Daei, Matar and Al Jaber: Top 10 Middle East footballers, but who is the greatest?

Since the recent retirement of Iranian legend Ali Karimi, his legions of fans have been taking to social media to proclaim him one of the best players ever to come out of the Middle East and North Africa.

Such a claim is always subjective, but below we've compiled a list of 10 legends of the regional game. But which one really was the best?

RADAH MADJER (ALGERIA)

When you score the all-important equaliser in a European Cup final that your team goes on to win, then appearing on such lists as these is always a possibility. Add an international career than spans 14 years then it is more than a probability.

Perhaps that oh-so-cool backheeled goal for Porto against Bayern Munich in Vienna, was a fitting revenge for what happened five years earlier at the 1982 World Cup. The whole of football was shocked when Algeria defeated West Germany and was then disgusted when the Germans and Austria contrived to go to the second round at the expense of the North Africans.

Madjer scored in that famous win too. Scoring goals was what he did.

MAHMOUD AL KHATIB (EGYPT)

The King of Egyptian football started playing for Al Ahly in 1972 and finally said goodbye to the club, (as a player, he is still vice-president) in 1988. During those 16 years he played a major part in the team winning ten Egyptian titles and two African championships in that time but there was more - not least the fact that he received just two yellow cards in almost two decades of playing the game.

The 1983 African footballer of the year, 'Bibo' helped his country to the 1986 African Nations title. The final against Cameroon in Egypt, was his last game for the Pharaohs and it was fitting that he bowed out in style.

ALI KARIMI (IRAN)

In terms of natural talent, a true legend. The 2004 Asian Player of the Year could have had an even better career than the one he had, though there's still plenty to look back on.

He played 117 times for his country and won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich back in 2006 though an ankle injury limited his time in Bavaria. Outspoken off the pitch and expressive on it, on his day, Karimi was unplayable and while such days did not come around quite as much as they should have, when they did, they were unforgettable.

ALI DAEI (IRAN)

The world's leading international goalscorer needs no introduction after netting 109 times for his country, a feat still to be matched by anyone else.

Daei had an insatiable appetite for goals and an inexplicable talent (he said that the art of goalscoring came from your mother and couldn't be learned) for popping up in the penalty area unnoticed, until it was too late.

Perhaps he stayed on the international scene too long but by the time he hung up the weapons of his trade, as well as Persepolis, he managed to play Bayern Munich and then Hertha Berlin.

One of the few Asian strikers famous around the world.

ISMAIL MATAR (UAE)

If you need a quick idea of how good Matar is, just know this: he followed in the footsteps of Diego Maradona and preceded Lionel Messi by winning the Golden Ball at the World Youth Championship, now known as the U20 World Cup.

His 2003 triumph was deserved. For a few years, he carried the national team even if there are other talents around these to share the burden. Back in 2007, he was the star who inspired UAE to a first Gulf Cup, earning a number of camels in the process.

He was so good that Al Wahda never let him go to play on the stage he deserved. Matar would have become a major star at the right club in the right league in Europe.

YOUNIS MAHMOUD (IRAQ)

Back in 2007, the Desert Fox did something that perhaps no Middle Eastern player has ever done, put a football team from the region in the global news headlines - not football, but the 'real' news all around the world.

He had a lot of help from a talented team but the captain and the striker scored the goals to give the Lions of Mesopotamia the Asian Cup. For once, the people around the world could see a positive story coming out of the country invaded by a US-led coalition four years earlier.

The winning goal against Saudi Arabia in Jakarta will never be forgotten but there was plenty more to his career.

SAMI AL JABER (SAUDI ARABIA)

No team in the Middle East has appeared at more World Cups than Saudi Arabia and Sami Al Jaber played at all four and managed to score in all but one. That alone means that he deserves legendary status but that's not all.

Over 150 appearances for his country and 20 years at one of Asia's biggest clubs Al Hilal. He helped the Riyadh giants become Saudi champions six times and Asian title winners twice.

There are some in Europe who know him only for a brief Wolverhampton Wanderers cameo. In this case, ignorance is not bliss.

ALI AL HABSI (OMAN)

To be go from Oman, a nation unknown in Europe in football terms, to the English Premier League, via Norway, is a feat that can be easily underestimated and is more than doubly hard for a goalkeeper.

Shotstoppers from the region often do not have the best reputation but the genial giant from Muscat had the determination as well as the talent to shine. He played so well for Bolton Wanderers in the Europa League against Bayern Munich that the German giants wanted to sign him.

A role model for regional goalkeepers.

HUSSEIN SAEED (IRAQ)

The striker, son of a draper, scored goals for fun for the national team. Almost a century of strikers helped Iraq qualify for a number of Olympic games at 1980, 1984 and 1988 as well as the 1986 World Cup.

He was the star striker of the golden generation and was especially prolific at the Gulf Cup and still holds the tournament goalscoring record with ten as Iran won the 1979, 1982 and 1988 regiona meets.

Became an important figure off the field following his eventual retirement.

NOUREDDINE NAYBET (MOROCCO)

The centre-back was a stalwart in defence for Morocco for the best part of two decades from 1990 onwards and played 115 times for his country. He also enjoyed a fine club career, leaving his native Casablanca for Nantes in 1993, moving to Sporting Lisbon shortly after and then arriving at Deportivo La Coruna.

Naybet helped the Galician club to a league title, various cup wins and Champions League campaigns during his eight years there before finishing a distinguished career with Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League - not bad at all.