Fill in the blank: Figo, Ronaldo, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Cannavaro, Kaka, ______?
Well, there's no right answer to that question, but I think it's safe to assume that one Cristiano Ronaldo will be the next name added to that list, and what a shame that really is. I'm not saying he shouldn't be voted World Player of the Year. However, his triumph will be more of a reflection of the dip in quality that world football suffered this past year than a reflection of Ronaldo's supreme status as the best footballer on the planet.
Cannavaro aside (though some may disagree), you could comfortably argue that each of the names listed above were the best around at that particular time - not just in terms of form, but in terms of talent and overall footballing pedigree too. They were magic to watch, and true stars of the game. Granted some of them had their flaws -- ranging from severe temper issues to consorting with male prostitutes -- but on the football field they were the creme de la creme. To question their place on a world XI would be foolish. These were professional footballers who made the game a delight to behold, a thing of beauty. They didn't go out to put on a show, but the sublimeness of their talent made it impossible not to be entertained and dazzled. (I'm aware that some of these players are still playing by the way. In fact Zidane is the only one who isn't now that I think about it.)
And then we come to Cristiano Ronaldo.
For me, Cristiano Ronaldo's case for winning the award is as strong as van Nistelrooy's would have been in 2003, except unfortunately for van Nistelrooy all of the good players hadn't just finished up their careers or gotten injured or played for a team in disarray, so he didn't really stand a chance, and rightly so. Horseface managed a staggering 44 goals that season, with the winner of the award Zinedine Zidane posting a not especially impressive 15. However, did anyone dispute Fifa's decision? Do we scratch our heads today and wonder how in the world 15-goal Zidane managed to beat 44-goal van Nistelrooy to the award? No, we don't. We wouldn't care if van Nistelrooy scored 74 goals that season, because that's not the point. That's right - goals aren't the point when it comes to watching football. That's the beauty of the game. There doesn't have to be a single score in a match , yet it can still be of the highest quality. And on the flip side, you can watch a 4-3 "thriller", yet it can absolutely abysmal. Sounds strange, right? 0-0 being better than 4-3? Well we all know it's true in terms of matches, but so it is with players also.
I mean if goals were all that mattered, then why don't we see Pippo Inzaghi popping up on the "best player in the world" lists of yesteryear? And where wasAndy Andrew Cole's name when Roberto Baggio won the award in '93? The bottom line is that in the grand scheme of things, goals don't mean a whole lot when it comes to the "best in the world", and they are certainly not the measuring stick of success. Zidane or Figo where nowhere near as prolific as Lampard or Gerrard are today, yet the former were unquestionably better players in their time and did more for the beautiful game than either Lamps or Stevie G ever will.
Back to Ronaldo. He scored 42 goals last season, an astonishing feat for anyone, not to mention a winger (although we must bear in mind that he was a winger who took more shots than anyone else in the league, and probably even more than the whole Arsenal team combined). However, if all other things were equal, I wouldn't let him touch the award for World Player of the Year with a barge pole. Fortunately for the modest winger, all other things were not equal. Messi was injured, and when he wasn't, he was playing for a shambolic Barcelona side (the same goes for Xavi and Iniesta). Kaka also suffered an injury, and din't regain his form of old. Ronaldinho continued his downward spiral, Henry officially started his, and football outside of England was just a mess in general. To put it simply, there has been not one truly worthy candidate to win the award save for the 42 goal "genius". Unlike the big scorers of recent times, Cristiano Ronaldo's goals will actually be enough to see him crowned as the world's best, because the rest of the world decided to put its feet up for a year. However, was he the "best player in the world", and is he now? In my opinion the answer to both of those questions is "No". I still think he should get the award, but it should come with a giant asterix attached to it and a footnote that explains the above.
The players illuminating football (or with the potantial to illuminate football) today are Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Zarate (I can't believe nobody in the Premier League picked him up), Del Piero (the old dog still has it in him), Xabi Alonso, Deco, Lampard (to a limited degree), Fabregas, Van Persie, Benzema, Senna, Kaka etc. Cristiano Ronaldo would have to feauture somewhere on that list for the goals he continues to get, but he's not the joy to watch that some of the rest are.
In any sane man's books, Messi is the best player in world football right now. He's still got some improving to do, but the pocket-sized Argentinean really is a class above the rest. The two players who play behind him - Xavi and Iniesta - are a close second and third (which, incidentally, is why Barcelona are beating everyone 6-0). They both enjoyed an exquisite Euro 2008, and have continued that form on into the new season. So in other words, discounting January-May, these would be my 1-2-3 for World Player of the Year. You don't have to agree, but I think you'd be doing well to find three more consistent performers who play the game as it should be played. Cristiano is just not at their level in terms of footballing ability, intelligence, and professionalism. For example (and this is petty I know, but still) would any of them - or even any of the previous winners - have said the following:
"I think I did everything that is necessary to win and I want to continue doing even more."
This isn't the only time Ronaldo has backed himself (yes, backed himself) for the award, and it just sums him up really. When you couple this off-field nonsense with his on-field antics of diving, giving out out to his teammates, complaining to the referee, and showboating, he makes for a poor excuse for the best that football has to offer. Yes I'd give him the award, but I would do so with a large degree of shame weighing me down.
Well, there's no right answer to that question, but I think it's safe to assume that one Cristiano Ronaldo will be the next name added to that list, and what a shame that really is. I'm not saying he shouldn't be voted World Player of the Year. However, his triumph will be more of a reflection of the dip in quality that world football suffered this past year than a reflection of Ronaldo's supreme status as the best footballer on the planet.
Cannavaro aside (though some may disagree), you could comfortably argue that each of the names listed above were the best around at that particular time - not just in terms of form, but in terms of talent and overall footballing pedigree too. They were magic to watch, and true stars of the game. Granted some of them had their flaws -- ranging from severe temper issues to consorting with male prostitutes -- but on the football field they were the creme de la creme. To question their place on a world XI would be foolish. These were professional footballers who made the game a delight to behold, a thing of beauty. They didn't go out to put on a show, but the sublimeness of their talent made it impossible not to be entertained and dazzled. (I'm aware that some of these players are still playing by the way. In fact Zidane is the only one who isn't now that I think about it.)
And then we come to Cristiano Ronaldo.
For me, Cristiano Ronaldo's case for winning the award is as strong as van Nistelrooy's would have been in 2003, except unfortunately for van Nistelrooy all of the good players hadn't just finished up their careers or gotten injured or played for a team in disarray, so he didn't really stand a chance, and rightly so. Horseface managed a staggering 44 goals that season, with the winner of the award Zinedine Zidane posting a not especially impressive 15. However, did anyone dispute Fifa's decision? Do we scratch our heads today and wonder how in the world 15-goal Zidane managed to beat 44-goal van Nistelrooy to the award? No, we don't. We wouldn't care if van Nistelrooy scored 74 goals that season, because that's not the point. That's right - goals aren't the point when it comes to watching football. That's the beauty of the game. There doesn't have to be a single score in a match , yet it can still be of the highest quality. And on the flip side, you can watch a 4-3 "thriller", yet it can absolutely abysmal. Sounds strange, right? 0-0 being better than 4-3? Well we all know it's true in terms of matches, but so it is with players also.
I mean if goals were all that mattered, then why don't we see Pippo Inzaghi popping up on the "best player in the world" lists of yesteryear? And where was
Back to Ronaldo. He scored 42 goals last season, an astonishing feat for anyone, not to mention a winger (although we must bear in mind that he was a winger who took more shots than anyone else in the league, and probably even more than the whole Arsenal team combined). However, if all other things were equal, I wouldn't let him touch the award for World Player of the Year with a barge pole. Fortunately for the modest winger, all other things were not equal. Messi was injured, and when he wasn't, he was playing for a shambolic Barcelona side (the same goes for Xavi and Iniesta). Kaka also suffered an injury, and din't regain his form of old. Ronaldinho continued his downward spiral, Henry officially started his, and football outside of England was just a mess in general. To put it simply, there has been not one truly worthy candidate to win the award save for the 42 goal "genius". Unlike the big scorers of recent times, Cristiano Ronaldo's goals will actually be enough to see him crowned as the world's best, because the rest of the world decided to put its feet up for a year. However, was he the "best player in the world", and is he now? In my opinion the answer to both of those questions is "No". I still think he should get the award, but it should come with a giant asterix attached to it and a footnote that explains the above.
The players illuminating football (or with the potantial to illuminate football) today are Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Zarate (I can't believe nobody in the Premier League picked him up), Del Piero (the old dog still has it in him), Xabi Alonso, Deco, Lampard (to a limited degree), Fabregas, Van Persie, Benzema, Senna, Kaka etc. Cristiano Ronaldo would have to feauture somewhere on that list for the goals he continues to get, but he's not the joy to watch that some of the rest are.
In any sane man's books, Messi is the best player in world football right now. He's still got some improving to do, but the pocket-sized Argentinean really is a class above the rest. The two players who play behind him - Xavi and Iniesta - are a close second and third (which, incidentally, is why Barcelona are beating everyone 6-0). They both enjoyed an exquisite Euro 2008, and have continued that form on into the new season. So in other words, discounting January-May, these would be my 1-2-3 for World Player of the Year. You don't have to agree, but I think you'd be doing well to find three more consistent performers who play the game as it should be played. Cristiano is just not at their level in terms of footballing ability, intelligence, and professionalism. For example (and this is petty I know, but still) would any of them - or even any of the previous winners - have said the following:
"I think I did everything that is necessary to win and I want to continue doing even more."
This isn't the only time Ronaldo has backed himself (yes, backed himself) for the award, and it just sums him up really. When you couple this off-field nonsense with his on-field antics of diving, giving out out to his teammates, complaining to the referee, and showboating, he makes for a poor excuse for the best that football has to offer. Yes I'd give him the award, but I would do so with a large degree of shame weighing me down.
7 comments:
frank lampard....a joy to watch.... that may be pushing it a bit...
If it eases your mind, Lampard wasnt one of the "some" that I was thinking of
Did you see him yesterday when he was subbed at Villa? What a twat.
I was talking to a Canadian there a few weeks back and was explaining why I thought Cristiano wasn't the best in the world. He asked, reasonably so, who I thought was the best and I said Messi. 'Messi??', he said incredulously, 'Who is Messi? And who does he play for?'. When I told him he played for Barcelona and Argentina he asked who Barcelona were and said that neither Messi or Barcelona could be any good because he'd never heard of them.
Needless to say, I should have walked away at this point and even more needless to say is that I didn't and the polite discussion we had previously been having turned into a quite hefty argument about thinking before you speak, thinking at all and why North Americans shouldn't be allowed have any opinions on football. Ever.
Not much to do with the blog, I'm afraid, but it reminded me that we need to keep the fight alive. One day, the world will recognise Messi is the best footballer around but by then it won't matter, it will only matter that people like you have been saying it for so long.
And for the record, I'm one of those who disagrees with your Cannavaro opinion. That he didn't get player of the tournament at WC 06 is shocking but you can't deny such a hero any plaudits.
I actually did see it on the highlights just after the game. Just when I thought he couldnt possibly do anything further to make me think less of him, he surprises me. I've never seen anything quite like that, and it only serves to prove that he is not the player he thinks he is. When he leaves united, wait for all the man u fans to curse his name and say they never thought he was good anyway.
i cant find that video...what happened ..... was he injured or something?
and as for your comment about man utd fans...i will remember ronaldo for scoring 42 goals in one season... winning the double, scoring some incredible goals, the times he made an ass of a defender, his ridiculously quick feet etc.... i will also remember him for the amount of glorious oppurtunies he has missed..the amount of bad passes he has made, the amount of times he has lost the ball tryin to make himself look good etc......
ronaldo is a tool...but he is a good footballer too... when he leaves man utd i will still agree with that...
To address Aine.. Sorry, 'Anonymous'... When Cristiano was subbed against Villa he walked down the tunnel to what one can only assume to be abuse from the Villa fans. Rather than take it, he turned to face them, held up his index finger and waved at them whilst pointing at himself, saying 'I'm no.1'.
Muppet.
like i said....a tool....and i have never argued against that point...
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