not bad suggestion, but we can exclude the "previous winner" (so what? 4years are loooong time to affect their form) to save one more SPOT for CAF (+0.5) and UEFA (+0.5)
Are you being serious here? Algeria played nobody? They played Burkina Faso and Mali in qualifiers four times. Those teams were the 2nd and 3rd place winners of the African Cup in 2013. Mali also notched 3rd place in the African Cup in 2012. Please tell me how they played nobody. Did you bother looking at who the other teams faced? Nigeria faced four East African teams (who aren't exactly known for their football). Nigeria mustered 11 goals in 8 matches against Ethiopia, Malawi, Namibia and Kenya. How come you didn't bother calling them out? What about Cameroon who faced Libya, Congo, and Togo in the group stages. One of their matches ended in a default 3-0 and they still only scored only 8 goals in their 6 matches (including the 3 awarded goals). In the playoffs, they faced a Tunisian team that only advanced by disqualification. Tunisia fired their coach a week before their big match and they didn't call up any of their European players to face Cameroon. Ivory Coast and Ghana had hard draws but they faced teams that have flopped at continental play in the past four years. Don't understand your reasoning behind Algeria unless you have some unfounded bias against them. Your claim isn't backed by any evidence at all. As a matter a fact there isn't any evidence showing Cameroon is any better than Algeria. Cameroon got 0 points in the 2010 World Cup and failed to qualify for back-to-back continental African competitions. Their squad is also weaker than Algeria's too. You can even make the case for Nigeria's squad isn't as strong either.
That goal is actually one of low skill. Just hoofing the ball forward and outrunning a slow defender, all the while using only one foot and benefitting from bad goalkeeping. I can see goals like that by just walking to the park down the street from my house. The pass Bale made just this week in Wales was better imo.
agree ... but let's give Bale a good credit to have ran with a tremendous speed >39km/hr *simulation in short dsistant
You missed the point: After he scores this beauty, he manages to headshot two dudes (#16 and #25) at the same time. That certainly requires "Més que un skill", you can see that by looking at the trajectory of the shots... I mean "headshots":
Please. Usain Bolt could've probably scored that. It showcases incredible athleticism and pace, but very little actual skill. Punting the ball ahead of the defender so you can outrun him is something pretty much anyone can do as long as they're fast.
Yes, but after that unbelievable click into the highest gear, Bale still has the presence of mind to make his shielded run in front of the chasing defender by angling his first subsequent touch, giving himself enough time/space to next take on the keeper. That comes from soccer instinct, not from sheer pace.
Bale is not a better player than Neymar. He was more of a better runner and shooter than Neymar that;s all At time being I would say they both did well in Liga .. but not (yet) excellent to their price tags
I, and a lot of people, think he is a better player than Neymar. Stat wise he has done way better too.
that;s ok for your opinion. Stats wise Pedro is no less than Neymar Sanzhez or Cecs, but he is not same talent SO?
I said, "stat wise he has done way better TOO" apart from the actual contribution he does for the team. But, like u said, it is a matter of opinion.
exactly ... like it or not Neymar was in TOP5 Ballon Dor 2013, while Bale is in #9 - but I think Bale will be higher than Neymar in this coming 2014 ballon Dor ... matter of opinion, they had different style and no clear barrier
22 goals versus 15 is "way better"? And "too"? "Too" what? Neymar is younger, better in head-to-head clasicos and also better in international football. I'll be shocked if Neymar only scores 22 goals in 44 games when he is 25 years old. Just sayin'...
He got what the "too" meant, but ill explain it to you, we mean the part of the game that doesn't go in statistics. As for Neymar being younger, not a factor in determining who is better. Neymar being might mean he will be better, even a lot better, but we dont know. Just saying...
Statistically its over 25% better. A very significant margin. Youth means nothing in a head-to-head comparison of who is better at the moment, and being better in a small sample size of matches means little compared to the overall bodies of work these two have produced, and being better in international play, where Bale plays in a team filled to the brim with scrubs and nobodies not named Ramsey, compared with Neymar, who plays for freaking Brazil, is totally useless information, given the vast difference between virtually everything in the two scenarios.
No doubt that Neymar is the best player of Brazil and better than Bale. His performance and playing style proves that
Ok, if one has 250 goals and the other 180 over several seasons, that 25+% might be considered "very significant". But 7 goals over part of a season? Puh-lease! A 3-week hot streak could account for such a difference. I get the age thing, but usually when one compares players age should be considered especially if only one of them is in their prime.
Consistently scoring +7 goals than who you are versing is significant. There is a good chance Neymar might be better, really soon, but as of now and from what we have seen Bale is better.
What does playing style have anything to do with who is better? I don't have a dog in this fight. I'm not a big fan of Madrid or Barcelona. But isn't a players goal tohp his team win? It might be fair to say Neymar is more skillful, but Bale is better right now. Bale has superior physical attributes and seems to have a greater impact on his team than Neymar. Neymar could ultimately have the better career but I don't think it's even that close right now.
I think Naymar is much more naturally talented player then Bale but his physical ability does not match Bale's ,