Let's precise that the game at Calderon is the 25ª edición del Trofeo Villa de Madrid. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesv/villademadrid.html ..for the 2004 edition, the tournament was named "Trophy Hellboy"
Thanks. There is not much of him on youtube/dailymotion but I think it shows his style well. I agree with PDG1978 that in all-around ability and fluidity Suker is a strong alternative choice, as well as career accomplishments (was among the tournament's best players in two of the three chances he got - at 2002WC he was 34 and 6 months old). Among the highest goalscorers of the 1990 to 2000 era, excluding penalties.
The year 1969 was already discussed a bit. 'TalkSport' picked Bergkamp, and I can only see Batistuta as a real alternative so he is for me the solid #2 (maybe that with a better European record/production Chapuisat could've gotten near him). Kahn is for me the defensive player, with Lizerazu and Baia as 2nd best. Other offensive players: Fernando Redondo, Robert Prosinecki, Predrag Mijatovic, Vladimir Jugovic, Brian Laudrup, Faustino Asprilla, Stephane Chapuisat, Andrei Kanchelskis, Fran, Leonardo, Tomas Brolin, Paolo Sergio, Antonio Conte, Pierluigi Casiraghi, Eric Wynalda, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Valeri Karpin, Oleg Salenko, Lars Bohinen, Marc Wilmots, Ali Daei, Igor Shalimov, Richard Witschge Other defensive players: Bixente Lizerazu, Vitor Baia, Sinisa Mihaijlovic, Fernando Couto, Marcio Santos, Santiago Canizares, Stefan Schwarz, Jose Chamot, Jens Lehmann, Henning Berg, Arthur Numan, Kasey Keller, Shaka Hislop, Stig Inge Bjornebye, Paul Lambert, Lucas Radebe 1969: Dennis Bergkamp (Oliver Kahn) 1970: Alan Shearer (Cafu? Edwin van der Sar?) Also here I came to Shearer, before I had looked at TalkSport (who picked the same player). Other offensive players: Alen Boksic, Emmanuel Petit, Bryan Roy, Paolo Sousa, Djalminha, Ronald de Boer, Ciriaco Sforza, Philip Cocu, Christian Karembeu, Patrice Loko, Florin Raducioiu, Luis Enrique, Mehmet Scholl, Roberto di Matteo, Enrico Chiesa, Emmanuel Amunike, Alain Boghossian Defensive players: Noureddine Naybet, Frank de Boer, Abelardo, Angelo Peruzzi, Moreno Toricelli, David James, Diego Simeone, Gianluca, Pessotto For this year I'm not sure whether I've all notable ones (defensive players). I'll make a 1940 - 1970 overview next, including all major alternatives. Does it make sense that these names end on top for TalkSport? I think it does. Shearer ranks as one of the best 1990s strikers (together with Batistuta, but not many more) and is occasionally top 100 material. Not a very regular feature, but on occasions it happens. Bergkamp is regularly mentioned (by Spanish/Italian sources) as one of the best, most creative and most diverse technicians the West European region has delivered since the television era, so that makes sense too. Also he is at times top 100 material (maybe/probably more often than Shearer). This is different for the 'offensive players' for the year 1968 - for example - where the main choices are Suker, Djorkaeff, Boban, Effenberg...
The brief answer for considering Redondo as a creative/attacking player is that he was praised and judged for what he could do with a ball, and that unlike some of the more creative liberos he didn't play in the last defensive line (nominally). This is also the best answer because even though details can shift and tilt some things, football is broadly a simple game heavily influenced by obvious variables. In this particular instance I think Simon Kuper voices it well: "Soccer is cheap to play and simple to understand, yet tactically sophisticated. Its displays of physical grace evokes dance." This doesn't mean Redondo did nothing without the ball, even Pirlo and Scholes did that, but that is not what he is famous for, and he had colleagues to do/share in the more unglamarous and tactically versatile work (Karembeu, Seedorf, McManaman). "When asked to name some of the greatest players to have ever played in La Liga, the same names inevitably crop up; Cruyff, Zidane, Ronaldo, Messi, Rivaldo, Xavi, and so on. Those mentioned are all legends of the game; they all had – or have – that sublime ability to produce wonderful moments of mesmerising skill and technique. There is one player, though, that often – and unfairly – gets overlooked continually – Fernando Redondo. [...] Having a central midfielder that was physically imposing, as well as technically superior to most opponents, was a luxury that Real Madrid used to full effect. He dominated games with ease, linking well with midfield partners Clarence Seedorf and Christian Karembeu. Real Madrid eventually beat a strong Juventus side to win the Champions League in 97/98. Redondo pulled the strings as his side ran out 1-0 winners, despite coming up against a ridiculously talented midfield three of Deschamps, Davids and Zidane. The pinnacle of the Argentinean’s career came in the 99/00 season. Real Madrid were looking to add another Champions League trophy to their collection, and Redondo was to be the man that guided the side. He struck a strong understanding with new midfield side-kick Steve McManaman, the Englishman’s willingness to close down left Redondo with much more space to inflict damage with his frighteningly accurate passing. He made games his own; it was as if he was untouchable at times." http://www.centrocampista.com/2012/02/fernando-redondo/ Both Alex Ferguson and Fabio Capello considered and described Redondo as a "central midfielder" - with Capello in 2016 saying that at Real Madrid he played with no defensively minded midfielders (this is the English link). Capello is here an interesting reference point, because he came from the Italian game and had used Desailly and Rijkaard previously, and after Madrid he used Tomassi and Emerson. The Guardian: "One example of this perspective in action came when Fabio Capello took over at Real Madrid and considered Fernando Redondo to be too elegant a player to play in front of the defence. Capello had always preferred a strongman in the position; he used Marcel Desailly at the base of midfield while at Milan, and felt Redondo’s skill set was better suited to a role further up the pitch." Or a prominent Real Madrid fan website: "In these years (1997 - 2000) Redondo was at his peak. He didn’t possess the engine to cover every inch of the field, but his intelligence and the sense of what is going to happen and where was unrivalled. He didn’t possess the engine to cover every inch of the field, but his intelligence and the sense of what is going to happen and where was unrivalled. At first, Fabio Capello was hesitant to play Redondo as a defensive midfielder, as he wasn’t convinced by his defensive qualities and considered him too elegant to play there. These thoughts were quickly disproved and Redondo was awarded the highest praise he could get from an Italian manager -– tactical freedom on the pitch, along with this quote: “I was fascinated by him...He is tactically perfect.” [...] How could Real Madrid's formation work? One word: Redondo. He was the glue and linchpin that held the whole team together. Yes, he did have help from very active central defenders and Macca, who had a tireless engine. [...] As I said earlier, he didn’t have an engine to run like a mad man and lounge into tackles like some defensive midfielders do (but make no mistakes, he was an excellent tackler)." https://www.managingmadrid.com/2017/5/9/15498724/fernando-redondo-the-pure-essence-of-elegance It is a bit obfuscated here, but this is important. The famous "tactically perfect" quote was done in the context of describing Redondo his - so to say - 'midfield libero' role. This is in my view also important in mentioning his national team career; yes, the criticism of his haircut by Passarella is important and such, but he was at his best and most prince-style-like when being relatively free. In this freed capacity, outnumbering opposition, he did his most famous damage, and was most notable to the human eye. As Ferguson puts it in his autobiography: In 2003 Ferguson said: "With one central midfielder [Redondo] they beat us. Redondo was fantastic that night. Unbelievable." It was one central midfielder, but Redondo could star at his most supreme because there was the possibility to outnumber the opponent. This is Redondo his signature game, with his most famous scene arriving in a characteristic way. 'The Blizzard' describes how it came about, which at the very same time shows again it is the ability with the ball (and not his defensive stance) that brought him fame. "Tracked by the assiduous Henning Berg, Fernando Redondo set off down a blind alley on the left wing, never once lifting his glance from the ball. By the time the Argentinian turned back, his option of a pass to the supporting Roberto Carlos had been cut off by two Manchester United players who’d joined the chase. There was nowhere to go. Onlookers no doubt cursed an uncharacteristically poor decision from a midfielder Fabio Capello once described as “tactically perfect”." https://www.theblizzard.co.uk/article/nutmegs Also the criticism often went along the same lines, I think, since he was still primarily judged with the same glasses on. The Guardian in 2000 noted (with Real Madrid finishing 5th in the league, even being 12th after 16 games): "Before the last World Cup Passarella had kicked Redondo out of the Argentine team. Famously, Redondo had ignored Passarella's edict to cut his hair. In fact, the hair was merely the excuse. The dispute went deeper: Passarella wanted Redondo to consider himself a soldier in his [midfield] army. Redondo would not. [...] 'Real Madrid have been playing fairly badly to very badly all year,' said Johan Cruyff in March. 'I don't think there is a team in the world where the midfield loses so many balls. You can't count how many Redondo loses. Redondo is often called the master of the one-touch. Tactically perfect, said his former coach Fabio Capello. But when his team-mates are not moving, he can appear helpless. He lacks acceleration, is often carrying injuries, and sometimes seems not to care. Then he becomes the master of the two or three-touch, passing needlessly to defenders, slowing the game down.' At the apex of his career, generally understood as taking place between 1997 and 2000, Real Madrid conceded 45, 62 (while finishing 2nd!) and 48 goals in the league. This are numbers for which the Gerrard-Henderson pair was lambasted back in 2013-14. In the Champions League games that he played between 1997 and 2000, Real Madrid conceded 37 goals in 33 games. Only in 13 of the 33 games they conceded no goal. That's quite a bit indicative for how the defense and goalkeeper was shielded. In the main I would consider Redondo as a creative/attacking player, certainly at the pinnacle of his fame, and I think that is also consistent with where I've placed the others. If Redondo had played nominally as a defender, then I'd put him there (like Blanc, Hierro, Mihaijlovic etc.- at 2nd thoughts I upgrade Mihaijlovic to Lizerazu and Baia level by the way). Of course there are some doubtful instances like Roy Keane.
Found this comment by Redondo in an 'AS' interview from early 2004: "The midfielder has stopped being a reference, because the majority of the teams has opted for the double-pivot. The teams defend more, losing in the distribution of the play. It is true that currently it isn't in fashion to have players of my style, but we still can see some of them. To me, the one that I like more is Xavi (Barcelona). It is occupying another position, but he conserves the handling of the ball, the vision of play and the judgment." He was primarily a creative player imho, despite nominally being the deepest midfielder at many matches. The number of goals conceded by Real Madrid in those years is an indication (as opposed to, say, Makelele for Chelsea, Desailly for Milan which is of course a mutually reinforcing status between the player and the team).
Redondo is a special case, he was a Holding Midfielder, in South America his role known as Volante Central, or Volante Mixto when his team played a double pivot, since his Argentinos Jrs. years he played in the first line of midfielders. So, agreeing about his qualities described, I think his role was more related to a Defensive Midfielder than a Deep-Lying-Playmaker. Redondo's role was similar to used to play Guardiola, Albertini or Dunga, imho
I think the main thing is we all understand Redondo's role well enough (and both Puck and msioux do I think surely). I suppose it is not easy to make the cut-off point for deep midfielders when putting players as either 'attacking' or 'defensive' based. Redondo was not exactly Pirlo of course, and even Xabi Alonso (based on certain periods when he probably got forwards more even in a 4-2-3-1, or based on indeed having a holding player alongside him predominantly) might be deemed more 'attacking' maybe. But probably if I had to choose I also see Guardiola (albeit the last line of midfield even more regularly in role and permanently in style than Redondo) as mainly creative in terms of his function and best attributes, and Albertini too (despite making contributions with many tackles, interceptions) so in that case I'd see Redondo also as 'attacking'. Dunga I'd say no, but he too was a very useful passer and distributor at times (and maybe younger Dunga was a bit more adventurous and agile too?). Even Keane is difficult to place as initially he was quite an attacking box to box player. Robson was mostly quite an attacking box to box player. For Puck's info, I'd see Jonas Thern (I think listed as defensive earlier) as 'attacking' as in a creative albeit two-way midfield player. Some DMs can surely be deemed defensive - Gattuso, Makelele etc. But personally I might even say Tigana and Vieira not for example (unlike with Thern I certainly wouldn't feel I'd recommend moving Vieira if Puck had listed him as 'defensive' though for example). Not sure if all that helps lol, but basically I suppose it depends on which other players are deemed attacking as opposed to defensive (and whether it's more on position or attributes), but I can see Redondo both as a predominantly/initially deep midfielder, but also a predominantly creative/progressive one at his best.
Yes this are my thoughts as well (need to check Jonas Thern again, but for the others I have the same ideas). Roy Keane was for Forest and alongside Ince mainly an attacking/creative player - willing to steam ahead with and without ball, like Redondo also often ending up at/near the wings after a run - and then at the end of his peak level (2000 to 2003) particularly defensive. Michael Cox makes however the point in the mixer book that neither Keane or Vieira could get their mind to full-filling a fully restricted Makelele role (despite Wenger/Ferguson wanting them to when they grew older). Ferguson, after the falling out, accused Keane of thinking he was Peter Pan. Dunga (b. 1963) was mainly a defensive player I'd say. I think his status and fame was largely a product of what he did for his national team. For Fiorentina - where he was more attacking I think (this was generally expected from foreigners) - he had one or two strong seasons but don't think he reached the same heights. He was overlooked for his national team between 1990 and 1993. Berti Vogts accused kicker in the late 1970s and early 1990s of being harsher to foreigners, but Dunga for Stuttgart has one world class designation (in the summer of 1994, for the tournament) and one international class designation in the four halves he played there (without long injuries). In the OPTA stats, for Brazil, he scores particularly high at tackles, recoveries, interceptions and passing volume. Babaorum noticed that too: "Dunga is particularly impressive, being in tackles, recoveries or interceptions." (I would add his passing volume to this). This is true for both 1994 and 1998 (but not 1990). By 1998 he was playing in Japan for the previous three years, and had returned after a two years hiatus (between 1995 and 1997). I think it is actually not too complicated, as good as some players are, they and the ball can't be everywhere at once. I did an extra check for 1970 and think I've all the major ones. Behind Shearer there is not a lot to pick (compared to 1969).
Paolo Sousa (b. 1970) is another good example for this. Two great games by him are by the way the 1995 UEFA Cup semi finals (against Borussia Dortmund). This was probably his peak season and Juventus won the league. I hesitated to mention these games in the 'best games' thread because Sousa his stay at the top was short-ish (one season in 1994-95 and maybe a half in 1996-97). In 1994-95 many sources mentioned him as best player of the entire Serie A, as comme had noticed too. This is a pretty good match for many players anyway: http://footballia.net/matches/juventus-fc-borussia-dortmund-uefa-cup I also think that if Matthias Sammer had continued playing in midfield, that he then is a primarily a creative/attacking player too. A good scene showing this tendency, and linking all the above nicely together is this: (after 18:50) Also that other scene that you had noticed before (after 17:00) (notice the positioning and movement/inclination of Sammer during this Inter attack and counter-attack) I'll try to make an overview of 1940 - 1970 later this week.
Yes, probably Sammer in that brief period playing sweeper/spare defender actually reached his peak in both attacking and defensive contribution and impact! Probably partly because he matured into his best version and partly because the role suited him well. For a 1969 attacking player, Brian Laudrup, this is a nice new video. I'd say it's not quite one for the 'best games by best players' thread, irrespective of whether he's deemed to qualify (with the way Peterhrt was asking for 100 player selections he was always unlikely to be picked in those of course - keeping in mind position/era balance etc), as probably there are just a few too many possession losses. But conversely, generally speaking (and IMO he could be like Sammer in having the relatively short peak of form/circumstances in combination) it is him at his best I think and R9Godmagic was impressed enough to give it a complimentary comment in brackets (as he sometimes helpfully does, like with Zico vs Paraguay in 1980 IIRC for example):
I forgot to add Puck that from what I remember maybe I'd have Sousa right on the borderline between defensive/attacking. Not sure what msioux thinks or if he's a player he watched much. Probably I could just about conceive of classing Redondo as attacking and Sousa defensive if we are splitting things into two categories like that, based on what they gave most of in their roles in peak form. But I could certainly see the argument they should be in the same category (with for me Dunga more clearly defensive especially if largely discarding the Serie A time, and Thern more clearly attacking). I got thinking that 1969 was probably a good year for 'skill', looking at the list you made for attacking players Puck. More so than for overall careers I suppose. In some cases, including to an extent Brian Laudrup himself, the physical qualities are a big part of it though. But not sure whether God was handing out talent plentifully that year, or if technical players in the game when 1969 births were growing up (Platini/Zico/Maradona/Hoddle/Antognoni....and eventually Brian's older brother too!) had a big influence on their development and enthusiasm to play the game etc etc.... I was interested to see Guardiola put De Bruyne's passing ability down to genetics actually at the weekend, as it seems he himself at least helped bring the maximum potential out of the Belgian this season (though he certainly seems to have an aptitude for it - probably overall as players Hazard might be seen as the more naturally gifted of the two main Belgian Premier League stars though - in the way he can dribble/move/turn/control etc etc?).
Yes this takes me a bit away from going down the years but it refers well to the 'what was the best crop?' idea. I think 1964 to 1969 was generally strong with regards to creative and imaginative players (also if I look a bit more ahead in time). Maybe it helps that East Europe hadn't disintegrated yet - population fell dramatically in the 1990s - and 1969 is also the back end of the babyboom for many West European countries (link shows the one of NLD - some other European countries had an absolute peak around 1949 and 1950 rather than around 1946). Maybe also that kids could and did play outside very often, demonstrably so, as opposed to later years. It was the peak of the welfare state (cf. the Laudrup article) and the nutrition was excellent, yet the video gaming culture (later: social media) did not really exist yet when those grew up in middle class/working class families. Probably I am forgetting some plausible factors now, but I (tend to) agree with your observation. Maybe this also holds a little bit for South America, such as Romario who is generally regarded as Brazil's most technical striker since the television era started (although it cannot be stressed enough that foreign observers regarded DB10 as the better player when both were active in the same league), and yes, also Redondo somewhat for a deep-lying midfielder. 'Pes stats' rates KDB his technique on 86 while Hazard is on 93. It shouldn't be taken at face value but read the discussion here (the last two pages, I mean): https://pesstatsdatabase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=19457&start=140 https://pesstatsdatabase.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=5941&start=440 Brian Laudrup was actually good in three national team tournaments. Euro 1992 obviously, euro 1996 when 2nd in the topscorer list behind Shearer, and also some good games at the 1998 World Cup (especially against Brazil).
I'll continue with 1971 next, but here an overview of what I had so far with highest Ballon d'Or position noted. 1940: Pele (1st, honorific) 1941: Moore (2nd) or Albert (1st) 1942: Eusebio (1st) 1943: Rivera (1st) 1944: Jairzinho or Carlos Alberto (N/A) 1945: Beckenbauer (1st) 1946: Best (1st) 1947: Cruijff (1st) 1948: Eddie Gray (N/A) or Clemence (N/A) 1949: Cubillas (N/A) 1950: Bettega or Caszely (N/A) 1951: Keegan (1st) or Dalglish (3rd) 1952: Blokhin or Simonsen (1st) 1953: Zico (N/A) 1954: Kempes (N/A) 1955: Platini (1st) 1956: Rossi (1st) 1957: Robson (9th) 1958: Hugo Sanchez (N/A) 1959: Preud'homme (10th) 1960: Maradona (1st, honorific) 1961: Matthaus (1st) 1962: Gullit (1st) 1963: Schmeichel (5th) 1964: Van Basten (1st) 1965: Hagi (4th) 1966: Romario (N/A) 1967: Baggio (1st) 1968: Maldini (3rd) 1969: Bergkamp (2nd) 1970: Shearer (3rd) The 1944 born player with the best Ballon d'Or finish is Netzer on 3rd. The 1948 born player with the best Ballon d'Or finish is Ruud Geels who finished 6th. 1949 is Ruud Krol (3rd). 1950 is Bettega (4th). 1953 is Hans Krankl (2nd) 1954 is Trevor Francis (7th) (also Schumacher finished once 7th, but with less points & more total voters) 1958 is Soren Lerby I think (12th) 1966 is Stoichkov (1st) Not entirely certain about 1958.
1946: Figueroa / Best Also, Angel Bargas, Quintano / Yazalde, Dirceu Lopes, Hölzenbein, Más, Gadocha 1947: Hughes ?? / Cruijff A weak year for defenders, I'll add Osvaldo Piazza. Also two peruvians, Chale and Oswaldo Ramírez. 1949: Krol / Cubillas Also, E.Wolff, Clodoaldo, Gorgon, Buljan, Shilton. Forwards: K.Fischer, Babington, Bianchi, Quini, Causio
1941: Moore / Albert Other defenders: Albretch, Meszoly, Fuentes, Cruzado, Peña, Shalamanov Other forwards: Ducke, Bernao, A.Gonzalez, Yakimov, Domenghini, H.Nielsen 1945: Beckenbauer / Müller Other defenders: Pirri, Cejas, Penev Other forwards: Ball, Borja, Magnusson, Reinoso, Petkovic, Morales
1948: Is a weak year, I'll pick: Clemence / Sotil 1949: Krol / Cubillas Other forwards: Edu, Temime Lahzami
According to his reputation perhaps Dirceu Lopes can be in the XI, alongside Figueroa? Then Vogts to right back, or left back with Jansen perhaps into the midfield....(which makes it a more viable XI as a top option, with all players in their best/normal roles, or close enough considering Vogts's versatility as a defender I'd think).
Sorry, ignore that! I read on here some posts about him and also Djalma Dias before and was temporarily getting them mixed up! Dirceu Lopes was not a centre-back obviously.
1971: Roy Keane (Henrik Larsson or Jari Litmanen) This year seems to have some split opinions. 'TalkSport' picked Henrik Larsson, personally I went for Roy Keane while on reddit (with mostly English/South American commenters) and another youtube attempt there is a majority for Litmanen. I'm sure that when looking at the three/four/five best years of a player Litmanen his stock rises. His name is on many 'best players to not play in a World Cup' lists. As early as 1993 he was known as the 'man of glass', but when fit an excellent player (was 18th in the 1993 Ballon d'Or, 8th in 1994 despite not playing at the World Cup andsoforth). Roy Keane is difficult to categorize. As noted he was mostly an attacking presence earlier in his career. In 1993-94 he had 5 non-penalty goals and 6 open play assists in 37 league games (3090 minutes; a ratio of 0.33 per 90 minutes) - and had surely at least as many pre-assists. Later on he didn't get close to those numbers. In the year of his highest WPOTY and Ballon d'Or finish he got 2 goals and 0 assists in 35 league games. Because I think this year is not as deep for defensive players, and Keane got most of his accolades after hew grew more defensive (admittedly when ManUnited was more consistent in Europe), I decided to put him there. Still not entirely sure about this. He was never a Makelele, Simeone or Desailly. Other prominent players from 1971: Offensive or creative: Dwight Yorke, Demetrio Albertini, Josep Guardiola, Dino Baggio, Hakan Sukur, Fredi Bobic, Finidi George, Edmundo, Mustapha Hadji Defensive: Fabien Barthez, Paolo Montero, Sergi, Francesco Toldo, Luigi di Biagio, Patrik Andersson, Brad Friedel, Francisco Arce, Thomas Helveg, Niko Kovac, Serginho Help would be appreciated. As noted above (also hinted at by PDG1978) it is possible to think that both 1970 and 1971 doesn't have the depth in level and skill/ability of the 1964 to 1969 years. Maybe for Europe not totally surprising (or counter-intuitive, as a better word) given the steep decline in birth rates. Thanks, I had already noted down those names (although I picked another top defensive player), but in your second post you mention two I had overlooked... ... Those two might be added yes.
Some days ago I asked @PDG1978 whether he has an idea how many (open play) assists Roy Keane had before the Premier League started, for Nottingham Forest between 1990 and 1992. He hasn't a complete number but based on the couple/handful videos and match compilations he showed and referred to it is very likely Keane had more than in the late 1990s and early 2000s (when he received two nominations for EPotY). He has certainly also more assists and goals between 1990 and 1992 than in his final Forest season, in 1992-93 (6 goals and 2 assists in 40 games). He's together with Litmanen the one with the best Ballon d'Or finish (6th for Keane, 3rd for Litmanen). 1971 is not one of the best and deepest years although Keane would probably place high in any year, when categorized as a defensive player at least.
The year 1972 was already discussed. It has four different Ballon d'Or winners (Zidane, Rivaldo, Figo, Nedved). It has the once most expensive defender (Thuram, his best finish 7th in Ballon d'Or which feels 'low'). It is together with 1947 also the only year where two players went for a world record fee. So let's move on to 1973.... 1973: Ryan Giggs (Fabio Cannavaro) Video below is only two minutes long but sometimes shorter is better... Indeed, it has many moments from early in his career, around 1993 and 1994. This was when he finished 9th in the Ballon d'Or (was peculiarly never in the top 10 for WPotY) The two with the best BdO finish, other than Giggs and Cannavaro, are Roberto Carlos (2nd) and Davids (8th). Other offensive or creative players (not necessarily in order): Edgar Davids, Roberto Carlos, Jay-Jay Okocha, Patrik Berger, Ole Gunnar Solkskjaer, Juninho Paulista, Christian Vieri, Savo Milosevic, Robert Pires, Marc Overmars, Jan Koller, Darko Kovacevic, Oliver Neuville, Tore Andre Flo, Vladimir Smicer, Filipo Inzaghi, Kevin Phillips, Pauleta, Johan Micoud, Claudio Reyna, Viktor Ikpeba Defensive players: Claude Makelele, Javier Zanetti, Rustu Recber, Roberto Ayala, Matias Almeyda, Dida, Dietmar Hamann, Marco Materazzi, Eric Deflandre, Agustin Aranzabal, Vincent Candela, Michael Reiziger, Christian Panucci, Roque Junior, Rogerio Ceni Perhaps placing Edgar Davids among the offensive players is not so obvious (Roberto Carlos was famously criticized for his defensive abilities and positioning), but I think also he built a large part of his fame on what he could do with and on the ball. That being said, the teams he played for did concede relatively few goals and he was occasionally Juventus their deepest midfielder (on paper) - but most often it was Deschamps, Tacchinardi andsoforth. His brief spell at Barcelona is a different story.
Forgot to mention this on saturday; I think I've found indicative numbers collected by Aaron Nielsen (even if not 100% accurate) and that is Keane his 'goals/shots on target' conversion rate. After 1997-98, starting with the season where he would register his highest BdO and WPotY finish, this number drops. Until 1998 his 'goals/shots on target' conversion is 31% After 1998 it is 15%. 15% of his shots on target ended in a goal. I think that is a hint for his deeper role, taking lower percentage shots if he took them. Therefore fewer on target shots end up in a goal - the shots outside the box. His open play assists (not resulting from set pieces) and non-penalty goals are already a hint. Before the 1998-99 season Keane was paired with Scholes 7 times in midfield at league and Champions League level. 5 of those 7 times Scholes was subbed out before the 70th minute (4W 1D 2L - 7 goals for, 4 against). The default pairing in midfield, if Keane played, was with Nicky Butt and then before him Ince. Then in 1998-99 Keane-Scholes became the 'vintage' pairing, with Keane achieving his highest player of the year finish while registering 2 goals and 0 assists in the league. Here is a longer Giggs video with the same music: