FourFourTwo: The 100 Best Players in the World

Discussion in 'Players & Legends' started by Big Soccer Member, Nov 5, 2008.

  1. Big Soccer Member

    Jan 16, 2008
    Surrey, England
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Respected football magazine fourfourtwo have just released there almost annual list. Well...here it is.

    100. Huntelaar (Ajax)
    99. Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)
    98. Cassano (Sampdoria)
    97. Capel (Sevilla)
    96. L Diarra (Portsmouth)
    95. Scholes (Man United)
    94. Amauri (Juventus)
    93. Simao (Atletico Madrid)
    92. Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)
    91. Pandev (Lazio)
    90. Mikel (Chelsea)
    89. Danny (Zenit)
    88. Sagna (Arsenal)
    87. Zambrotta (Milan)
    86. Higuain (Real Madrid)
    85. Chiellini (Juventus)
    84. Mancini (Inter)
    83. Diego (Werder Bremen)
    82. Poulsen (Juventus)
    81. Pires (Villareal)
    80. Zanetti (Inter)
    79. Di Natale (Udinese)
    78. Kanoute (Sevilla)
    77. Clichy (Arsenal)
    76. Klose (Bayern Munich)
    75. Trezeguet (Juventus)
    74. Camoranesi (Juventus)
    73. Juninho (Lyon)
    72. Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
    71. Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk)
    70. Ronaldinho (Milan)
    69. Cazorla (Villarreal)
    68. Forlan (Villarreal)
    67. Pirlo (Milan)
    66. Lahm (Bayern)
    65. M Diarra (Real Madrid)
    64. Santa Cruz (Blackburn)
    63. Benzema (Lyon)
    62. Modric (Tottenham)
    61. Pepe (Real Madrid)
    60. Van der Vaart (Real Madrid)
    59. Nesta (Milan)
    58. Chivu (Inter)
    57. Henry (Barcelona)
    56. Raul (Real Madrid)
    55. Toni (Bayern Munich)
    54. Totti (Roma)
    53. Cech (Chelsea)
    52. Boruc (Celtic)
    51. Robben (Real Madrid)
    50. Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow)
    49. Joe Cole (Chelsea)
    48. Tevez (Man United)
    47. Bosingwa (Chelsea)
    46. Keita (Barcelona)
    45. Del Piero (Juventus)
    44. Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
    43. Cambiasso (Inter)
    42. Robinho (Man City)
    41. Tymoshchuk (Zent)
    40. Evra (Man United)
    39. Nihat (Villareal)
    38. Silva (Valencia)
    37. Berbatov (Man United)
    36. Eto'o (Barcelona)
    35. Mascherano (Liverpool)
    34. Vidic (Man United)
    33. De Rossi (Roma)
    32. Terry (Chelsea)
    31. Fabiano (Sevilla)
    30. Senna (Villarreal)
    29. Deco (Chelsea)
    28. Arshavin (Zenit)
    27. Iniesta (Barcelona)
    26. Maicon (Inter)
    25. Carvalho (Chelsea)
    24. Rooney (Man United)
    23. Alves (Barcelona)
    22. Essien (Chelsea)
    21. Sneijder (Real Madrid)
    20. Ramos (Real Madrid)
    19. Buffon (Juventus)
    18. Ballack (Chelsea)
    17. Ribery (Bayern Munich)
    16. Drogba (Chelsea)
    15. Adebayor (Arsenal)
    14. Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
    13. Lampard (Chelsea)
    12. Fabregas (Arsenal)
    11. Xavi (Barcelona)
    10. Gerrard (Liverpool)
    9. Ferdinand (Man United)
    8. Aguero (Atletico Madrid)
    7. Ibrahimovic (Inter)
    6. Villa (Valencia)
    5. Kaka (Milan)
    4. Casillas (Real Madrid)
    3. Torres (Liverpool)
    2. Messi (Barcelona)
    1. Ronaldo (Man United)

    I think that Zanetti, Anderson (not even on it), Pato (also not on it) and Benzema should be a lot higher. Terry, Ramos and Arshavin should be much lower.

    Your thoughts?
     
  2. Dr. Know

    Dr. Know Member+

    Dec 5, 2005
    Macondo
    Deco's too high and so is Aguero. Iniesta is too low. There's no way Sneijder, Dani Alves, and Rooney deserve to be ahead of Iniesta.

    Gago doesn't make the list but Lassana Diarra does? Where's Lavezzi, Hamsik, Pato?
     
  3. Big Soccer Member

    Jan 16, 2008
    Surrey, England
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    The really strange thing is that Pato made the list last year, having played about 10 senior games in his life. A year later, a year of development, and many goals for both Milan and Brazil, he is nowhere to be seen.
     
  4. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    Here they are broken down into positions (roughly) so you can see who they rank as the best per position. It also makes it easier to see who has been missed. There is some overlap between positions so do not cry if you disagree.

    Goalkeeper:
    4. Casillas (Real Madrid)
    19. Buffon (Juventus)
    52. Boruc (Celtic)
    53. Cech (Chelsea)
    92. Akinfeev (CSKA Moscow)

    Lateral Defenders (Left):
    40. Evra (Man United)
    44. Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
    50. Zhirkov (CSKA Moscow) * No doubt they 'think' this is his position
    66. Lahm (Bayern)
    77. Clichy (Arsenal)

    Central Defenders:
    9. Ferdinand (Man United)
    25. Carvalho (Chelsea)
    32. Terry (Chelsea)
    34. Vidic (Man United)
    58. Chivu (Inter)
    59. Nesta (Milan)
    61. Pepe (Real Madrid)
    72. Cannavaro (Real Madrid)
    85. Chiellini (Juventus)

    Lateral Defenders (Right):
    20. Ramos (Real Madrid)
    23. Alves (Barcelona)
    26. Maicon (Inter)
    47. Bosingwa (Chelsea)
    87. Zambrotta (Milan)
    88. Sagna (Arsenal)

    Defensive Midfield:
    22. Essien (Chelsea)
    35. Mascherano (Liverpool)
    41. Tymoshchuk (Zent)
    46. Keita (Barcelona)
    65. M Diarra (Real Madrid)
    82. Poulsen (Juventus)
    96. L Diarra (Portsmouth)

    Central Midfield:
    11. Xavi (Barcelona)
    18. Ballack (Chelsea)
    27. Iniesta (Barcelona)
    30. Senna (Villarreal)
    33. De Rossi (Roma)
    43. Cambiasso (Inter)
    62. Modric (Tottenham)
    67. Pirlo (Milan)
    80. Zanetti (Inter)
    90. Mikel (Chelsea)
    95. Scholes (Man United)

    Attacking Midfield:
    5. Kaka (Milan)
    10. Gerrard (Liverpool)
    12. Fabregas (Arsenal)
    13. Lampard (Chelsea)
    21. Sneijder (Real Madrid)
    28. Arshavin (Zenit)
    29. Deco (Chelsea)
    60. Van der Vaart (Real Madrid)
    73. Juninho (Lyon)
    83. Diego (Werder Bremen)
    89. Danny (Zenit)

    Wingers:
    17. Ribery (Bayern Munich)
    38. Silva (Valencia)
    49. Joe Cole (Chelsea)
    51. Robben (Real Madrid)
    69. Cazorla (Villarreal)
    71. Srna (Shakhtar Donetsk)
    74. Camoranesi (Juventus)
    81. Pires (Villareal)
    84. Mancini (Inter)
    93. Simao (Atletico Madrid)
    97. Capel (Sevilla)
    99. Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich)

    Forwards:
    1. Ronaldo (Man United)
    2. Messi (Barcelona)
    8. Aguero (Atletico Madrid)
    7. Ibrahimovic (Inter)
    24. Rooney (Man United)
    37. Berbatov (Man United)
    42. Robinho (Man City)
    45. Del Piero (Juventus)
    48. Tevez (Man United)
    54. Totti (Roma)
    56. Raul (Real Madrid)
    57. Henry (Barcelona)
    70. Ronaldinho (Milan)
    79. Di Natale (Udinese)
    86. Higuain (Real Madrid)
    98. Cassano (Sampdoria)

    Strikers:
    3. Torres (Liverpool)
    6. Villa (Valencia)
    14. Van Nistelrooy (Real Madrid)
    15. Adebayor (Arsenal)
    16. Drogba (Chelsea)
    31. Fabiano (Sevilla)
    36. Eto'o (Barcelona)
    39. Nihat (Villareal)
    55. Toni (Bayern Munich)
    63. Benzema (Lyon)
    64. Santa Cruz (Blackburn)
    68. Forlan (Villarreal)
    75. Trezeguet (Juventus)
    76. Klose (Bayern Munich)
    78. Kanoute (Sevilla)
    91. Pandev (Lazio)
    94. Amauri (Juventus)
    100. Huntelaar (Ajax)

    As you might have expected I have a lot of issues with the list but I'll address them later as I need to head out to burn things.
     
  5. Perú FC

    Perú FC Member+

    Nov 16, 2007
    Lima, Perú
    I think it have a lot of mistakes (as all lists of this type) as the positions of Zambrotta, Cannavaro, Ronaldinho, Henry, Raúl, Cech, Robben, Ballack or Kaká (that should be lower); Essien, Vidic, Toni, Benzema, Lahm or Chiellini (that should be higher); and the absences of Cabañas, Vargas, Frey, Mutu, Demichelis or Thiago Neves about the year.

    In spite of that, it's really interesting the idea of a Top 100 of the year, I'll try to do one too.
     
  6. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    Any keeper ranked that high should be legend material.
     
  7. dor02

    dor02 Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Melbourne
    Club:
    UC Sampdoria
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Pato should have got it. I'm not sure about the Napoli duo year but when they do it next year, they better make it.

    Buffon should have been in the Top 10 and Villa in a Top Five spot. ADP should be higher and Boruc lower.
     
  8. revelationx

    revelationx Member+

    Jun 5, 2006
    London
    The list is an interesting read. It's pointless attempting to dispute it though. If anyone here created an ordered Top 100 players list then no-one else would completely agree with it either.
     
  9. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    I just bought the magazine so I'm going to have a look at their criteria, and have a think. It's not a bad list but there are a fair few poor choices.
     
  10. DaveyGorgeous

    DaveyGorgeous Member+

    Jul 6, 2006
    NYC
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    Agree, and he surely is not. Did you see him in his most recent CL game? Lack of effort, lack of ability to set up a wall, etc. I disagree with Casillas being ranked that high and being ranked above all other keepers in the world.
     
  11. Kulspruta

    Kulspruta New Member

    Jul 26, 2007
    BH, Brazil
    Club:
    Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte
    Nat'l Team:
    Brazil
    Cech, Boruc and Akinfeev, but no Julio Cesar or Frey. Do these guys actually watch Serie A?
     
  12. Scolari

    Scolari New Member

    Nov 3, 2008
    Casillas ranked 4...? They must wank to Euro 2008 I suppose.

    Boruc a better keeper now than Cech?
     
  13. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    I didn't see this particular edition of FourFourTwo, but often they aren't being serious when they make these greatest players list.

    The funniest part is they have Buffon ranked 15 slots below him. I've noticed that since Spain won Euro 2008, a bulk of their players are suddenly being ranked as the best in the world, and even nominated for the FIFA player of the year.
     
  14. jared9999

    jared9999 Member+

    Jan 3, 2005
    Naucalpan Estado de Mex
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    no players from the Americas?
     
  15. Pipitinha

    Pipitinha New Member

    Apr 3, 2007
    Center of Spain
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Nat'l Team:
    Spain
    What do you mean with even nominated for the FIFA player of the year. Do you think Casillas, Xavi or Torres did not make a splendid season?

    I think that some of these spanish players were underrated in the past. For me Casillas is god. But well, I'm a Real Madrid fan so maybe I'm a bit biased at this point:D. Nonetheless, the 3 I mention above, plus Villa, Iniesta, Puyol and Ramos are topclass players.
     
  16. aguimarães

    aguimarães Member

    Apr 19, 2006
    Club:
    LD Alajuelense
    Torres was excellent both at the Euro and this past season no arguments there, one could also make the case for Xavi too. But both Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi are the epitome of complete players(technique, reading the game, goalscoring ability, and in Ronaldo's case leading his club to titles.) I don't think anyone you named quite fits that, yet they're being ranked with them. Also Casillas had one of the best defenses in front of him.

    And as someone else mentioned there seams to be a bias against Serie A players. Just two in the top seventeen(the two that couldn't be left out, Kaka and Ibrahimovic.)
     
  17. revelationx

    revelationx Member+

    Jun 5, 2006
    London
    C Ronaldo and Messi are not complete players, they are excellent attackers but very poor defensively. Another example is Scholes who also is notorious for being a rubbish tackler. The attributes of heading, tackling, pressing are also footballing characteristics. Messi and C Ronaldo may have a large array of attacking attributes but their defensive deficits mean these players are not 'complete'. Players who are more complete are players like Ballack and Gerrard who have excellent offensive and defensive capabilities. Some would say Cambiasso is a complete player too.
     
  18. vancity eagle

    vancity eagle Member+

    Apr 6, 2006
    obviously this list, or any list quite frankly should be taken with a grain of salt. It's kind of like the fifa rankings.
     
  19. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    No player is ever complete in terms of their overall attributes. Complete, in football, is used in relation to their position not overall. Ballack might be a complete central midfielder but he is far from being a complete player. However he can do almost everything that is required from his position and is therefore called complete. Ronaldo can clearly do everything required from an attacking player so he rightfully deserves his complete tag. He is more complete than most because his attributes cover all of the attacking positions. Messi cannot do as much and whether you would call him complete depends entirely on what you consider his position to be.
     
  20. Perú FC

    Perú FC Member+

    Nov 16, 2007
    Lima, Perú
    At least Salvador Cabañas should be in a Top 100 list surely.
     
  21. revelationx

    revelationx Member+

    Jun 5, 2006
    London
    Well the correct term should be C Ronaldo is a complete attacker rather than a complete player imo.
     
  22. Teso Dos Bichos

    Teso Dos Bichos Red Card

    Sep 2, 2004
    Purged by RvN
    I don't see the point in arguing over semantics. Particularly when what I posted previously is common knowledge.
     
  23. phil80

    phil80 Member

    Aug 25, 2007
    The list has some flaws (especially overrating cesc, drogba) but overall it is not that terrible. I was impressed they included pandev, l. diarra, diego
     
  24. dor02

    dor02 Member

    Aug 9, 2004
    Melbourne
    Club:
    UC Sampdoria
    Nat'l Team:
    Italy
    It wasn't particularly a great year for Italian clubs and NT. Not only that, English clubs destroyed the Italian clubs in the CL.

    James Richardson works for them but it's fair to assume that his collegues don't listen to him.
     
  25. Big Soccer Member

    Jan 16, 2008
    Surrey, England
    Club:
    Newcastle United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    England
    Overrating Drogba? Yes. Overrating Cesc? No, he is very worthy of his position. If he continued his August to February form until May then he could be even higher. He won the midfield against every single player he faced, besides Anderson of Man Utd, which is more than you can say about the likes of Gerrard and Lampard and other midfielders near him in the list.
     

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