THIERRY HENRY has named Michael Laudrup as the must under-rated player ever and the greatest true No10 – after naming the Dane as one of his five top footballing legends.
Arsenal and Barcelona hero Henry also picked Diego Maradona, Pele, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer but admitted he would find it too hard to include players he faced.
But it’s the inclusion of “monster” Laudrup that will raise eyebrows, despite the Dane’s fine spells with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
French World Cup winner Henry revealed his choice on The Greatest Game podcast of fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher.
Brazil frontman Pele and Argentina wizard Maradona will be in many people’s all-time top three, along with current superstar Lionel Messi.
And at his peak striker Cruyff was commonly rated second only to Pele as the epitome of Dutch “total football” in the 1970s.
‘HE WAS A MONSTER’
Beckenbauer, meanwhile, is often regarded as the best central defender in history, winning the World Cup with West Germany but losing out to England in the 1966 final at Wembley.
But Henry claims he is astounded Laudrup is not better regarded – for his ability to tee up goals with beautiful passes, not unlike the French icon’s most famous Arsenal strikepartner Dennis Bergkamp.
Ex-Monaco chief Henry told Carragher’s podcast: “I do not understand. If there is a player who is under-rated, it’s him.
“Those who talk about football and who go deep recognize it to its true value, but almost nobody remembers when asked which number 10 has the most marked. Michael Laudrup was a monster.
“He was the best 10, and by 10 I mean the one who makes his team play.
“Too many players in history have had the number 10 and only think about scoring.
“Laudrup … my god. The passes he made. On the ground, he broke two lines and it is as if the ball slowed when she saw the attacker. ”
