IMO, I’d put the top strikers in these tiers:
- Suárez, Agüero, Benzema, Lewandowski, Pérez
- Auba, Higuaín
- Costa
- Ibrahimovic
Depending on your definition of world class you could include all 9 of them, just the first 5, 7, or 8 of them.
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That better not be in order because I have it from a good source that Perez is way more world class than Benzema.
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You’re missing a crucial name from that list.
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Pretty much the same for me but I’d demote a couple and promote Ibra.
- Suarez, Perez
- Lewa, Aguero, Higuain, Benzema
- Benzema, Aubameyang
- Costa, Ibrahimovic
World class in that imo is 1 and 2. 3 maybe if you want to include.
FTFY
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Tibs fair we should have just signed Jansen at the start of the transfer window
That’s ridiculous.
You’ve left Walcott out.
Man United’s quality lost again to Watford lol
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He will get 90 minutes against Forest on Tuesday. Can’t wait.
Is Neymar a striker?
Also, I think one criteria for “world class” is that you are at least on the international scene, if not the bang on starter for your country. I don’t care if Auba plays for Gabon and Suarez plays for Uruguay you better be on that national team at the very least to be considered world class. Because if you aren’t getting in that team there is something wrong because those coaches and scouts for the NT that is all they do is watch these guys.
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World Class for me defines a player who could walk into an elite club’s starting XI and not look out of place.
My first thought on reading this was would that make Steve McManaman (for instance) world class in his day?
I think any definition of what a world class footballer is has similar problems/questions
@Drayton @Stroller you guys might know, was that a phrase used to describe talented footballers 30+ years ago or us it much more of a recent thing?
Best Sham George Best ! or at Arsenal Charlie George !
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In the 70’s, world class meant the best player in their position, which normally would be players that were foreign, like Pele, Rivelinho, Eusebio, Jairzinho, Zoff, Muller, Cruyff, Beckenbauer etc.
As @Drayton says, George Best was the nearest to world class playing in the English league, but even he had people saying that because he had never played at a World Cup, he wasn’t really in the same category.
Although I have to say Charlie George, as good as he was, is stretching it a bit.
Liam Brady possibly.
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No it wasnt really it was reserved for the likes of Cruyff and Beckenbaur.
Top class would be more of a term used here. Example being Kevin Keegan going to Hamburg and became european footballer of the year. He never once though got bracketed with the world class tag.
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DB10 ,anyone who ever saw George Best play was convinced of his Genius,anyone who disagrees never saw him .
The greatest manager of his age Bill Shankly was in awe of him,as was Joe Mercer not men who gave plaudits easily .
I first saw him take the piss out of Arsenal in Feb 1968 at Highbury, it was almost a joy to watch us lose ! Once seen George Best carved a notch in your heart that can never be forgotten. Ive seen Cruyff,Ive seen Maradona,Messi, et all, none compare to him but that just my opinion !
All Comparisons are ultimately futile because for example ,Messi would not have lasted 2 mins in english football of the 70’s and some old timers wouldnt have had the pace or fitness of the modern age and things change in football…
Georger Best however would have shone in any era he was fast and could do anything with a ball.
Charlie was my hero as a young lad the comment is tongue in cheek but the vision of him lying in the mud up at manchester city (repeated in the cup final v liverpool ) stays with me .
Brady was good but dont remember him being voted european footballer of the year like George , I loved him but we wernt that succsessful !
I was lucky enough to see him, and he was a genius.
But I remember some people, not me, saying because he never played at any big international tournaments it was difficult to judge him against players like Pele, Eusebio, Muller etc.
Personally I don’t think he was quite as good as Maradona but he was up there with Cruyff, and was certainly the best player in the English league.
The great thing about him was that he made it look fun, and he also made it look easy.
He did things that no other footballer could do
It’s a shame that both Brady and George didn’t stay with us, but they are still remembered as Arsenal greats.
How was his 1st half ? I have no access to this match in Australia.
You can tell that kids are running the show, the accuracy and decision making isn’t quiite there, but luckily Nham too look like kids playing. We’re up 1-0, rocket from Xhaka from the same distance as against Hull, this time the keeper should’ve probably stopped it but he couldn’t keep it out (weak wrists?). They haven’t really had much going and defend like crap while we’re dashing full karate forward like a team full of Ox’es. On Perez, nothing noteworthy I would say.
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