The Most Unique Player of All-Time

[KeanoMagicHat]

Ronaldinho - Nobody has managed to use set tricks and freestyle moves and be so successful. Cristiano Ronaldo tried when he was younger then gave up
Juan Roman Riquelme - A slow, laboursome attacking player who still managed to dictate games from advanced positions thanks to technique and a great football brain
Roberto Firmino - A striker who isn't bad at finishing but plays with the stamina of a full-back and the awareness and passing of a midfield playmaker
Juan Chilavert - A goalkeeper who could score free-kicks
Frenkie De Jong - A small defensive midfielder with the speed, agility and dribbling of a winger
Thomas Muller - Not particularly good at anything technically, but one of the greats in terms of spatial awareness and understanding the game
Dimitar Berbatov - A very slow, lazy striker with an almost perfect first touch that allowed him to play the game on his own terms

 

[Fingeredmouse]

Being the best striker and playmaker in the world seems pretty unique to me.

Yes, but he's very similar to, say, Diego in play style and skillset. His, arguably peerless, brilliance doesn't mean that his style of play is completely unique.

 

[Devilsrock7]

Nah, just hate that “most unique” stuff. Everybody’s unique, end of story.

Yet you say players are either unique or they are not . So by that logic there are common , ordinary , similar , journeyman types of players ,who you wouldn't describe as unique surely .

 

[Volumiza]

I was always a huge fan of Paolo di Canio and was really excited when there were whispers of him coming here. Sadly, not to be, I think he'd have been a UTD great.

 

[André Dominguez]

Mário Jardel springs to mind:
relatively slow, couldn't dribble for a living, his passing was average, but his anticipation was the best I've seen in a striker and he was a sneaky bastard in terms of learning the center-backs and the goalkeeper bad habits quite fast into the match and exploit them.

Then drugs and alcohol killed his career.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

First player came to mind -> Ronaldinho, magical player. Did many out-of-the-box things in game an he pulled it off often to win games, even in big games, damn. Party tricks to win games, shiiii .

Zlatan, incorporated Taekwondo to his football, unique kicking often when passing and scoring.
Muller, unique movements + decision makings and weird scoring style.
Berbatov, languid cool play-style, calmness and slick touches.
Crouch, he's weird. Tall yet good technical skills, flicking and all. Rare among the over tall category players.
Beckham, ridiculous top quality crossing/long ball consistency and passing teamplay-style. Bend it like Beck!
O'Shea, seriously I cannot make sense of him.
C.Ronaldo, the version at United, unique insane 4-5 different spinning power freekick. (Now.. I don't remember the last time he replicated it. Lost his uniqueness.)

 

[Rado_N]

Unique means one of a kind, unlike any other.

Players are either unique or they are not. One player cannot be more unique that another. There can not be a “most unique” player.

This entire thread is currently complete nonsense.

Glad someone else saved me the trouble of saying this. One of my biggest pet peeves.

 

[TwoSheds]

The correct answer is René Higuita. Lunatic midget pioneer sweeper keeper with 41 goals to his name over his extraordinarily long and controversial career.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/René_Higuita

 

[Gio]

Unique means one of a kind, unlike any other.

Players are either unique or they are not. One player cannot be more unique that another. There can not be a “most unique” player.

This entire thread is currently complete nonsense.

Correct, but semantics though. Ruud Gullit has a unique profile as a player - nobody else had what he had.

 

[ThierryFabregas]

Bergkamp for perhaps the GOAT first touch alongside great control and technique while having perfectly weighted passes

Probably Cruyff though for evolving the game in so many ways

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

Ashley Young. The only player to play right back, centre back, left back, right winger, left winger and striker

Quinton Fortune says "Hi"

 

[westmeath]

Yet you say players are either unique or they are not . So by that logic there are common , ordinary , similar , journeyman types of players ,who you wouldn't describe as unique surely .

I believe everyone is unique. However, you are not bound to share my belief. You may believe that some people are 100% identical. You are wrong but you are allowed to believe it.

You are not allowed to believe that some people are only 50% or 99% unique however. That would be just ridiculous.

Ok, can we close the thread now please? It’s an offense to common decency.

 

[BobbyManc]

Unique means one of a kind, unlike any other.

Players are either unique or they are not. One player cannot be more unique that another. There can not be a “most unique” player.

This entire thread is currently complete nonsense.

Firstly, lighten up. Secondly, unique, like many words, has undergone semantic broadening. Go look at its definition in a dictionary. It's actually quite commonplace for it to be modified when used in the English language as it is typically used to refer to something that is unusual or extraordinary. And this is a football forum. You're not going to have much fun if you're such a pedant. Everybody reading the OP would know exactly what the question is asking, which is all that should matter.

 

[Black Adder]

Quinton Fortune says "Hi"

Was watching some croatian documentary with former Chelsea player Mario Stanić in which he says he's officially started match in every position bar goalkeeper.

 

[youmeletsfly]

Every player has somethinf unique.

For me Ronaldinho, Hagi and Zidane had something sifferent though, they had some sort of elegance when running with the ball, plus that they looked luke they had proper fun on the field.

Zizou wins though, his move on Materazzi should be a Mortal Kombat fatality move.

 

[harms]

Was watching some croatian documentary with former Chelsea player Mario Stanić in which he says he's officially started match in every position bar goalkeeper.

Ex-Juve player Antonello Cuccureddu holds a very curious record, in 1975/76 season he played with 7 different jersey numbers, which were attached to positions and not to the players at the time.

 

[westmeath]

Firstly, lighten up. Secondly, unique, like many words, has undergone semantic broadening. Go look at its definition in a dictionary. It's actually quite commonplace for it to be modified when used in the English language as it is typically used to refer to something that is unusual or extraordinary. And this is a football forum. You're not going to have much fun if you're such a pedant. Everybody reading the OP would know exactly what the question is asking, which is all that should matter.

....and I need to lighten up?

 

[Black Adder]

Ex-Juve player Antonello Cuccureddu holds a very curious record, in 1975/76 season he played with 7 different jersey numbers, which were attached to positions and not to the players at the time.

Always had soft spot for players that can play multiple positions, latest I can remember is Javier Zanetti who rarely played under 7/10 no matter what position he was.

As for Stanić he also stated how Chelsea at that time had pretty unique team building. Once they had series of bad results so captain Dennis Wise decided to take first team squad to Tenerife or something to lift spirits. Lifting spirits through 3 days of overdrinking without any training whatsoever but after they came back they've managed to win 4 in a row, so pretty unique and successful way of team building!

 

[Champagne Football]

Paul McGrath. A total phenomenon at center back despite being a manic deppresant self destructive alcoholic. A player who didn't participate in team training, and only trained on the exercise bike, due to busted knees that needed pain killing injections before each game.
Voted the best player in the Premier league in 1992. Won the Aston Villa player of the year 5 or 6 years in a row.

 

[Member 93275]

Davros for his Iain Dowie act.

 

[robinamicrowave]

David Silva. No pace, no height, no strength, can't compose himself in front of goal. One of the greatest attacking midfielders of all time.

 

[RoyH1]

The correct answer is René Higuita. Lunatic midget pioneer sweeper keeper with 41 goals to his name over his extraordinarily long and controversial career.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/René_Higuita

Spot on. Many of the players mentioned had many unique qualities, but none of them was really a one of a kind like Higuita. One crazy SOB he was.

 

[Synco]

Muller, unique movements + decision makings and weird scoring style.

The more you watch him, the weirder it gets - for Bayern in the 70s he played a (probably larger) number of big games as a sort of defensive box-to-box midfielder/forward, or whatever it can be called. Really unique player, never seen anyone like him.

----
Edit: Oh, you probably have meant Thomas Müller... funny how these traits apply to both of them.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Thomas Mueller. No one with his type of technique should be at where nears as effective as he is when on form

 

[Moby]

but he's got nothing on Gullit.

I idolize Ruud, but Pogba is perhaps a better passer, especially in the long range.

 

[Kanu]

Which Kanu are you talking about? I feel like there were 3 good Kanu's around at a certain moment. Maybe I'm remembering it wrong.

Sorry, Nwankwo Kanu

 

[Isotope]

Also Pavel Nedved. Some sort of box-to-box-winger-playmaker?

Can't think of any player I'd ever compare him to. Played the game completely his own way and at his own energetic pace and was basically impossible to mark out of a game.

Have him on the Draft. feck me. This guy has it all. Goals, playmaking, crossing, workrate, stamina, pace, and aggressiveness. The type of player that can survive in any era.

 

[Nevilles.Wear.Prada]

Was watching some croatian documentary with former Chelsea player Mario Stanić in which he says he's officially started match in every position bar goalkeeper.

Yeap. Striker, support striker, all 4 mid position and all the 4 defensive positions. He wasnt just played there, he started there.. Officially on the match formation line ups. All ten positions on different occasions. He took a fair few free kicks and corners too.

 

[RedRob]

Keane was no slouch when it came to creative play; in the 1999-2000 season for example, he got 12 goals which would have made him our joint-fourth top scorer this season and he had an overlooked range of passing too. It's unfortunate that all of this is generally overlooked when discussing his career, in favour of, "He was very angry and made other people play well."

 

[JPRouve]

It's a bit of a tangent but for me, Laurent Blanc. Blanc was an attacking midfielder when he started and he wasn't a bad one, he was in fact an excellent prospect at the position and quickly had success at professional level, in 88 he was the Euro U21 tournament golden player, as an attacking midfielder.

 

[Bestietom]

Robbo:- 3 times Broken legs. Collar bone, Knee injuries.
And still kept coming back for more.

 

[Devilsrock7]

I believe everyone is unique. However, you are not bound to share my belief. You may believe that some people are 100% identical. You are wrong but you are allowed to believe it.

You are not allowed to believe that some people are only 50% or 99% unique however. That would be just ridiculous.

Ok, can we close the thread now please? It’s an offense to common decency.

I never said people were clones , but you on the other hand Said "players are unique or they are not" you're contradicting yourself.

Most people here understand the context of the thread in relation to skills (unique skills) while playing a game , it's not about their character etc , so I believe you are wrong also , sematics

I believe everyone is unique. However, you are not bound to share my belief. You may believe that some people are 100% identical. You are wrong but you are allowed to believe it.

You are not allowed to believe that some people are only 50% or 99% unique however. That would be just ridiculous.

Ok, can we close the thread now please? It’s an offense to common decency.

If you don't understand the context of the thread don't post in it like a good man

I believe everyone is unique. However, you are not bound to share my belief. You may believe that some people are 100% identical. You are wrong but you are allowed to believe it.

You are not allowed to believe that some people are only 50% or 99% unique however. That would be just ridiculous.

Ok, can we close the thread now please? It’s an offense to common decency.

I was referring to a skillset while playing a game not believing players are clones of each other , if you don't like the thread don't post in it .

 

[simplyared]

Eric Cantona and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Very similar players both in mentality and playing style. Always looking to entertain and both relying on their incredible skills. Both not always on the right side of the law either.

 

[Addled]

Paul McGrath
The man couldn’t train because of his dodgy knees. He has a serious alcohol problem and yet put in 8 out of 10 performances every week.
Didn’t go to England until he was 23 so didn’t have the opportunity to develop through a top clubs (no disrespect to St. Pats) youth system. Won the Players player of the year at Villa and was hugely influential in an Irish squad which had Houghton, Moran, Whelan, Aldridge, Keane, O ‘Leary etc.
Ooooh Aaaah Paul McGrath. What a legend.

 

[Iam Zlatan Ibrahimovic]

Never in the history of football will somebody play like and score the goals like Zlatan have been doing.

 

[SoCross]

Lahm was unique to me. Immensely intelligent, what a player. Seamlessly adapted to the central role too.

 

[Andeva]

Are we discussing weird or unexpected skillsets here?

Not the most unique player of all time, but I remember being suprised with Kenwyne Jones a few times. Because he looked so big, his dribling looked very clumsy and yet it often worked. It got me thinking that his technique was made to look bad due to his size.

Romelu Lukaku seems to be trying to defy nature. He refuses to use his bodystrength, and instead tries to be some kind of pacy football wizard. Weird one.

Eidur Gudjohnsen was unique in his time. Always drifting away from his defenders, dropping off to ACM and then keeping in their blindzone when returning to the strikerrole.

The unique ones who are good all get replicated. Then some name is given to the role they play and what made them unique becomes a part of the game.

And then some players just have an aura, something you just can’t teach or learn. The showmen: Cantona, Bergkamp, Messi and so on.
The magical players. When they get the ball you don’t know what to expect, but you know it’s gonna be good.

 

[westmeath]

I never said people were clones , but you on the other hand Said "players are unique or they are not" you're contradicting yourself.

Most people here understand the context of the thread in relation to skills (unique skills) while playing a game , it's not about their character etc , so I believe you are wrong also , sematics

If you don't understand the context of the thread don't post in it like a good man


I was referring to a skillset while playing a game not believing players are clones of each other , if you don't like the thread don't post in it .

Get a grip. It’s a simple fact that uniqueness is binary. Regardless of context.

Mostly however I’m just winding people like you up, with considerable success it seems.

 

[TwoSheds]

Get a grip. It’s a simple fact that uniqueness is binary. Regardless of context.

Mostly however I’m just winding people like you up, with considerable success it seems.

This might just be the dullest thing on the internet.

 

[westmeath]

This might just be the dullest thing on the internet.

Agreed. I’m out.