The best and brightest: the polarizing Diego Maradona heads our list of the top 25 players of the past quarter century - Twenty-Five Years Of Soccer Digest

Soccer Digest, Oct-Nov, 2002 by Michael Lewis

AFTER A YEAR'S WORTH OF anniversary-related articles, it has all come down to this: the 25 greatest players of the past quarter century. Some were obvious choices (Diego Maradona, Michel Platini, and Lothar Matthaus among others), and some were grueling decisions. Let's face it: There are plenty of deserved stars. If your favorites didn't make the cut, drop us a line and tell us why you think they should have been included.

We used the same criteria to determine our top players as we did for our top coaches: Those selected had to make a substantial impact over the past quarter century. Therefore, we've left out legends such as Pele, Franz Beckenbauer, and Johan Cruyff, who enjoyed their best performances prior to 1977.

But enough about those who didn't make it--let's take a look at the 25 special players on SOCCER DIGEST'S silver anniversary honor roll:

1. Diego Maradona (Argentina)

Maradona is a no-brainer for the top spot. Some would argue that he is the greatest player of all time, although Pele's backers would say otherwise. His incredible skill, vision, passing, and shot made him almost impossible to stop. No player has ever dominated a World Cup the way Maradona did in 1986, when he played a major role in all 11 goals for eventual winner Argentina. (Most famous were his "Hand of God" goal and his amazing 70-yard solo run, both against England in the quarterfinals.) In his prime, Maradona dazzled just about everyone who watched him, starting for Boca Juniors, Barcelona, and Napoli, which he led to the UEFA Cup crown and two Italian League titles. Unfortunately, drug and personal problems prevented even more glory.

2. Michel Platini (France)

One of the best midfielders of his generation, Platini earned just about every important accolade, personal or team, except the World Cup. (France finished third in both of his Cup appearances, in 1982 and 1986. It was eliminated by West Germany on each occasion.) He also starred for Juventus, converting the penalty kick in their 1-0 win over Liverpool to capture the 1985 European Cup on a day that saw 39 Italian soccer fans die in pregame rioting with English supporters.

3. Zinedine Zidane (France)

Zidane has been accused of playing below his best in mundane, regular-season clashes, but there is little question that he comes up big in meaningful matches. Remember what he did in the France '98 championship clash against Brazil, scoring not once but twice from headers off of corner kicks? Or his brilliant 20-yard half-volley to clinch the 2002 European Champions League final for Real Madrid? Now, that's a money player.

4. Lothar Matthaus (Germany)

U.S. soccer fans might remember this great as a whiner and a complainer because of his short, confounding stint with the MetroStars, but Matthaus is one the sport's all-time greats. Matthaus appeared in five World Cups finals and 25 Cup matches, both records for a field player. He starred at central midfield for Inter and central defense for Bayern Munich, and was the midfield general of West Germany's 1990 world championship side.

5. Rivaldo (Brazil)

Wherever Rivaldo plays--midfield or forward--he finds find a way to score. Rivaldo has tallied goals for Corinthians, Sao Paulo, Deportivo de la Coruna, and Barcelona, with which he was voted FIFA world player of the year in 1999. One of the three Rs on Brazil's 2002 World Cup championship side, Rivaldo contributed five goals in the tourney. He now stars for AC Milan.

6. Marco Van Basten (Netherlands)

Before an ankle injury ended his career at 29 in 1992, Van Basten was a terror for AC Milan. The Dutch master once scored five goals in a Serie A game, a rare feat in that defense-oriented league. He also connected for a wonderful volley in Holland's 1988 Euro finals victory over the Soviet Union. Sadly, he failed to score in his lone World Cup (Italia '90).

7. Franco Baresi (Italy)

On a talented Milan team that included Van Basten and Ruud Gullit, among others, it would be easy for a defender to get lost in the shuffle. Yet for nearly two decades, sweeper Baresi was the cornerstone of the world's best club. He also revolutionized Italian soccer by frequently leaving his post and joining the attack. Baresi played with grit and through pain, famously returning from a knee injury to help hold Brazil scoreless for 120 minutes in the 1994 Cup final.

8. Ronaldo (Brazil)

Until he scored a tournament-high eight goals (including two in the final) for Brazil in this year's World Cup, Ronaldo was best known for what he failed to accomplish. His mysterious seizure before the France '98 Cup final loss to the host overshadowed an otherwise solid tournament. Then his battle against a variety of leg ailments, mostly knee and hamstring, sidelined him for more than two years and almost ended his career. Incredibly, he is still only 25.

9. Hristo Stoitchkov (Bulgaria)

Has any player had a greater influence on his country's national team in recent years than Stoitchkov did for Bulgaria? He was the fulcrum of Bulgaria's 1994 World Cup squad, which surprisingly finished fourth. Like Maradona and Platini, Stoitchkov could pass and shoot with equal ability. A midfielder or striker, Stoitchkov scored 38 goals to tie for the Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer in 1989-90, helped Barcelona to the 1992 Champions League crown, and captured the European Footballer of the Year Award two years later. Now 36, Stoitchkov is playing out his career with the Chicago Fire.