₦airaland Forum

J12: Xavi is nothing more than an over-hyped Andrea Pirlo/Paul Scholes/Lampard/Gerrard.
Fùck those awards!

If Lampard himself heard that statement from you, he would give you a slap on the face. Before you can say "what?", Scholes would slap you at the back of the head. As you turn to complain, Pirlo will kick you in the stomach. Before you even open your mouth to start begging for mercy, Gerrard will pick you up and body slam you.

J12: Lol. He is a Cameroonian. He knows best about their football players

I think I have figured you out. You are the type to say completely anything just continue arguing.

You must be a joke to ever agree Mboma of the J-League is a greater player than Etoo.

CAMEROONPRIDE: are you serious that's what you call extraordinary in Greece. Yes he was great in Portugal but not in Greece .
Patrick Mboma scored 48 goals in 79 games in Japan
With
28games and 25 goals for Gamba Osaka
23games and 13 goals for Tokyo verdy
Etc.....*lazy*
Italy 64games and 20 goals
France 83games 28goals.
Mboma played in better and harder championships with weak team. When yekini went in Portugal victoria setubal was the best team in the championship. And Portugal is a yeye league.
They are on the same level stop fronting.

You either know nothing about football or you are too young.

Portugal was one of the top leagues in the early 90s. Even the Belgian League was prominent then.

J12: They dominate a midfield in games, that's why they have a plethora of assists and goals. If Xavi was the heartbeat of his team, why do they have more assists and goals than Xavi?

Really? They dominate the midfield when they play against Xavi's team and they are not allowed to touch the ball and are used like training ground run-arounds volunteers?

Ibime: Negro shush!

Every Cameroonian would put Mboma over Eto.

Mboma is a leader of men. In his era, lions were truly indomitable and he scored hatfuls whilst Eto only scored one or two per tournament. And after he left, Eto did nothing and could not lead his men.


And I agree with those who say JayJay should not be in the list.

I am of the opinion Kanu should not be in the list either cos he is the only striker I know who went to 6 AFCON tournaments without scoring a goal (can't remember, maybe he scored 1 in his latter tournaments). Thats a disgraceful record!

The only 3 Nigerians deserving of the list in my era of watching footie are Yeking, Finidi and Oliseh.

As for those comparing Essien and Oliseh, khaki no be leather. Oliseh was the most technically accomplished central midfielder in his era in Africa. Wetin I carry my eye see whenever I went to watch Super eagles live which I did often, Oliseh always controlled the tempo of the game, never lost the ball and had a range of long and short passing beyond Okocha or any of his peers in Africa. He was peerless as a DM in Africa. Meanwhile Essien had many peers and superiors in his era, whether Yaya Toure, Momo Diarra, Ahmed Hassan, Aboutrika, Zokora, Appiah or Muntari and even Anthony Annan and Kwadwo Asamoah who always outperformed him for Ghana. So any ninja comparing Oliseh to Essien should stop it. Oliseh was PEERLESS on the African scene. Name one defensive central midfielder in the 1990s you can compare to Oliseh. I can put 7 or 8 names next to Essien.

Oya, go back to your oil bunkering. When we open a thread for "the greatest African footballers for their national team" or "the greatest African footballers at the African Cup of Nations" come back.

12large1: Mboma is not really a number 9 his a support striker yekini is a number 9. Essien to okocha, I like essien hustle and bussle but to be honest his not on jj Okocha level in terms of talent. You should compare okocha to abedi pele and not essien, I would still take jj even over abedi. A player like George wean scored only 16goals to win wpoy award, that can never happen in today football even scoring 33 would not win you wpoy, George wean was good but his year there weren't reallly many competitor. Overall is not a bad list my top 10 will be something like

Jay Jay is a true Nigerian and most of you seem to be judging him like Nigeria: His potential.

He had the potential of being the best ever, he never achieved it.

CAMEROONPRIDE: anytime with Etoo as a leader Cameroon won nothing, we failed to qualify for 2Afcon and 1world cup. Ask another Cameroonian his thoughts about Etoo . He is our pride outside but in Cameroon people don't hold him in their hearts . Imagine a child with great scholars results but very impolite , his parents will be happy outside but will curse him at home.
How many sanctions Etoo has received from Fecafoot.
Mboma all day over Etoo

You are not a serious human being.

If your assessment of great footballer is who made you the happiest, then it shows why I don't believe in public vote.

If I was to apply your philosophy to Nigeria, I would come up with a joke list like this:

1. Yekini
2. Aghahowa
3. Amunike
4. Amokachie
5. Babayaro
6. Kanu
7. Okocha
8. Babangida
9. Nsofor
10. Ikpeba

That is pretty much a rubbish list, forced on me by a rubbish rating process.

chucky234: Kanu watched matches live yet was rated 13th out of arsenal top 100 players of all time with his goal against Aston Villa adjudged 3rd on the list of Arsenal's greatest goals.

Why should votes of kids living in council estates who eat kebabs, fish and chips without any vegetables in their diet matter to me?

chucky234: Desire Job was below average,an EPL flop

Tha sarcasm flew over your head like the shoe aimed at George Bush.

CAMEROONPRIDE: 1) Roger Milla
2) Thomas Nkono
3) Theophil Abega
4)Emanuel Kunde
5)Patrick Mboma
6)Stephen Tataw/Omam Biyik/Makanaki
7)Rigobert Song Bahanag
Samuel Eto'o Fils
9)Geremi Sorel Njitap/Marc vivien Foe
10) Idriss Carlos Kameni/Pierre Wome Nlend.

You will put Mboma over Etoo?

May Sango punish you! Yeye man.

J12, you see why I opinions don't matter much?

Jarus: That said, I don't fully agree with Saga's list. I agree with Top 3. I agree with 90% of the list, but not ranking. He underrated Kanu and JJ. Kanu should be in Top 10, and JJ not more than 13. It is not for nothing to be unanimously agreed as most skilful African player ever. All lists of Top 10 African footballers ever I have come across, even from Naija-rival media like RSA, have either Kanu or JJ in Top 10.

Kanu top 10? Abeggggiiii.

Kanu the striker wey fit only score 12 goals in 87 games for Naija. Na im sublime skills and game-changing moments let him dey my list.

JJ being unproductive in earlier parts of his career killed him. Definitely the most skilful player from Africa but the people ahead of him got results.

I like entertainment but I love tangible contribution better. JJ started doing that at Fenebache. At his peak at Bolton. If he had given me what he gave Bolton and Nigeria for 6 years, he world be in the top 10. If he gave it for like 8+ years, na top 5.

[quote author=baby-boy]Zaki Badou of Morocco is a far better Goal keeper than Nkono, Bell and Rufai

Actually your list proves that you dont know much about African football...

Cameroun's greatest captain Steve Tawtaw..... and you wrote Rigobet Song? what happened Emmanuel Kunde, François Omam-Biyik, Cyril Makanaky, Patrik Mboma, Théophile Abega

Morocco... Zaki, Abdelkrim Merry "Krimau", Abdulaziz Boudebala, ....

Algeria..... Djamel Menad


CIV....Oumar Ben Salah, Youssouf Fofana, Abdoulaye Traoré[/quote]Yeah, I forgot Desire-Job as well. My apologies.




..............Rubbish!

J12: Thank God you came back to clarify.
Sagamite you don see am?

No 1, not every opinion is proof.

No 2, I will take joy in finding out more.

CAMEROONPRIDE: I won't quote everything but you are disrespecting MBOMA ,thanks j12 for your support, Mboma is indeed a GOD in Cameroon.
2 Afcon(each time top scorer)
1olympic
And I don't see how yekini's stats are different abi for 4goals you crucify the guy?both played in yeye league. Find a place for MBOMA

List your top 10 Camerounian footballers of all time.

Remember I am going to scrutinize it.

kramer: OK I agree, and that's why Okocha is better than Essien. Shikena. End of discussion.

If my team was a goal down I would put in Okocha over Essien any day any time. Not to say Essien isn't world class. The man can also play

Essien played at the highest level and as a key man up to world standard.

Okocha played at above average level as a key man up to very high standards.

If Essien was in you team, you would not be a goal down in the first place and your players will not be tired as Essien is like 3 men on the pitch (one in defence, one in midfield and one in attack) doing all the work.

solomon111: 1)How can anybody compare the overhyped essien to j.j okocha or even sunday oliseh?
2)how can anybody compare patrick mboma(good but not spectacular) to rashidi yekini.
Blasphemy all over this thread.

Oliseh ko, Oliha ni.

poshdiva: I beg to disagree. Not every guy wants a relationship. Some just want to be friends. If as a lady you jump the gun and start having feelings when the guy has neither asked you out nor indicated interest then you are fooling yourself. A lady might have feelings but she might never show them until the gentleman does so as not to potray herself as being desperate.

You women are professionals at stating interests without commiting yourself or taking on any risk. You are like Navy Seals-trained Marines in doing that.

Let the guy take all the risk "just-in-case", so I have nothing to lose when or if I want it to end.

I am sure professionals can lead a man to the river and drink without looking desperate.

What really holds you back is not risk of looking desperate, it is the pleasure of seeing men do everything while you sit looking pretty and feeling powerful.

I am Dr Saga, you can't fooool me. I have a PhD in Womantology.

Jarus: Drogba is CIV's all-time highest goal scorer with whopping 59 goals!

Did she not check this fact before asking that question?

kramer: Yes you're right there but that doesn't apply in all cases. Weah, shearer and ian wright are examples of players who got better with age.

However when you buy a player, you don't just base it on current form, you look at their longevity too

This reflected on Henry's price, unlike the others his prime advantage was his speed (which goes down the older you get) though he was still a clinical finisher as ever

How would Barcolona or Arsenal know if Henry would not be another Weah?

He was at his peak when he was sold, that means he would be sold for shytloads.

Ibrahimovic was 28 when he was sold for £50m, 30 when he was sold for £20m and currently one of the highest paid footballers at 31.

Look, the moral of the story is that it is almost useless to be saying this player cost more so he is better. You just dig a hole for yourself. Football is not about silly stats, it is about who can play it well at the highest level.

Clips of the greatest:

Samuel Etoo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QA5NfsryOW8


George Weah


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy8jENGKW9c


Didier Drogba


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu2yMbVp7Cc

Andre Uweh: Well done Sagamite for this comprehensive.
Is it possible to fit in this players into that list.
Muda Lawal: Played in nations cup 76, 78, 80, 82 and 84. Won it in 1980, second in 84 and bronze in 76.
Theofil Abega. Captained Cameroun in world cup 82, won nations cup in 84 and played in 86 finals.
Henry Nwosu won nations cup in 80, played in 82, 84 silver and 88 silver.
What do you think Sagamite?.

Abega was my no 31, the player I had to drop last.

I think the others will be in top 100.

kramer: Ogbeni yii... Henry was sold at the age of 30yrs... Dude only had 2yrs left on his clock... How on earth would someone have paid 50mill for a 30yr old

Besides well all know that price was overinflated thanks to chelski.

But the guy was banging in goals.

Weah became WPoY at 34.

So we don't judge on age, we judge on current form.

J12: Lol. Going by way you judge greats, then Yakubu should be included in your list.

He would be in the top 100. No doubt!

https://www.nairaland.com/1145069/nigeria-50-greatest-footballers-all/7#13712999

Enigma: In the 70s not many African players at all made it to Europe; the world cup every four years allowed only one African team.

Honestly, seeing these guys play in the conditions that prevailed when they did and comparing them to the modern era only increases my respect for them.

There are loads of others: in Nigeria alone you still have Usiyen, Odiye etc etc etc

I agree and I am lenient because of that. That is why you have the likes of Chitalu, Belloumi and Odegbami on the list.

But I really will only be lenient with the best of the best with exceptional ability.

Enigma: I haven't read the whole thread and may have missed something or some of the arguments. However, I think it may help if the OP were to set out criteria for people to make judgments. For instance, there have been great African players who were not really known on the world stage as such and would easily be overlooked.

For me, in terms of pure skill, I would rate Henry Nwosu as one of the very best players Africa has ever produced. Then you have great goalkeepers like Okala (Naija), Ogedegbe (Nigeria), El Kramy Ahmed (Egypt), Nkono (Cameroun) and behind them Bell (Cameroun), El Batal (Egypt) Attouga (Tunisia) {{{and half-jokingly Pondamali (Tanzania}}).

Great defenders who were not really on the world stage would include Sofoluwe (Nigeria), Chukwu (Nigeria) etc.

Great midfielders like Kunde, Mbou Mbou (both Cameroun), one dark skinned (Algerian/Moroccan?) chap whose name eludes me now; even Yousef Fofana though maybe more a striker really (CIV), Abdul Razak (Ghana).

I simply mention these names just to highlight the fact that there have been great players not known as such on the global scene. Obviously, there are great players in the more modern era and who are known on the world stage such as those that may have already been mentioned by others like Milla (Cameroun), Okocha (Nigeria) etc etc so no suprises that they seem to be overlooked in this post. I do not even claim that the players I have mentioned would necessarily be in top 30 on agreed criteria but just that there have been great players that might not be easily remembered. Incidentally, the Algerian teams of the late 70s and 80s had quite good players e.g. Belloumi, Bensaoulla Tedj etc etc

https://www.nairaland.com/1176158/sagamites-top-30-greatest-african/11#14035645

If you are not at the world stage while your peers are going to the world stage and being outstanding, the you would struggle to claim greatness over them most times.

Ibime: We judge our greats at what they do at AFCONS, OLYMPICS AND WORLD CUPS!

You claim the Egyptians are a team success yet Hassan was the heartbeat of the midfield that dictated their tempo and their teamplay. He was the Xavi of Egypt!

Teamwork you say, but he scored 4 goals in 6 games in one tournament, winning INDIVIDUAL accolade as player of the tournament twice!

We do judge players on their exploits in Africa, that's why Kalusha Bwalya and Segun Odegbami and Zaire 1970 players are on the list!

On the African scene, there are none greater than Ahmed Hassan!

No!

I judge my greats by:

- The ability in their position.

- What level they played at at both club and country.

- How essential they were to the teams at that level.

Try that approach and see how it would never fail. There have been so many approaches here that once I stress test, the author himself start seeing the failure.

With your approach Etoo, Weah or Drogba would not be smelling first 10.

J12: Lol. Very funny
1998-2004 was a golden era in African football. We had so many great players during this era, from the Mustafa Hadji's to Eto's. . .

Back to Mboma. . . Yes, the Portuguese league was a mickey mouse league back then. Also, why couldn't he replicate the form in another season or another top club?

If you ask Cameroonians to list their top three greatest footballers, they will definitely include Mboma.

You are really chatting opata!

Mboma would be in the top 3 of camerounians? With Etoo, Milla, Abega, N'kono, Song, Oman Biyik, Geremi, even Olembe-Olembe? You must be having a laugh.

Tell me what Mboma did in the Mickey mouse clubs he played for? And where he replicated it? (We are assuming Portuguese league was Mickey Mouse then)

I love the way you through conjectures just to keep arguing ......not. This is the Mickey Mouse league:

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method1/crank1994.html

http://kassiesa.home.xs4all.nl/bert/uefa/data/method1/crank1995.html

The league that was more competitive than the one the ECL winners, Ajax, were in?

A few of the greats are here. What a classic match.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QuJiHtJLDA

Jarus: I think Yekini was more prolific than Mboma.

For country, Yekinni 37 goals in 57 matches, Mboma 33 goals in 58 matches. For club, he also trounced Mboma. Mboma was never highest goal scorer in any league. Both inspired their countries to ANC titles. Yekinni was ahead.

It really is not rocket science.

J12: Mboma was God in the cameroonian team for four good years, Inspiring them to two AFC titles and an Olympic victory.
Yekini scoring in mickey mouse league doesn't mean shyt.
You should ask cameroonians how they regard this nigga.

*Where is cameroonpride*?

Mickey mouse league that was top 6 in Europe? While playing with mediocre players?

Really?

If you tell camerounians to list their top 5 players of all time, you think Mboma would make the list?

Ibime: Hehehe. You made a pig's ear of your list.

I would easily remove Kameni and Rigobert Song from your list straightaway.

I watch La Liga every week. Kameni is a disaster.

The keeper regarded as one of the world's best is a disaster?

Are you a Camerounian with some beef too?

When he was in his prime, he was one of the best 3 keepers in the world for many seasons. I don't know about now.

Ibime: Forget about the rest, you omitted the greatest African midfielder of all time, Ahmed Hassan who won AFCON 4 times and was voted player of the tournament twice.

I don't do tournament hype! I am sorry.

To some Chris Katongo is one of the greatest because he was outstanding in one tournament, his team won the cup and he was THE CAPTAIN!

Such is not at my level.

North Africans are known to play team football and are good at it becuase majority play locally and understand themselves. They rarely have exceptional individual players, hence why there are very few of them in my list.

So Hassan winning 4 AFCONs does not mean much to me. That said, he would enter top 50, but he would not be in my top 30.

Ibime: What's worse, you omitted the best and most lethal African striker from 1998 to 2004, Patrick Mboma!

If that was true (which it isn't) then that must have been a very poor footballing period for Africa.

Reference: Kai, kai, kai. Compare what to what. Henry to the mighty Raul Gonzalez, a legend and top marksman at the 9-time european champions. Leading champions league hitman. (hope that midget hasn't dethroned him). Kai, kai, kai.

Henry does more on the pitch than Raul.

Henry not only does more, Henry creates his goals all by himself. He can change the game in favour of his team single-handedly.

Comparing Henry to Raul is like comparing Ronaldinho to Van Basten or comparing Baggio to Inzaghi. We all know who would win that, even though they are all great players.

Henry, Ronaldinho and Baggio carry their teams. They bring extra. One batch can score, another batch cannot only score, they can also be the entire game.

Ibime: Carlos Kameni?

Saga you must be high!!

Where is Ahmed Hassan, Mohamed Aboutrika, Mustafa Hadji?

Where is Patrick Mboma who did more for Cameroun than Eto could ever manage?

Where is Japhet N'doram of Chad? What of Titi Camara of Guinea?

Rigobert Song ahead of Sunday Oliseh?

Saga, you should be shot for including Carlos Kameni!!!

The same Kameni that was regarded as one of the best keepers (if not the best) in the world at his peak?

The same one that played 222 times for a top Spanish club and who no one could score against in 497 minutes?

You need Ijebu garri in your life. Start using your kidnapping income to travel to Sagamu for a staple diet.

Who would Camara and N'Doram displace on the list?

J12: What other reason do you have for inserting Yekinis name in your list if not for the fact that he was the highest goal scorer in the 1994 AFC and that he subsequently won the APY award for that year? Other achievements of his are highly subjective. Patrick Mboma achieved that same feat in the 2000 AFC tournament but he wasn't included in your list.
You're now saying he should be a Cameroonian great and not an African great like you made Rashidi even though Mboma achieved more than him?

Yekini was a great striker, that was God of Nigeria when Nigeria was at its best. A Nigerian team that was one of the best ever to come out of Africa.

He carried the team. Once you hear his name in the team, you breathe a sign of relief and say "At least we will score, the opposition have to pray they score more".

He was a player scoring 90 goals in 108 matches. Even scoring 34 goals in 32 games in one season. Those are fairytale levels of scoring.

He was skilful and could score dribbling goals or spectacular banana shot mixed with agbalumo curve goals. And he did this for many years.

Every team he went to, he was the star man! He was top scorer (with a shyt team) in the Portuguese league in a period that league was one of the top 6 in Europe.

He was African footballer of the year and highest goal scorer at ANC.

He has tremendous scoring rate and is Nigeria's all time highest goalscorer.

Mboma does not compare. What did Mboma achieve more than him?

Irunmole: Dear son, it was in the year of our Lord 1978, long before you were born. Satisfied? Now go and read your proper history book of Great African Footballers.

So his name was Karim Abdul Razak and he played for Ghana in that year?

Please tell me that story.

Maybe he also turned into Amunike in the 90s according to your football knowledge.

Okalla na real winch.

Irunmole: Son, listen when daddy is talking as you cannot buy grey hair and life experience with money. Stop watching those silly stuff on tv. Emmanuel Okala- Goalkeeper- Nigeria, was the African footballer of the year in 1978. If you dont read your history books vey well then i'll stop paying your school fees.

Ah, Daddy, sorry o! I did not know.

So was Okalla's other name Karim Abdul Razak and he played for Ghana in 1978 winning the AFoY under that second name?

Please tell me the story. I like stories.

Irunmole: Son, go and read your history book and stop watching cartoon network and tom and jerry.

WHEN DID OKALLA WIN AFoY?

Or was it Alao-Akala that won it?


TELL ME!

I wait!

ballabriggs: Why you no go captain team see as e easy. So it is beans to win four African titles and three consecutive titles as captain? So Rigobert Song achieved what in your opinion? It was because he was captain of the Cameroonian golden team that gave him his popularity and it does not take away his greatness.

Hassan was an exceptional player in the African game and a significant part of Egypt's golden years.

Stop chatting shyt! His captaincy means jackshyt to me.

What is significant about captaining? How does his captaincy link with winning trophies?

He does not compare with anyone in that top 30! Simples!

Rigobert Song achieved enough to be noticed and for good clubs to come his way.

J12: So because Yekini was the highest goal scorer in the 1994 AFC, he's one the best strikers ever in the world? Abeg Abeg Abeg

Where did I say that?

You think I have your logic thinking process?

J12: It takes a prolific striker to become a highest goal scorer in a strong international competition like the Euro. Besides, Baros had a very good season that year and he can be regarded as one of the best Czech footballers. He can't be regarded as a European best because there are so many European strikers (before and after) who are better.

So maybe you should keep your Mboma as one of the best Camerounian footballers because your reference to highest goal scorer in a tournament, is meaningless rubbish as I told you from the start.

J12: But if Yekini won and Mboma also did, what makes Yekini better?

Don't ask me a moronic question I have already answered, you refuse to listen to it because you want to keep arguing and when you are stuck with your moronic points like ANC top goalscorer, you comeback to it.

Nothing pisses me off more than people that want to waste my time when they will never accept simple logic and want to go in circles.

J12: There's a cameroonian around. He should be in a better position to answer this.

I am the best at answering almost everything.

Afam4eva: Here are some awards that XAVI has won:

FIFA Ballon d'Or Third place (2): 2010, 2011
Ballon d'Or Third place: 2009
FIFA World Player of the Year Third place: 2009
UEFA Best Player in Europe Award Second place: 2011
World Soccer Player of the Year: 2010
UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Year: 2008–09
IFFHS World's Best Playmaker (4): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 1999
La Liga Spanish Player of the Year: 2005
La Liga Midfielder of the Year (2): 2009, 2011
Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano: 2nd place 2010, 3rd place 2011
UEFA Euro Player of the Tournament: 2008
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament (2): 2008, 2012
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
FIFA/FIFPro World XI (5): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
UEFA Team of the Year (5): 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
ESM Team of the Year (3): 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12
UEFA Champions League Final Man of the Match: 2009
FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2009
FIFA Club World Cup Silver Ball: 2011

Please highlight the ones he won.

Or try and go to a dictionary and check for the meaning of "win". I take it you know "won" is past tense for "win".

kramer: Fair enough the value of players do get inflated sometimes. But you can't use Torres and Henry's case an example.

Henry was sold past his prime whilst Torres was in his prime when he was sold. Henry would definitely have cost way more than Torres if he was sold during his glory moments

Amsorry?

How was Henry sold past his prime?

You want to BS me?

You think you can BS Sagamite?

As in: SAGAMITE from Sagamuewa?

Irunmole: We're talking about the best of Africa. What is your yardstick for measuring "local champs" or otherwise? Is it and unless they plied their trade for some fanciful European club, then a true well deserving son of Africa should not be recognised for being one of the best of the continent of Africa?

Daddy, where is my story?

What year did Okalla win AFoY?

ballabriggs: Hs Yobo captain his team to three AFCON titles? Has Yobo hit 184 caps? Has Yobo been named the best player in any AFCON tournament?

Ahmed Hassan has all these. If Yobo achieved the same, we will name him as one of the greats in the continent.

STOP CHATTING SHYT!

Teams win titles! Cut the crap about who was captain. What significance does that have except to a simpleton!

Reference: All, local champs. How they would have fared against other tongues, styles, coaches, no one knows so can't be compared.

He is from an era when if a player bounces around the pitch like a peacock and then do leg-over multiple times and the crowd screams "HAAAAY", that player enters hall of fame as the greatest.

He would soon ask me "Where is Etim Essien"?

Irunmole: And the baby who compiled this dared to miss out Emmanuel Okala of Nigeria, "the giant".The best and first goalkeeper to win African footballer of the year in late 1970's/1980.

Daddy, please tell me a story.

Please what year did Okalla win AFoY, Daddy?

Afam4eva: Are we no talking of individual brilliance and achievements here?

XAVI is a world class player and probably the best midfielder in the world. he has proved his metal not just in his Local La Laga but also in the UCL, EUROS and world cup. What has Henry done apart from when he was in his local premiership.

How has he proved it, what individual award has he won?

We are using your judgement tool here. You formulated it, apply it.

Why is Xavi the best player in the world despite not winning any individual award and only being a local champion?

I keep on tell you people: You use silly stats to make a point, you end up looking silly!

kramer: @op i also noticed you managed to dodge my statements with your dictionary jibe.

One more thing for you to check out

When Essien moved to chelsea from Lyon.. it cost 24.4million pounds in 2005

When Okocha moved from fenerbache to PSG it cost 24million dollars in 1998(at the time the american dollar was on par with pounds). So if you adjust that value according to inflation it will be way more than 24 million pounds.

Point here is Okocha was worth more than Essien.. QED

Shakes head!

And Fernando Torres was worth more than Henry. What a "great point"?

You use silly stats to make a point, you end up looking silly!

Afam4eva: Unlike Thirey Henry, Iniesta has proved his metal not just in the La Liga(opposite Henry's premiership) but in the UCL, euro nations cup and the world cup. Iniesta is a god where Henry is.

Stop this arguments!

It is not tennis, it is a team sport.

You have not told me if Xavi was shyt and a local champion.

ballabriggs: What exceptional thing did your Segun Odegbami do? What exceptional thing did your George Finidi do? What exceptional thing did Tony Yeboah do?

Having 184 caps for country is not "exceptional"? Having four AFCON titles is not "exceptional"? Captaining a country to three titles is not enough?

The exceptional things that made their names known across Africa and the World.

Stop this moronic argument that captaining makes you significant. I don't argue at such Simpleton level.

Yobo is captian of Nigeria and the most cap. Wow! Surely he must be on of the top 10 Nigerian players then?

I don't argue at such simpleton level.

kramer: oderamus

Sort yourself out first oponu

I said a player was " listed as one of the World best for 4-5 successive seasons", you yeye head go do research about when he "was the best player in the World".

Afam4eva: Iniesta won the best player in Europe award and Ronaldo has always been one of the highest goal scorers along with Messi. So, these players cannot be wished away.

And Henry did not win European Golden Boot?

So if Messi had pipped Iniesta to the Europe award (which he should have), would that have made Iniesta a shyt player that is a local champion?

Is Xavi also a Shyt player that is a local champion?

J12: If he wasn't prolific, then why was he the highest goal scorer in the 2000 African cup of nations? Cameroonians regard him as a god, the same way you regard Yekini is exactly the same way Cameroonians regard Mboma.

Milan Baros was the Highest Goalscorer in Euro 2004. Wow! Milan Baros is a God and one of the greatest 10 players ever in the world and he was prolific?

Can you all see how silly one can get if someone starts reciting meaningless awards that can swing one way because of momentary brilliance.

That said, and Yekini did not win it too?

Camerounians regard Milla and Etoo as Gods, not Mboma!

Mboma is more like Oliseh/Amokachie to them. Stop amking claims just to keep arguing.

Afam4eva: I see double standard here...you list the individual achievements of some players and when asked about those of others, you say it's as a result of the era. Despite Messi's current reign in football, Ronaldo and Iniesta are still winning some other awards. And they're the best 2nd and 3rd respectively. Has Essien ever even come close? Has he ever won an award for best player in London or even his village?

What awards are Ronaldo and Iniesta winning?