Alright, so this whole thing kicked off the other day when I was just scrolling through some old match highlights. You know how it is, one clip leads to another. Suddenly, this question popped into my head: who actually was the best striker to ever play the game? Sounds simple, but man, it sent me down a rabbit hole.
First off, my brain immediately spat out the usual suspects. You got Pele, obviously. The numbers are insane, the World Cups… hard to ignore. Then there’s the original Ronaldo, R9. Watching his clips, even now, it’s just magic. The power, the speed, the goals before those knee injuries. Unreal.
Digging a Bit Deeper
So I started thinking, okay, what does “best” even mean here? Is it just goals? Because then you gotta look at guys like Gerd Muller. That guy was a machine in the box. Just knew where the goal was, bang, done. But football’s more than just stats, right? It’s about moments, about how they played, the fear they put into defenders.
I spent some time just thinking about the different eras. It’s tough, really tough. Comparing someone playing on muddy pitches in the 60s or 70s with today’s athletes playing on carpets… it’s almost different sports. The balls were different, the defending was different (sometimes brutal!), the medical support wasn’t there.
- Pele’s era: Less tactical defending maybe? But rougher challenges.
- Maradona’s time (though maybe not a pure striker): Genius, but different role.
- R9, Van Basten: More modern, but still faced tough defenders.
- Guys today like Haaland or Mbappe: Physical specimens, benefiting from sports science, but maybe defenses are more organised?
Honestly, it got confusing fast. You try comparing Marco van Basten‘s elegance and technique before his ankle gave out to, say, Romario‘s deadly finishing inside the box. How do you pick? It feels impossible.
What Did I Look At?
I didn’t go super nerdy with spreadsheets or anything, just kind of browsed around, watched more clips, read some old fan forums maybe. Trying to get a feel for it. Everyone’s got their favourite, usually tied to who they grew up watching.
My old man always used to talk about Ferenc Puskas. Said he had a left foot like a cannon. Never saw him play live myself, only grainy black and white stuff, but the legend is strong.
Then you got Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. People argue if they’re even pure strikers. Messi drops deep, creates. Cristiano started wide. But look at their goal records… they have to be in the conversation, surely? It just muddies the water even more. What is a striker these days anyway?
So, The Answer Is…?
Yeah, about that… I didn’t really find one. Not a definitive one, anyway. The more I thought about it, the more I realised it’s completely subjective. There’s no formula. Who’s the “best”? Depends what you value most.
Is it sheer volume of goals? Longevity? Big goals in big finals? Technical skill? Pure physical dominance? Impact on the game?
Honestly, I ended up just appreciating all of them. Watching clips of Eusebio, Batistuta, Henry… they were all incredible in their own way. Trying to rank them feels a bit silly, almost disrespectful to their talent.
So, my big conclusion after pondering this? There probably isn’t a single “best ever”. Maybe the fun is just in the debate itself, arguing down the pub with your mates about who you think deserves the crown. For me, personally? Watching R9 in his prime was probably the most breathtaking thing I’ve seen from a number 9. But that’s just me. Ask someone else, you’ll get a different answer, and that’s probably how it should be.
