Best Player in the World?

[iamjonesyyoafc]

oh go on then, who is it?

[dave_ragg1984]

Eric Abidal?

[Stevie_J]

Where's the Matt Smith option?

[Zorrro]

To decide who is the 'best' you need to measure their tangible attributes.

 

Plus I reckon there's loads of blokes dotted around the world with more innate talent than any professional who just happen to have never kicked a ball.

 

My favourite is Cristiano Ronaldo.

[Stevie_J]

To decide who is the 'best' you need to measure their tangible attributes.

 

Plus I reckon there's loads of blokes dotted around the world with more innate talent than any professional who just happen to have never kicked a ball.

 

My favourite is Cristiano Ronaldo.

That's just coz you like his hairstyle.

[leeslover]

Plus I reckon there's loads of blokes dotted around the world with more innate talent than any professional who just happen to have never kicked a ball.

I'd sooner make that charge against the pommel horse in gymnastics or clay pig shooting than football, there is really ony running quickly which is more accessible and doing that is less likely to be picked up and coached in most places. And even a fast runner is likely to be made into a footballer rather than a sprinter.

[oafcprozac]

Ronaldo often flatters to deceive but can be quite brilliant, However, none deliver on the biggest stage like Andres Iniesta a guy who runs Barca's and The Spanish midfield year after year, a guy who has won his last three international tournaments and scored the winning goal in a World Cup Final.

 

As for Messi, yes, he's quite brilliant but has (so far) never delivered in a big tournament for the Argies, Maradona won the World Cup in 1986 single-handedly, despite not benefitting from the non-contact attitude that blights the modern game. The Spanish League is a good league, but would he score as many goals over here or even in Italy? Ronaldo to be fair did, Messi? I think we'll never know.

 

But for me Ineista is the best in the World and he has the medals to prove it

[Stevie_J]

Ronaldo often flatters to deceive but can be quite brilliant, However, none deliver on the biggest stage like Andres Iniesta a guy who runs Barca's and The Spanish midfield year after year, a guy who has won his last three international tournaments and scored the winning goal in a World Cup Final.

 

As for Messi, yes, he's quite brilliant but has (so far) never delivered in a big tournament for the Argies, Maradona won the World Cup in 1986 single-handedly, despite not benefitting from the non-contact attitude that blights the modern game. The Spanish League is a good league, but would he score as many goals over here or even in Italy? Ronaldo to be fair did, Messi? I think we'll never know.

 

But for me Ineista is the best in the World and he has the medals to prove it

I agree wholeheartedly with all of that.

[pukka]

Where's falcao?

[dave_ragg1984]

As for Messi, yes, he's quite brilliant but has (so far) never delivered in a big tournament for the Argies, Maradona won the World Cup in 1986 single-handedly, despite not benefitting from the non-contact attitude that blights the modern game. The Spanish League is a good league, but would he score as many goals over he

 

I'd say that the standard of the Champions League nowadays is higher than the World Cup, so that he consistently dominates that competition is a massive plus in his favour. Messi (barring injury) is going to do the business in Brazil too, I am fairly confident of that (though clearly, it hasn't happened yet so I can't put it in his favour!)

 

What I would say though, is that the Spanish League is stronger than the Premier League. More often than not, recently in Europe Premier League sides have really struggled against Spanish opposition. And the way that a mid table team manhandled United (who are consistently one of the best teams in the county) last season said a lot for me. It doesn't matter whether Messi or Iniesta ever do it in the Premier League or Italy, or Germany or France or wherever. They perform week in week out in Spain and at Europes highest level, so that is more than enough for them to stake their claim.

 

For the record though... Messi would rip the Premier League a new 'un.

[Monty Burns]

As much as it pains me to say it, I'd go with yaya toure.