u/signaldecoderr

The run lasted 1,370 days and included 37 starts for Sunderland and 2 for Manchester City. It finally ended in Sunderland's 4–0 win over Crystal Palace in 2017.

Trophies and statistics are usually the easiest ways to argue that a player was great, but they don't tell the whole story. If we removed both from the discussion, which legendary player's reputation would become the hardest to properly evaluate, and why?

Is it Ronaldo, Messi,pele, maradona or someone else?

I’ve always wondered how the great players of the 1990s would adapt to modern football. The game has changed massively since then, especially in terms of tactical systems, pressing, athleticism and data-driven preparation.

At the same time, players from that era developed incredible technical ability and football intelligence under very different conditions.

Would someone like Ronaldo Nazário, Zidane or Maldini still dominate today if they were transported into the modern game, or would they need significant time to adapt?