Monday 30 March 2009

Who's the best player in the world?

author: Paul Jones
source: The Times

date: 25 March 2009
editing: fcbtransfers.blogspot.com






At the "World Player Of The Year" awards last season, five men lined up to be photographed; and in the following days press, one paper ran a story using that image, adding the sub heading of "The best players in the world....and Xavi". Not only is that grossly disrespectful to a player of Xavi's calibre, but highlights the lack of footballing knowledge within the industry to make such a remark.

Ronaldo, Messi, Kaka, Torres and Xavi were the five players involved, with Xavi being the only midfielder amongst them. He's not a defensive midfield player, but a creative player with a superb touch and vision, balance of a gymnast and makes things happen. Yet, he was dismissed as inferior to the rest by the press because he doesn't score as many goals.

Steven Gerrard just missed out on that top table last year; I don't think he will this time around. Raul and his Real Madrid side applauded him off the pitch at Anfield, and he is now respected worldwide for the brilliant talent that he is. This praise has been drawn due to his goalscoring and attacking play in the role he now occupies, behind Fernando Torres.

Torres has spent most of this season on the sidelines, but is the best striker in the world in my opinion. Ronaldo hasn't had half the season he had last year, yet he's still one of the most skillful and talented footballers on the planet. I can't stand his arrogance, or his posturing and gesturing, but he is a world class player of which there is no denial.

Messi is out of this world, and argument is often put forward in comparing these two players when discussing the best player on the planet. For me; Messi wins hands down every single time. The question people should now be asking when this topic rears its head is: Messi or Gerrard?

These two are now head and shoulders above anything else in the modern game. Messi's brilliance on the ball as he glides through defences week in, week out, showing strength, balance and trickery in equal measure, is undeniable. The ball does literally stick to his feet. The best player since Maradona, every time he picks up the ball you expect fireworks, and he is still only a baby. He could become the best player of all time. He's that good.

Zidane is up there for me as an all time great; so when he publically states that he believes Steven Gerrard to be the best player in the world, you have to take note.

1. Messi
2. Gerrard

The rest don't really matter at the moment.


read the full and original article here


Read more:
Four Barcelona players in FIFA top ten
Messi and Xavi on FIFA worldplayer shortlist
Alves second best player in the world

20 comments:

rasagna said...

Nice article .. Who's the best player in the world? This question can never be judged on the number of goals one score .. but then how do we judge one is the best? Hmmm ... no answer yet ..

noubarca said...

please stop asking this question. Theres only 1 winner

Anonymous said...

>Theres only 1 winner

better said: 1 winning winger :)

Ramzi said...

By the way that "The best players in the world,(and Xavi)" Article was the kind of articles that makes you wonder: is it you who live in Football illusion or there are people who only listen to football on radios but never watched a game?

skanjos said...

everyone knows that messi is the best and he is out of this world,but even messi doesnt have the vision of xavi,he will get in with expirience but its too random to compare players playing different positions.... xavi is the best amc out there by miles , messi is the best winger by miles, iniesta is the best versatile player ,eto is one of the best strikers,thats how it is. oh forgot dani alves is also the best right back by miles.

we are talking about players,they are great individuals but every year the golden ball goes to the player that his team wins the cl,so its a team efford,it doesnt matter if you are the best,you and your team have to prove it.messi is the best for me right now and i wish he can prove it to the world by getting the cl and the world cup next year

zealot said...

Here is the full Torres' part in the full article.

"Torres has spent most of this season on the sidelines, but is the best striker in the world in my opinion. As a Liverpool fan most would expect me to have that view, but taking off my blinkers, I still stand by that statement. Who out there is better than Fernando Torres?"

"Who is better than Torres" he asked? Did he forget DAVID VILLA?

jordy said...

i think torres is better than villa. I also believe eto'o is better than villa. but fernando is the best striker. xavi is the best is what he does, so is gerrard and kaka. messi and ronaldo, obviously i choose messi. but last time ronaldo won the battle.ronaldo can also make the difference on strength and heading, messi is more skill.

denari said...

Daily Mail can go straight to hell. Pathetic magazine.

Anonymous said...

this guy said hes a liverpool fan... thats why he rates gerrard and torres so highly. gerrard is overrated

Humankind said...

Gerrard is not overrated. I'd agree that it's between him and Messi. Gerrard is the most complete player in the world right now. He's world class. No doubt.

Anonymous said...

gerrard is overrated.

Anonymous said...

torres is overrated.

JR said...

Gerrard might be good, but no-one deserves to be mentioned alongside Messi when talking about the best player in the world. Messi is something else, a player that only comes around every couple of decades.

And about Torres, also one of the best strikers in the game, but Eto'o is better end of. I would honestly not trade him in for any other forward in the world.

Random Juve Fan said...

The best player in each position (in my opinion slightly biased) are the following
GK: Buffon no contest.
CB: Chiellini watch serie a he is amazing.
SB: Alves. Can do everything
DM: De Rossi A beast of a player
CM: Xavi Best passer in the world
AM: Messi Best player in the world
Winger: Ribery Just class
FW: Ibrahimovic or Del Piero sooooo much skill (watch Del Piero against Madrid...makes Madrid keeper look stupid 3 times)
These are my opinions FORZA JUVE

semko said...

I think that at this moment Julio Cesar is better than Buffon!

tero said...

Who remembers De Rossi anymore...Yaya Toure is way better...Gotta agree with Del Piero,his free kicks are awesome and I really enjoyed when he destroyed Madrid in CL

Bero said...

Who's the best player in the world?answer is simple,one word:Messi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

barcaaaaa said...

Best Player In The World?

Of course Messi.. what a stupid question.. It's no brainer..

Aussie Barca Fan said...

Anyone with any knowledge of football knows M10 is the best. Gerrard is a leader who inspires his team and brings out the best in others. He is a fantastic player and amblem of Liverpool (my second favourite team) but M10 is in a league of his own at the moment. Gerrard is great and a legend but M10 is poetry in slow motion - if you slow your t.v that is lol

Anonymous said...

I cant believe none of you mentioned ronaldinho... 2 years ago he was a god, and in my opinion he is more complete player than messi and will always be. Messi will never have dinhos vision, creativity, passing,crossing, dribbling(when he was on top) and most of all Ronaldinho's unexpetced moves. Now he is not so good, but it is all in his head. If he tried harder he would be football god again and no ronaldo no messi can be even close to full glory of ronaldinho!!

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