Welcome back to a new series of articles from Last Word on Football. In this series, we look back and celebrate just some of the greatest footballers in the history of the game. Today, in part two, we look back at those players who delighted crowds between World War One and World War Two.
Read More: Greatest Footballers of All Time: Pre World War One
The Greatest Footballers Ever: Part Two, 1918-1939
Dixie Dean – Everton and England
William Ralph ‘Dixie’ Dean is the greatest Everton player of all time and one of the best goalscorers to ever grace world football. He scored 390 goals in his career, with 349 of those in Everton colours.
In 1928, he set the record of scoring 60 league goals in a single season. An achievement that is yet to be beaten and is unlikely to be beaten.
For England, he played 16 times (this was during a time when England were not part of FIFA, so they did not compete in the World Cup), scoring 18 goals.
“HE BELONGS TO THE COMPANY OF THE EXTREMELY GREAT… LIKE BEETHOVEN, SHAKESPEARE, AND REMBRANDT” – BILL SHANKLY
His honours include two First Division titles, one Second Division title, an FA Cup and two Charity Shields. He also won the English Golden Boot on two occasions and was an inaugural member of the English Football Hall of Fame.
Charlie Buchan – Sunderland and Arsenal
Sunderland’s all-time record league scorer, with 209 league goals, 222 in all competitions, Charlie Buchan, is rightfully a legend on Wearside. A quick-thinking, skilful forward, he would often score with his trademark glancing header.
He spent 15 years with the Black Cats before moving on to Arsenal in 1925 at the age of 33. Sunderland had wanted £4000 for their striker, but the Gunners argued that, due to his age, he was not worth that amount and wouldn’t be as prolific as he once was. Instead, a deal of £2000 and £100 for every goal he scored in his first season would be given to Sunderland. Arsenal believed they had saved money this way; however, Buchan would score 21 goals, meaning the deal cost them a total of £4100. He would score 56 goals in his three years at Highbury.
A 2013 Hall of Fame inductee
Ricardo Zamora – Espanyol, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Spain
Known as The Divine One, Ricardo Zamora is one of the greatest goalkeepers to have ever played. Known for his quick reflexes, bravery and occasional controversy, he played over 300 games, winning 14 trophies with Espanyol, Barcelona and Real Madrid. He also represented Spain 46 times, winning silver at the 1920 Olympics and was also in goal when they defeated England, becoming the first team outside of the British Isles to defeat the Three Lions. It was in this game that he broke his sternum, but still finished the game.
Zamora also holds the title of the Greatest Save in Spanish History. In 1936, Madrid met Barcelona, his former club, in the Copa del Rey final, which would be Zamora’s final game for Los Blancos. Leading 2-1 with just minutes remaining, Barca forward Jose Escola hit a low, powerful shot along the dust-filled pitch. With dust filling the air, obstructing not only Zamora’s view but the crowds, the almost perfect shot was heading towards the goal. Barca fans and players began to celebrate; however, amongst the dust, Zamora lept with great agility to his left to make an impossible save and win the trophy for his team.
In 1958, the award for the best goalkeeper in La Liga, the Ricardo Zamora Trophy, was named in his honour and is still given to La Liga’s best keeper to this day.
In 1999, he was elected as the best-ever Spanish keeper.
