[Football] 3rd Best Football Player in the World

[Nixonator]

The greatest players are always going to be considered attacking. Therefore, in protest, I'm selecting Toby Alderweireld. Considering Real Madrid are rumoured to be putting in a huge bid. I haven't seen any better defenders.

Midfield wise, I'd pick Modric as the best.

Upfront wise, I'd pick Suarez.

PS obviously not including the 2 best in Messi and Ronaldo.

The season Atletico won la liga recently, their defence was the best i've seen in a long time. Godin, Alderweireld, Giminez, Juanfran, Courtois etc.

 

[Megazone]

The season Atletico won la liga recently, their defence was the best i've seen in a long time. Godin, Alderweireld, Giminez, Juanfran, Courtois etc.

It must've been a good defence as Alderweireld only played for them 12 times.

 

[Dick Head]

Michael Owen

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

You can tell most people on here only pay attention to English leagues...

 

[Is it PotG?]

You can tell most people on here only pay attention to English leagues...

...or the fact that everyone has their own opinion.

 

[crodonilson]

Lukaku

 

[BensGrandad]

Lukaku

I thought the OP said 3rd best in the world not in the UK.or at Man Utd.

 

[AmexRuislip]

I thought the OP said 3rd best in the world not in the UK.or at Man Utd.

And Planet BG

 

[The_Viper]

You can tell most people on here only pay attention to English leagues...

This is the sum of your contribution? How about you give your thoughts, oh well and seasoned traveler of leagues.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

This is the sum of your contribution? How about you give your thoughts, oh well and seasoned traveler of leagues.

It’s a fairly sensible contribution. In the main, the contributions so far have been either Neymar (the most expensive player ever) or premier league players, with the odd exception. It suggests that, in the main, people are only exposing themselves to their home nation’s League.

But if you want a more in depth comment, then the reality is there simply is no way of measuring it. How are we judging the third best player? Statistics? Statistics based on the importance of the competition those statistics are derived from relative to comparable players’ stats from other leagues? Or is it based on media opinion? Or simply derived from subjective, often biased opinion of ignorant viewers?

The reality is that picking a third best player in the world is nothing more than baseless opinion that really can’t be justified by any measurable statistic.

But I’m going for Bruno because I like his facial hair.

 

[Megazone]

I
But if you want a more in depth comment, then the reality is there simply is no way of measuring it. How are we judging the third best player? Statistics? Statistics based on the importance of the competition those statistics are derived from relative to comparable players’ stats from other leagues? Or is it based on media opinion? Or simply derived from subjective, often biased opinion of ignorant viewers?

The reality is that picking a third best player in the world is nothing more than baseless opinion that really can’t be justified by any measurable statistic.
.

Isn't football a game of opinions?

For me, having played the game a lot where I practised tricks and kick-ups on a regular bases in my own time, helped me to admire top quality players and the more difficult skills in the game. I also believe it helped me to spot flaws in players, for example, I was aware CMS was crap when I watched him play for Peterborough in the Play-offs just before he signed for us. When we signed him, I wasn't at all excited and was very aware of his very heavy 1st touch before he'd even kicked a ball for us. Had I not played football and not worked on my close ball control all through my youth, I'd probably have been excited about the signing based on the facts and stats that he was League 1's top goal scorer.

Sometimes in football, it's the opinions which out prove the facts.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

That joke is old hat and died now If only some people were blessed with the intelligence to move on.

Not too salty then?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Isn't football a game of opinions?

For me, having played the game a lot where I practised tricks and kick-ups on a regular bases in my own time, helped me to admire top quality players and the more difficult skills in the game. I also believe it helped me to spot flaws in players, for example, I was aware CMS was crap when I watched him play for Peterborough in the Play-offs just before he signed for us. When we signed him, I wasn't at all excited and was very aware of his very heavy 1st touch before he'd even kicked a ball for us. Had I not played football and not worked on my close ball control all through my youth, I'd probably have been excited about the signing based on the facts and stats that he was League 1's top goal scorer.

Sometimes in football, it's the opinions which out prove the facts.

All fair. But none of it brings us any closer to any realistic answer to the OPs question.

Anyway who is the fourth or fifth best player? Or the sixth? Or the 19th? And why?

 

[Triggaaar]

For me, having played the game a lot where I practised tricks and kick-ups on a regular bases in my own time, helped me to admire top quality players and the more difficult skills in the game. I also believe it helped me to spot flaws in players, for example, I was aware CMS was crap when I watched him play for Peterborough in the Play-offs just before he signed for us. When we signed him, I wasn't at all excited and was very aware of his very heavy 1st touch before he'd even kicked a ball for us. Had I not played football and not worked on my close ball control all through my youth, I'd probably have been excited about the signing based on the facts and stats that he was League 1's top goal scorer.

Have you got a link to your words of wisdom before we signed him, because professionals in the game (who also practised tricks and kick-ups a bit) thought he'd be good.

 

[Mackenzie]

Zaha. Obviously.

Failing that “The” Benteke or Scott Dann or Johnny “Joniesta” Williams.....etc



#Delusion

 

[WhingForPresident]

No mention of Lewandowski

11 in 11 in the Bundesliga this season, top scorer in World Cup Qualifying with 16 goals in 10 games, 30 in 31 Bundesliga games last season, 30 in 29 the season before... I'd take him over any other striker in the world.

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

Gabriel Jesus is an unbelievable talent and could become the best in the world. I saw Dani Alves compare him to the original and greatest Ronaldo who at his peak was probably the most exciting player I've ever seen and there are a lot of similarities.

Man City's team/squad is frightening!

 

[NooBHA]

Gareth Bale

He has proved time and again that he can turn games single handedly for Wales

 

[Commander]

Isn't football a game of opinions?

For me, having played the game a lot where I practised tricks and kick-ups on a regular bases in my own time, helped me to admire top quality players and the more difficult skills in the game. I also believe it helped me to spot flaws in players, for example, I was aware CMS was crap when I watched him play for Peterborough in the Play-offs just before he signed for us. When we signed him, I wasn't at all excited and was very aware of his very heavy 1st touch before he'd even kicked a ball for us. Had I not played football and not worked on my close ball control all through my youth, I'd probably have been excited about the signing based on the facts and stats that he was League 1's top goal scorer.

Sometimes in football, it's the opinions which out prove the facts.

Which begs the question, how the hell did a player as good as Gus Poyet not work that out!?

 

[Megazone]

Have you got a link to your words of wisdom before we signed him, because professionals in the game (who also practised tricks and kick-ups a bit) thought he'd be good.

The way I see it, players like Gus Poyet probably didn't need to practise their kick-ups and technique anywhere near as much as people like myself did as they were more naturally gifted from the beginning.

As a youngster, I used to play with a kid up in London called Ryan Smith who played for Arsenal youth and England youth. There was once a report about him where Arsene Wenger described him on the lines of having the pace of Henry and the technique of Bergkamp. What I noticed with Ryan Smith and his brother was they never really needed to practise kick-ups and technique and didn't play half as much as all their mates. They were just naturally gifted to be a professional footballers from a very early age, which helped me to understand that to be a professional footballer, you're pretty much born with the ability. If not, no matter how hard you practise, it just won't happen for you.
So maybe some of these 'great players' don't actually appreciate or spot the talents of others as well in comparison tp their footballing ability as the technique side of football just seemed so easy and natural for them, unlike the poorer players who may have seen a good touch etc as a more stand out ability?
I'm not trying to say I would've been a better manager or that top professionals make bad managers, but it doesn't always follow that the greats make great managers and that park sunday footballers wouldn't see things in players that maybe great footballing professionals would.

Wasn't the most decorated UK Manager of all time never actually a professional footballer? Bill Struth (could be wrong) Even Wenger played mostly at a pretty poor standard, which goes to show you really don't need to be a great footballer to be able to spot great talent.

I reckon the attitude with signing CMS was that it was a gamble more than he was a class player. I bet Poyet and these other managers who were putting in bids, probably were hoping/gambling he would carry on the goal scoring stats he had at Gung-ho Peterborough. I honestly doubt they saw a player with a great 1st touch, lovely balance, guile, composure and a quality technique when striking the ball.

IMO, Poyet was just thick enough to get blagged into his stats more than his talents.