@Pmalek and cryptofrka yeah I think it's so silly to judge Pele and Maradona or whomever with any player from this or future generations.
Who knows how Pele would have played against van Dijk, or if he even could? Who knows how Messi might have fared against those tough-tackling defenders from 20/30 years ago? We didn't have the dark arts of Ramos then, but we had the literal bone breaking hard men. The Terminator, or the ball-busting (literally!) Vinnie Jones?
I am comparing them based on the clips we have from Pele and others from those times and the way the game looked and was played back then. The quality back then and the one we see in modern times is incomparable, at least to me.
But you are also right and it makes no sense thinking
what if and
what would have been.
There is a saying in my country.
If grandma had a di*k she would be granddad.
We will never know...
I agree that football from 40-50 years ago and today is very different, and it's very difficult to compare it.
The same goes for players then and now.
If we asked people then and now, everyone would have different favorites for the best players.
There was a lot less money in football before and more play for prestige.
Now is everything about money and statistics and Internet is everything.
Everyone has fitness coaches, nutritionists and everything has become an industry.
Before players was alone and simple played football
I'm sorry that this era of football romance will never come back and that clubs like Crvena Zvezda, Steaua, Nottingham Forest will never again become European champions.
Money is everything today.
Fortunately, when national teams playing, it's still possible for a small country as a Croatian to play the World Cup finals and that is why I like to watch the national team.
In the national team, the heart is still more important than money and that's why I believe that Croatia still has a great chance in EURO next year, no matter again very strong Italy, England, France and the Netherlands who also returned.
