If C.Ronaldo is removed from the discussion: who are modern greats at heading?

Nonameboy

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Ronaldo is the best ive seen and i wonder why United cross the ball so few times and most of the time when they do they take forever and give the defense plenty of time to position. You have a great weapon with Ronaldo in the air you should use it more.

Anyway other than Ronaldo the best ive seen was Mario Jardel followed by Oliver Biehroff.
 

harms

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Yes, there is a correlation between heading & dementia, however there are hundreds of millions of non-footballers worldwide who also get dementia in old age. Just naming a few footballers who got it is anecdotal evidence and really means nothing.
The percentage of footballers (I don't even mention American football!) that get dementia is much higher than in general population. From what I've read there are certainly more correlation even though most studies are still on-going (it's quite hard to look for long-term effects when you've only started your research recently).

I obviously didn't expect anyone to use my post as, well, a scientific evidence in a discussion, there are enough of reputable sources that studied the matter in depth.
 

Okey

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I'm surprised how little mention Oliver Bierhoff is getting. The best I've ever seen. I watched him take a shot (literally) from outside the box with his head in Italy. Dude was unreal with his head. I don't have the numbers and all that, but he's surely up there with the very best.
 

Momochiru

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The percentage of footballers (I don't even mention American football!) that get dementia is much higher than in general population. From what I've read there are certainly more correlation even though most studies are still on-going (it's quite hard to look for long-term effects when you've only started your research recently).

I obviously didn't expect anyone to use my post as, well, a scientific evidence in a discussion, there are enough of reputable sources that studied the matter in depth.
Yes, there is correlation, but my point was that most of the research points to concussions as the reason for higher occurrence of dementia, not heading of the ball. Especially repeated concussions without enough time for the brain to heal. For example, there are some studies showing an increase of dementia in ex-hockey pros to be very similar to that of ex-footballers, even though their heads are well protected and typically they go for months without getting a hit in the head. Still a typical NHL player can have several concussions throughout their carrier mostly from falling on the ice or fistfights. This seems to be enough to increase their risk for dementia.
 

Amar__

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Dzeko was always great at heading, scored some great headers in his career. I struggle to find actual stats, but quick check on transfemarkt says he has around 55 headers on club level, that's very good. Basically his every fifth goal is a header.
 

Sandikan

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Bayo Akinfenwa.
Not even 6ft but very difficult to deal with in the air.
 

DixieDean

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Duncan Ferguson. He was 6'4 and had one hell of a leap on him.

Andy Gray was another one. Although, I say that as an excuse to post two of my fav Everton goals from him. Both come in the same game.

 

Physiocrat

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Sadly there's a lot of correlation between heading & dementia (and other relates diseases). It's hardly visible in the 40's but in the elder age... scarily high percentage of the stars from the 1960's and 1970's have some kind of neurocognitive issues.

Here's an article from the time where Denis Law had announced his diagnosis:
Are any of the players old enough from the 1980s to notice any issues? I do wonder if the lighter ball has made any difference
 

Ali Dia

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Maguire is a modern great at heading it fecking wide
:lol:

Except for England - GoaT

His Euros run was a gamblers dream.
:drool:

I’ve a feeling they will all start playing for each other this year. This has been the weird bedding in period. They all want the same thing. They’ll press a lot harder if they need to.This is literally Ronnies last rodeo. I still think he’s going to psych the lads majorly, into arrogant levels if they believe, if they go for it and keep it tight and pragmatic we can beat anyone. We’ve been cramming too many flair players in while hoping one or two of them catch form. Greenwood Bruno and Ronaldo are already rolling, Rashford looks super sharp and I think Martial and Lingard might come on strong. We’ve so many good players. Pogba can do it too. We’ve so much talent now if they can just find the sweet spot and work like feck for each other. Could still be a special season.
 
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criticalanalysis

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Love how everyone is ignoring OP's post :lol:

So I will follow tradition also.

He was better than anyone in the history of football. He scored one from outside the box when he played in Serie A. Vieri was also great at heading.
I'm surprised how little mention Oliver Bierhoff is getting. The best I've ever seen. I watched him take a shot (literally) from outside the box with his head in Italy. Dude was unreal with his head. I don't have the numbers and all that, but he's surely up there with the very best.
I raise you with Martin 'missed 3 penalties in one game' Palmero



My left field pick would be Brian McBride because he was good at Fulham and what a name.
 

Canucantona20

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I'm surprised how little mention Oliver Bierhoff is getting. The best I've ever seen. I watched him take a shot (literally) from outside the box with his head in Italy. Dude was unreal with his head. I don't have the numbers and all that, but he's surely up there with the very best.
Just went to watch his highlights and he might be the best ever. Imagine if he played with Beckham, probably would of scored a boatload
 

tomaldinho1

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Niche shouts but Kevin Davies at Bolton was unbelievable & also Juan Pablo Angel at Villa
 

Okey

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Love how everyone is ignoring OP's post :lol:

So I will follow tradition also.




I raise you with Martin 'missed 3 penalties in one game' Palmero



My left field pick would be Brian McBride because he was good at Fulham and what a name.
Ha! That was a freak goal from Martin (eternal legend for missing 3 penalties in one game) Palermo. Bierhoff didn't do freak headers. He was a genuine great in the air. McBride simply doesn't belong in the conversation.
 

GueRed

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Les Ferdinand barely gets a mention.

He has to be up there with the greats when it comes to scoring headers.

The hang-time he produced often defied gravity, timing was impeccably, technique superb. Powerful.

He was only 5ft 9/ 5ft 10 as well
 

GueRed

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Ha! That was a freak goal from Martin (eternal legend for missing 3 penalties in one game) Palermo. Bierhoff didn't do freak headers. He was a genuine great in the air. McBride simply doesn't belong in the conversation.
Good shout. Top target man. Decent on the floor too
 

tomaldinho1

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Les Ferdinand barely gets a mention.

He has to be up there with the greats when it comes to scoring headers.

The hang-time he produced often defied gravity, timing was impeccably, technique superb. Powerful.

He was only 5ft 9/ 5ft 10 as well
Good shout. Dion Dublin as well.
 

GueRed

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In the last 40 years at United when it comes to defensive headers Maguire is up there with Vidic, Bruce and Pallister. Magnet on his head.

Attacking them Bruce and Vidic by far.

Stam was most disappointing.

Rio the best all round centre-half we've had was the weakess at heading in that elite group Imo.
 

GueRed

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I’ve been supporting Utd through thick and thin since the 90’s so am lucky enough to remember some true greats of heading of the ball - Sheringham, Vidic and Scholesy would all be right up there. Rio’s heading was also underrated (I think in fairness because he had other aspects of his game that were even stronger).
good United shout. He was as good as in the air as he was with his feet.

clever with the flick-ons and touches
 

clean-sheet-culkin

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No additions to the names, but I have a slightly different take on this in that I think great headers of the ball (in competition) are actually likely to be 30 or over, so to look for a young great is a bit pointless because they haven't had a chance to shine yet.
  • Physical strength peaks around 30 - You need that strength to climb high and to beat those around you.
  • Headers require amazing timing and a lot of experience - You start playing with your feet, not your head, so it's likely this skill develops later in your career.
  • You're probably a primary forward - Forwards get more headed chances than anybody else and conversion rates are generally low. It takes career time to get to a position when you are considered a primary attacking threat.
  • Crossing is hard - If I see Greenwood and Ronaldo in the box, who do I aim for? Ronaldo, because there's more proof he'll score, and I have a mountain of evidence to predict where he will be. Players in the game longer have more credibility and other players know where to find them, thereby increasing their opportunities to score both in number of chances and delivery quality.
Tldr - I reckon the vast majority of greats will have achieved that mantle in very late 20s or early to mid 30s.
 

GueRed

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Not sure if serious — heading, especially in the opposition box, is not only about winning the ball, it's also about sending it in the right direction with power and accuracy. While Maguire is really good at the former, he's awful at the latter. Probably the biggest disparity between those two skills that I've seen in a player.
Much better than Stam in that respect.

Stam was disappointing when it came to attacking headers..
 

GueRed

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I’ve been supporting Utd through thick and thin since the 90’s so am lucky enough to remember some true greats of heading of the ball - Sheringham, Vidic and Scholesy would all be right up there. Rio’s heading was also underrated (I think in fairness because he had other aspects of his game that were even stronger).
technique attacking them was good tbf
 

GueRed

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Duncan Ferguson.

He was an animal.

I wouldn't want to be defending against that.
 

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Duncan Ferguson. He was 6'4 and had one hell of a leap on him.

Andy Gray was another one. Although, I say that as an excuse to post two of my fav Everton goals from him. Both come in the same game.


That was a cracking Everton side. I mentioned Gray as well. He's probably the best I've seen.
 

GueRed

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Jardel and Falcao

Jardel
is possibly the only player I can think of that is not inferior to Ronaldo in heading, he was just a monster with his positioning, heading power and heading accuracy.
Falcao also has an amazing heading technique, with both power and accuracy, so yes also an amazing header even if not very tall.
Yes he was great at attacking headers. He could generate so much power from standing positions.
Great technique
 

Bole Top

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Vieri still has the most headed goals in Serie A history and keep in mind that he was playing 25 games per season because of injuries.
 

Needham

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Callum Wilson have potential. Though injuries pretend shake. Bruce gave up booze October mum said take me leave me. Magpies feel feel quimmm back post crosses assist the owners to rock snoop bullets. In all honesty, culturally inappropriate head dress werks the loins of most strikers and Shera Hite wants D. MURPHY'S suprapreposterous hope.