According to Brazilian icon Romario, there have only been two players in history who were better than him, and they are not Ronaldo or Messi.



<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/sex-concentration-and-goals-key-to-world-cup-glory-romario-tells-jesus-20180510-CMS-240395.html">Romario</a> scored 55 goals in 70 games for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/nations/brazil-national-team-tv-schedule/">Brazil</a> from 1987 to 2005. In 1994, he earned the Golden Ball award when the Seleção captured the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/womens-world-cup-tv-schedule/">World Cup</a> trophy.



Even more so, the ex-Barcelona player claims he was on par with superstars like <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/its-up-to-messi-to-decide-if-he-wants-to-play-in-the-olympics-20240212-WST-489152.html">Lionel Messi</a> and <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/the-year-in-review-the-top-soccer-stories-in-2023-20231219-WST-475178.html">Cristiano Ronaldo</a>. Furthermore, the 58-year-old boasted about how he thought he was better than <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/mbappe-refuses-to-accept-madrids-lower-salary-wants-double-20240208-WST-488494.html">Kylian Mbappe</a>, <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/haaland-mbappe-bellingham-who-is-the-most-valuable-player-20240114-WST-483408.html">Erling Haaland</a> and Luis Suarez.



During an interview with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2fS7hBJ8LI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=2947397c-39c2-4517-896e-2a1a9aec3702" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Catenaccio e Contropiede</a>, Romario discussed comparisons between himself and several famous players, both active and retired or late. Rarely did he choose the alternative when asked to identify the better player. 



If you ask Romario, he was no match for Pele or Diego Maradona. “So only two beat Romario, Maradona and Pele?” the questioner asked him. At that, Romario said, “My opinion is this.”



Even Neymar, Zico, Rivaldo, and Bebeto—all Brazilians—fell short in Romario’s estimation. To be fair, the World Cup victor did concede that four other players were on par with him.



<h2>Illustrious career</h2>



The 1994 World Cup saw him earn the title of the tournament’s best player after scoring five goals. Yet, he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or award. Until the next year, only players from Europe could compete for the prize. As a result, despite Romario’s best efforts, Bulgaria’s Hristo Stoichkov earned the award instead.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="670" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20240214_WST_489562_Romario-Maradona-1200x670_632e66c3.webp&amp;width=1200&amp;height=670" alt="" class="wp-image-489625" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Romario-Maradona-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Romario-Maradona-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Romario-Maradona-768x429.jpg 768w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/02/Romario-Maradona.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></figure>



The striker won the Copa America trophy three times during his time playing for his country. Not only that, but he has ten major club titles to his name.



That included Brazilian, Spanish, and Dutch league championships among them. In Eindhoven, he made 148 appearances for PSV and scored 128 goals.



He maintained that form into 1993 when he joined Barcelona in La Liga. While playing for the Camp Nou club for 18 months, the Brazilian scored 39 goals in 65 games.



<h2>Long-standing rivalry with Pele</h2>



The late icon Pele and Romario had a rocky relationship that lasted decades. In 2014, the tension between the two Brazilian icons reached a boiling point when Romario referred to the latter as an “imbecile.”



These two ex-Selecao forwards have been at odds ever since Romario called Pele “a poet when he doesn’t speak” in 2007. It was the beginning of their long-running rivalry. This remark has long been associated with the 58-year-old retired Romario.



When asked about the comment in an interview at the time, three-time World Cup champion Pele said: “There are lots of people who don’t really know what they want and simply attack the past.” This quote was meant as a response.



“But I’m a Catholic and I believe that God always forgives the ignorant, so I forgive the ignorant.”



<h2>How did Romario respond?</h2>



In response, Romario went to his own Facebook page, demonstrating his inability to resist answering back. “Yesterday, Pele responded to my famous quote, ‘Quiet, Pele is a poet.’ It is a commonly used phrase, after all, he’s always giving reason for it to be used.



“The last foolish thing he said was that Corinthians should be used as the base to the Selecao. He asked for it, didn’t he?” A few pieces of information about this gentleman… First of all, the base of the team he suggested to the Selecao got the biggest boo of their history. And deservedly so because they were awful.



“Secondly, he said he’s a big Catholic. I don’t think he’s such a Catholic. If he was, he would’ve recognized his daughter and gone to her funeral. Aside from a poet, he’s also an imbecile.”



However, as Pele’s health began to deteriorate, Romario set aside his previous disagreements and joined the chorus of voices praying for the player’s recovery in December 2022.



PHOTOS: IMAGO

Not Messi nor Ronaldo: Romario names 2 players surpassing him

According to Brazilian icon Romario, there have only been two players in history who were better than him, and it is not Ronaldo nor Messi.

The sport of soccer, or football, is of course all about using your feet (and sometimes your head). Countless exciting, jaw-dropping, and memorable moments have occurred with the ball at a player’s feet. But sometimes, something unforgettable happens when a player’s hand gets involved in the action. We’ll take a look back at some of the most famous (or infamous?) handballs to have ever taken place in soccer.



<h4>A disappearing occurrence</h4>



But before that, we have to note that we have to view these events in the context of their time. In today’s game, the handball remains a point of controversy. We now have VAR video review, so committing a handball and getting away with it is much less likely. Each call, even under slow-motion scrutiny, is still hotly debated. Arm positioning, player intent, game situation – all of these are points of focus as these offenses can still have massive outcomes on games.



But instances that have become famous over the years likely would be nothing more than historical footnotes, if remembered at all, if today’s refereeing technology was available at the time.



Nonetheless, a few big moments have had a hand (get it?) in shaping the history of soccer.



<h2>Top 3 famous handballs in soccer</h2>



<h3>3. Suárez soirée</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1280" height="715" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231119_WST_470894_Hand_Suarez.webp&amp;width=1280&amp;height=715" alt="Suarez Handball 2010" class="wp-image-470909" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Suarez.jpg 1280w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Suarez-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Suarez-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Suarez-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></figure></figure>



The 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa was the first time the tournament had ever been hosted on the continent. While the hosts did not advance from the group stage, Ghana carried the hopes of a continent on their backs as they moved into the knockout rounds. After defeating the USA in extra time in the round of 16, they moved on to face Uruguay. They became just the third African team to make it that far in a World Cup. 



After a tough 90 minutes and a 1-1 scoreline, the match headed into extra time. In the final moments before heading to penalty kicks, Ghana had an open look on goal. Seconds after a legal goal-line clearance, Uruguay’s Luis Suárez did his best goalkeeper impression and made a <a href="https://youtu.be/dM-29hy-Qyw?si=IGggWVxFoEdajnlJ&amp;t=132" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two-handed save</a> to block a sure goal for Ghana.



He was shown a red card for his efforts and a spot kick was given to Ghana. Stunningly, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan hit the crossbar on the ensuing PK, saving Uruguay from defeat. La Celeste would go on to win the game 4-2 in a shootout, denying Ghana becoming the first African team to make a semifinal.



While Suárez was justly punished in the game, in the end, he still got away with his desperate maneuver as Uruguay miraculously advanced. Some small justice was done as he of course missed the next game, which Uruguay would lose to the Netherlands.



<h3>2. Henry the Handyman</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1280" height="715" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231119_WST_470894_Hand_Henry.webp&amp;width=1280&amp;height=715" alt="Thierry Henry handball" class="wp-image-471003" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Henry.jpg 1280w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Henry-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Henry-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Henry-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></figure></figure>



Was that French basketball star Tony Parker with a quick crossover? Not quite.



One of the more controversial moments in recent history came not long before Luis Suárez’s moment in the spotlight above. 



In the final stages of qualification for the 2010 World Cup, France and Ireland were battling for one of the final spots in the tournament. A two-legged playoff in November 2009 began with France winning 1-0 at Croke Park in Dublin. In the second leg at the Stade de France, Robbie Keane’s 33rd-minute goal put things level on aggregate, which forced extra time. 



Late in the first half of extra time, France’s <a href="https://youtu.be/siJQZs2Sbho?si=7vrEM5H4ZVlH_MEv" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">William Gallas scored</a> to put France up 2-1, under furious protest from Ireland’s defenders. It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, but on replays, Thierry Henry very clearly handled the ball, keeping it in play, before passing it to Gallas for the goal.



But the score was allowed to stand. The game finished 1-1, and as a result, France went on to the World Cup via a 2-1 aggregate score. Ireland were denied, and have not qualified since.



It was little solace to the Irish, but karma did come back to bite the French. France had a disastrous performance in South Africa, finishing bottom of their group with just one point. Disputes within the locker room had players sent home, and that then led to training boycotts. And it all ended with FFF president Jean-Pierre Escalettes resigning after the tournament.



One has to wonder what might have happened instead if the referees had seen Henry’s offense.



<h3>1. The Hand of God</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1280" height="715" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.worldsoccertalk.com/webp/full/WST_20231119_WST_470894_Hand_Maradona.webp&amp;width=1280&amp;height=715" alt="Handball Maradona" class="wp-image-471024" srcset="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Maradona.jpg 1280w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Maradona-300x168.jpg 300w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Maradona-1200x670.jpg 1200w, https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2023/11/Hand_Maradona-768x429.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px"></figure></figure>



There’s little argument about which is the most famous of handballs ever committed.



To set the stage, this was a huge match. The quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Two of the biggest national teams in the world, Argentina and England – both former champions of the tournament.



The game was deadlocked at 0-0 after 45 minutes, setting up one of the most memorable, and infamous, second halves ever.



Just six minutes into the second half, a botched clearance from England saw the legendary Diego Maradona breaking in with a 1-v-1 challenge for the ball with English keeper Peter Shilton. 



The shorter Maradona lept up and <a href="https://youtu.be/LL5ER_ubde8?si=M0FmFXvhWetlTI8z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">knocked the ball past Shilton</a> and into the net. The thing about it was, however, that he hit the ball with his fist. England were furious, but the referee did not see any infraction and allowed the goal.



Only a few minutes later, Maradona struck again. This time, however, it was a completely legal – but no less unbelievable – play. The magical #10 received the ball in his own half, then proceeded to run 60 yards, beating six England defenders and the keeper, to score what became known as the “<a href="https://youtu.be/Da_CDPRG2j0?si=PE0va3vJa_qxcBNF&amp;t=54" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goal of the Century</a>“. 



But it’s that first goal that stings the most for English fans and players. Its legendary status was helped by Maradona’s cheeky post-game remarks. Diego quipped that the goal was scored “a little with the head of Maradona, and a little with the hand of God.” This also gave the infamous moment its catchy name.



Even with modern technology and VAR lending a hand, these sorts of offenses will remain a factor in the game. But it’s unlikely we’ll ever see any moments as dubious as these again.



Photos: Imago

Most famous handballs in soccer history

Find out what are the most famous handballs in soccer history. Can you guess which ones make the final list?

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Most famous handballs in soccer history