I think RIvaldo was a hell of a player , i think he is a legend and deserves the same respect zidane have and i think he at his best is better than zidane at his best.

what do u think?

As far as I remember, there is already a topic on this subject in this forum - Rivaldo VS Zidane. Anyway, I will still answer (both are my favourite players anyway).


For me, both Rivaldo and Zidane have outrageous skills that most players can only dream of. But what separates the two is their consistency and how they make the best use of their magic. Zidane was the best playmaker for the past decade. He singlehandedly won World Cup 1998 and Euro 2000 for France. Zidane, without question, is the complete attacking midfielder. He has proven again and again on the pitch with his creativity and sublime ball skills.

Rivaldo is great, especially when it comes to bicycle kicks. His creativity and ball skills too are wonderful BUT unfortunately, the last time we saw the best of Rivaldo was at World Cup 2002. After that, his form dropped tremendously and now he is almost a forgotten man. How easy we can forget a great player like him?

Overall, I would say Zidane > Rivaldo.

Zidane because he still does perform at a worldclass level now and 2X world player of the year. Rivaldo is a genius but his carear is not what it was. Zidane is still playing for France and in the 1st team at Madrid and he is one of those players that will be class until the day he retires

Zidane by far. Not only has Zidane achieved more in his career and is a better player (well IMO anyway) he also has a better temprement than Rivaldo. Rivaldo could have achieved so much more in his career had he not been as tempremental (falling out with boards and managers whilst playing at Barca, Milan etc) and thats a sad fact like other players Jardel, Okocha even Maradonna IMO.

But thats just me.

this is very very tight. but i'll giv ma vote to...................RRRRRRRRRRivaldo. he was immense

I just cant go against Rivaldo so i'll say its a tie..

Rivaldo btw guys is a great great player! you'd know that if you had seen him in his top form with Barca and Brasil..

Zidane wins. The best player of his generation. Rivaldo at his very best was the best in the world in '99(while Ronaldo was injured) but Zidane's just been better over the years. Rivaldo's probably the 3rd best player of the generation after ZZ and Ronaldo.

In whole year 1999 and at WC2002, Rivaldo outplayed Zidane, agreed. But overall, Zidane is a sure winner as much more consistent player among the bests.

I'd say Rivaldo. Temeprament has nothing to do with how good Rivaldo is/was, or any player for that matter. ZZ is amazing, but I think Rivlado just edges it.

If selecao had other manager, Rivaldo would still be on the national squad. Rivaldo is back... i ve posted a lot of goals and skills with olympiakos that proves that is still the Rivaldo we all know.

At his very best Rivaldo was better than Zidane. He was the hole Barcelona team... the start and the end.
He scored probably the best ever goal against valencia, and played 2 world cup finals winning the one.

Id say Rivaldo cause the most forgot him.Rivaldo is a super legend of soccer history.

Anyway we 'll see the last battle of them on the Champions League... Real Madrid of Zizou will face Olympiakos of Rivaldo. Zidane will have the help of Robinho, Ronaldo, Baptista but nevermind

There's already a thread on this as Richard says, back somewhere. It was a poll as well. It could be burried somewhere on this forum.

for me its easy....and i vote Zidane because that men is a truth legend...and rivaldo was also a great player because you see how i wrote it he WAS it and zidane still is it so thats my opinion

zidane is whole French team. If France not have Zidane they not win Euro 2000 and World Cup 98. But for me Zidane best in first season for Real Madrid.

I like rivaldo very much but zidane is another level can't compare

thats exaggerating ! "can't compare"

Rivaldo is good at his peak, but Zidane is class right now and a great footballer

Zidane vs Rivaldo...i dont know if Rivaldo can even be classed with Zidane. Rivaldo is brilliant there is no question, one of the best of the modern era. But Zidane IS the best of the modern era and one of the greatest of all time. Zidane rates with De Steffino an Cruyff. Zidane is a class above. Check out comps of the 2 players. Wat Zidane can do, Rivaldo could do once... 1999 season...but Zidane has been doing it his whole life

Zidane currently isn't half the player he was in 1997-2001 , there are better players than Zidane currently

Rivaldo is a Legend too , what a player in the late 90's , but i don't think he can be compared with Zidane , not the same impact on a team , not the same consistency , not the same vision , passing abilities , but surely a better scoring ability , awesome Free kicks and sometimes wonderful inspirations .


For me the only ones who compares with Zidane is players of the impact in football as Maradona , Roberto Baggio , Ronaldo , IMO of course .

Rivaldo wasn't too far behind , but he had problems of consistency during his career that prevented him to be in the all time great , he had a superb talent though (and still have some left like Zidane )

zid

Well ... of course Zidane is a better playmaker/player. However Rivaldo is NOT that far behind Zidane. At least there is 1 thing Rivaldo does better than Zidane: SHOOT to score (with his deadly left foot):

- WC98: Rivaldo scored 3goals (Zidane scored 2goals at final WC98)
- In 1999: Rivaldo scored 24goals for Barca and 5goals at Copa99 for Brazil(Zidane scored 12goals max at his best season at Marseille)
- WC2002: Rivaldo won silver shoe 5goals, (Zidane scored 2goals at Euro04)

Yeah, he has currently droped his form but he stills create magic in few Matches

actually jamesbh11, Zidane scored 3 goals in euro2004

I consider Rivaldo to be a more 'exciting' player, so I'd go for him. Rivaldo played excalantly at WC 2002, where as since then Zidane has hardly done anything. I understand that Rivaldo has neither, but I'm trying to say that Zidane has done nothing much since befor the world cup.

WC 2002 Zidane had played only 1 game vs Denmark and was still injured he was at best 50% fit. He was still France's stand out player in his only game in that WC.

I would reply, dude, but no point arguing with a Zidane 'fan'

hey man not disrespecting ur opinion or anything just making sure u knew the situation.

Chief, Zidane was injured at the WC, since then he has been far better than Rivaldo though. I really don't see how u can pick Rivaldo on post WC form, Zizou aint been his very best but in the 2 seasons following the WC, he outperformed Rivaldo by country mile.

This a real tough one, even though i'm a frenchie I have to say Rivaldo. He just has that something special perhap's the way he glide's across the entire football pitch by passing 6 defender's to score. Rivaldo was more daring in his play and more exciting than Zidane . For some stupid reason Rivaldo is under rated and does'nt get the recognition that he deserves. Rivaldo win's this argument

Yeah Zidane was more of a stationary dribbler who did flicks and tricks in the centre whereas Rivaldo was someone who took the attack forward with his progressive dribbling. I think Rivaldo was more of a one man wrecking crew who could literally win matches by himself whereas Zidane was a team player. Zidane was better in terms of passing and teamwork whereas Rivaldo was better at shooting, dribbling and had more pace.

Zidane is definately the more elegant of the two but in terms of pure effectiveness rivaldo is your man, he could change a game by himself. He may not have been able to control the tempo like zidane but in the last 15 years i dont think there has been a player who has been a bigger goal from outside the area as rivaldo. Rivaldo's directness is unmatched combined with his ability to rise to the occassion like against valencia where he put on imo the best indiviual performance of all time.

Have you noticed that the so called 'elegant' players are all very slow. Look at Zidane, Begkamp, Platini and Riquelme, they are labelled elegant because of their slow skillful play. Players like Maradona, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo aren't labelled elegant because they have some pace and carry the ball forward running towards the goal, they could be 'elegant' if they wanted but it is far less useful in real life.

Zidane gets older .. gets wiser.. (apart from the headbutt)

Towards end of his game he was still playing quite good actually.

Rivaldo of 99 was my faveroute though...

It was pure class!!!

When Ronaldo of brazil leaves Europe, that will be the end of the era.

(he was always first in training, last one out.)

He came to europe when young and is the last legand that will leave.

Zidane Ronaldo Rivaldo .... The best!!!

Okay maybe i've gone away from the topic but I got over excited... sorry.

Whoever said Zidane was France is a moron. France had probably the best defence of all time; the defence won those two trohpies, not Zidane.

As for the topic: Rivaldo, hands down.

It's hard to decide which player is better... cuz both are legends, zidane is the best player from last 10 years... and rivaldo is in top 5

not even close.

Zidane is one of the greatest players of all time. Rivaldo was one of the best of his generation. Around the 98-99 time he was great, but Zidane just pulled it out of the hat time and time again.

Rivaldo was an excellent attacking force, but Zidane had it all and due to his central postion, dictated play far more than Rivaldo ever did. Zidane's time period of dominance was also far more.

20 years from now, people will still remember Zidane's place in history, whereas Rivaldo will not be remembered to such an extent.

Rivaldo is a great player, but Zidane is one of the best ever.

Rivaldo was better because he was more productive. Zidane always joined teams while they were already at the top like Juventus and Real Madrid. They were doing good before him and good when he left. He has just retired and now Real Madrid are on the verge of winning the league, hardly a coincidence.

Rivaldo always ran towards the goal, none of this beat a man and then pass sideways or back like Zidane. Zidane might have had slightly better control but he didn't carry the ball forward like Rivaldo. Rivaldo had one of the best shots of all time and was also an excellent free kick taker. Very few number 10's/support strikers scored as many goals as him. He outplayed Zidane in the 1998 and 2002 World Cups, and I'm sure he would've outplayed Zidane if he played in 2006 but Brazil had Ronaldinho and Kaka who kept Rivaldo out of the squad. Rivaldo had to live in the shadow of Ronaldo whereas there was no one else that was really famous playing for France, this is why Rivaldo is not given the respect he deserves.

Rivaldo vs. Zidane
It's a Joke?

No one more player like Zidane.

I think I'll go with Zidane.