Who were that players that made you vibrate with their magic abilities and playstyle?
In my opinion Ronaldinho, Riquelme and Okocha had a special magic. They are the ones that made me smile while watching them playing. Always unexpected and fun to watch.
(If you have some unknown gem player to show please share a highlights video. I don’t care if they didn’t have the most brilliant career, I’m in for the fun)
CR7 made me fall in love with the game. Absolute beast - speed, power, agility, trickery, touch, weight of pass, technique, leap. He was amazing to watch.
Wayne Rooney was another one. There is no type of goal he couldn’t score - lob shot, chip shot, instep, outside foot, tap-ins, bangers, volleys, overhead kicks, headers. On top of all that, he could switch play like the best of them, he had a fantastic long pass. And that raw aggression matched with his strength made him incredibly formidable.
Showing my United bias here, but if you mention the word magic, then for me, these 2 especially are the ones who made me feel this way watching them week in week out.
Ozil
No way lol
Why no way?
He’s not anywhere close to the level of players who should be considered magical. Especially how drastically inferior he was against good teams compared to weak teams. Flat track bully.
Mago Valdivia was a different player. Shame he didn’t have the work ethic to back up his magic.
Gascoigne
Gascoigne and Barnes are my two English picks.
The thing I like about Joe Allen is, when he’s on the pitch he doesn’t look docile. He doesn’t look vacant. Some players seem to be so naturalistic in their play, like they’re acrobats or dancers or something. Just moving from one position to the next without thinking, all muscle memory. Allen always has this stern concentration. Like he’s thinking all the time. constantly analyzing the game on a higher level. A strategists and a master tactician. Look at the way he watched Bale’s free kick. And the way he celebrated when it goes in. He’s anxious, he can immediately sense the flight of the ball is good, but he also knows that if it rebounds or is deflected, there’s a whole other plan to enact. A new set of conditions that he’s going to have to solve. You never really see him explode with delight. When a goal is scored, no matter how amazing the shot, he always looks more relieved than elated. Because he knows the job is done and the whole process is starting over. I’d be hard-pressed not to put Wee Joe in my All-Time XI. I think he represents my favorite footballing archetype: the professor, the architect. The guy who’s running the whole goddamn show.
Dennis Bergkamp
Never seen so many defenders just bewildered and lost against a player. His first touch, second touch and even third touch was straight out of a video game.
He inspired video games xD
Indeed
Lee Trundle what a legend
Messi, Maradona, Ronaldinho, Neymar
A lot of great players mentioned, but for “magic” – ie, “I’ve never seen that before and I don’t believe I’ve seen it just now” – it’s got to be Ronaldo Narario (Brazilian Ronaldo).
Amazing player. He inspired a generation yet I think Gaucho brought a more magic touch to the game
James Milner
Juan Román Riquelme
Thierry Henry
Ronaldinho. His dribbling, skills, and passing was incredible. He deserves the nickname, “O Bruxo,” or The Wizard.
Payet at west ham
For me Messi always tops the list, but even as an Evertonian, some of the things I saw Luis Suarez do in the Premier League I’d just not seen before in this country (started watching in the late 00’s), only just overshadowed his god awful character…