camp for Eritrea on Oct. 30

Rwanda national football team, Amavubi, will start a two-week training camp on October 30 in preparation for the first leg of the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014 preliminary round qualifier against Eritrea.

The first leg qualifier will be played in Asmara on November 11 while the second leg will be played in Kigali on November 15.

Rwanda needs a win from the two-legged qualifier to African giants Algeria, Mali and Benin in Group H of the second qualifying round.

The ten group winners will advance to Round Three while the five third-round ties that decide who flies to Rio are scheduled for October and November 2013.

2014 World Cup, Preliminary Round

Nov. 11
Eritrea v Rwanda

Nov. 15
Rwanda v Eritrea

FERWAFA

Maazou missing after Niger qualification

Niger’s main striker Moussa Maazou is nowhere to be found after his team qualified for its first African Cup of Nations last week.

His Belgian Pro League side Zulte Waregem said today they had no contacts with the 23-year-old former Monaco player and were yet to foresee any reasons why he had not reported to base after the end of his international assignments.

The club said Maazou left early this month to his homeland to help the Mena wrap up their 2012 Afcon qualifying campaign, but had not returned or called since then.

The Waregem lost their weekend home game 2-1 to Lierse, as they continued reeling the absence of the Nigerien whom they acquired on loan from CSKA Moscow early this year, and would certainly release early next year for the finals of the Gabon / Equatorial Guinea 2012.

A source at the Niger Football Federation (FENIFOOT), who spoke on condition of anonymity because of not being authorised to address the media, told SuperSport.com that Maazou was seen last a week ago in Niamey, Niger capital, but that no one at the body’s headquarters could tell why he had not returned to his club in Europe.

© SuperSport.com

United, City play Euro catch-up

Dominance has been the domestic watchword of both defending champions Manchester United and current leaders Manchester City in the English Premier League so far this season. But Europe is proving a different story.

In two Uefa Champions League outings to date, neither City nor United have managed a single win between them, making Tuesday’s matches crucial.

Despite his side’s bright overall start, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has bemoaned recent defensive lapses.

Saturday, he was critical of Ryan Giggs for leaving the wall to allow Steven Gerrard to score for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw at Anfield.

“We have got to defend better. It’s exactly the same as last season,” said Ferguson, who was reciting the same mantra three weeks ago after United squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-3 home draw with Group C rivals FC Basel.

“We threw the game away,” Ferguson said of that showing, which left Basel in the unlikely position of group leaders with Benfica also two points clear of the men from Old Trafford.

Having failed before to get out of a group containing the Portuguese – who held United in Lisbon – Ferguson will not expect to get caught a second time as he chases a third Champions League crown after 1999 and 2008, as well as a fourth final in five seasons.

A first group win of this campaign on Tuesday is now urgently required at Romanian outfit Otelul Galati, already beaten both by Basel and Benfica, who face off in Switzerland.

CITY’S LEARNING CURVE

City are meanwhile learning the hard way that money cannot buy experience at this level as they tackle their debut season in the competition.

A draw at home to Napoli and defeat at Bayern Munich have left Roberto Mancini’s side desperately needing three home points against Group A tailenders Villarreal.

The Bayern loss not only punctured City’s recent cash-induced aura of invincibility but also jolted morale with the media raking over the Carlos Tevez saga after the Argentine allegedly refused to appear from the bench. But Mancini’s men showed in dismissing Aston Villa on Saturday that the players themselves are making light of the Tevez unrest.

Ahead of the Villarreal face off at the Etihad Stadium, Mancini said: “I think the only problem we had in Munich was the result. For 50 minutes we played very well and should have had two penalties.”

City will hope that Bayern, who are proving unstoppable in Germany, can bring Napoli back to earth at the Stadio San Paolo after the Italians’ strong start.

The Bavarians head to Italy after crushing Hertha Berlin on Saturday but will not underestimate rivals, albeit ones playing in their first European Cup campaign in 21 years. Napoli suffered a blow with a weekend home loss to Parma which took some of the gloss off their recent good form.

In Group B, many eyes will be on crisis club Inter Milan, European champions under Jose Mourinho only 17 months ago but struggling with four defeats in six matches in Serie A as they head towards the drop zone. But new coach Claudio Ranieri saw the side bag a 3-2 win at CSKA Moscow which went some way to making up for a shock home loss to Turkey’s Trabzonspor.

That put the Nerazzurri – winless in their past six meetings with French opposition – a point clear of French champions Lille, whose inability to protect leads has cost them dearly in two draws to date.

The two face off in France in their first ever meeting while Trabzonspor look to inflict a second home loss on CSKA.

In Group D, Mourinho’s current side Real Madrid take on a Lyon side they know well from recent encounters. The pair meet for the third time in as many seasons – Real sent them packing 3-0 in last year’s round of 16.

Lyon playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, just back after nearly six months on the sidelines with ankle trouble, hopes to make the date at the Bernabeu with youngster Clement Grenier out injured.

Real lead the way with a perfect record to date with Lyon on four points with four-time champions Ajax needing a win at Dinamo Zagreb to stay realistically in contention.

© Sapa – AFP

Maghreb pair set up African final clash

Esperance and Wydad Casablanca had 1-0 leads to defend in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-finals over the weekend, and both North African sides did just that to reach the final of the continent’s biggest club competition.

Esperance were heavily favoured after claiming an away win at Sudan’s Al Hilal a fortnight ago, but they were made to wait before running out to a 2-0 victory with two second half goals on Saturday.Youssef Msakni scored for the second match running seven minutes after half-time before Wajdi Bouazza settled the tie 3-0 aggregate with a strike in the dying moments behind closed doors in Rades on the edge of Tunis.

Wydad’s 1-0 first-leg win came at home, and they faced a daunting trip at Enyimba, but the Red and Whites made the lone goal of the tie hold up with a tense scoreless draw in Aba, Nigeria on Sunday. The People’s Elephant assailed the Moroccan goal in front of their roaring supporters, but the 2003 and 2004 champions were unable to overturn Pascal Angan’s last-minute header from a fortnight ago.

Next month’s final will be a two-legged, home-and-away contest with the winner claiming a spot in December’s FIFA Club World Cup, which takes place in Japan. The two finalists met twice in the group stage in August with both matches ending up as draws, so it should be an exciting climax to the African club showpiece.

Second chances for both
The Blood and Gold of Esperance won the previous version of this event in 1994, but since then they have lost in the final three times – including last year when TP Mazembe thumped them by a 6-1 aggregate score. Proving themselves among the continental giants has driven the side since, and coach Nabil Maaloul has modulated their performances perfectly through the long campaign. Esperance have scored 23 goals while conceding just six, and they have lost just once in 12 matches – a 2-0 defeat at ASPAC in the second leg of the first round after they had essentially killed the tie with a 5-0 victory in the opener.

Despite the lack of home supporters against Hilal after crowd trouble in the group stage, the hosts were seldom threatened by the Sudanese, who have now gone out in the semi-finals three times in the last five years. Rising star Msakni is again hitting stride after a hot start to the tournament, and he has five goals in the ACL after being given the opportunity to attack through midfield due to the injury absence of captain Oussama Darragi. The 20-year-old Tunisian international was a menace from the opening whistle, but it wasn’t until the second period that he beat Hilal goalkeeper Moez Mahjoub after showing his skill to burst past two defenders and finish strongly. Bouazza’s goal was another impressive goal in traffic to settle the match and set off celebrations, outside of the stadium at least.

They were unlucky not to have converted their chances, but overall I can say we played better than them.

Wydad coach Michel Descatel on overcoming Enyimba

 

Enyimba went through their first 11 matches unbeaten in the Champions League until their 1-0 reverse in Casablanca, but their previously vaunted attack let them down in the last four. Despite the depression of Nigerian supporters, who are also dealing with the elimination of their national team from qualifying for January’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations, it was a professional performance by Wydad that undid them.

The 1992 champions have made little impact on the competition since then, but the Moroccan Botola holders will be no soft touch against favoured Esperance. Wydad’s Swiss coach Michel Decastel, in his second spell with the club, said that his side would push for an away goal in Aba, and they hit the woodwork in the early going, which seemed to knock the hosts onto their heels. In the second half, Enyimba created a number of chances as WAC retreated into a shell, but Uche Kalu and Ifeanyi Ede missed opportunities before substitute Victor Barnabas spurned a short-range chance in the late going when it looked like he would put things into extra time.

It was a well-deserved result for the side said Decastel afterwards, who was nonetheless proud his team dealt with the power of the Nigerians. “Enyimba are a very strong side, and we expected their pressure in the second half,” he said. “They were unlucky not to have converted their chances, but overall I can say we played better than them and responded better to circumstances. The players have made us all proud.”

Morocco and Tunisia are generally powers in African club football, with their teams winning the Champions League five and three times respectively overall. They currently have two teams in the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup this year, with Club Africain and MAS Fez both on the inside track to also reach a continental final and make it a banner year for the two North African nations.

FIFA Ethics Committee takes decisions on ethics proceedings against CFU officials

The FIFA Ethics Committee, chaired by Claudio Sulser (Switzerland), has today (14 October 2011) taken decisions regarding the ethics proceedings that had been opened in August against several Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials. The proceedings had been opened in regard to apparent violations of the Code of Ethics connected to the investigation of the cases related to the special meeting of the CFU held in Trinidad & Tobago on 10 and 11 May 2011.

The Ethics Committee took the following decisions:

Franka Pickering (British Virgin Islands) has been banned for a period of 18 months from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) and has received a fine of CHF 500.

Horace Burrell (Jamaica) has been banned for a period of six months from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other). The Ethics Committee decided to suspend three months of the ban, subject to a probationary period of two years.

Osiris Guzman (Dominican Republic) has been banned for a period of 30 days from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) and has received a fine of CHF 300. TheEthics Committee decided to suspend 15 days of the ban, subject to a probationary period of six months.

Ian Hypolite (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) has been banned for a period of 30 days from taking part in any football-related activity (administrative, sports or any other) and has received a fine of CHF 300. The Ethics Committee decided to suspend 15 days of the ban, subject to a probationary period of six months.

Aubrey Liburd (British Virgin Islands) has received a reprimand and a fine of CHF 300.
Hillaren Frederick (US Virgin Islands) has received a reprimand and a fine of CHF 300.
Anthony Johnson (St. Kitts and Nevis) has received a reprimand but no fine.

The following officials have received a warning:

David Hinds (Barbados), Mark Bob Forde (Barbados), Richard Groden (Trinidad & Tobago), Yves Jean-Bart (Haiti) and Horace Reid (Jamaica)

Felix Ledesma (Dominican Republic) was considered not to have committed any violation.

The hearing of Noel Adonis (Guyana) has been postponed, while in the case of Patrick Mathurin (St. Lucia), more information is required and therefore no decision has been taken at this stage.

The cases of David Frederick (Cayman Islands) and Joseph Delves (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) were closed since they are no longer football officials. Should they return to football official positions, their cases would be examined again by the Ethics Committee.

Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has asked that Samson Siasia be fired as Nigeria coach after he failed to qualify the country to the Nations Cup.

Blackburn Rovers striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has asked that Samson Siasia be fired as Nigeria coach after he failed to qualify the country to the Nations Cup.

“When you don’t get the result, the coach has to go. That’s football. Siasia didn’t get the country to the Nations Cup, while (Shuaibu) Amodu and Christian Chukwu did and they still got fired,” said Yakubu in an interview.

“The manager did not do well even after all the power and support he received. He did not help the team.

“We should therefore look for some else to try his luck. (Stephen) Keshi can do the job.”

Yakubu dismissed insinuations that the players may have ganged up to sabotage the coach, saying no player would not want to feature at a big event like the Nations Cup despite the fact some of the big-name stars were at loggerheads with Siasia.

“It’s a disaster, a big shame that we will not be at the Nations Cup. The players will feel it come January when they will have to watch the tournament on television. They wanted to be there and so could not have played not to be there,” he said.

‘The Yak’ has not featured for Nigeria since his unpardonable miss in last year’s World Cup match against South Korea.

He has reportedly cut off contact with Siasia even when the coach tried to reach him when he took over the national team in November.

However, he insisted he has not quit international football.

“I have not retired from the national team and I will be available if I’m picked,” he said.

The technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will meet later Thursday in Abuja to decide the fate of Siasia.

Sports minister Yusuf Sulaiman’s pronouncement that a decision on Siasia’s future is beyond the NFF is believed to have angered the country’s football officialdom just as opinions are divided over the fate of the coach.

Siasia has received support from his peers and younger colleagues, but older coaches have asked for his head, saying he is not matured enough for the country’s top coaching post.

Siasia rode on an overwhelming public support to be named Eagles coach in November, but after the failure at the weekend, such backing has dwindled.

The coach himself has worsened his case by saying on a radio interview that he will not work under any coach.

“I don’t want to work under anybody. If the person doesn’t understand me and I don’t understand him, that becomes another problem,” he insisted.

Top 10 Best Ever Football Players

There have been many great players in the history of football, but a few stand out even among the greats. On this page we pay tribute to players like Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Di Stefano, Puskas, Zidane, Best, Beckenbauer and Platini. Footballers that deserve to be remembered as the best of the best. Here’s our top 10 of all time best footballers.

1. Pelé (1956-1977)

Obviously Pele (1940) is not the most original choice as greatest ever football player, but there is no denying his pedigree. His deft touch, dribbling skills and tremendous goalscoring ability, would see him notch up more than a thousand goals and play a key role in two of Brazil’s first three World Cup victories. He helped his club Santos win the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup twice. His finest hour came in 1970. Playing in perhaps the greatest ever World Cup winning team, Pelé was universally acknowledged as the world’s best player. In 1975 he joined the NASL, and became a goodwill ambassador for football in the USA. It’s a role he has been playing ever since.

2. Johan Cruyff (1964-1984)

Johan Cruyff (1947) was the star of the exciting 1974 Dutch “Total Football” World Cup team and the Ajax team that won a hat-trick of European Cups in the early Seventies. Three times European footballer of the year, he was by far the most naturally gifted European player of his generation, and probably of all time. His supreme technical skills, speed and acceleration made Cruyff virtually impossible to defend against. He usually played the centre forward position, but would often drop deep or move to the wing to confuse and draw out his markers. His tremendous tactical insight meant that Cruyff was one of the few players in this top 10 that went on to become a world class coach.

3. Diego Maradona (1976-1997)

Diego Maradona (1960) won the 1986 World Cup almost single-handedly and and guided Napoli to it’s only two Serie A titles. By far the best player of his generation, Maradona’s main strength was his incredible technique, which allowed him to move the ball with pin-point accuracy. Maradona was voted best player of all time in an internet poll held by FIFA, much to the chagrin of Pelé-fans, who contended that such a poll was bound to attract voters who had never seen Pelé play. The title of greatest ever footballer is probably a bit too much credit for a player who also had clear short comings. Since his retirement from football, Maradona’s life has been marred by drugs abuse and health issues.

4. Alfredo di Stefano (1943-1966)

Two-time European Footballer of the Year, Alfredo Di Stéfano (1926) is believed by many to have been the best all-around player in history. Di Stéfano was a powerful forward blessed with stamina, tactical versatility, and above all vision. He played for River Plate, Huracán, Millonarios Bogota, but was most successful in his role as conductor of Real’s symphony of attacking football. After having almost been signed by FC Barcelona, he led their rivals Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cup victories. Di Stéfano won caps for Argentina, Colombia, and Spain, but never graced a World Cup. He moved to Espanyol in 1964 and played there until hanging up his boots at the age of 40.

5. Ferenc Puskas (1944-1966)

Scoring 84 goals in 85 matches, Ferenc Puskás (1927) was the stand-out player of the marvelous Hungarian national team that notched up a four year unbeaten run in the early 1950s. The “Magical Magyars” won Olympic gold at the 1952 Helsinki games, but heir most resounding victory came in 1953, when they became the first non-british team to defeat England at Wembley. They reached the final of the 1954, but with Puskas picking up an injury early on in the tournament, the Hungarians were defeated by West Germany. Puskas fled Hungary in the wake of the Soviet invasion of 1956 and went on to play for Real Madrid well into his 30’s, winning numerous trophies.

6. Franz Beckenbauer (1964-1984)

This list of top 10 greatest ever football players is heavily biased towards forwards, as all these kind of lists tend to be. We make no apologies for that as it is those players that bring joy to the crowds all over the world with their goals and artistry. However, this list would not be complete without Franz Beckenbauer (1945). Nicknamed ‘der Kaiser’, Beckenbauer was the mainstay of Bayern Munich’s triple European Cup winning team of the mid Seventies. He also captained his country to the 1974 World Cup, held in Germany. An elegant and dynamic player known for his outstanding technique and tactical insight, Beckenbauer single-handedly modernised the role of sweeper.

7. Michel Platini (1973-1987)

Three times European Footballer of the year, Michel Platini (1955) led France to two World Cup semi-finals and the 1984 European Championship title. At the club level he was most successful with Juventus, winning the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1985. One of the greatest passers of the ball in the history of the game, Platini was also a master of the free kick. It was a skill which he had perfected using a row of dummies during training. Platini displayed a remarkable goalscoring prowess for someone who was nominally a midfielder. He scored 68 goals in 147 league games for Juventus, and was crowned top scorer of the Serie A on three three occasions.

8. Eusebio (1958-1978)

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (1942) scored an incredible 727 goals in the 715 matches he played for Benfica. His goals helped the club win eleven Portuguese league titles as well as the 1962 European Cup (Eusebio scoring twice in the final). The Mozambique born striker virtually single-handedly took Portugal to third place at the 1966 World Cup, scoring nine goals in six matches. Eusebio’s trademarks were his speed (he was a former under-19 Portuguese 400, 200 and 100 metre champion), quick dribble, and powerful and accurate right-footed strike. Until recently Eusebio was the all-time leading scorer for Portugal, with 41 goals in 64 matches. He was named European Footballer of the Year in 1965.

9. George Best (1963-1984) 

A superb dribbler of the ball, George Best (1946) was probably the most naturally gifted British player ever. A combination of lightning pace, perfect balance, and ability to produce goals with both feet meant that, in his prime, Best was a handful for even the most skilled of defenders. Best’s annus mirabilis came in 1968, when he won the European Cup with Manchester United and was voted European Player of the Year. In the years that followed his performances on the pitch were increasingly eclipsed by his problems with gambling, womanising and drinking. In 1974 Best left Manchester United, effectively ending his career at the highest level at the age of only 27 years old.

10. Zinedine Zidane (1988-2006)

Whether Zinedine Zidane (1972) or Michel Platini is the greatest ever French player is up for discussion. That Zidane belongs in this list of truly great players surely isn’t. The outstanding player of his generation, he led France to World Cup glory in 1998 and to the European Championship in 2000. He was a superb passer of the ball first and foremost, an outstanding playmaker that fed his forwards with great passes. But Zidane could produce goals himself as well, most notably the winning goals in the 1998 World Cup Final and the 2002 Champion’s League Final. Zidane was named European Footballer of the Year in 1998, and FIFA World Footballer of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003.