The (to be) best players of 2020s

Discussion in 'The Beautiful Game' started by Sexy Beast, Aug 3, 2019.

  1. Bada_bing

    Bada_bing New Member

    Barcelona
    Argentina
    Aug 6, 2018
    Cronaldo being the GOAT is an established and undisputed fact and you can read about it:

    About his club career being the GOAT (comparison from the biggest tournament against his closest contender, Messi): https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/li...ns-league-career.2085719/page-2#post-36979273 Cronaldo is ahead by a landslide. And Cronaldo leads in assists as well: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/li...ns-league-career.2085719/page-2#post-37012470

    Him having the best NT career ever: https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/cr7-best-nt-career-ever.2086155/

    I assure No one in 2020s can surpass him
     
  2. Sexy Beast

    Sexy Beast Member+

    Dinamo Zagreb
    Croatia
    Aug 11, 2016
    Zagreb
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Cool story bro
     
    Sir_Artur repped this.
  3. Sir_Artur

    Sir_Artur Member

    Nov 21, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I nominate 18 years old Mason Greenwood. If trained properly he will be something special, in my eyes he already is. Here is his traits:
    • He is very good at finding space even under immense pressure.
    • He makes very good false-9 runs. He forces the defense to leave their supposed structure.
    • His technique is good but has to work.
    • His finishing? That seems to be an instinct for him, rather than a skill. But he still has to work on it.
    • He can play in all 4 front positions.
    • He can intercept passing lanes.
    • His positioning is already good enough.
    • He does not frequently help the defense but at the times he does he is good.
    • And he seems mature. I would say he is more mature than CR7 was when CR7 was 23 years old.
    • His understanding, evaluation and assesment of the position is also good.
    • He is natural at both feet. He can even take freekicks with either foot.
    But there currently is a problem and that is he is in Manchester United, he is regularly deployed in professional level matches and it may be too much of a burden for him. + At the moment there is no one to guide him.
     
  4. Sir_Artur

    Sir_Artur Member

    Nov 21, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    If he works hard enough he will become another CR7. Their styles are similar but of course CR7 was more famous back then and seemed to be more influential but I am not sure if he really was more influential. He used to spend more time with ball than Marcus does, that is certian. But was he really more influential back when he was 22?

    Also, Take the squads they are playing with into account. In my opinion Rashford's technique is better than CR7's.
     
  5. poetgooner

    poetgooner Member+

    Arsenal
    Nov 20, 2014
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I don't think that's true. I remember Ronaldo at 19 being a much better technician than Rashford ever was.
     
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  6. Edhardy

    Edhardy Member+

    Sep 4, 2013
    Nairobi, Kenya
    Club:
    Juventus FC
    I concur, Ronaldo's technique was (much) better. I believe Puck has mentioned a few times that at United they focused on that much more for Ronaldo.
     
  7. Sir_Artur

    Sir_Artur Member

    Nov 21, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Ronaldo's technique was like a freestyle, barely advanced the game. He used to just stand in a corner and display what he has. Rashford is not that prolific but he can do it without halting the attack.
    Ronaldo still does not have technique and in his days he used to display freestyle like shows, used to dribble with speee.
    Very rarely a trick was involved. Rashford is not that much different but still better
     
  8. carlito86

    carlito86 Member+

    Jan 11, 2016
    Club:
    Real Madrid

    5:00
    With the 'drop of a shoulder' he slices through the defence like a knife through butter leaving 4 defenders for dead in the process


    With close control followed by a trick he successfully dribbles past 3 players and scores


    Not gonna saturate this thread with similar type videos
    But this is possibly or actually most probably his trademark skill
    Count how many players he beat with it

    At 22 years old Cristiano Ronaldo was directly compared to all time greats by other all time greats
    https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/johan-cruyff-pays-cristiano-ronaldo-725552.amp
    Maybe you'll listen to your 'idol' if not me

    https://www.goal.com/en/news/9/engl...stiano-ronaldo-reminds-me-of-george-best-pele
    Or to another one of your idols

    SAF said CR7 at 22 had the same skill set as pele and Maradona and nobody dared laugh or question him
    This was after witnessing him cause total havoc against roma in the 2007 champions league quarter final
    Dribbling at will


    At 22 rashford is compared to Cristiano Ronaldo by ole solesjkar (to boost his confidence and nothing more)
     
  9. Sexy Beast

    Sexy Beast Member+

    Dinamo Zagreb
    Croatia
    Aug 11, 2016
    Zagreb
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    I dont see a single thing that rashford 22, might have over Ronaldo 22. Not physically, nit technically nor mentally.

    Plus you can not assume growth just because player is young. Many, back then, considered Quaresma to be more talented than Cristiano or at least his eqvivalent. One went on to take over football scene, the other slowly died off.

    You are assuming Rashford is going to exhibit the same kind of growth for completely arbitrary reasons. They have nothing in common except both played for United.

    Cristiano is top 10 all timer because he is an exceptional talent that had an exceptional growth.

    As far as it goes, Rashford might as well be in his prime. You never know. I dont think he is. He will master free kicks and develop solid composure in front of goal.
    Kicking the ball is a learnable skill so he will definitely get better at that with the kind of mentality he has. And composure is simething you get with maturity and experience. Apart from that i dont think he has particularly high enough football IQ to assume he will get better at nuances of the game.
    Is that top 10 of the decade?

    Having that said. What do you think makes Greenwood an exceptional talent worthy of top 10? I am genuinely asking. I havent seen much of him. It is not enough to be solid in all segments of the game. You have to be exceptional.

    Harry Kane is a complete striker and player. Is he top 10 of 2010s? You get the point.
     
    Edhardy repped this.
  10. Sir_Artur

    Sir_Artur Member

    Nov 21, 2014
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    I agree CR7 is a better player and I do regard him very highly, I agree at 22 he was hailed more than Rashford is hailed currently but what I was talking about was about the technique the two possessed. CR7 at 22 was more complete player compared to current Rashford, he was more popular. Anyway, no need to go into this debate, I think it is pointless and useless.
    For me, one trait of his that makes him exceptional is his intelligence though others would assert the most outstanding aspect of his play is his finishing. His finishing is very good, he delivers good passes.
    He understands the game very well and makes intelligent runs, watch, for example, the match between MU and Tottenham that took place last month. He was deployed as a striker but he acted like a false-9. + I never saw him having problems with his composure, something youngsters often do. He acts like an experienced player.
    If I recall correctly, in senior level he had been a starter in 12 matches, was subbed in in more than 10 games and he so far has 10 goals + 4 assists.

    But it is also possible he will just be one of the top level players/forwards/wingers/playmakers rather than being one of the elite 3-4 players. If he is tutored and guided properly, I am pretty sure he will be one of the elites. At 18 he is already that decisive in current Manchester United squad.

    EDIT: By the way he very recently reached 18, last early December or late November.
     
  11. Sexy Beast

    Sexy Beast Member+

    Dinamo Zagreb
    Croatia
    Aug 11, 2016
    Zagreb
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Haaland is incredible but whats up with Augsburgs defending...
     
  12. MarcheouCreve

    MarcheouCreve New Member

    Aug 27, 2016
    Club:
    Olympique de Marseille
    Rayan Cherki 2 goals 2 assists + 1 penalty won that Dembele missed.

    16 year old and 4 months.

    The most talented player to ever come out of the French football system

    Insane body strength, best dribbler since Neymar, natural ambidextry, vision and creativity already on a world class player and insanely good at set pieces.

    Forget about Haaland,Mbappe,Sancho,Felix. He is the one who will dominate this decade, none of them can compete.
     
  13. poetgooner

    poetgooner Member+

    Arsenal
    Nov 20, 2014
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I've never heard of him, but if he's 16, then it's a better bet he'd dominate the 2025-2035 era, unless he can hit the world-class level ridiculously soon (I'm talking R9 level soon) and is allowed to play at a big enough stage very early in his career.
     
  14. Sexy Beast

    Sexy Beast Member+

    Dinamo Zagreb
    Croatia
    Aug 11, 2016
    Zagreb
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Somebody mentioned him already. From dozens of videos ive seen he is exceptional. It is interesting to see how his decision making will develop.

    It is very stupid to say mbappe has nothing on him. Mbappe, as it is right now, will be 700+ career goals player and an all time great.

    Talent is not enough to do stuff like that.
     
  15. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    Not of the 2010s because he only made his breakthrough in 2015, but of the second half of the 2010s then he would be a very strong contender.

    The thing that marks him out, and will differentiate so many of these young players, is that hunger to consistently improve.

    If anyone can be as good at so many elements as Kane and do it consistently over an extended period then they'll have a good chance.
     
  16. Sexy Beast

    Sexy Beast Member+

    Dinamo Zagreb
    Croatia
    Aug 11, 2016
    Zagreb
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    It is 2 times easier to be top 10 of 5 year period than top 10 of 10 year period because you cut contenders in half.

    Eqvivalent of top 10 in 2010s would be, top 5 of 2015-2020 period.. he could quite likely be merely 4th best striker of said period (lewa, suarez, aguero) let alone something more than that.

    You have to stand out in some way. You have to have a skill or combination of skills, physical attribute that sets you apart. Merely being good at everything is not enough.

    It is better to be exceptionally good at one thing and abysmal in other than to be very good at both things. Maradona personifies that idea. His left foot compared to right foot. His acceleration compared to jumping reach...

    Of course it is better to be great at both, but you do have to be exceptional at something.

    I dont see how is Kane exceptional either technically, mentally or physically.
     
  17. poetgooner

    poetgooner Member+

    Arsenal
    Nov 20, 2014
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    It's possible to argue it's much more than 2 times more difficult to be great over 10 years than over 5 years. In simple maths term, you're essentially taking the percentage chance of a player being great in any given year, and powering it by the number of years.

    I strongly disagree with your assessment that it's better to be exceptionally good at one thing and abysmal at others, and I think it's because we define things very differently.

    On a macro level, Maradona is at least legendary in two skills, dribbling and passing, which is two thirds of the main offensive skills. He's not abysmal at scoring either.

    In terms of his toolkit, not only does he have a ridiculous left foot, he also has undeniable athletic advantages. He also has the creativity and intelligence to go with it.

    We've had a number of players who can't quite reach the next level. We see it most often with players whose only quality is their super pace or super strength.

    I think Firmino is a great example of a player whose all-round quality makes him almost indispensable to an elite system.
     
  18. MarcheouCreve

    MarcheouCreve New Member

    Aug 27, 2016
    Club:
    Olympique de Marseille
    Cherki vs Mbappe will be the Messi vs Ronaldo of the next decade.

    Don't even mention anyone else, they can't compete
     
  19. poetgooner

    poetgooner Member+

    Arsenal
    Nov 20, 2014
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    France to win World Cup '22, '26, and '30 then? :D
     
  20. comme

    comme Moderator
    Staff Member

    Feb 21, 2003
    He's exceptional in his consistency (or at least he was prior to injuries) and mentalilty. He's obviously not Maradona and to be one of the 10 or so best of all time you need an incredible in a number of departments.

    You don't get to be the WC top scorer, twice-PL topscorer, fastest man to 20 goals in CL, captain of England without being extremely good at something (or many things).
     
  21. Tropeiro

    Tropeiro Member+

    Jun 1, 2018
    Kane is a lethal finisher, consistent, with a great mindset and good link up too.
     
  22. Tropeiro

    Tropeiro Member+

    Jun 1, 2018
  23. JoCryuff98

    JoCryuff98 Member+

    Barcelona
    Netherlands
    Jan 3, 2018
    Nat'l Team:
    Netherlands
    Havertz is pretty good from what I’ve seen. 6’2 dude with pretty good technical skills and great shooting
     
  24. poetgooner

    poetgooner Member+

    Arsenal
    Nov 20, 2014
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Isn't he the biggest prospect in Germany right now? He was ridiculous for me in FM at least :D
     
  25. PuckVanHeel

    PuckVanHeel Member+

    Oct 4, 2011
    Club:
    Feyenoord
    I have to say I was very weary and cynical about the early reports in the international press (bit annoyed too), but is now making strides from I've seen and becomes increasingly more consistent.

    I saw this match lately:


    He is at the moment linked with some top clubs like Bayern and he's already been there to have a look. Shame that he doesn't play for our national team (just like Ziyech and some under-16 players).

    This will bolster the belief it is career wise, for recognition and commercially better to reject Oranje, and another path opens doors.

    At the age of 14-16 he was almost sent away from the academy and never called up by any national youth teams (played for USA youth sides instead), but good to keep in mind he's born November while the cut-off day for his cohort is January (before 2000 this was August/September). He has always been one of the youngest of his age group - and that's again the main insight from this.
     

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