Best footballer by year of birth

MadDogg

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Neuer is one of the most overrated players ever. His amazing sweeper keeper style has got him in loads of trouble over the years. Well overrated. If he was a premiership keeper the media would destroy his stupidity.
He had a three or so year period where he was truly immense. Right up there with the best I've ever seen. Obviously he had a big fall from that where the mistakes really racked up, but he was brilliant for a while.
 

BalanceUnAutreJoint

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Doing it for France. Although I'm unsure regarding three of them and included two players.

1991 Griezmann
1992 Sidibe
1993 Pogba/Varane
1994 Tolisso
1995 Rabiot/Martial
1996 Hernandez
1997 Dembele
1998 Mbappe
1999 Guendouzi
2000 Gouiri
2001 Geubbels
2002 Agoume/Aouchiche
2003 Cherki
 

hasanejaz88

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The thread is about best footballers for each year, which would translate to having more accomplishments (individual or otherwise), not your random metric in your head.

Neuer has had fewer years at the top, he got into the picture later, and got out of it sooner than Ramos.
Ramos has played in better teams than Neuer has. And under what metric would you put Ramos over Neuer other than achievements, under which even Navas would be better than Neuer, because in terms of actual defending he isn't even regarded as one of the best.

Not wanting to shit on Ramos but if you want to think it's ridiculous to suggest Neuer is better just because Ramos has won more, as if Neuer has won nothing in his career, then that's ridiculous.

And fewer years at the top? Just because you don't follow the BL doesn't mean you can sprout nonsense, Neuer has been one of the best since 2010 but it was obviously only until that match against United that people finally saw him (because he was playing for a crap Schalke team).
 

haram

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Dembele has done nothing for a while to claim 1997.
 

MVBDX

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Ramos has played in better teams than Neuer has. And under what metric would you put Ramos over Neuer other than achievements, under which even Navas would be better than Neuer, because in terms of actual defending he isn't even regarded as one of the best.

Not wanting to shit on Ramos but if you want to think it's ridiculous to suggest Neuer is better just because Ramos has won more, as if Neuer has won nothing in his career, then that's ridiculous.

And fewer years at the top? Just because you don't follow the BL doesn't mean you can sprout nonsense, Neuer has been one of the best since 2010 but it was obviously only until that match against United that people finally saw him (because he was playing for a crap Schalke team).
You said it yourself, Neuer came into the scene in around 2010/11, and was there till 2016/17ish, he hasn't been really at the top since due to injuries and a dip in form, while Ramos was one of the best RBs since 2007, was great in Euro 08, WC 2010 etc. and has been one of the best CBs of his generation for a couple of years, playing a major role in CLs win in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. He has had many more years at the top.

Also comparisons with Navas are off, as he hasn't had that many individual accomplishments.
Here's a list of their "individual" awards (I've cut a few of the irrelevant ones from each player):

Ramos
9X
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
8X UEFA Team of the Year: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
2X IFFHS Men's World Team: 2017, 2018
2X UEFA Defender of the Season: 2017, 2018
4X UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
4X ESM Team of the Year: 2007–08, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2016–17
5X La Liga Best Defender: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
2X La Liga Team of the Season: 2015–16, 2016–17
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2005
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
FIFA World Cup Castrol Index Winner: 2010
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2012
UEFA Euro 2012 Castrol EDGE Index Winner: 2012
FIFA Confederations Cup Dream Team: 2013
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2014
FIFA Club World Cup top scorer: 2014
UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year: 2015

Neuer
4X
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
3X UEFA Team of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015
4X IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
4X UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
3X ESM Team of the Year: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15
3X Bundesliga Team of the Year: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
2X Footballer of the Year in Germany: 2011, 2014
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2012
2013 UEFA Champions League Final: Fans' Man of the Match
FIFA World Cup Golden Glove: 2014
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
L'Équipe's player of the year: 2014

Navas (non-CONCACAF awards)
3X FIFA FIFPro World XI 4th team: 2015, 2016, 2017
FIFA FIFPro World XI 3rd team: 2018
2X UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season: 2017–18
La Liga Player of the Month: March 2014
LFP Awards Best Goalkeeper: 2013–14
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18

Obviously these awards are not everything, there's a lot more that can only be judged by having watched the matches over the years, but it's a glimpse into their careers. Compare the years, the numbers, and the longevity of each player, and you'd see the point.
 
Last edited:

hasanejaz88

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You said it yourself, Neuer came into the scene in around 2010/11, and was there till 2016/17ish, he hasn't been really at the top since due to injuries and a dip in form, while Ramos was one of the best RBs since 2007, was great in Euro 08, WC 2010 etc. and has been one of the best CBs of his generation for a couple of years, playing a major role in CLs win in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. He has had many more years at the top.

Also comparisons with Navas are off, as he hasn't had that many individual accomplishments.
Here's a list of their "individual" awards (I've cut a few of the irrelevant ones from each player):

Ramos
9X
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
8X UEFA Team of the Year: 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
2X IFFHS Men's World Team: 2017, 2018
2X UEFA Defender of the Season: 2017, 2018
4X UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
4X ESM Team of the Year: 2007–08, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2016–17
5X La Liga Best Defender: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
2X La Liga Team of the Season: 2015–16, 2016–17
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2005
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2010
FIFA World Cup Castrol Index Winner: 2010
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2012
UEFA Euro 2012 Castrol EDGE Index Winner: 2012
FIFA Confederations Cup Dream Team: 2013
FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball: 2014
FIFA Club World Cup top scorer: 2014
UEFA Ultimate Team of the Year: 2015

Neuer
4X
FIFA FIFPro World XI: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
3X UEFA Team of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015
4X IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
4X UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
3X ESM Team of the Year: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15
3X Bundesliga Team of the Year: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
2X Footballer of the Year in Germany: 2011, 2014
UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2012
2013 UEFA Champions League Final: Fans' Man of the Match
FIFA World Cup Golden Glove: 2014
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2014
FIFA World Cup Dream Team: 2014
L'Équipe's player of the year: 2014

Navas (non-CONCACAF awards)
3X FIFA FIFPro World XI 4th team: 2015, 2016, 2017
FIFA FIFPro World XI 3rd team: 2018
2X UEFA Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season: 2017–18
La Liga Player of the Month: March 2014
LFP Awards Best Goalkeeper: 2013–14
UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season: 2017–18

Obviously these awards are not everything, there's a lot more that can only be judged by having watched the matches over the years, but it's a glimpse into their careers. Compare the years, the numbers, and the longevity of each player, and you'd see the point.
This is the part where I disagree. Ramos wasn't a 'great' RB during his early days in Madrid and Spain. He wasn't even voted the best RB of Euro 08, that went to Lahm eventhough Spain won. And Madrid during those years were really underachieving in Europe (they didn't get out of the R16 from 2005 till 2011), though they won 2 La Ligas during Barcelona slump. They were notorious for having a poor defense during that time as well.

Alot of those awards are down to the teams achievements as well. Ramos has had the luxury of being part of amazing teams in this decade, which has highly benefited his personal reputation.

Obviously he has had a role to play in those victories, but you can't argue that when people talk about Madrids success they talk more about Ronaldos performance and their offense rather than defense.

And again, Neuer came into the scene only because he stuck to playing for Schalke and didn't move to a bigger club before. If you want to look at how good he was before 2010 look at his performance versus Porto in the 2007/08 Champions League.

To each his own, but I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest Neuer is a better player than Ramos (as difficult as it may be to compare a defender to a keeper).
 

pacifictheme

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This is the part where I disagree. Ramos wasn't a 'great' RB during his early days in Madrid and Spain. He wasn't even voted the best RB of Euro 08, that went to Lahm eventhough Spain won. And Madrid during those years were really underachieving in Europe (they didn't get out of the R16 from 2005 till 2011), though they won 2 La Ligas during Barcelona slump. They were notorious for having a poor defense during that time as well.

Alot of those awards are down to the teams achievements as well. Ramos has had the luxury of being part of amazing teams in this decade, which has highly benefited his personal reputation.

Obviously he has had a role to play in those victories, but you can't argue that when people talk about Madrids success they talk more about Ronaldos performance and their offense rather than defense.

And again, Neuer came into the scene only because he stuck to playing for Schalke and didn't move to a bigger club before. If you want to look at how good he was before 2010 look at his performance versus Porto in the 2007/08 Champions League.

To each his own, but I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest Neuer is a better player than Ramos (as difficult as it may be to compare a defender to a keeper).
Goalkeepers aren't footballers though.

Ramos for me.
 

MVBDX

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This is the part where I disagree. Ramos wasn't a 'great' RB during his early days in Madrid and Spain. He wasn't even voted the best RB of Euro 08, that went to Lahm eventhough Spain won. And Madrid during those years were really underachieving in Europe (they didn't get out of the R16 from 2005 till 2011), though they won 2 La Ligas during Barcelona slump. They were notorious for having a poor defense during that time as well.

Alot of those awards are down to the teams achievements as well. Ramos has had the luxury of being part of amazing teams in this decade, which has highly benefited his personal reputation.

Obviously he has had a role to play in those victories, but you can't argue that when people talk about Madrids success they talk more about Ronaldos performance and their offense rather than defense.

And again, Neuer came into the scene only because he stuck to playing for Schalke and didn't move to a bigger club before. If you want to look at how good he was before 2010 look at his performance versus Porto in the 2007/08 Champions League.

To each his own, but I don't think it's ridiculous to suggest Neuer is a better player than Ramos (as difficult as it may be to compare a defender to a keeper).
Ramos was one of the world's best RBs, that's not really up for debate, any award he got before 2013 (UEFA team of the year, FIFA team of the year, World Cup dream team, EURO dream team etc.), he's got it as a RB, not CB. Lahm being even better at times has no relevance to it. Though Ramos happened to go a notch or two up as a CB, and reached newer heights.
 

Alex99

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Rude of people to put neymar in 1992 when I was born that year