Arguably, Beckham is one of the most accurate crossers in the history of the game, and perhaps the most accurate crosser ever. If you could pick a player to lob the ball to you from 50 yards away, it's a no brainer that Beckham is the player to do it. Even at the top level, when a player lobs a ball down 1/3 of the field and hits his man, you think, "Wow, nice pass. I hope he does it again." With Beckham, you don't hope he does it again - you know he will do it again, and again, and again: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rklueQEWxn8"]YouTube - David Beckham[/ame] For this reason, at 34 years of age, he is still in contention for the English national team at the next World Cup. Beckham doesn't have speed, he doesn't have dribbling, and he is 34 years old - why on earth could he be in contention for England's 2010 World Cup team? Obviously, his crossing skills and dead ball abilities are still world class and there is nobody else in England that is close to his abilities in these two areas. Of course Beckham is not a top 50 player in the world right now, but in his prime, he was arguably a top 3 player in the world and was runner up to the European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d'Or) in 1999 and he was runner up to the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 1999 and 2001. He was a big factor in Manchester United obtaining the Treble in 1999 and continued to contribute to Manchester United winning the title in 2000, and 2001. So, for possibly being the most accurate crosser of all time, do you think Beckham makes the list for top 50 player all time?
a GREAT player is a person who transcends the game on the field and becomes an ambassador, something which pele, bobby charlton and franz beckenbauer have done-- (other icons like gordie howe, wayne gretzky and steve nash in other sports have also done) --players who bring the sport to a level of identity that put the spotlight on just what soccer can do to elevate people from difficult situations and inspire nations to do better-- players who give back to the fans with their hearts, time and wallets becks has that potential, but gets caught up with his image production-- he could become a GREAT player if he is able to do this, but i think he is incapable of placing his ego #2 and the sport #1 if his actions could line up with his words, then he could become a GREAT soccer player and help bring NA soccer to new heights, much like pele did in the 70's with the nasl and the cosmos, and the roots of the usa's soccer development on the world stage
1) This should probably be in the "Fans" forum. 2) That music is ********ing terrible. 3) Yeah, he's one of the best players to ever play in MLS.
Top 50 of all time is tough. Depends, if you want to go 50 deep in attacking players and wingers, he makes it. However, if you divide it out by position, say 50 players = 2 WC teams + 4, and we'll only to 5 deep at GK, so: GK: 5 D: 16 (LB = 4, CB = 8, RB = 4) M: 16 (RM = 4, CM = 8, LM = 4) F: 8 + 5 more players. So, are there 4 right wingers better, all time? Heck, I can think of two right now: Christiano Ronaldo and Figo. If we allow 3 more spots for RW, is Becks among them? I doubt it. If you expand to 100, I'd say yes.
it is hard to say. i think maybe in the top 50 uk players. but world top 50 not really you have to ask yourselves is he say better than say for eg george best franz becanbauer lionel messi johan cruyff diego maradonna pele
Lio Messi at the young age of 21 is not in the top 50 of all time. While he is the best player in the world as we speak, he could easily blow a knee and his career would be excellent. But not top 50 EVER.
Whenever someone is considered the "best ever" at something, they have to be considered as one of the top __ players. When someone would compile a list they would think of the best penalty stopper, best goal scorer, best crosser, best long range shooter, best passer, best pure defender, best winger, best header of the ball, best enforcer, fastest player with the ball, most exciting player, etc. David Beckham is probably the best crosser AND dead ball specialist ever. When someone logically assembles a list of the top 50 players, Beckham would have to be on there.
While Beckham probably is one of the best crossers ever, i think Ronald Koeman is/were a greater dead ball specialist. In the 91-92 season with FC Barcelona, Koeman made 16 goals - as a defender, most of them from free kicks and o/c some penalties...
I think Beckham is the best crosser ever without a doubt, in his Man U days his crosses were just on another level to what I've seen from anyone else. Also I'd say he was defintely the best overall FK taker when you consider not just the direct threay on goal, but the ones which he whips in for others to score. I'd say the main reason he still plays for England is that our big players in the box score off such a high ratio of his free kicks. For directly scoring off free kicks he's still one of the best all time and probably technically the best or equal (as there's a number ofplayers who can match him for technique, not least Juninho P.), but his FK scoring has at times run hot and cold. Koeman was about power and was also one of the best FK scorers of all time, though at the same time remembr a lot of his goals were also PKs or came from open play.
This question should be about where does Beckham rate in the MLS. Right now, I would rank him behind "El Diablo", and "El Pibe". And probably Preki was better too.
well... i have seen a better crosser of the ball than becks-- and i saw him beyond his prime years in the nasl-- what a left foot!! what a curve around a defender's arse and into the penalty area for heading home terrific goals his name-- ALAN HINTON-- now that was a very good player and an even greater man-- fortunate to see him play in vancouver, especially in 1978-- you had to have seen it to believe the way he could cross a ball with an almost 90 * angle curve-- even becks can not do that!
In his prime I would put Beckham on this list. Figo could just as easily be at LM or CM. I find it difficult to find 2-3 all time RMs better than him.
Fo being possibly the most accurate long ball passer ever, in addition to the following honors: - Runner up for Ballon' Dor - Runner up for FIFA Player of the Year twice - Listed by Pele as one of the best FIFA 100 Players all time - Obtained the Treble with Manchester United and helped United win the Premiership 3 years in a row - Started for Manchester United and Real Madrid - Captain of the England National Team Given all the above, and the fact that he is probably the most accurate long ball passer ever, and that he is a world class dead ball specialist, there is more than enough reason to consider Beckham in the top 50 all time.
Hey, I wasn't disputing your premise. I was just joking about the catalyst for your thread. "Is he a top 50 player" is kind of a random topic... sounds like you got into a debate somewhere, and you came here to get help gathering up some ammo.