Best player in the world?
Germany were magnificent against Argentina and played a brand of free-flowing, simple pass and move football that was as effective as it was good to watch.
Horrible
That’s eleven semi-finals in the last fifteen World Cups for Germany. How on earth do they do that? They went into this tournament with Podolski and Klose in horrible form for their clubs. They had both scored less goals all season than Emile Heskey. Yet they arrive at the tournament and suddenly become world class players once again. I don’t know how that happens when English players do the exact opposite.
All season long the argument about who is the best player in the world has been raging. Is it Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Even Wayne Rooney was beginning to get a mention. I would say that to be the best player in the world you have to produce it at the very highest level.
Abysmal
Wayne Rooney was abysmal as we all know. Cristiano Ronaldo produced a couple of pieces of magic but was largely ineffective. Lionel Messi looked great but failed to influence the games and despite having more shots than anyone else in the tournament, failed to find the net once.
For Holland, Wesley Sneijder has probed and pushed and explored the defensive qualities of all of Holland’s opponents and demanded the ball and dictated the games. For Germany, Bastian Schweinsteiger has done exactly the same thing. These two have been the players of the tournament so far, along with David Villa and maybe they deserve the accolades usually reserved for Messi and Ronaldo.
Exceptional
The twenty-six year old Sneijder has played for Ajax, Real Madrid and Inter. He has eighteen goals in his sixty-six international appearances for Holland and he is a play maker of exceptional ability. This season he played a crucial role in his side winning the European Champions League and has now led his side to the World Cup semi-final.
Twenty-five year old Schweinsteiger has played his whole senior career at Bayern Munich and has scored over twenty goals in his eighty game international career. He has transformed from a clever wide player into a creative, hard working, play making midfielder. This season he played a crucial role in his side making it to the final of the European Champions League and has now led his side to the World Cup semi-final.
Creative
Both of these players are hard working and creative. They touch the ball probably more times than any other player on the pitch and they are at the heart of everything their team does. They have achieved great success as individual players and have been the architects of the highest possible success for their teams at domestic and international level.
Maybe we need to stop idolising players who show bursts of fantastic individual skill and breath-taking tricks and start to idolise the players who actually make their teams tick and lie at the heart of great success.
Effective
Don’t get me wrong, I’d still like to have Ronaldo and Messi playing in the wide positions for my team! I just think they might be a whole lot more effective if they had the brilliant vision and talent of Schweinsteiger and Sneijder to give them the service they need.
These two players deserve to be regarded as being right up their with the top players in the world and I hope they get the recognition that their performances and success deserve.
if it werent 4 Maradona being Argentina’s manager, I’d supported Messi and his gang. . .
besides Graham, I was predicting a Brazil vs. Germany final. what about you?
Thanks for that Brad…:)
I had netherlands beating brazil and meeting argentina in the final
football @ this present period of time is absolutely differ from what it used to be, Every sides has what it cost to beat one another…past glory, good old records of success al those do not shows up on the pitch any longer…
argentina just needed proper guidance from an experienced coach,im sure they would have taken the cup for sure.leving cambiasso was tantamount to suicide
well, it doesnt matter what we think now. now, we have to go with the facts:
As stated by Gary Lineker (I think he did, idk. Graham, did he say this?)
“Football is a simple game. 22 players kick a ball around for 90 minutes and at the end the Germans win.”
so this could be revenge 4 the Euro 08 final.
That’s a great quote Brad and I think it was Lineker who said it. Sadly, more often than not it is true.
Can’t wait for the Germany v Spain game. It should be good and there is just a small chance that Lineker might be wrong this time!
i miss the la liga champions league and epl ahhhh world cup pliz end,spain slay the germans then win the cup then time for some gooood seasons ahead.guys esp brad,after all the signings done by man city do you think they stand a chance as title contenders or they need @ least a season to gel again?
well, with all the signings, blaze, I think the new guys will have to take time to settle in, build some chemistry with the guys th@ were already there. While I don’t think (and prolly DON’T wanna, after all I’m a Man United fan) they could be title contenders, they should make it into the Big Four this season. after that, then they could be title contenders.
Oh, Graham, turns out Gary WAS wrong this time. . . I was kinda hoping Germany would win. I wanted to see a rematch of WC Final 1974. The likes of Klose, Podolski, and Schweinstegger ( or how u spell it) against Van Persie, Robben, and Schneider. . . might’ve been like what it was with Vogts, Beckanbauer, and Muller vs. Cruyff, Neeskans, and Rensenbrink. . .
Nice article Graham and oh so true. But you forgot to mention Xavi.
well, now he can make an article called “Messi or Ronaldo? NO, it’s Sneijder or Xavi!”
i would say,
a player’s status is not defined
by one tournament but rather their
overall track record.
any genuine football follower knows that Bergkamp, Davids, Cantona cemented their status as great players notwithstanding the fact that they never won the World Cup.
The Real Deal, dont forget George Best!!!
Maradona? Shit. Pele? Outstanding. George? BEST!!!
Brad, dont get carried away now.
Maradona used to perform tricks
that some of today’s so called ‘stars”cannot
try.
the goal he scored after the much publicised
‘hand-of-God” was just breathtaking!
hate him or love him, Maradona is not SHIT.
it was A JOKE, man. I just can’t get round the fact he resorted to the dark arts to score, and then (which angers me even more) he used drugs in the 94 WC.
but it’s still like the cliche.
Maradona. . . . . hold on. . . . ………………………………. good (THERE!! I SAID IT!!! (THROWS UP)). Pele? Better. George? BEST!!!
u make me laugh Brad!
it was a nice joke though.
and You have admitted that Mr. M is …..not…Shit.
he wasnt when he was sober. the drugs and cheats is what made me say that.
I’d like to throw my 2 bob in…..Forget everybody mentioned, Xavi and Inesta are the current best players in the world. Their trophy cabinet and performances on the big stage puts them shoulders above all the other pretenders..
don’t you mean “contenders”?
got nothing against xavi, he had great chances to score and was remarkable as always with his passing. but iniesta pretty much only showed up at the critical moment. a one time show.
xavi alonso is better than messi and ronaldo well i dont know
i want sneijder is a good player.
messi better than ronaldo without a fact and sneijder