Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterKevin Keegan played with and against an absolute litany of brilliant players over his career...and, of course, all of them would proudly cite his name in return,George Best, Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Zico, Rivellino, Dino Zoff, Kenny Dalglish and Bobby Moore are just some of the icons of the game who shared a pitch with Keegan at some point during his glittering career.But for Keegan, three names stood out above all the rest'Johan Cruyff was the cleverest player ever'Two of the best players of their generation, Keegan and Cruyff both won multiple Ballons d'Or in the 1970s and did battle as captains when England played the Netherlands at Wembley in 1977.Cruyff and Keegan never found themselves playing club football together - but they both lined up together in a UNICEF World XI for a charity game against Borussia Dortmund in 1979. You may like Kevin Keegan: how Liverpool, Hamburg, Southampton and Newcastle fell Head Over Heels In Love with King Kev Kevin Keegan 1951-2026 It wouldnt be fair to compare Kevin Nolan with Zinedine Zidane but maybe he was a better warrior Youri Djorkaeff on two of his very different former team-mates The Dutchman clearly left an impression on Keegan, who told FourFourTwo in 2007: "Johan Cruyff was the best I played with."He was the cleverest player ever.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over."When he was playing well, he would run the show, and when he wasnt playing well, which was rare, he would stick to the mundane things and work for the team."He could be a soldier and he could be a general. He had no ego, and that is a sign of greatness.Keegan also has perhaps the greatest possible answer as to the best players he ever played against."The best players I ever faced? Id put Pele and Diego Maradona in there together," Keegan said."I played against Pele when he was 38 and Maradona when he was 17. The fact that I link them together tells you how much I think about Pele."This interview first appeared in the April 2007 edition of FourFourTwo magazineTOPICSJohan CruyffPelKevin KeeganEnglandSteven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.With contributions fromNick Moore
