https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Scholl http://www.pesmitidelcalcio.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=937 1 CL+8 league titles +5 German cups Was also ESM team of the season twice in 95/96 and 00/01
Directly comparing players from 10 years apart with different functions/roles within the team Completely different skillsets Doesn't sound too fair I won't even go into the gulf in quality/technical ability/set piece ability/Aerial ability/ the ability to take over CL KO matches/difference in age/how defensive and non friendly the PL was for attackers/ gulf in crossing ability/aesthetic quality Let's not go there because it is tedious But I'll be fair Prime R9 was from 1996 up until his injury vs lecce in 1999 During that timeframe he was outscored 12 times by 12 separate players 1.)Eredivisie 1995/96 Luc nillis 21 goals R9 12 goals 2.)Uefa cup 1995/96 Klinsmann 15 goals R9 6 goals 3.) Copa del rey 1996/97 Klimowicz 7 goals R9 6 goals 4.) Uefa cup winners cup 96/97 Robbie Fowler 7 goals R9 5 goals 5.) Copa America 1997 Luis Hernandez 6 goals R9 5 goals 6.) Coppa Italia 97/98 Giuseppe Signori 5 goals R9 3 goals 7.) Serie A 97/98 Bierhoff 27 goals R9 25 goals 8.) Uefa cup 97/98 Stéphane Guivarc'h 7 goals R9 6 goals 9.) World cup 1998 David suker 6 goals R9 4 goals 10.) Serie A 1998/99 Marcio amoroso 22 goals R9 14 goals 11.) Champions league 98/99 Andriy shevchenco 8 goals R9 1 goal 12.) Coppa Italia 98/99 Hernan crespo 6 goals R9 0 goals Assists? LOL R9 played for the best or second best team in Holland,Spain and Italy His assists are laughable Even Gabriel batistuta could record 10 assists in a single league campaign Batistuta had 10 league assists in 97/98 https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Batistuta GOAT R9 had 4 assists in Serie A 97/98 The playmaker/false 9/Messi prototype had 4 assists in Serie A 97/98 George weah had 8 serie A assists in 1997/98 https://es.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Weah Del piero had 12 assists in Serie A 97/98 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1997–98_Serie_A Baggio and zidane had 9 assists apiece in 97/98 Which kind of false 9 has 4 wide assists in a full league campaign Playing for the highest scoring team in the league Inter was the highest scoring team in Serie A In 96/97 and 97/98 Sadly Tropiero is truly a butthurt Brazilian fanboy who knows deep down that Cristiano wipes the floor with every Brazilian legend outside Pele And we say with the exception of Pele purely out of respect You teleport 2012 CR to the 1950s campeonato paulista with those part timers and he would score 150 official goals in a single season Teleport him back to the 1970 WC where every player had 20 seconds on the ball with no pressure and he would completely decimate any defence I told you before many times Cristiano is the greatest header of the ball in history UFO Leaps 2.56 metres off the ground That would be the headline in 1958 Now What about the service /delivery of prime Figo,David Beckham or garrincha providing him crosses from the Wing If garrincha had an aerial threat like CR to provide to he would help him score 15 header goals in 1 single world cup edition And you would never hear of R9 or klose
Stats Salah 31 Non-PK Goals + 10 Assists, 19 Non-PK Goals + 8 Assists, 16 Non-PK Goals and 10 Assists Total: 66 Non-PK Goals + 28 Assists in 9043 minutes (=100.5 matches) = 0.935 non-PK Goals or assists per 90. Liverpool scored Goals 240 in 106 Matches = 2.26 Salah 0.935/2.26 = 41.37% Cristiano Ronaldo 14 Non-PK Goals + 8 Assists, 27 Non-PK Goals + 6 Assists, 14 Non-PK Goals and 6 Assists 55 Non-PK Goals + 20 Assists in 8279 minutes (=92 matches) = 0.815 non-PK Goals or assists per 90. United scored 216 Goals in 101 Matches = 2.14 Cristiano = 38.08% Rooney 14 Non-PK Goals + 11 Assists, 12 Non-PK Goals + 10 Assists, 12 Non-PK + 7 Assists 38 Non-PK Goals + 28 Assists in 7376 minutes (= 82 matches) = 0.805 non-PK Goals or assists per 90 United scored 195 Goals in 92 matches = 2.12 0.805/2.12 = 37.97% Mané 17 Non-PK Goals + 7 Assists, 22 Non-PK Goals + 1 Assist, 10 Non-PK Goals + 7 Assists 49 Non-PK Goals + 15 Assists in 7935 minutes (= 88.2 matches) = 0.725 non-PK Goals or assists per 90 Liverpool scored 215 Goals in 98 matches = 2.19 0.725/2.193 = 33% Salah record in EPL for Liverpool = 2.386 PPM Cristiano record in EPL for United = 2.376 PPM Champions League record (data from Transfermarkt) Cristiano Ronaldo = 15 Goals + 9 Assists in 34 Matches (0.705) Salah = 19 Goals + 9 Assists in 33 Matches (0.85) Elo method United Elo Points = 1879 ===> 1993 (Peak: 2026) Liverpool Elo Points = 1835 ==> 1991 (Peak: 2084) What more? Record vs TOP5? vs well ranked clubs in the Elo points? Fact is Salah deserves more credit. Ronaldo just updated his goalscoring record in a smaller and less competitive league (in a country that was in one of their biggest economic crisis), that was the context... like in the same 2012. Cristiano Ronaldo scored 0.91 non-PK Goals per 90 minutes in La Liga 2011/2, Benzema scored 0.84 non-PK Goals, Higuain scored 1.16!! Attacking-Mids Forwards like Di Maria had 0.95 assists per 90 in that league!!! So, if Cristiano would scored 150 Goals in the Pelé's time, what about Higuain? 240? Benzema? 180? Di Maria, 160 assists? Again in 11/12 in the UCL, Benzema scored 0.83 non-PK Goals per 90 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo, 0.77!!! Benzema also had 0.59 assists per 90, Cristiano only 0.29. Again outscored. In his magical 2012, he was outscored by all the other teammates forwards with minutes: Benzema, Higuaín and Di Maria. In the Euro 2012, he joined the topscorer ranking of the tournament (only 3 goals) with the ones of Alan Dzagoev, Mario Balotelli etc. What about his whoscored rating: 7.50 (nothing more than ordinary if you ask me) What legendary has this season of Cristiano Ronaldo that I don't know? Great performances vs shit Atlético de Madrid? Great performance vs minnor Osasuna? IMO nothing. He just played in a machine team, even better than Di Stefano's Real Madrid. You teleport Pelé for this 2012 Real Madrid and he would score comfortably the same average of goals he had in his peak playing in the Campeonato Paulista, even more I would say, at least 1.5 non-PK Goals per 90. Teleport Pelé to Portugal NT and Portugal would have three Euro for now and probably at least one world cup. Teleport Pelé to Di Stefano's Real Madrid and you know... It is unfair comparing for example the superteam Cristiano Ronaldo played and in what context with R9 also... Cristiano Ronaldo record of goals (50 in 61 matches, including some 20 PK) comes in a period where there are almost no hard fouls or hard tackles, no individual marking, where the Italian league is no more than the fourth European league, closer to the fifth than to the third... and that playing in a superteam that scored more goals before he arrives. Nobody is watching the Italian league now. That is the context. Cristiano Ronaldo in that Internazionale would scored 15 goals if he was marked as R9. R9 was more fouled in one season in Italy than Cristiano Ronaldo was in the last five years. R9 pass in the stats comparison, but also in impact and eye-test. Barcelona Goles 1995/1996: 72 en 42 (1.71) 1996/1997 con Nazario: 93 en 37 (2.51) 1996/1997 sin Nazario: 9 en 5 (1.8) 1997/1998 (con Rivaldo IN): 78 en 38 (2.05) En el Madrid sus tres primeras temporadas han sido honestas 68 Goles (66 Goles + 2 Penaltys) y 16 Asistencias en 7806 minutos (= 86.73 partidos de 90 minutos). 23 Goles (22 Goles +1 de penalty) y 5 asistencias es una media decente para un delantero jugando en aquella época, cuando jugaba en liga praticamente daba un gol (sin ser de penalty o asistencia) cada partido. Real Madrid Goles (2002/3 - 2004/5 liga) Real Madrid con Ronaldo 200 Goles en 97 Partidos (2.06) Real Madrid sin Ronaldo 29 Goles en 17 Partidos (1.71) What about CR7 in La Liga? Do you know Real Madrid records and his records? Or Real Madrid just scored almost 3 goals without him as average? I tell you why Cristiano would never score 150 or even 30 goals in the Campeonato Paulista, first because if Cristiano would play for Santos, Pelé would outscoring him directly if he wanted, Toninho Guerreiro the same (just like Higuain in La Liga, look at 2009-10 and 2011-12 non-pk goals per 90), Coutinho and Pepe probably would scored the same amount.... If he played for Palmeiras, then he would score much less than what he scored for Real Madrid against Spanish farmers. Altafini scored more goals in the Italian league while in his peak than he ever scored at Palmeiras by large margin. If Cristiano Ronaldo played for São Paulo or Corinthians, then he wouldn't even be remembered. This is how things work. Probably Salah on equal terms would score the same number of goals as he or even more. In his more poacher version, Higuaín could too, Suarez, Aguero, Lewa etc. In mind that Higuain scored 1.16 non-Penalty goals per 90 in La Liga and 1 in the Italian Serie A (Cristiano Ronaldo scored 1.10 in 14/15 and 0.59 this season), so the highs of Higuain in terms of scoring goals are surely higher than Cristiano Ronaldo highs. -------------------------------------------------- Salah = 41.37% Cristiano = 38.08% / Rooney = 37.97% Mané = 33% The EPL from 2000 until now is the Italian Serie A from 80s and 90s. La Liga peaked in 2000-2006. Nobody cares if Cristiano Ronaldo had a great performance vs Osasuna, Girona, Almeria or Rayo Vallecano. People care about EPL and the players from there.
Cristiano Ronaldo has not improved at all from his best form in the last three seasons for United and arguably after 2010/2011 he worsened by the overall impact and level of play. Watch the old games or at least comps (that not be enough to make conclusions, but still better than nothing). The real peak of Cristiano Ronaldo is terms of impact on the team was from 2006/7 to 2010/11. That is the best Cristiano Ronaldo, the most capable to winning and change the matches by himself.
The top assister in Europe during the 2005/06 season marginally ahead of peak Ronaldinho https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sco...se=&ausrichtung=&spielerposition_id=&yt0=Show Suberb techincally @Tropeiro how does a player of this quality never play for a real top club?
What about pick the highest peak of each player? Three-year peak. For Club and NT. For example: Ronaldinho's 03/04, 04/05 and 05/06 R9 (when healthy) 96/97, 97/98 and 98/99 Neymar 15/16, 16/17 and 17/18 Rivaldo 96/97, 97/98 and 98/99 Kaka 04/05, 05/06 and 06/07 Romário 91/92, 92/93 and 93/94 Other examples: Henry 02/03, 03/04 and 04/05 Cristiano Ronaldo 09/10, 10/11 and 11/12 Messi's 10/11, 11/12, 12/13 Lewandowski 18/19, 19/20, 20/21 Suarez 13/14, 14/15, 15/16 Baggio 91/92 (?), 92/93, 93/94 Robben 12/13, 13/14 and 14/15 Salah 17/18, 18/19 and 19/20 Zidane 00/01, 01/02 and 02/03 Figo 98/99, 99/00, 00/01 etc etc? Attacking Mids/Wingers and CFs. Can we point something?
Peak Cristiano Ronaldo= Peak Eden hazard+ peak Marco van basten Cristiano Ronaldo la liga 2009/10 26 goals(4 penalties)+10 assists in 2465 league mins 6 match winning goals 1.31 goals+assists per 90 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/cri...sdaten/spieler/8198/saison/2009/wettbewerb/CL Van basten Serie A 1991/92 25 goals(9 penalties)+11 assists in 2665 league mins 7 match winning goals 1.21 goals+assists per 90 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/serie-a/gamewinners/wettbewerb/IT1/plus/?saison_id=1991 + Eden hazard PL 2014/15 181 dribbles completed in 3379 league minutes 4.82 dribbles completed per 90 113 fouls won 3.01 fouls won per 90 https://www.whoscored.com/Players/33404/History/Eden-Hazard Cristiano Ronaldo la liga 2009/10 133 dribbles completed in 2465 league mins 4.87 dribbles completed per 90 119 - Real Madrid-target Pedro León completed the third-most dribbles in La Liga 09/10, behing Messi (217) & C. Ronaldo (133). Quick-feet— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 10, 2010 94 fouls won(arguably even more since there are holes in the data if you check things like dispossessions,bad touches etc) 3.44 fouls won per 90 https://www.whoscored.com/Players/5583/History/Cristiano-Ronaldo
From the names you mentioned( and adding some more) Best 3 season peak IMO End product/talent/consistency 1.)Lionel Messi 10/11, 11/12, 12/13 2.)Cristiano Ronaldo 09/10, 10/11, 11/12 3.)Ronaldo 95/96, 96/97, 97/98 His last season for PSV was way stronger than 98/99 IMO even the European performances were better Overall a Very consistent league performer and MVP in Olympics 1996,Copa 1997 and WC 1998 All this as a prodigy(19 to 21 years old) 4.)Van basten 85/86, 86/87, 87/88 (The last season requires a major boost from Euro 88 but its just about enough) This version of him was the most capable European 9 i ever saw at creating his own goalscoring opportunities (since Eusebio at least) 5.)Rivaldo 96/97, 97/98, 98/99 On par or at least VERY close to R9 in talent (very arguably also CR7 aswell) what separates them is mentality (and longevity in the case of the Portuguese) 6.)Neymar 15/16, 16/17 ,17/18 7.)Xavi 08/09, 09/10, 10/11 8.)Thierry Henry 02/03 , 03/04 , 04/05 9.)Ronaldinho 03/04, 04/05 , 05/06 10.)Roberto baggio 91/92, 92/93 , 93/94 11.)Zidane 00/01 , 01/02 , 02/03 12.)Romario 91/92, 92/93, 93/94 13.)Arjen Robben 12/13 , 13/14 , 14/15 14.)Luis Figo 99/00 , 00/01 , 01/02 15.)Luis Suarez 13/14, 14/15 ,15/16 16.)zlatan ibrahimovic 07/08, 08/09 , 09/10 17.)Ricardo Kaka 05/06 , 06/07 , 07/08 18.)Dennis bergkamp 90/91 , 91/92 , 92/93 19.)Gabriel batistuta 97/98, 98/99 ,99/00 20.)Alessandro del piero 95/96 , 96/97 , 97/98 21.)Andriy shevchenco 98/99, 99/00 , 00/01 22.)Andres iniesta 10/11 , 11/12 , 12/13 23.)Francesco Totti 00/01 , 01/02 , 02/03 24.)Pavel nedved 00/01 , 01/02 , 02/03 25.)Eric cantona 92/93 , 93/94, 94/95 26.)David Beckham 97/98, 98/99 , 99/00 27.)Alexis sanchez 14/15, 15/16, 16/17 28.)Kevin de bryune 17/18, 18/19 , 19/20 29.)Ruud van nistelrooy 01/02, 02/03 , 03/04 30.)Eden hazard 16/17, 17/18, 18/19
My estimate (3 year peak) durability/Base on club performance and NT performance (since 1960s) Top 3 Maradona (84/85~86/87) Messi(10/11~12/13) Pele(61~63) 4. Johan cruyff(1971/1972~1973/1974) 5 Platini ( 8283~8485) Zico (1979~1981) Eusebio( 6465~6667) Ronaldo(96/97~98/99) 9 Cristiano ronaldo (1011~1213) 10 Franz beckenbauer(1971/1972~1973/1974) Tier1 MVB (8697~8889) Gerd muller(1971/1972~1973/1974) George best (66/67~68/69) Tier2 Ronaldinho (03/04~05/06) KHR(79/80~81/82) Gunter nezter(1970/1971~1972/1973) Rudd gullit( 86/87~88/89) Tier3 Luis suarez(1314~1516) Xavi(08/09~10/11) Lothar matthaus (88/89~90/91) Romario(91/92~93/94) Baggio(91/92~93/94) Neymar(16/17~18/19) Luis figo( 98/99~00/01) Thiery Henry (02/03~04/05) Zidane(00/01~02/03) Rivaldo(98/99~00/01) Uwe seeler(60/61~62/63) Bobby Charlton(65/66~67/68) Tier4 Robert Lewandowski (18/19~20/21) Robben(12/13~1415) Frank ribery(11/12~1314) Iniesta(10/11~12/13) Kevin keegan(76/77~78/79) Kaka (04/05~06/07)
My attempt might be this, if splitting it into last 25 seasons (as per thread title but moving it forwards two years, which is probably convenient too in terms of players on the borderline now moving into the previous 'rest of history' category, especially when specifying a 3 season peak) and separately for 1995/96 and before....even though I'm not sure the last 2 seasons change much.... Of course some would be placed higher up on a shorter peak form or peak version, and some would be placed higher based on longevity. There will be cases where the best version of the player and/or best season might be outside the 3 seasons chosen, so I'll try to mention those. The choice of 3 seasons is pretty tricky too sometimes I think - if anything I wonder about going one season earlier for Messi, Zidane and Figo for example as a comparable option, though probably not two seasons earlier all things considered. Last 25 seasons: Tier 1 - Lionel Messi (10/11, 11/12, 12/13 *peak version and maybe peak season more like 14/15?) Tier 2 - Ronaldo (96/97, 97/98, 98/99), C.Ronaldo (11/12, 12/13, 13/14), Zinedine Zidane (00/01, 01/02, 02/03 *peak version and maybe even peak season arguably 97/98?), Ronaldinho (03/04, 04/05, 05/06) Tier 3 - Luis Figo (98/99, 99/00, 00/01 *wouldn't rule out peak version being as of 96/97 necessarily, though seems a stretch for peak season overall), Thierry Henry (03/04, 04/05, 05/06 - another one where I could go a season earlier for the start), Dennis Bergkamp (96/97, 97/98, 98/99) Tier 4 - Andriy Shevchenko (98/99, 99/00, 00/01 - possibly another one to consider starting one season earlier also, with 97/98, while there could be suggestions for an alternative starting in 03/04 even I guess), Kaka (03/04, 04/05, 05/06 - this is difficult as leaves out 06/07 which must be an option for peak version and even peak season primarily because of the CL, but week to week in Serie A I believe he shined more in 03/04 and he did well enough overall maybe too), Rivaldo (96/97, 97/98, 98/99), Xavi (09/09, 09/10, 10/11) Tier 5 - Raul (98/99, 99/00, 00/01), David Beckham (98/99, 99/00, 00/01), Pavel Nedved (00/01, 01/02, 02/03), Patrick Vieira (01/02, 02/03, 03/04), Andres Iniesta (08/09, 09/10, 10/11) Tier 6 - Alessandro Nesta (02/03, 03/04, 04/05), Cafu (99/00, 00/01, 01/02), Francesco Totti (99/00, 00/01, 01/02), Neymar (15/16, 16/17, 17/18),Rui Costa (98/99, 99/00, 00/01) Tier 7 - Robert Pires (01/02, 02/03, 03/04 - it'd be more satisfactory if possible to substitute in some of 00/01 in which he'd started to play really well, for the period he was injured and the start of his comeback during some of 01/02 and 02/03), Arjen Robben (12/13, 13/14, 14/15), Fernando Redondo (97/98, 98/99, 99/00, but 3 different earlier seasons could have been an alternative maybe?), Andrea Pirlo (03/04, 05/06, 05/06 *might be argued peak version and/or peak season in 11/12?), Samuel Eto'o (04/05, 05/06, 06/07), Ruud van Nistelrooy (01/02, 02/03, 03/04), Eden Hazard (16/17, 17/18, 18/19), Yaya Toure (11/12, 12/13, 13/14) I'll leave it there at 30 players, and maybe try 70 for the 'rest of football history' version later on. A few players would lose out I suppose still due to the cut-off. Alessandro Del Piero with the already suggested 95/96 to 97/98, and Brian Laudrup with 94/95 to 96/97 come to mind. Batistuta and Rui Costa are more like cases where they cross the cut-off generally speaking, but I think Batistuta will be in the other list, and Rui Costa still made this one (and maybe even can make the other one as I do think I might have Bergkamp in again to reflect his earlier version...even though I'm not going with two separate periods for any players within a single list - I felt Roberto Baggio couldn't really make this one above for 3 whole consecutive seasons anyway). Davor Suker maybe too actually (same years as B.Laudrup might fit best in theory).
I don't think I will put Bergkamp in the other one too actually, as it would be a bit inconsistent to do it (and then aside from Rui Costa, there'd probably be others I could be tempted to do the same with, like Redondo maybe, or Figo). I think his Ajax seasons before he went to Inter (factoring in Euro 92) would be an alternative overall though, so he could be in either list reasonably I guess. Maybe I'd think of him as tier 3, bordering tier 4, in the list above, as the 3rd season overall lacks a bit in consistency I think (and if 95/96 had been available I could have been a bit undecided, like with several other players as mentioned, whether to start one season earlier for him too potentially).
Most goals+assists per 90 in a single calendar year Competitions included Top 5 Leagues+CL+Europa league Critieria: Minimum minutes should be equivalent to 30~matches played Lionel Messi 2012 72 goals+23 assists 4379 minutes played 1.95 goals+assists per 90 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spi...usrichtung=alle&spielerposition_id=alle&art=2 Cristiano Ronaldo 2014 51 goals+23 assists 3445 minutes played 1.94 goals+assists per 90 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/spi...alle&land_id=0&compFilter=top5withClEl&plus=1 Cristiano Ronaldo 2013 53 goals+16 assists 3648 minutes played 1.70 goals+assists per 90 Lionel messi 2018 43 goals+20 assists 3353 minutes played 1.69 goals+assists per 90 Cristiano Ronaldo 2011 48 goals+19 assists 3711 minutes played 1.62 goals+assists per 90 Kylian Mbappe 2019 37 goals+12 assists 2720 minutes played 1.62 goals+assists per 90 Robert lewandowski 2020 40 goals+15 assists 3057 minutes played 1.62 goals+assists per 90 Lionel Messi 2010 54 goals+19 assists 4084 minutes played 1.61 goals+assists per 90 Luis Suarez 2016 42 goals+24 assists 3787 minutes played 1.57 goals+assists per 90 Lionel Messi 2016 45 goals+20 assists 3768 minutes played 1.55 goals+assists per 90 Lionel messi 2015 39 goals+20 assists 3627 minutes played 1.51 goals+assists per 90 Luis Suarez 2013 31 goals+14 assists 2648 minutes played 1.51 goals+assists per 90 Lionel Messi 2011 43 goals+25 assists 4060 minutes played 1.50 goals+assists per 90 Lionel Messi 2019 42 goals+14 assists 3488 minutes played 1.44 goals+assists per 90 Harry kane 2017 45 goals+9 assists 3674 minutes played 1.32 goals+assists per 90 Ciro immobile 2020 33 goals+13 assists 3131 minutes played 1.32 goals+assists per 90 Zlatan ibrahimovic 2012 38 goals+19 assists 3979 minutes played 1.29 goals+assists per 90 Cristiano Ronaldo 2012 53 goals+11 assists 4357 minutes played 1.28 goals+assists per 90 Thierry Henry 2003 29 goals+28 assists 4046 minutes played 1.27 goals+assists per 90 Zlatan ibrahimovic 2016 40 goals+13 assists 3766 minutes played 1.27 goals+assists per 90
So trying 30 players also (not 70 I decided!) for the previous, let's say 50 years (I know that including some players from before would be possible on the basis of some great research on this forum for example, as well as general reputation and accolades...but it's difficult, and I'm not sure whether I'd be putting any top 30 in theory anyway) Tier 1 - Pele (1961, 1962, 1963 - could be tempted to move it later with priority on international performances in full competitive games and at least prestige friendlies for the NT, but it seems like he was really in his best phase in 1961 already) Tier 2 - Johan Cruyff (71/72, 72/73, 73/74), Diego Maradona (84/85, 85/86, 86/87), Alfredo Di Stefano (55/56, 56/57, 57/58), Michel Platini (81/82, 82/83, 83/84 - as with Pele, going with an earlier season of less prominence in international terms because it seems like the form may have been better than in 84/85 to me in general - maybe it's also a call like I made for Kaka in that respect albeit a bit different and also involving a different league of course) Tier 3 - George Best (67/68, 68/69, 69/70), Marco van Basten (87/88, 88/89, 89/90 - I've gone the opposite way on this one as compared to Pele/Platini, but am a bit uncertain and if not for attaching Euro 88 to 87/88 maybe even 3 Ajax seasons would be an option I'd consider as it seems a valid idea anyway based on Ajax footage/goals, albeit the leagues he played in were not very comparable to each other...but anyway for what he did overall in the European Cup in particular, as well as Euro 88, I've gone this way), Franz Beckenbauer (71/72, 72/73, 73/74) Tier 4 - Eusebio (63/64, 64/65, 65/66), Ferenc Puskas (1951, 1952, 1953?), Zico (1979, 1980, 1981), Bobby Charlton (65/66, 66/67, 67/68), Gerd Muller (71/72, 72/73, 73/74) Tier 5 - Michael Laudrup (90/91, 91/92, 92/93 - could consider 93/94 instead of 90/91 I think), Ruud Gullit (85/86, 86/87, 87/88), Franco Baresi (87/88, 88/89, 89/90), Garrincha (1960, 1961, 1962), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (80/81, 81/82, 82/83 - maybe 79/80 instead of 82/83), Lothar Matthaus (87/88, 88/89, 89/90 - possibly 90/91 instead of 87/88), Gianni Rivera (66/67, 67/68, 68/69 - possibly 69/70 instead of 66/67), Roberto Baggio (91/92, 92/93, 93/94), Romario (91/92, 92/93, 93/94) Tier 6 - Kenny Dalglish (either 77/78, 78/79, 79/80 or 81/82, 82/83, 83/84 I'd think), Jurgen Klinsmann (93/94, 94/95, 95/96), Dejan Savicevic (93/94, 94/95, 95/96), George Weah (93/94, 94/95, 95/96), Dragan Dzajic (67/68, 68/69, 69/70), Johan Neeskens (71/72, 72/73, 73/74), Paolo Maldini (93/94, 94/95, 95/96 - I'm kind of wondering about going at least partially earlier but i think 95/96 was a very good season in general for him), Mario Kempes (76/77, 77/78, 78/79 although the last of those seasons was a bit mixed I think so the 1978 World Cup just about squeezes him in I reckon). So with reducing it to 30 names I didn't put Batistuta there in the end. He'd have probably been another one of the ones with 93/94, 94/95 and 95/96 as the choices (and there could be more; possibly Sammer?, probably Litmanen, Shearer too I think...not to say those names would be especially close to my tier 6 necessarily). Those tiers aren't really meant to correspond to the ones for the last 25 years necessarily, or match up with them. I was just splitting each group into comparable options in my estimation....
I do think Litmanen could well have been making tier 7 though to be fair, as that was really a (pretty consistent) purple patch for him. I guess Batistuta would have too. Gheorghe Hagi with all things considered 91/92, 92/93 and 93/94 being creditable enough probably (or 86/87, 87/88, 88/89?), would likely have been another. Dragan Stojkovic would possibly have been among the names too I'm thinking, probably with 87/88, 88/89 and 89/90.
@PDG1978 Van basten 1987/88 to 1989/90 1 time European championship top scorer 1 time European cup top scorer 1 time Serie A top scorer Vs Eusebio 1965/66 to 1967/68 1 time World cup top scorer 2× European cup top scorer 2×Portuguese league top scorer
Yeah, certainly it can be a close call in my mind between two adjacent groups anyway (please no arguments lol, as I did it the way you'd like anyway, but in some ways it's not so different to Henry vis a vis C.Ronaldo in the other list, and I don't think team success should dictate things but in both cases the player in the higher group probably contributed decisively overall to the greater continental success ultimately even though the other player certainly had his moments in continental competition for example, and although for me Eusebio could be deemed best player of WC66 too, I'd be more clear on Van Basten as best player of Euro 88). In some ways using the younger Van Basten would make the league level comparisons in terms of goalscoring a bit easier, as the Portuguese league of the 60s was obviously one in which a lot of goals could be scored, and far away from 1980s Serie A in that respect. I think in terms of technique Van Basten is ahead for me too, although that's not necessarily decisive in a 3 year comparison; I think I just see his best form as a bit more polished and his all-round game a bit more complete, which comes through in the best performances - but again not to put the outcomes of Benfica vs Manchester United and AC Milan vs Real Madrid for example purely down to that obviously. I think Eusebio in 1964 and 1965 was really doing well at the continental and international level too, but yeah his goals tally was huge in 67/68, and he scored a few impressive/important ones such as vs Sporting Lisbon in 66/67 too I know. On some issues I realise I can seem to change my mind anyway, with these tight calls and estimations. I previously just about edged Platini ahead of Maradona for 84/85 (all competitions), which could seem inconsistent with having 81/82 for Platini rather than 84/85 for example. Or for the whole 1966/67 to 1969/70 period I made an attempt with Dzajic and Rivera close, both towards the top, but Dzajic ahead, and maybe that seems a bit inconsistent with today's posts too! I guess it displays uncertainty about these things, which is inevitable though.
7 major top scorer titles in 3 seasons Pele 1960 to 1962 3× campeonato paulista top scorer 3×campeonato brasileiro top scorer 1×intercontinental cup top scorer Lionel Messi 2009/10 to 2011/12 2× la liga top scorer 3× champions league top scorer 1× Fifa club world cup top scorer 1× Uefa super cup top scorer 6 major top scorer titles in 3 seasons Cristiano Ronaldo 2012/13 to 2014/15 2× la liga top scorer 3× champion's league top scorer 1×Uefa super cup top scorer 5 major top scorer titles in 3 seasons Eusebio 1965/66 to 1967/68 1× world cup top scorer 2×European cup top scorer 2× Portuguese league top scorer Gerd muller 1972/73 to 1974/75 2× Bundesliga top scorer 3× European cup top scorer Lionel Messi 2018/19 to 2020/21 3× la liga top scorer 1× CL top scorer 1× Copa America top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo 2015/16 to 2017/18 3× champions league top scorer 2× Fifa club world cup top scorer 4 major top scorer titles in 3 consecutive seasons Michel platini 1982/83 to 1984/85 1× European championship top scorer 3× Serie A top scorer Alfredo di stefano 1956/57 to 1958/59 3× la liga top scorer 1× European cup top scorer Ferenc puskas 1959/60 to 1961/62 3× la liga top scorer 1× European cup top scorer Robert lewandowski 2018/19 to 2020/21 3× Bundesliga top scorer 1×CL top scorer Marco van basten 1984/85 to 1986/87 3× Eredivisie top scorer 1× Uefa cup winners cup top scorer 3 major top scorer titles in 3 seasons Sandor kocsis 1952 to 1954 1× world cup top scorer 2× Hungarian league top scorer (Lost top scorer to ferenc puskas in 1953 by a margin of 3 goals) Van basten 1987/88 to 1989/90 1× European championship top scorer 1×European cup top scorer 1×Serie A top scorer Ronaldo nazario 96/97 to 98/99 1x Copa America top scorer 1×la liga top scorer 1×cup winners cup top scorer Ruud van nistelrooy 2001/02 to 2003/04 1× PL top scorer 2× champions league top scorer Thierry Henry 03/04 to 05/06 3× PL top scorer Hugo Sanchez 86/87,88/89,89/90 3× la liga top scorer Luis Suarez 2013/14 to 2015/16 1× PL top scorer 1× la liga top scorer 1× Fifa club world cup top scorer
Hmm, this makes it a hat-trick of potential inconsistency by me haha (I started to think about Klinsmann vs Litmanen for 93/94, 94/95 and 95/96 knowing I'd given Litmanen the edge over the latter two, because of apparently dubious/variable Bundesliga form by Klinsmann in 95/96 in essence): So potentially that's a switch around re: tier 6 of the pre 96/97 list I tried earlier. Having said that I guess Klinsmann wouldn't be too far away for 93/94 (although it does seem it wasn't a particularly great club season for him, though he did very well in the World Cup and that was probably in mind a bit), as that list wouldn't be set in stone (having removed Brolin from it for Gullit, I wouldn't be sure I wouldn't be of a mind to put him back in for fellow Swede Thern for example). Maybe I was sticking relatively close to how I'd call things on peak version (as opposed to extended peak period) and/or over career (weighting significant things including World Cup performances highly potentially), and that's why I ended up with Rivera before Dzajic, and Klinsmann before Litmanen earlier. On another day maybe I'd have typed Michael Laudrup's name in tier 4 and Gerd Muller's in tier 5 or something for example (although maybe I deliberately held myself back from doing that today even though it could be an over-correction on possible Laudrup bias and/or too much of an effort not to under-rate Muller!), so it's maybe not a definitive attempt at my call so much as a vague estimate.