We're just slowly converging around this old clip of Richard Witschge now: And on another level entirely, this, from Ronaldinho:
Messi doesn't really have a ton of these, but I always thought the bit at 6:40 here deserved more love:
Jose Leandro Ferreira was the best-tecnique equipped defender ever. To me, his style resembles that of Bergkamp. But smoother and more refined. Had he done these plays in one of the five european Powerhouses of football he would have been Ballon d'Or (if Zidane got it...).
The most skilful ‘defender’ of all time was Marcelo Any supposed advantages that other fullbacks like Cafu,Roberto Carlos or Dani alves have over him would be to do with things like work rate,athleticism and defensive output in terms of ball skills none of them compare to Marcelo or are even close
"Gordillo's lob goal against Barcelona. The most curious thing is that a few minutes earlier, he tried to do it the same way but Urruticoechea stopped him and gestured with his finger to tell him that he wouldn't put it in that way... Moments later he created this work of art and left a phrase for history: "What not, Urruti?"" I'm thinking that was in Copa del Rey 1984/85, and his other great left footed goal vs Barcelona was in the other leg: Real Betis Balompié - FC Barcelona, Apr 17, 1985 - Copa del Rey - Match sheet | Transfermarkt FC Barcelona - Real Betis Balompié, May 15, 1985 - Copa del Rey - Match sheet | Transfermarkt 0:13 here Los 5 mejores goles de Rafael Gordillo | HISTORIA - YouTube He wasn't only a left back though (often left midfielder too), and I do think Leandro was a good call for technique in general as right back (I had put him in a technical XI I tried earlier in the thread even without seeing all the scenes on Frank's video I think, though I hadn't actually put either Marcelo or Gordillo as the left back but gone with Frank de Boer), even if other Brazilian right backs can perhaps be ahead for overall game. Jorginho maybe had the best crossing technique among full-backs?
Marcelo is genuinely superbe technique wise -same ballpark as Leandro- but plainly juggling a tennis ball is much more a matter of practicing than a feature of talent. It Is Always the same movement, you can "learn" it to a certain extent. I have seen tennis players doing it quite nicely. I could myself do a handful of tennis ball juggles when I was young (of course not as cleanlyc as Marcelo; now I have balance issues and I could hardly juggle a soccer ball).
A much less obvious wunderkind (who sadly failed to fulfill the promises, but not by his fault): Reinaldo de Lima, the maestro of pitch goal (nearly unknown even to many otherwise knowledgeable football lovers, so I think it could be interesting to many here).
https://www.reddit.com/r/MCFC/s/o1LZZvaZcO Fantastic game by Rayan Cherki. 1 goal, 1 pre-assist, 1 assist and another great pass to Dembele who shot in the bar.