Yes, I think you'd be on the right lines with those (I mentioned the Czechoslovakia one as a possibility when you were thinking of player highlight videos to make of course). Games from Italia 90 like vs Cameroon and perhaps the Netherlands again could be considered I think. But for other Tottenham games, Lazio games (I recall he was impressive in one after his comeback from injury but don't recall which...and there's the one where he scores the solo dribble goal but don't know about his overall display), Rangers games and even Newcastle games I'd be struggling to be specific. He did occasionally have a stand-out qualifying game for Graham Taylor's England I recall too, but again without specific memories about which were the best - I'm thinking of Wembley games though, rather than away ones, in which his dribbling was a key factor. I remember someone said Davids did well against Real Madrid and Laudrup in particular in the 95/96 season too (when we were doing the fantasy Euro club teams since 1989 tournament thing!).
Here it is: Although the Manchester United match with the 'cannonball' is not on youtube (3-1 win for Manchester United), I think this was also the better performance of the two. In the other one he did not do much (or got the chance/touches to do much) other than that long distance shot. That's on the other hand also a display of class, to make that shot (even if not totally unstoppable for the goalkeeper) and mark while your team is at the underdog position and you won't receive that many chances in a match. Also this one as an addition (his Italian wiki cites this match, for example): Think he achieved his best performances in Europe around 1999-2000 (his most productive exploits for sure). His Ballon d'Or position and FIFA World Player position peaked anyway here in 1999 (4th and 3rd respectively). Maybe superfluous but like the Barcelona match of the same season there is also a good one of that Fiorentina game (the same match as Batistuta above). This is a fine display right (in terms of creativity and 'added value') even if not at his fastest? I'm thinking of making an overview (creating more clarity and structure for all the picks/my picks for these players, thus Maldini vs Germany 1996 at euros, Maldini vs Spain at the 1994 World Cup and so on).
Yeah, re: the Bergkamp Fiorentina game I'd say after the first 3rd or so of the first half the majority of what he did was good to very good technically and creatively. And generally good in the second half, but I suppose, again, scoring with one or two of his attempts would make all the difference (to the score ofc, but also to upgrading his performance into or beyond 'very good' territory). He did seem a bit less mobile and quick there I think compared to in the Barcelona game itself actually didn't he? Still with some nice footwork, if not quite as spectacular as in that match.
Overall I think I'd place that Bergkamp display clearly as a 'slam dunk' 4 out of 6 so to speak on France Football's scale, like I said about Rafael Martin Vazquez vs Yugoslavia in WC90 recently (France Football did give that game by him that rating themselves too). As opposed to borderline 4 or 5 (some examples where I think this would include Bobby Charlton vs Portugal 1966, Van Basten vs USSR in the Euro 88 Final, Messi in the first CA15 game of his I studied I remember, which wasn't literally his first game of the tournament, and Overmars vs Bayern in the 94/95 semi-final home leg I recently watched....again possibly if I viewed it live although I can't be sure I did!). And also as opposed to borderline 3 or 4 (some examples of this for me would include Cruyff in the 1974 WC Final, Desailly vs PSG in the other 94/95 semi-final 2nd leg which I watched in full recently too, Messi vs Iran in the 2014 WC, and Seedorf, again from that Ajax-Bayern game).
Difficult to say I think. Was the first video the complete performance by him do you think? I guess the Arsenal one could be somewhere in the mix for him as it's unlikely he'd be giving displays with near 100% positive/useful actions maybe, and in that one he does seem physically and technically in decent shape/form, and of course it was a very notable winning goal in quality and significance. I don't have options in mind for him really, but perhaps other than that period we could be looking at Copa America 1991, towards the end of 95/96, towards the start of 97/98? (judging by the jist I get from goals/highlights, or remember).
With that in mind, maybe these two could be worth checking Puck if you were interested to do so (you might even get part way through and decide no of course): http://footballia.net/matches/fc-internazionale-acf-fiorentina-coppa-italia http://footballia.net/matches/argentina-Colombia For quality of winning goal they compare to the Arsenal game I suppose! So to compare the overall displays might be worthwhile potentially?
Here is a compilation of the 1963 final by that "1970s football" channel, uploaded two days ago: I didn't give it an asterisk as in 'best' but maybe someone else thinks different. A significant match and performance for his career certainly. The 1969 final is the more obvious pick and for many he was the runaway man of the match (saw that Dearman picked Prati - OK, but that was not the majority opinion I think). Although many were aware it wasn't among his best seasons, the games against Manchester United and the final helped him to win a 'career Ballon d'Or' so to speak. For JC14.... urrrmmmm JC10 in this game, it was obviously neither 'best' or 'significant' although he was really the only Ajax attacking player to consistently beat his man, and naturally attracted the better markers and stoppers to him (most famously Trapattoni - Trapattoni was aware of JC14 his scoring record against the top opponents and would later memorize this). Challenges were not always called in his favor. I didn't include this match in the earlier overview.
Worth noting David de Gea's performance against Arsenal this weekend. Made 14 saves (a record in the Premier League) and Arsenal had an xG of 5 but only scored 1. He got a 9 in the Times.
@PDG1978 It's a shame that FIFA is now aggressively taking down all match compilations (which can be helpful to show some things, for Overath for example). The same 1970s channel has still this one. Although a Portuguese comment below says: "I saw the full match years ago and i really think you missed a lot of his acts in this game." Which might be right. His best moments might be missing.
If FIFA and UEFA don't want to make the videos available themselves, they only seem to be preventing peoples appreciation of the sports history by removing ones others make. They can always monetise them anyway, and put those funds into grass roots football or whatever they want.
Looking at football as a work of art, the copyright holders should be the 22+ players and three referees on the pitch that day. It is their work and no one else's. What happened on the pitch (which is the only thing of interest) is what these 25+ people did during 90+ minutes. UEFA / FIFA whoever should not be the copyright holders.
I remember due to Peter's criteria I had named Eden Hazard for his topic, as referred to by comme at the start of this thread. Maybe worth noting a few good options for him: - Hungary (Euro 2016) - Everton (h) 16/17 Premier League - Arsenal (h) 16/17 Premier League - Atletico Madrid (a) 17/18 Champions League
I would say for Sandor Kocsis, the semi-final away leg vs Hamburg in the European Cup in 60/61 is worth mentioning. Probably unlikely to be his very best, but very good in general and typical of a well played game by him I'd think. I'd give it the edge on his game vs England at Wembley in 1953, but with quite a lot of parallels in the way he plays. Very reliable and at times more towards superlative in terms of his basic touches and ball control (so I don't mean he was especially intricate or expressive with the ball, but that his control was generally impeccable and useful). And I think only a very small percentage of his actions would not be classed as positive/helpful. A notable game to appreciate his headed passing too, even moreso than that England game perhaps. And while it's unlikely to be his very best game, the goal might well be his best headed finish or close to it I'd guess (which would be a good accolade for a goal by 'Golden Head'), as well as being right at the end (only Hamburg's kick-off would follow) and saving the tie - taking it to a 3rd game after a draw on aggregate.
Having looked at the Euro 84 Final, I'd say I'd give Tigana MOTM myself, and also at this point I'd just about go with that game as my choice as the best I saw him play; probably rating it around 8.5 though, and therefore similar to other performances, especially the semi-final of that tournament. I had a think about trying to do a top 10 only for performances I can see in full, and came up with this, only using one player one time (but perhaps I would anyway): 1 - Diego Maradona vs Belgium 1986 2 - Alfredo Di Stefano vs Eintracht Frankfurt 1960 3 - Ferenc Puskas vs Eintracht Frankfurt 1960 4 - Michel Platini vs Manchester United (h) 83/84 5 - Eusebio vs North Korea 1966 6 - Marco van Basten vs England 1988 7 - Lionel Messi vs Manchester City (h) 14/15 8 - Zinedine Zidane vs Dynamo Kiev (a) 97/98 9 - Johan Cruyff vs Italy (h) 1974 10 - Nandor Hidegkuti vs England 1953 I nearly put Kaka's 2005 CL Final performance in the top 10 though, and I'm pretty sure if some of Pele's other games could be viewed in full I'd be including one or more. Of the ones I can see in full I think his 1958 game vs France might come closest, but lack of consistency keeps it out probably. Cruyff's inclusion could have been a World Cup game too, but possibly something that mixed his Argentina display with his game against Sweden would have been at or near the top of the list (against Sweden he did have potential end product in assists, but it was 0-0, while his Argentina game was great for decisive end product but not quite so great in general play throughout the game). One that I think shows Platini generally at his best (in form/shape/ideas etc), that YouTube allows us to see now (like an excellent game by Zico vs Paraguay in 1980 too, to mention another impressive one) is his game vs Ireland at home in 1980, but to make the list it just needed one of his close efforts to be slightly more precise or a great assist or at least an extra great chance created or something I guess. But it's proof of the claims that he was just as good technically/creatively while still in French football probably.
A couple I might've thought I'd put on the list but didn't would be another Maradona one vs England also from the 1986 World Cup (but ok, if I stuck to one per player I wouldn't anyway) and Rivera vs Ajax in 1969, in the European Cup Final. I know in some circles Maradona gets nearly as much credit for goal one as for goal 2, and if I saw it that way I guess it's even more of a contender. What I would say is that due to the handball, the individual play by him that opens up the chance in the first place might get a bit under-appreciated, but for the actual finish I guess I see it a) as a 'foul', and b) as a play that would often get spotted by a ref - I don't feel it was disguised quite that well that it wouldn't often be pulled back. The Rivera display probably looks slightly more impressive in highlight form I think in the end. The overall display was not error free and not constantly brilliant as much as it might appear to have been, but I still think it was a great performance.
If Hazard was an option in Peter's 'balanced' 100, maybe De Bruyne should/will be too, and based on MOTD highlights it certainly looks like his game against Tottenham yesterday can be a great option - I'll be interested to find it on YouTube. I guess some of you watched the game on BT Sport though? (and it might have been shown abroad too even?).
Yes I saw it live over here, because it was played at a favorable time (on 18:30) as opposed to earlier on the day. A very good game indeed. Tottenham did give De Bruyne plenty of space to work with (especially on the break), as opposed to Mourinho a week earlier despite that Mourinho did not make the better choice necessarily from a collective perspective. Mourinho applied some old fashioned man marking, and of course that can work (it has also worked against Hazard and even Cristiano+Messi effectively by Mourinho, Simeone etc.) but from a collective perspective it wasn't a good tactic. It is to be hoped De Bruyne has some gas in the tank left near/after the end of the season. Another very good Roy Keane candidate is the decisive 2001 World Cup qualifiers vs Netherlands. Although Edgar Davids was missing in this match (by World Soccer in 1999 described as the most valuable midfielder in the world), Keane did come up big against what was by most people seen as one of the three best teams in the world in this era. Which luckily not everyone has rugged under the carpet and whitewashed. This also makes me think of Rui Costa in 1997 under similar circumstances where he was great (until his very dubious red card), more so than the bigger games in the 2002WCQ campaign probably. I've checked some more 2000 and 2001 performances this and past week (Totti, Baggio, Keane, Overmars (and McManaman, who was less productive), Kluivert, Pires for example). Roy Keane did not go to the 2002 World Cup itself of course, which means that this is probably his best game at that level: (yes I know/remember you explaining to me why you hold Vieira in a higher regard, but you'd probably approve of this performance)
@PDG1978 To move it over here; Yes, I think 2004-05 is a strong candidate for being his 2nd best (I realize this is not necessarily the majority opinion). 1999-00 is clearly his best, and not only because of the recognitions he received (only season he was ESM team of the year etc.) or the goals and the double digits in assists. 1998-99 is also a strong candidate for 2nd best, if adding the UEFA Cup campaign on top (although in that campaign he was by most accounts the 4th best of his team). The set up of Lazio was in the end better tailored for him than Parma, now I was thinking about this. 2000-01 was as good as his 1999-00 peak, until he got injured (in November 2000). The two seasons at Sampdoria (1996-1998) are hard to exactly place and value. I've the feeling DBScalcio, gazzetta, guerin sportivo undervalues him (click link), but hard to give the proper 'correction factor' then.
Yeah, it's hard for me to give any real input on 04/05 for him, but I was aware he had a notable revival after his time in England. I'll give that video a watch sometime. I'm not completely sure, but possibly the Uefa Cup Final itself was a very good one for him overall in 98/99? I remembered, as posted by yourself I think, one source (one of the major ones I think, but not sure of used by DBS Calcio) rated him very highly for 96/97, but if DBS Calcio did use that source that would mean one or more of the others they used didn't rate him particularly high at all on average that season. Sometimes there can be some fairly substantial differences between sources though for various players I know. I noticed this, with some choices for club and country, for 20 all-timer players: http://otaviopinto.com/index.php/2016/06/25/6greatest/ The Baggio club choice is interesting, in that it's for overall performance in a significant game (and it merits being regarded very well on that basis I think, and to be fair I sort of did that regarding the Messi and Platini choices in my top 10 I posted - overall performance, and notable moments, over most prolific options statistically). The Rivaldo country choice too, in that it's in a friendly, but again I chose Hidegkuti vs England (albeit in a game billed as Game of the Century) and any game between Argentina and Brazil tends to be significant (they make a similar choice for Messi I noticed too). Possibly I'd stick with the Denmark game from the 1998 World Cup for Rivaldo but I can see the idea behind the choice anyway.
Neymar got a rare 9 in L'Equipe for his performance against Rennes. David Silva got a 9 from the Times against Manchester United and was also exceptional against Swansea on Wednesday.
Yes maybe. I had in mind to see the game (did not see it at the time) and also the Super Cup game of 1999 against Manchester United where he was man of the match (which I did see at the time). What I know from newspaper reports, and later texts, is that Laurent Blanc had an absolute horror show in this 1999 UEFA Cup final. So like Maldini vs PSG in 1995 and vs Croatia in 1996 that would be something for 'worst games by best players' lol. Veron is one of the few names where both father and son played a final, as noted in the other thread. Do you remember which source that was? They give the Argentina 1974 with 1 goal and 1 assist but he had in fact two neat goals (from open play) and an assist. Whether that was really his best, dunno, but there was torrential rain throughout and this was before balls became water resistant in the early 1980s (aiding ball control). In that context the advancing/progressive skill shown in the game was fairly impressive (for that time, and relative to other creative players in the rain). Think also that his best displays of passing skill came clearly outside this World Cup. For Cristiano it is a bit odd to pick the Wolfsburg match out of his catalog, with a hat-trick. Surely there are many similar performances (in style, in approach) with maybe one goal less but against a true elite side.
It was actually Guerin Sportivo Puck (so that source has a clear differenciation between 96/97 and 97/98 but others perhaps don't so much or even have it the opposite way with his 97/98 ratings ahead). You posted this in comme's 96/97 thread I remembered: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/the-best-players-of-the-season-1996-7.2038008/ Not a mega-high rating I suppose though (so others don't have to be mega low either if it is a DBS Calcio source and was at the time). But good enough in his position to make the Team of the Season. I remember there is a good Veron video showing him in good form playing for Lazio, in the same Lazio-Milan 1999/2000 game I mentioned for Shevchenko.
OK after you posted this suggestion yesterday I started to watch this. Marseille missed their starters Dugarry, Ravanelli, Luccin, Gallas and Roy. Still, the match featured World Cup winners or finalists Blanc, Pires, Balbo, Boghossian, Dino Baggio, Cannavaro, Sensini, Thuram and Buffon. Sitting deep suited Parma well and they exposed Blanc's defensive frailties (he was almost 34 years old at the time). The first goal was a blunder by Blanc, but on the ball he was actually class and very varied in skill. Oddly, I would not advise this match for seeing the defender Blanc, but it is excellent for seeing the footballer Blanc. This was probably the last major match where both teams played with a sweeper or libero. Sensini (not a particularly cultured player) was flanked by Thuram and Cannavaro. Cannavaro was a limited footballer (in this match at least), even when comparing him to a John Terry or Jaap Stam who I saw recently in four games for Manchester United (Stam's footballing skill surprised me a lot, not how I remembered and think he muted it perhaps for the national side). Blanc was flanked by two stoppers as well, although this was in part because Marseille couldn't play with their desired three forwards but only played one. On the losing side Pires and Gouvervennec were the best. Pires was clearly before his prime (or not at his best) but did a lot in ticking the team around, outsmarted and outplayed Baggio and Boghossian imho, but without really becoming dangerous at any moment. Physically unimpressive and his passes lacked pace. The plus side is though that one can see his 'innate' footballing talent (even with slow footwork, slow explosiveness and slow body movement he outsmarted Cannavaro at one moment, with one neat touch) and of all players he was the most fascinating to watch I'd say. Crespo was official man of the match, but I struggled to see how he was better than Chiesa and Veron. Chiesa scored a goal too, of a more impressive kind, and was all-around more involved. Say, Crespo was Andy Cole and Chiesa was the Dwight Yorke of the pair. Veron was a crucial piece for launching the counter attacks and this style suited him well, also for making progressive runs. Whether this game features among his very best, I doubt it. Against Milan in 1999-00 he certainly created more, without doubt. Against England in 1998 he also created more and 'ran' the game more, as opposed to this cold day in Moscow. Interestingly, I noticed slight struggles when the pace increased and the spaces decreased/compressed. Really impressive was Lilian Thuram, a regular top 100 legend. Defensively he was flawless, the dribbling was impressive, the passing not necessarily spectacular but crisp, fast and neat (more so than Neymar vs Rennes for example), was involved in the creation and/or initiating momentum for two goals, with his fast paced pass. He also dribbled, passed and moved himself in a position to score but (as usual) the shot dissapointed. Thuram did not win an awful lot at club level (UEFA Cup, two league titles, two domestic cups), nor did he receive many chances to do so, which is why it is notable that he grabbed this rare chance that he got. In this match he stood out above Sensini, Blanc and Cannavaro - all excellent defenders themselves. The other top 100 legend Buffon made me think of what is often said about Yashin. That in some of the bigger (competitive) matches many cannot see what placed Yashin in a higher stratosphere. That is also true for this 1999 UEFA Cup final, the only continental club trophy Buffon has won, and he wasn't greatly tested this match. It is safe to say that in one final he really played like the best goalkeeper of all-time (the 2003 final) while the other three (1999, 2015, 2017) are not free of slight dents or cracks. Conclusion: For Lilian Thuram this final is a strong addition, next to the famous 1998 Croatia game. He also made the ESM team of the year with 6 inclusions, while in 2002-03 he was in with 3 inclusions (the 2nd season he was in). That makes me wonder whether maybe he had a slightly better match elsewhere in the season, but this match was a final and the margins for further improvement appear small to me (only one tiny mistake, after it was already 3-0 for Parma, involvement in two goals etc.).