Football: Chance to vote for Best and the best

Who is the greatest footballer of all time? It is a debate which has consumed so many for as long as the sport itself - but now you can have your say. England, the home of the world's greatest game, is about to become the permanent venue for the International Football Hall Of Fame, backed by the The Independent, Independent on Sunday and the Professional Footballers' Association. And we need you the readers to decide which of the game's heroes should be first to have their achievements recognised.

Pele, Best, Cruyff, Moore, Di Stefano, Beckenbauer, Eusebio, Edwards, Charlton, Matthews ... who really was the best? Over the next few weeks with your help, we'll pick the best 25 of all time to be inaugurated in November in the official Hall Of Fame. Next year, another 25 will be chosen and after that just five players a year will join the hallowed ranks of the Hall Of Famers. To qualify, your favourite must have played for his country at least once and have retired for three years.

It's the Oscars of football. You can also vote for your favourite current players to win the Future Hall Of Famers accolade. So vote now, as we explain on these pages. The Hall of Fame will be the centrepiece of an exciting new leisure complex which will become a shrine for supporters from all over the world. Celebrating the spirit and enjoyment of the game itself, this magnificent state-of-the-art building in Manchester will also feature a Hall of History, film theatres, a football skills and training area, football rides and a 360-degree dome.

But first, the votes. What you need to do is nominate up to four players for election to the Hall Of Fame, plus up to four current stars as Future Hall Of Famers. Simply call the special numbers given on these pages. Details of voting and winners will appear in The Independent, the Independent on Sunday, The Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Sunday People and Sporting Life.

Internet

You can also cast your vote on the Internet at www.sporting-life.com

FANS from other countries will also be voting as newspapers from Europe and around the world will be carrying voting forms. This is how it works:

1 A player of any nationality can be elected to the Hall Of Fame. He must have been retired for three years from 30 June in the year of election - thus 30 June 1997 for this year's voting - and must have played at full international level, gaining at least one cap.

2 Anyone in the world can make up to four nominations for players in each Election Year, so if you cannot decide whether Bobby Moore was better than George Best because they played in different positions, you can vote for both. But the choice is yours. If you want to, you can vote for four goalkeepers.

3 A nomination must be sent directly to the International Football Hall Of Fame on an official voting form, by telephone to a registered number, or via the website at www.sporting-life.com or www.int-foot-fame.com

4 Voting for the first Hall Of Famers goes on until Sunday 9 November, 1997. The five players who receive most nominations will automatically be elected to the International Football Hall Of Fame.

5 This year, the remaining 20 places will be decided as follows. A Selection Committee will be appointed, made up of seven retired players from different football countries, with a chairman from the Professional Footballers' Association.

6 They will meet in the third week of November and draw up a shortlist of 60 players from those who receive most votes. This list is given to a panel of selected football journalists from the countries taking part. The chairman in the first year will be the Mirror's Harry Harris. Each journalist will choose his or her top 20. The 20 players who receive the most votes will be elected to the International Football Hall Of Fame.

Every vote counts. Don't worry if you lose today's copy before you make the call - we'll be providing more chances to vote in the weeks ahead. Turn to the facing page for details.

cash raised goes

back into game

THERE are two over-riding qualities that football will never lose - the dedication of the players and the devotion of the fans willing them on. Whether it's a freezing January afternoon in Wolverhampton or a balmy Paris evening in July, the commitment and desire is always there. This relationship lies at the heart of the International Football Hall of Fame.

That is why a percentage of all the money that the voting receives goes back into the game itself. In association with the Professional Footballers' Association and Football In The Community, which is supported by all the country's footballing bodies, this money will be fed back into the grassroots of the game and to the Benevolent Fund, which as required looks after the heroes of yesteryear. The International Football Hall Of Fame is a celebration of all that is good about the beautiful, exhilarating game.

VOTE NOW FOR

THE Hall of Fame

WHEN selecting your players for the International Hall Of Fame, you have the chance to make four votes and four votes only. Remember your votes count, as the top five players overall from all the votes received will automatically enter The Hall Of Fame. In the table below, we have listed 250 players who could all be in contention.

All you have to do is select your choice of up to four players. If you wish you may select only one, but four is the maximum. Select up to four players, noting down their code numbers and then call 0930 565 996.

First of all, you will be asked to carry out a quick test to determine what type of phone you have. You will then be directed to enter your chosen player codes. At the end of the call, you will be asked to leave your name and address. Your votes will then be registered against your name.

Vote now on: 0930 565 996.

If the player or players you wish to vote for are not listed below, you can vote for them by filling in the form below and sending it to: Independent On Sunday, Hall of Fame, PO Box 6927, London E3 3NZ. Postal entries must be received by 8 November.

Please note: you should use the form only if your selections are not listed in the table below.

If you experience problems voting, call our helpline on 0990 800 283. You cannot register your vote on this line. Vote lines close on 9 November, 1997. The number for the Republic of Ireland is 1550 123 302 (Tone phones only - calls cost 58p per minute inc. VAT).

Salute to the legends of the beautiful game

The players

Code Player Team

Goalkeepers

300 Gordon Banks England

303 Joel Bats France

304 Antonio Carbajal Mexico

305 Ray Clemence England

306 Rinat Dasayev USSR

307 Felix Brazil

309 Harry Gregg N Ireland

330 Pat Jennings N Ireland

333 Jack Kelsey Wales

334 Sepp Maier Germany

335 Jean-Marie Pfaff Belgium

336 Frantisek Planicka Czech'ia

337 Harald Schumacher Germany

338 Ron Springett England

339 Frank Swift England

340 Lev Yashin USSR

343 Ricardo Zamora Spain

344 Dino Zoff Italy

Defenders

400 Carlos Alberto Brazil

403 Luigi Allemandi Italy

404 Manuel Amoros France

405 Jimmy Armfield England

406 Klaus Augenthaler Germany

407 Kevin Beattie England

408 Franz Beckenbauer Germany

409 Paul Breitner Germany

430 Terry Butcher England

433 Roger Byrne England

434 Antonio Cabrini Italy

435 Camacho Spain

436 Jack Charlton England

437 Hector Chumpitaz Peru

438 George Cohen England

439 Stan Cullis England

440 Giacinto Facchetti Italy

443 Tommy Gemmell Scotland

444 Claudio Gentile Italy

445 Eric Gerets Belgium

447 Alan Hansen Scotland

448 Eddie Hapgood England

449 Ernst Happel Austria

450 Emlyn Hughes England

453 Norman Hunter England

455 Junior Brazil

456 Rudi Krol Holland

457 Bobby Moore England

458 Morten Olsen Denmark

459 Daniel Passarella Argentina

460 Alf Ramsay England

463 Kenny Sansom England

464 Nilton Santos Brazil

465 Uli Stielike Germany

466 Marius Tresor France

467 Bertie Vogts Germany

468 Ray Wilson England

469 Roy McFarland England

470 Mick Mills England

473 Luisito Monti Argentina

& Italy

474 Billy Wright England

475 Johnny Carey Eire

476 David O'Leary Eire

477 KarlHeinz Schnellinger Germany

478 Bill Shankly Scotland

479 Manny Kaltz Germany

Midfielders

603 Ossie Ardiles Argentina

605 Alan Ball England

606 Patrick Battiston France

607 Jim Baxter Scotland

608 Colin Bell England

609 Danny Blanchflower N Ireland

630 Rainer Bonhof Germany

633 Giampiero Boniperti Italy

634 Liam Brady Eire

635 Hans-Peter Briegel Germany

636 Trevor Brooking England

637 Jan Ceulemans Belgium

638 Bobby Charlton England

639 Mario Coluna Portugal

640 Bruno Conti Italy

643 Davie Cooper Scotland

644 Pat Crerand Scotland

645 Johan Cruyff Holland

646 Tony Currie England

647 Kazimierz Deyna Poland

648 Didi Brazil

649 Duncan Edwards England

650 Roberto Falcao Brazil

653 Luis Fernandez France

654 Gerry Francis England

655 De Figureido Germano Portugal

656 Gerson Brazil

657 Johnny Giles Eire

658 Alain Giresse France

659 George Graham Scotland

660 John Hansen Denmark

664 Ray Kennedy England

665 Peter Lorimer Scotland

666 Dave Mackay Scotland

669 Joe Mercer England

674 Arnold Muhren Holland

675 Johan Neeskens Holland

676 Gunter Netzer Germany

677 Ernst Ocwirk Austria

678 Antonin Panenka Czech'ia

679 Martin Peters England

680 Michel Platini France

683 Vasily Rats USSR

684 Antonio Rattin Argentina

685 Peter Reid England

687 Roberto Rivelino Brazil

688 Bernd Schuster Germany

689 Socrates Brazil

690 Graeme Souness Scotland

693 Nobby Stiles England

694 Marco Tardelli Italy

695 Jean Tigana France

696 Jorge Valdano Argentina

697 Rene v'd' Kerkhof Holland

698 Willy v'd' Kerkhof Holland

699 Victor Spain

703 Terry Yorath Wales

704 Ron Flowers England

705 Ari Haan Holland

706 Billy Bremner Scotland

707 Alex James Scotland

708 Marian Masny Czech'ia

709 Jimmy McIlroy N Ireland

730 Jorge Burrachaga Argentina

Forwards

800 Andre Abeggian Switz'land

803 Ademir Brazil

804 Jose Aguas Portugal

805 Florian Albert Hungary

806 Ivor Allchurch Wales

807 Gerry Armstrong N Ireland

808 Luis Artime Argentina

809 Georgi Asparuchov Bulgaria

830 Jeff Astle England

833 Cliff Bastin England

834 Igor Belanov USSR

835 George Best N Ireland

836 Roberto Bettega Italy

837 Oleg Blokhin USSR

838 Steve Bloomer England

839 Zbigniew Boniek Poland

840 Stan Bowles England

843 Raymond Braine Belgium

846 Raich Carter England

847 Carlos Caszely Chile

848 Mick Channon England

849 John Charles Wales

850 Giorgio Chinaglia Italy

853 Martin Chivers England

854 Allan Clarke England

855 Ric Coppens Belgium

856 Teofilo Cubillas Peru

857 Zoltan Czibor Hungary

858 Kenny Dalglish Scotland

859 Dixie Dean England

860 Alfredo di Stefano Spain

863 Derek Dougan N Ireland

864 Dragan Dzajic Yugoslavia

866 Preben Elkjaer Denmark

867 Eusebio Portugal

868 Giovanni Ferrari Italy

869 Bernabe Ferreyra Argentina

870 Tom Finney England

873 Just Fontaine France

874 Trevor Francis England

875 Hughie Gallacher Scotland

876 Garrincha Brazil

877 Francisco Gento Spain

878 Charlie George England

879 Andy Gray Scotland

880 Francesco Graziani Italy

883 Jimmy Greaves England

884 Gunnar Gren Sweden

885 Gerhard Hanappi Austria

886 Johnny Hancocks England

887 Johnny Haynes England

888 Willie Henderson Scotland

889 Nando Hidegkuti Hungary

890 Geoff Hurst England

893 Tommy Hutchison Scotland

894 Jairzinho Brazil

896 Jimmy Johnstone Scotland

897 Kevin Keegan England

898 Mario Kempes Argentina

899 Sandor Kocsis Hungary

900 Raymond Kopa France

903 Hans Krankl Austria

904 Grzegorz Lato Poland

905 Denis Law Scotland

906 Tommy Lawton England

907 Francis Lee England

908 Leonidas da Silva Brazil

909 Billy Liddell Scotland

920 Alex Jackson Scotland

923 Amaro Varela

Amancio Spain

924 Jose Augusto Portugal

925 Johnny Rep Holland

930 Gary Lineker England

933 Pierre Littbarski Germany

934 Nat Lofthouse England

935 Malcolm MacDonald England

936 Wilf Mannion England

938 Stanley Matthews England

939 Sandro Mazzola Italy

940 Jimmy McGrory Scotland

944 Jackie Milburn England

945 Stan Mortensen England

946 Gerd Muller Germany

947 Zdenek Nehoda Czech'ia

949 Peter Osgood England

950 Wolfgang Overath Germany

953 Pele Brazil

954 Roger Piantoni France

955 Silvio Piola Italy

956 Fleming Povlsen Denmark

957 Ferenc Puskas Hungary

958 Helmut Rahn Germany

959 Cyrille Regis England

960 Robbie Rensenbrink Holland

963 John Richards England

964 Luigi Riva Italy

965 Gianni Rivera Italy

966 Paolo Rossi Italy

967 K-H Rummenigge Germany

968 Juan A Schiaffino Uruguay

970 Uwe Seeler Germany

973 Dragoslav Sekularec Yugoslavia

974 Len Shackleton England

976 Nikita Simonian USSR

977 Allan Simonsen Denmark

978 Agne Simonsson Sweden

979 Frank Stapleton Eire

980 Joachim Streich EGermany

983 Tommy Taylor England

984 Tostao Brazil

985 Marco van Basten Holland

986 Frankie van der Elst Belgium

987 Erwin Vandenbergh Belgium

988 Vava Brazil

989 Norman Whiteside N Ireland

990 Ernst Willimovski Poland

993 Dennis Wilshaw England

994 Frank Worthington England

996 Mario Zagalo Brazil

997 Zico Brazil

998 Roger Hunt England

999 Rodney Marsh England