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Lampard says that Wayne Rooney is better than Gianfranco Zola. Do you agree?

Graham Fisher in Editorial, General Soccer News 14 Jul 2009

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It is always difficult to compare players and ask the question, who is the best? The debate on this very site concerning who is the better player out of Steve Gerrard and Frank Lampard shows that people will rarely agree on what is a very subjective question.

It becomes even more difficult when the players are from different eras. Messi, Maradona or Pele?

Debate

In yesterday’s Daily Mail newspaper, Frank Lampard himself opened another similar debate that could be even more contentious. Lampard has said that Manchester United and England’s Wayne Rooney is a better player than Chelsea legend and current West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola was.

Lampard has played with both players so he should be in a good position to make a judgement. He believes that Zola was one of the greats but that Rooney is even more special,

“Wazza is the best. When he exploded onto the England scene at seventeen and played at Euro 2004 with me, I’d never seen anything like him for his power and all the other attributes he has that stand out. As a midfielder, as soon as I get on the ball, I want to play it in behind the other team’s midfield or defence. I need someone to be ahead of that action, already getting into a good position. As you learn to play with Wayne, you realise that his awareness is exceptional. It’s his key strength, his game awareness. Franco Zola is top-class, as a player, a man and evidently, too, as a coach. He is still way up there, but the football Wayne is producing for England makes him a very, very special player.”

There will be Chelsea fans who are outraged by Lampard’s assessment of the two players. Back in 2003 a poll on the Chelsea official website saw 15,000 fans vote for who was the best Chelsea player ever. An amazing 60% of the votes were cast for Zola. I guess a more recent poll may see the likes of Terry, Cech, Essien, Lampard, Drogba, etc giving Zola a run for his money, but in that previous vote he easily beat the likes of Peter Osgood, Dennis Wise and Jimmy Greaves.

Caps

Gianfranco Zola only won thirty-five caps for Italy, scoring ten goals. He was part of the World Cup runners-up squad in 1994. At club level he won Serie A, the Supercoppa Italiana, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup with two different sides. After moving to Chelsea he won the FA Cup, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Individually he was twice voted player of the year and in 2004 he was awarded the Order of the British Empire and in 2006 he was inducted to the English football hall of fame.

Titles

Wayne Rooney, of course, is still only twenty-three years old and hopefully has many years at the top of the game ahead of him. He already has fifty-two England caps and has scored twenty-four goals. He has won three Premier League titles, the League Cup, the Champions League and the FIFA World Club championship.

Individually, he has been the FIFPro World young player of the year, PFA young player of the year and the PFA fans’ player of the year.

That is a pretty impressive list for a twenty-three year old player.

Scoring

A look at the scoring record of the two players shows that at club level, Rooney has found the net one hundred and fourteen times in three hundred and fifteen appearances. Zola managed two hundred and one goals in six hundred and nine games. This means that so far, Rooney has managed a goal every 2.76 games whereas Zola had a career average of a goal every 3.03 games.

So there we have it, two different players from two different eras. Both have been regarded as great in their time. One has finished his career and one has, in effect, only just started. It is difficult to decide but we have to ask the question.

Is Frank Lampard right that Wayne Rooney is better than Gianfranco Zola was?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Graham Fisher


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  • Brad

    0 0

    Rooney hasnt reached his peak yet, so we cant call him the next big thing yet. It is only natural that players who have yet to reach their peak to disappoint.
    Messi, I guess that he is overhyped a bit tooo much, since he is so young, so brilliant, and plays for barca, the best club in the world as yet, and only challenge by ManU and Liverpool for that title.
    Another thing, Rooney, is already one of the greats. He has done so much already in his career, and certainly a bit more than Messi. Both of them, the way they play, they are already one of the greats. We just got to wait a few years to confirm that….
    But the thing is, this article doesnt compare Rooney to Messi, it compares Rooney to Zola.
    And all we gotta do is look at the statistics…. they shout the answers right in our ears, people.

  • The Soccer Snob

    0 0

    How is Messi overrated? Have you seen this guy play? He’s amazing! I think CR9 is better, but still, Messi is light years ahead of Rooney. How many years has he been dubbed as the next big thing, only to disappoint, both at club and international level. Rooney has so much potential, and we’ve all been saying this for some time now, but unless he steps it up to the next level, he’ll never be one of the greats.

  • Brad

    0 0

    I dont really know who is overrated more…. but Messi is most likely the answer.
    However, it is not about messi, it is about who is better: Rooney or Zola?
    Just look at the facts yall… they shout the answers right in our faces.

  • kukaka

    0 0

    Oh please. Messi is even more overrated, all because he is so young and plays for barca.

  • adam

    0 0

    Pfft! Rooney is the most overrated player of this generation!

  • kukaka

    0 0

    The Capoeira guy strikes again….. Brazilian ninja needs to stop drinking so much…..
    That was off topic…
    I agree with Brad over the part where he said that it is too early to judge on who is better.
    both brad and jay said this… rooney hasnt even reached his peak yet….. but that means he will be doing greater things for England and Manchester United than he is doing right now.
    Hastilavista.

  • Jay

    0 0

    Every player will always want to defend his fellow national team player, Rooney better than almighty Zola? Please Frank show some respect wayne is a good player but no where near Zola.

    Though I don’t know tomorrow for Rooney because he’s not at his pick but for now Zola is better

  • Brazilian Ninja...... KEKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    0 0

    cuh ha brad!!! salu est battar aja raanoy!!!!!! domdo–!!!!!
    🙂

  • fumo

    0 0

    I agree dat “Lampard says about Wayne Rooney is better than Gianfranco Zola”

    according to statistics show dat Rooney has managed a goal every 2.76 games whereas Zola had a career average of a goal every 3.03 games.

    what do espect 4dat results.

    WAYNE ROONEY IS BEST OF THE BEST you can compare with ZOLA aah take dat if you dont know obout ROONEY (10).

  • Brad

    0 0

    I almost completely forgot Zola saying that stuff.. sorry.
    He was great in his day….. but u can look at the statistics Graham put in the article and see whos up front….

  • Brad

    0 0

    With all due respect, Sir Cecil and Andrew, Graham never “slammed” Zola ( over here in the U.S. we would say burned, so I’ll use that) and didnt even suggest that Lamps had burned the Azzurri man. It is like what Graham said, you dont want to join a discussion, dont do it.
    Personally, I think that it is a bit too early for us to decide who is better…… Rooney, even though he is a indescribably brilliant player- bit of an oxymoron there- he hasnt reached his peak. That is the thing that is better than his current performances….. all the stuff he does now wil increase in intensity in a few years and happen even more frequently…
    That shows I dont let the fact I am a ManU fan cloud my judgement, as a footnote yall can duly note.
    Even though I think it is too early, if u ask me, I think the odds are in favor of Rooney.
    It is like what andy said, he is only 23 and has already done a lot for club and country.

  • andy

    0 0

    zola was a great player but with rooney only 23 and already an amazing career theres no doubt that rooney just edges it in my opinion.

  • Bobby

    0 0

    My hat goes out for the two. While Zola hard energy, intelligence and brilliance in his mind to bring the magic in his feet, Rooney all that package plus power and the audacity to trying. No wonder he is still developing.

  • Graham Fisher

    0 0

    I cannot see where in the article that I have ‘slammed’ Zola or even suggested that Frank Lampard has. It is clear that Lamps is saying that they both are/were great players.

    The article is simply an attempt to raise an interesting football debate about whether Wayne Rooney can or can’t be compared to Zola.

    If you don’t want to join the debate…don’t.

  • Birsh

    0 0

    Without any doubt,Rooney is the king even more than him……………………!!!! LOVING HIM FOREVER!!!!!!!!

  • Andrew

    0 0

    Perfect response from Sir Cecil above – exactly what I wanted to say really.

    Its just a typical tabloid article. Somebody makes an innocent and seemingly innocuous comment and the next day the papers read “Lamps slams Zola” or such other rubbish.

    Go and occupy your time with something constructive

  • Sir Cecil

    0 0

    You must have trouble reading. He says Rooney IS the best.
    IS as in the present, meaning currently… savvy?
    Lampard later praises Zola, who, in case you aren’t aware, is currently retired as a player.
    He praises them both. You have written a non-article.
    What a waste of your time and, more importantly, ours.

  • Sir Cecil

    0 0

    You must have trouble reading. He says Rooney IS the best.
    IS as in the present, meaning currently… savvy?
    Lampard later praises Zola, who, in case you aren’t aware, is currently retired as a player.
    He praises them both. You have written a non-article.
    What a waste of your time and, more importantly, ours.

  • Andrew

    0 0

    Perfect response from Sir Cecil above – exactly what I wanted to say really.

    Its just a typical tabloid article. Somebody makes an innocent and seemingly innocuous comment and the next day the papers read “Lamps slams Zola” or such other rubbish.

    Go and occupy your time with something constructive

  • Birsh

    0 0

    Without any doubt,Rooney is the king even more than him……………………!!!! LOVING HIM FOREVER!!!!!!!!

  • Graham Fisher

    0 0

    I cannot see where in the article that I have ‘slammed’ Zola or even suggested that Frank Lampard has. It is clear that Lamps is saying that they both are/were great players.

    The article is simply an attempt to raise an interesting football debate about whether Wayne Rooney can or can’t be compared to Zola.

    If you don’t want to join the debate…don’t.

  • Bobby

    0 0

    My hat goes out for the two. While Zola hard energy, intelligence and brilliance in his mind to bring the magic in his feet, Rooney all that package plus power and the audacity to trying. No wonder he is still developing.

  • andy

    0 0

    zola was a great player but with rooney only 23 and already an amazing career theres no doubt that rooney just edges it in my opinion.

  • Brad

    0 0

    With all due respect, Sir Cecil and Andrew, Graham never “slammed” Zola ( over here in the U.S. we would say burned, so I’ll use that) and didnt even suggest that Lamps had burned the Azzurri man. It is like what Graham said, you dont want to join a discussion, dont do it.
    Personally, I think that it is a bit too early for us to decide who is better…… Rooney, even though he is a indescribably brilliant player- bit of an oxymoron there- he hasnt reached his peak. That is the thing that is better than his current performances….. all the stuff he does now wil increase in intensity in a few years and happen even more frequently…
    That shows I dont let the fact I am a ManU fan cloud my judgement, as a footnote yall can duly note.
    Even though I think it is too early, if u ask me, I think the odds are in favor of Rooney.
    It is like what andy said, he is only 23 and has already done a lot for club and country.

  • Brad

    0 0

    I almost completely forgot Zola saying that stuff.. sorry.
    He was great in his day….. but u can look at the statistics Graham put in the article and see whos up front….

  • fumo

    0 0

    I agree dat “Lampard says about Wayne Rooney is better than Gianfranco Zola”

    according to statistics show dat Rooney has managed a goal every 2.76 games whereas Zola had a career average of a goal every 3.03 games.

    what do espect 4dat results.

    WAYNE ROONEY IS BEST OF THE BEST you can compare with ZOLA aah take dat if you dont know obout ROONEY (10).

  • Brazilian Ninja...... KEKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    0 0

    cuh ha brad!!! salu est battar aja raanoy!!!!!! domdo–!!!!!
    🙂

  • Jay

    0 0

    Every player will always want to defend his fellow national team player, Rooney better than almighty Zola? Please Frank show some respect wayne is a good player but no where near Zola.

    Though I don’t know tomorrow for Rooney because he’s not at his pick but for now Zola is better

  • kukaka

    0 0

    The Capoeira guy strikes again….. Brazilian ninja needs to stop drinking so much…..
    That was off topic…
    I agree with Brad over the part where he said that it is too early to judge on who is better.
    both brad and jay said this… rooney hasnt even reached his peak yet….. but that means he will be doing greater things for England and Manchester United than he is doing right now.
    Hastilavista.

  • adam

    0 0

    Pfft! Rooney is the most overrated player of this generation!

  • kukaka

    0 0

    Oh please. Messi is even more overrated, all because he is so young and plays for barca.

  • Brad

    0 0

    I dont really know who is overrated more…. but Messi is most likely the answer.
    However, it is not about messi, it is about who is better: Rooney or Zola?
    Just look at the facts yall… they shout the answers right in our faces.

  • The Soccer Snob

    0 0

    How is Messi overrated? Have you seen this guy play? He’s amazing! I think CR9 is better, but still, Messi is light years ahead of Rooney. How many years has he been dubbed as the next big thing, only to disappoint, both at club and international level. Rooney has so much potential, and we’ve all been saying this for some time now, but unless he steps it up to the next level, he’ll never be one of the greats.

  • Brad

    0 0

    Rooney hasnt reached his peak yet, so we cant call him the next big thing yet. It is only natural that players who have yet to reach their peak to disappoint.
    Messi, I guess that he is overhyped a bit tooo much, since he is so young, so brilliant, and plays for barca, the best club in the world as yet, and only challenge by ManU and Liverpool for that title.
    Another thing, Rooney, is already one of the greats. He has done so much already in his career, and certainly a bit more than Messi. Both of them, the way they play, they are already one of the greats. We just got to wait a few years to confirm that….
    But the thing is, this article doesnt compare Rooney to Messi, it compares Rooney to Zola.
    And all we gotta do is look at the statistics…. they shout the answers right in our ears, people.

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