There's no question who the best soccer player is but, who's really #2?

Indeed, the best soccer player is Xavi. The second best is currently Messi. Could become the best if he becomes better in maintaining possession and distributing passes.

 

Xavi would probably laugh at anyone who suggests he is better than Messi.

 

Everyone knows that the best soccer player in the world currently is Vinnie Jones. You just can't stop the Juggernaut, b*^&@es.

Hopefully Joey Barton will follow in his footsteps and achieve greatness.

No 3 would be Messi, but quite a few players are hot on his heels (Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas, Ronaldo, Ozil), mainly due to his poor international form.

 

well ... surprised!

Messi is indeed a better player, more skillful, more effective and has MORE POTENTIAL to be twice the Xavi ... I meant Messi is going on to establish himself into TOP10 best ever ... (if EVER?) while Xavi would be LUCKY to be in TOP80-100

 

I don't agree. Xavi epitomises the possession game of Barcelona. He isn't the best dribbler or has the best acceleration but in a game that is based on possession and positioning of players, he is the very best. No joke.

I think Messi would have been even more effective under the aggressive passing game of Rijkaard's Barcelona, a side where Xavi hadn't that influence.

 

If you put Xavi and Messi in ten different sides, Messi will comes out at top. That is correct.

 

As evidenced when Xavi plays for Spain and Messi for Argentina...

 

Xavi is indeed a very good to great player, no joke.

but if Xavi is better than Messi, then that's a JOKE.

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Xavi got more luck (with Spain) than Messi with Argentina in the sense he played with 6 Barca based players in the same team and same position. In general, Spain squad had more depth and more even in every positions, while Argentina got unbalanced from attack force to defense

 

It proves exactly Messi has also his weaknesses, pressing his preferences on the rest of the side among them, but if you put them for a year in ten different sides, Messi will perform better.

 

Why not? He is not declining so far...

The number two is maybe Rooney if Ronaldo is out of competition.

 

The only real difference between CR7 and Messi is that Messi's club team won all the trophies. Not really much between the two. If CR7 wins La Liga and/or CL with RM he will be better. The difference between the two really boils down to team achievements...

 

oh is that the only difference? wonder who made the difference in the games when they went head to head?

surely the difference couldnt be Messis superior passing dribbling and decision making oh dear god no. And using the national team to compare messi and xavi is ridiculous.

 

messi...number 1
neymar....2
ronaldo.....2

tied for 2nd

 

Robben if not injured all the time would be number 2 imo.

As he is tho I guess I would put CR as number 2, I find it hard to find anyone else that could really challenge the number 2 spot besides Robben.

Alltho CR won't be nr 2 for long, im pretty sure about it, he has declined somewhat in the past 2 years and there are some talents rising up fast like Neymar, so I am going to claim that in 2 years time from this post there will be another person on that nr2 spot. In 3-4 years maybe on nr1, who knows.

 

Number 1 is Messi at the moment.

2nd best player - It is either C.Ronaldo or Neymar.
I was going to say Neymar is the 2nd best, but he still hasnt proved himself in europe. And C.Ronaldo is not like he was at Man United. I think CR7 only has a couple of years left then he will be out of his prime years for sure. he is even now on his way out from his best.

Back to Neymar. Hes been playing every game for Brazil, Santos and played every game for U20 Brazil, With no breaks or vacation and he is still going strong.
So I know everyone will say Neymar hasnt proved himself in europe to be number 2 in the world.
but this is my list

1. Messi ( Maybe Neymar in a few Years)
2. Neymar
3. C.Ronaldo

 

1. Messi
2. Xavi
3. Iniesta
4. Ronaldo

I guess im a little biased

 

What if CR7 makes a difference and Messi doesn't the next time the two teams meet and that wins RM the trophies?

See how little is needed for the vote to tip in Ronaldo's favour...

 

Little is needed? Messi outplayed Ronaldo everytime they've met except for the Spanish Cup final.

 

Head to head is important but its not a deal breaker like some other members here are mentioning.

The deal breaker is stats and stats alone, and Messi is FAR superior in every single stat except for goalscoring which was equal last year alltho Ronaldo had more penalties, more goals from assists and easy tap ins, 12 of his goals in the last few matches in order for him to break his record but non the less, goals are goals and u can't take that away from him.

But the fact remains, Messi is far better, its not even close anymore, it was close 2 years ago but from then CR has declined slightly in some areas most notably dribbling while Messi has improved vastly in some like free kick taking, passing, his weak foot etc.

You have some quality posts not all of them are weird but man you have to give up on this ridicilous claim that CR is close to Messi, he really isn't.

 

2. CR
3. - 5. Rooney, Cesc, Xavi

 

Yeah. But that was last season. This is a new season.

Ronaldo outplays Messi everytime except for the Spanish Cup final = Ronaldo better