In my relatively short life watching sport (10-13 years) I have been more than fortunate enough to witness some truly extraordinary sporting events. These spectacles could never come to fruition however if it were not for some tremendous players who continue to raise the bar in their respective sports. So this is my tribute to them....beginning with soccer.
Interestingly this was the toughest choice I had to make in compiling this particular list. However Iniesta is more than a worthy selection. At only 27 he has been a consistent fixture in the Barcelona team since 2004. In that time he has won a staggering five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues. Furthermore he has also been apart of the successful Spanish side that won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
It is his role in the latter two Champions League successes which has swayed me to select Iniesta. He showed huge composure and technique when his wonderful goal vanquished Chelsea in the 2009 semi final. Added to that his performances against Man United in both the 2009 and 2011 deciders were immense. So much so that it led to glowing tributes from United players such as Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes.
His technique and passing is so precise and incisive. He will no doubt be remembered in wider circles however for his goal in the World Cup final which separated Spain and Holland in extra time whilst he also scored the winner against Chile in the group stages to secure their qualification to the knock out phase.
With over 40 goals for the Catalan giants and 11 for Spain it his superb passing and tendency to excel in the biggest of mathces which makes Andres Iniesta such a world class player.
4. Ronaldo
The electric Brazilian has one La Liga title etched to his name as well as two World Cups and two Copa Americas. It is without doubt however that the 2002 World Cup was his piece de resistance.
The humiliating loss to France in the 98 World Cup where the weight of Brazil was on Ronaldo's shoulders haunted the national team and the striker himself. Brazil were also not considered as front runners for the title after an unconvincing qualifying campaign as well the French coming off their Euro 2000 success.
He was at the forefront of Brazil reclaiming the World Cup scoring a majestic eight goals. Indeed he had the ultimate glory of scoring both goals in the final against Germany who had only conceded once in the tournament before the final. It was the ultimate redemption.
On the club stage Ronaldo was equally as devastating even if he did not quite get the trophies to match. He scored 54 goals in 57 games for PSV, 47 in 49 for Barcelona, and 59 in 99 for Inter Milan. Added to that he also scored over 100 goals in his stint with Real Madrid including a spectacular hat-trick against Man United.
Certainly he was plagued by injury in the early 2000s which certainly led to his somewhat quiet ending on the global stage. Nevertheless in his prime he was a striker of immense quality and at times was simply unstoppable.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
To some he is a brash and sulky footballer not good enough to be mentioned in the same breath as Lionel Messi. To others he is an athletic genius who can do everything Messi can and more. What cannot be argued however is what a hugely effective and powerful footballer he is.At the still moderately young age of 27 he has three Premiership titles and a Champions League to his name. Added to that he has also appeared in the 2009 Champions League final and the finale of Euro 2004. This season he also claimed his first La Liga title with Real Madrid.
He is a goal scoring machine. He fired Man United back to English dominance in the mid to late 2000's. Ronaldo was in particularly scintillating form in the 07/08 season where he scored 42 goals in 49 games. For his new outfit Real Madrid he has already amassed over 130 goals in three seasons. This season he has scored 60 goals.
However Ronaldo has often been criticised for not having as much influence on big games. But that is also harsh on the Portugese star. He scored the opener in the 2008 Champions League final against Chelsea whilst the following season he scored the solitary goal in the quarter finals against Porto in Portugal from 40 yards out which set United on their way to that years final.
Furthermore he scored the winner for Real Madrid against Barclona in the Copa Del Rey Final last season as well as the winner at the Nou Camp which sealed the league for Real this season. Added to this he has also shown his nerve for Portugal scoring in the Euro 2004 semi final against Holland whilst he also slotted the decisive penalty against England in the controversial 06 World Cup quarter final.
Brash, arrogant, a sulk? What cannot be denied however is that he is a hugely influenital footballer who scores goals for fun, and there is plenty more to come
2. Zinedine Zidane
The mercurial Frenchman brought a flair and calm to a football match like no other. He is a World Cup and European Championships winner. He has won a combined total of three domestic titles in Italy and Spain whilst also claiming a sole Champions League success.This is a man who will forever be remembered for head butting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final. This is not how it should be however. His technique and passing in open play was second to none. Added to that he had nerves of steel particularly when it came to set pieces in crucial moments of matchs.
In the Euro 2000 semi finals he scored a penalty in the dying minutes of extra time to vanquish Portugal whilst he repeated this feat against Portugal in the 2006 World Cup semi final. Added to that his last minute heroics against England where he scored a free kick and a penalty in the dying moments of their group game in Euro 2004 emphasised his character and skill.
Yet like any true sporting great he portrayed his finest work for the grandest of stages. His two goals against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final fired France to their maiden World Cup success. At club level is there a more satisfying goal than his strike against Bayer Leverkusen in the 2002 Champions League final. He scored the winner with a left footed volley outside the box into the top corner. Truly the stuff dreams are made of.
Many indeed will look back to his 2006 World Cup final moment of madness. He should be remembered more fondly for his scintillating antics with a football at his feet.
The best player of all time? Unquestionably the best player I have ever seen. In his career already he has won five La Liga titles and three Champions Leagues. At 24 he is already the all time leading goalscorer for the Spanish giants Barcelona with over 250 goals. This year he has scored over 70 goals.
These stats don't do him justice however. His grace and guile on a football pitch is a sight to behold. His touch is so delicate he could dribble his way out of a telephone box with two American footballers trying to tackle him.
Many others in world sport have great talent though. It is Messi's mentality which separates him from all his rivals. He is not flashy, he fights lost causes as much as anyone on his own side and ultimately he is a devastatingly big game player.
He has scored two goals in his last two Champions League final appearances against two very good Man United teams. In the semi final last year it was his moment of magic that separated Barcelona from their great rivals Real Madrid. Added to that he has also scored in bulk against some European giants.
Who will forget his four goals against Arsenal in 2010. This year he scored five against Bayer Leverkusen. In 2007 he also became the fist man since Ivan Zamorano in the mid 90's to score a hat-trick in the El Clasico.
He is often rediculed for not yet producing for Argentina but despite not scoring in the 2010 World Cup he was still easily one of Argentina's best players. Indeed it his selflessness allied with his sensational dribbling and remarkable goal scoring nous which separates Messi from any other footballer I have ever seen. If he continues at the same pace over the coming years he will without doubt be the greatest footballer of all time.
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