Editing Marco van Basten (section)

===Reception and legacy===
Considered by pundits to be one of the greatest and most complete players of all time,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/capello-i-made-ibrahimovic-watch-van-basten-videos |title=Capello: I made Ibrahimovic watch Van Basten videos |publisher=FourFourTwo |date=10 November 2016 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104234700/https://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/capello-i-made-ibrahimovic-watch-van-basten-videos |url-status=live }}</ref> in 1998, Van Basten was ranked sixth in the [[FIFA Player of the Century#FIFA Internet vote|FIFA Player of the Century]] internet poll, tenth in the European player of the Century election held by the [[IFFHS]], and 12th in the IFFHS World Player of the Century election.<ref name="IFFHS Century Elections"/><ref name="FIFA Player of the Century"/> He was also ranked eighth in a poll to determine ''[[France Football]]''{{'}}s "Football Player of the Century."<ref name="The Best x Players of the Century"/> In 1999, Van Basten was named the ninth greatest player of the twentieth Century by ''[[World Soccer (magazine)#Greatest Players of the 20th century|World Soccer]]'' magazine.<ref name="World Soccer Greatest Players of the 20th Century">{{cite web|url=http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsWldSocPlyrsCent.html|title=World Soccer Players of the Century|publisher=World Soccer|access-date=1 November 2019|archive-date=4 April 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210404034430/http://www.englandfootballonline.com/TeamHons/HonsWldSocPlyrsCent.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the [[FIFA 100]], his list of the world's 125 greatest living players,<ref name="FIFA 100"/> and also placed fourth in the [[UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll]], celebrating the best European footballers of the past fifty years.<ref name="UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll"/> He was also ranked 25th in a poll for the [[De Grootste Nederlander|100 greatest Dutch people]]. In 2007, ''[[Sky Sports]]'' ranked Van Basten first on its list of great athletes who had their careers cut short.<ref name="100 greatest Dutch people"/> In 2016 Van Basten was included in UEFA's All-time Euro XI,<ref name="All-time EURO 11"/> while in 2017, he was named the 13th greatest player of all time by ''[[FourFourTwo]]''.<ref name="No.13, Marco van Basten">{{cite news |title=FourFourTwo's 100 Greatest Footballers EVER: No.13, Marco van Basten |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwos-100-greatest-footballers-ever-no13-marco-van-basten |work=FourFourTwo |last1=Hess |first1=Alex |date=26 July 2017 |access-date=1 November 2019 |archive-date=30 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430212755/https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/fourfourtwos-100-greatest-footballers-ever-no13-marco-van-basten |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{Quote box|width=30%|align=right|quote="It is between [[Romário]] and Van Basten."
|source =— [[Diego Maradona]] on who was the best player he ever saw.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=D56YN5B5zYgC "Ele Nao Se Cala"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330134912/https://books.google.com/books?id=D56YN5B5zYgC |date=30 March 2023 }}. p. 74. Placar Magazine (Edition. 1315, Feb 2008). Retrieved 20 November 2013</ref>}}
Numerous players, managers, and other footballing figures have also lauded Van Basten as one of the greatest players of all time. In 1994, defender [[Pietro Vierchowod]] described Van Basten as "the absolute number one" and as a "superstar," also adding that "he is strong with his head, good with either foot, capable of changing the face of a game with a single play or, [even] when he is not at his best, of becoming the best assist-provider for his teammates."<ref name="pagelle"/> Former defender [[Jürgen Kohler]], who often faced Van Basten throughout his career, described him as "a player with exceptional abilities. He was a big personality not only as a sportsman, but also as a private person. I benefited from him. It is as simple as this. He was a big milestone in my career and for me he is one of the players who are the most outstanding personalities of the last century. Not only in sports, also as a human being." When asked of their duels, he commented: "the duels between us were simply tough with everything football offers. He stood and I delivered and then I stood and he delivered."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0185-0e6a9280d1ba-8c6495f46592-1000--kohler-faces-final-curtain/ |title=Kohler faces final curtain |publisher=[[UEFA]] |date=6 May 2002 |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=30 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231030220413/https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0185-0e6a9280d1ba-8c6495f46592-1000--kohler-faces-final-curtain/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Former Arsenal player [[Tony Adams]] described Van Basten as the toughest and most difficult opponent he had ever faced in 2006, stating: "He’s the quickest 6 ft 3 in centre-forward I’ve ever seen! Just awesome. He was as quick as [[Ian Wright]], as good in the air as [[Joe Jordan]] and he held the ball up better than [[Alan Smith (footballer, born 1962)|Alan Smith]]. I put him in front of Maradona. Technically, Maradona was brilliant and he had amazing feet, but [V]an Basten could head, volley – he had power and strength."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/tony-adams-perfect-xi |title=Tony Adams: Perfect XI |publisher=FourFourTwo |date=1 September 2006 |access-date=25 December 2019 |archive-date=25 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225155150/https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/tony-adams-perfect-xi |url-status=live }}</ref> Fellow former defender [[Giuseppe Bergomi]] also described Van Basten as the strongest player he ever faced in 2018, commenting: "The best player of all time for me [...] is Maradona, but the strongest player I ever faced was [V]an Basten because at least I could beat Maradona to the ball with my head."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/inter/2018/11/22-50234858/ho_pianto_per_radice_maradona_il_piu_forte_di_sempre_ma_a_van_basten_e_stato_ancora_piu_difficile_prendere_la_palla/ |title=Ho pianto per Radice. Maradona il più forte di sempre, ma a Van Basten è stato ancora più difficile prendere la palla |work=Il Corriere dello Sport |language=it |date=22 November 2018 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235334/https://www.corrieredellosport.it/news/calcio/serie-a/inter/2018/11/22-50234858/ho_pianto_per_radice_maradona_il_piu_forte_di_sempre_ma_a_van_basten_e_stato_ancora_piu_difficile_prendere_la_palla/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=CALCIO, BERGOMI: VAN BASTEN IL PIU' FORTE, HO PIANTO PER RADICE |url=http://sport.repubblica.it/news/sport/calcio-bergomi-van-basten-il-piu-forte-ho-pianto-per-radice/4758792?refresh_cens |access-date=4 November 2019 |work=La Repubblica |language=it |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235331/http://sport.repubblica.it/news/sport/calcio-bergomi-van-basten-il-piu-forte-ho-pianto-per-radice/4758792%3Frefresh_cens |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2017, two of Van Basten's former Milan teammates, [[Demetrio Albertini]] and [[Marco Simone]], labelled the Dutchman as the best player they had ever played with, with the former stating, "The best player I have ever played with is Van Basten, the best overall. He had elegance and strength. He stopped playing at only 28 years of age, which is truly young."<ref>{{cite web|date=23 January 2017|title=Simone : "Van Basten était le plus fort"|url=https://www.goal.com/fr/news/30/italie/2017/01/23/31888002/simone-van-basten-%C3%A9tait-le-plus-fort|access-date=25 December 2019|publisher=Goal.com|language=fr|archive-date=25 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225160250/https://www.goal.com/fr/news/30/italie/2017/01/23/31888002/simone-van-basten-%25C3%25A9tait-le-plus-fort|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bressi|first1=Stefano|date=2 September 2017|title=Albertini: "Van Basten il più forte, allenatori tutti importanti"|url=https://www.pianetamilan.it/news-milan/albertini-van-basten-il-piu-forte-allenatori-tutti-importanti/|access-date=4 November 2019|publisher=Pianeta Milan|language=it|archive-date=6 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106032124/https://www.pianetamilan.it/news-milan/albertini-van-basten-il-piu-forte-allenatori-tutti-importanti/|url-status=live}}</ref> That same year, another one of his fellow former Milan teammates, [[Paolo Maldini]], labelled Van Basten as the most complete player with whom he had ever played.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wahl|first1=Grant|date=28 March 2017|title=Rapid fire with Paolo Maldini: On AC Milan, best opponents, favorite player today|url=https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/03/28/paolo-maldini-ac-milan-italy-baresi-messi-maradona-ronaldo-zidane|access-date=25 December 2019|publisher=Sports Illustrated|archive-date=6 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906165155/https://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2017/03/28/paolo-maldini-ac-milan-italy-baresi-messi-maradona-ronaldo-zidane|url-status=live}}</ref> Another former Milan teammate of Van Basten, [[Giovanni Cornacchini]], described the Dutch striker as the greatest player of all time in 2019.<ref>{{cite web|date=11 March 2019|title=Cornacchini: "Van Basten il più forte. Guidolin..."|url=https://www.tuttobari.com/news/cornacchini-van-basten-il-piu-forte-guidolin-77804|access-date=4 November 2019|publisher=Tutto Bari|language=it|archive-date=22 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190322041034/https://www.tuttobari.com/news/cornacchini-van-basten-il-piu-forte-guidolin-77804|url-status=live}}</ref> Former Milan [[Vice-Chairman]] and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] [[Adriano Galliani]] instead described Van Basten as Milan's greatest player ever in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|date=11 February 2018|title=Milan: Galliani, Van Basten il più forte|language=it|work=Ansa.it|url=http://www.ansa.it/lombardia/notizie/2018/02/11/milan-galliani-van-basten-il-piu-forte_fa08a9ca-b60a-4e0f-81e1-71ebacbaeb6f.html|access-date=4 November 2019|archive-date=4 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235337/http://www.ansa.it/lombardia/notizie/2018/02/11/milan-galliani-van-basten-il-piu-forte_fa08a9ca-b60a-4e0f-81e1-71ebacbaeb6f.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2017, [[Roberto Baggio]] named Van Basten as the player with whom he would have most liked to have played, commenting: "I'd have liked to play with him. He's the player that I exchanged shirts with most willingly."<ref>{{cite web|date=24 July 2017|title=Baggio: My heir & penalty hell...|url=https://www.football-italia.net/106237/baggio-my-heir-penalty-hell|access-date=25 December 2019|publisher=Football Italia|archive-date=25 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225155159/https://www.football-italia.net/106237/baggio-my-heir-penalty-hell|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2019, former Milan coach Fabio Capello described Van Basten and [[Ronaldo (Brazilian footballer)|Ronaldo]] as the best players he ever coached.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pianetamilan.it/news-milan/news-milan-capello-van-basten-il-piu-forte-che-ho-allenato/ |title=Capello: "Van Basten il più forte che ho allenato" |publisher=Pianeta Milan |language=it |last1=Bressi |first1=Stefano |date=24 March 2019 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235331/https://www.pianetamilan.it/news-milan/news-milan-capello-van-basten-il-piu-forte-che-ho-allenato/ |url-status=live }}</ref> His predecessor at Milan, Arrigo Sacchi, described Van Basten as the best striker of all time in 2014, commenting: "Marco van Basten remains for me the best striker of all time. No other forward has worked as hard for the team as Marco did at Milan. I above all remember him for his elegance, his grace and his incredible quality."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.football-italia.net/57977/sacchi-van-basten-best-all-time |title=Sacchi: 'Van Basten best of all time' |publisher=Football Italia |date=30 October 2014 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235342/https://www.football-italia.net/57977/sacchi-van-basten-best-all-time |url-status=live }}</ref> When [[Hernán Crespo]] was asked in 2015 who was the greatest centre-forward of all time, he echoed Sacchi's views, responding: "Marco van Basten. He did everything: [[Dribbling#Association football|dribbling]], shooting, headers, acrobatics. And he played with his team and for his team."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calciomercato.com/news/crespo-marco-van-basten-il-9-piu-forte-di-sempre-179294 |title=Crespo: 'Marco van Basten il 9 più forte di sempre' |publisher=Calciomercato.com |language=it |date=4 December 2015 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235335/https://www.calciomercato.com/news/crespo-marco-van-basten-il-9-piu-forte-di-sempre-179294 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019, [[Antonio Cassano]] described Van Basten and Ronaldo as the best forwards in the history of the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calciomercato.com/news/milan-l-ex-cassano-van-basten-oggi-varrebbe-500-milioni-14727 |title=Milan, l'ex Cassano: 'Van Basten? Oggi varrebbe 500 milioni!' |publisher=www.calciomercato.com |language=it |date=2 September 2019 |access-date=4 November 2019 |archive-date=4 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104235332/https://www.calciomercato.com/news/milan-l-ex-cassano-van-basten-oggi-varrebbe-500-milioni-14727 |url-status=live }}</ref>