Can we have that talk? Beckham vs. De Bruyne for the greatest crosser of a football, perhaps ever?

Who is a better crosser?


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VeevaVee

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No one places a ball like Beckham, from any distance. He could cross it from near the half way line.
 

Eyepopper

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Becks could put it in a six pence from 50 yards, its not even a debate.
 

big rons sovereign

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This might be the craziest opinion I have ever read here. This is taking your team bias to an extreme. Because if this was said anywhere outside a United forum you would get laughed at
Absolute tosh.
Beckham was an incredible footballer, free kicks, crossing, range of passing, tackling. He pretty much had it all. I'll never forget him absolutely embarrassing 2 real Madrid defenders before pinging it into the top corner.
Oh, and he wasn't made of porridge, unlike kdb.
 

The Boy

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Best crosser or best player is Beckham for me all day long and I'm not a Utd fan.

The way he came back from the slating he received at France 98 and his performances throughout that 98/99 season was unbelievable. Not only incredibly gifted with the ball, but his resilience, workrate and all round determination were second to none. Then there was that England game against Greece.

KDB is also gifted and one of the best around, but he hasn't achieved anything on the scale of Becks
 

NK86

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Absolute tosh.
Beckham was an incredible footballer, free kicks, crossing, range of passing, tackling. He pretty much had it all. I'll never forget him absolutely embarrassing 2 real Madrid defenders before pinging it into the top corner.
Oh, and he wasn't made of porridge, unlike kdb.
People have extremely short memories or just haven't seen enough Beckham if they say KDB is the better footballer already. As far as crossing is concerned, Becks hands down and that is no slight on KDB but just goes to show that even someone as good as KDB cannot not come close to Becks.
 

Raven

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This might be the craziest opinion I have ever read here. This is taking your team bias to an extreme. Because if this was said anywhere outside a United forum you would get laughed at
Rubbish. Both world class footballers except one was more successful, obviously De Bruyne does have time on his side, but craziest opinion you've read on here? Absolute tripe.
 

RedRonaldo

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Better crosser: Beckham (not even close, Becks is at GOAT level in terms of crossing)
Better all rounded passer: De Bruyne (his weight of passing is the best I’ve even seen from any player)
Better creativity: De Bruyne (he is king of assist, he made chances after chances out of nowhere)
Better freekick/set piece: Beckham (again, not even close)
 

Champagne Football

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Moyes must be kicking himself that he didn't have Beckham in the team in that 81 crosses game at home to Fulham that we were unable to win. Incredible to think that Juan Mata was on the pitch that day in a game where the only tactic was to pump crosses in.
 

RUCK4444

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I'm not even sure de Bruyne is the better all rounder. I think in the modern game Beckham would play the position de Bruyne does and probably be better at it. I'd say its only pace he falls short of him.
I’m a huge Becks fan, always have been, but I think that’s a stretch mate.

In the number 10 position KDB is incredible, his passing and weight of passing is probably the best I’ve ever seen and the most consistent, absolutely it pains me to say it!

To answer the OP though I would still have Becks as the better crosser of the ball.

As others have pointed out KDB has the better ground passing, another key reason why he’s the better no 10.
 

momo83

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Think people forget how good Beckham was as a footballer. He played at the highest level for a very long time. I'd say you're massively underrating him to suggest KDB is the better all round footballer too. There was much more to Beckham than crosses and kicks but given the company he had in the teams he played for it gets overlooked.
Yeah KDB plays beside absolute crap
 

momo83

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Beckham might be underrated in his overall footballing ability, but that doesn't mean he was as good as KDB. As mentioned already KDB is more versatile and can dribble up the pitch with pace and also create great chances with through-balls and crosses. But for aerial crossing from the wing, Beckham is the best.
Exactly. If you say X wasn’t as good as Y all round doesn’t mean you’re saying X wasn’t great all round or as some understand it that X was crap. Beckham was great all round, KVD is just that bit better all round.
 

Fortitude

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For what it's worth, I think both players are being underrated a tad here. I would also say it's difficult to compare them as footballers because their roles were quite a bit different with one being pretty much an attacking midfielder and the other, a right-sided midfielder.

Intention with the OP was just to compare their ability to find a man with a cross because De Bruyne puts enough top notch ones in for it to be noticeable as well beyond the norm.

I do agree with the post about De Bryune playing the percentages a lot more, however, which probably answers the question all by itself as Beckham, as and when the opportunity arose, could hit his mark with unerring accuracy with absolutely no speculative aspect to the process whatsoever.

Thinking about De Bruyne's specialty - he's made countless goals by hitting the corridor of uncertainty, bending a low driven cross away from the keeper and across the box for a forward to get on the end of rather than targeting a specific player and putting a custom-made cross on a sixpence for them. I think Beckham could have easily mimicked De Bruyne's methodology, but it's virtually impossible vice-versa.

Perhaps a better head to head would have been Gerrard? He played a similar role to De Bruyne during some of his best seasons for the scousers and had a penchant for those same whipped balls, but there again, am I doing De Bruyne a disservice? He hits the crosses the way he does at City because the attackers are short and mobile and it's obviously their best chance to convert.

Ah, nevermind: I thought I was coming up with something that hadn't been discussed before only to find this, which is dated 20th August 2019 :rolleyes::


High praise from Gary there. I do echo the sentiment as it's the reason it came to mind to make the thread.
 

Skills

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Don't think there's much in it but Beckham's delivery was more stylish though.
 

Vooon

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Think people forget how good Beckham was as a footballer. He played at the highest level for a very long time. I'd say you're massively underrating him to suggest KDB is the better all round footballer too. There was much more to Beckham than crosses and kicks but given the company he had in the teams he played for it gets overlooked.
This.
 

Ish

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Beckham. As said many times in this thread, KdB is a better all round footballer/more complete midfielder, but crossing wise - Beckham, comfortably. He was insanely good at them, and a dead ball.
 

VJ1762

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This might be the craziest opinion I have ever read here. This is taking your team bias to an extreme. Because if this was said anywhere outside a United forum you would get laughed at
Beckham was runner up in the FIFA world player of the year twice and the balon d'or once(had a legitimate argument to win). When KDB gets within top 3 in the voting for best player in the world, we can talk.
 

Son

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I’d argue Beckham was the best crosser I’ve ever seen. De Bruyne has more in his locker though as a footballer.

Beckham also had a few Ballon D’Or podium appearances but it helps he was more of a superstar than just about anyone ever to play the game. Popularity plays a giant part. Keane deserved a spot just as much as he ever did.

De Bruyne will probably never get a mention in the Ballon D’Or but he’s the better of the two at football in my opinion. If he played for Real or Barcelona he’d be in with a shout though.
 

InfiniteBoredom

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De Bruyne is the more naturally gifted, anyone with a pair of working eyes can see that, but that doesn’t mean he’s the better footballer, at least not yet.

I was too young to remember him in the 90s but Beckham to RvN was such a devastating combo once I started watching football. Even in a dysfunctional Galactico 1.0 team he still pulled off pivotal performances that Capello had to yield and reincorporated him into the team for their Liga title. You watch him being subbed on the pitch at OT against Madrid and singlehandedly won the game from there, find me a similar De Bruyne performance.

People got to caught up in the celebrity aspect of his life. He was an incredible footballer, the big star out of that class of 92 when they all played for Utd.
 

Tom Cato

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One player has a movie made after him. He has a saying named after him, and he's one of the biggest legends to play in the England jersey. The other is one of the best all round players in the world.

KDB is a star, but Beckhams foot is beyond even KDB with some margin.
 

norm87cro

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We most certainly can't have that talk but De Bruyne is a much much better all round player than our beloved Becks ever was.
 

kafta

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Becks is the best crosser of the ball I've ever seen. I've never seen anyone with his range, accuracy and consistency.

No point comparing them as players as they are different, but KdB is a one of my favorite players to watch in today's game.

From today's players, i think TAA has the best technique and range. He's been switching play with his left this season, its borderline ridiculous.
 

Jinn

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Becks was so good, he didn't need a left foot.
 

Bratt

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This isn’t even up for debate imo.
Beckham was (probably still is) a much better crosser of the ball.
We could debate who’s the best all round footballer though, but even here I would put my vote on Beckham.
 

Number32

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Imo Luis Figo was better than both. I love Becks but there must be a reason why he was droped to CM role when Figo was in his prime.

The fullbacks were aware and could double Becks to stop his crosses, but Figo was so unpredictable on the wing that made most fullbacks had no answer to his crosses.

KDB is the best all round footballer, but he is nowhere near the level of Beck's and Figo's crosses.
 

Raees

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Even when you see Beckham play the odd charity game you can see the crowd mind blown when he hits a long pass and a cross.. it has an ethereal aesthetic quality which is unmatched in the history of football.. truly one of the greatest and beautiful ball striker of all time. KDB is efficient and wonderful passer from our wide no doubt but Gerrard is a better comparison who was also a world class passer from a wide position albeit KDB edges him.

Beck is in a tier of his own.
 

Raees

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We most certainly can't have that talk but De Bruyne is a much much better all round player than our beloved Becks ever was.
I think in terms of talent you are right but in terms of overall impact on the highest echelons of the game it wouldn’t be easy to call and Beckham could arguably win it with his 98/99 season which trumps anything KDB has done from a European perspective.
 

sullydnl

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Beckham had a better cross but KDB is definitely a better all round player.
 

André Dominguez

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Imo Luis Figo was better than both. I love Becks but there must be a reason why he was droped to CM role when Figo was in his prime.

The fullbacks were aware and could double Becks to stop his crosses, but Figo was so unpredictable on the wing that made most fullbacks had no answer to his crosses.

KDB is the best all round footballer, but he is nowhere near the level of Beck's and Figo's crosses.
Luis Figo was probably one of the best crosser to exist in open play, not as good on set pieces dunno why. Beckham misplaced more crosses on open play, but his crossing on set pieces was unmatched.

And I would like to mention names like Francisco Arce (might have not played in Europe, but people have to remember that in the late 90's the Brazilian league was miles better than it was today, one just needs to remember how Vasco da Gama beat the crap out of us on World's Club Cup), Andreas Brehme who could cross with both feet and Mahdavikia who despite never reaching a career top, he was deadly delivering crosses into his team mates
 

Zlatattack

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If you were in the 90th minute of the Champions league final, it's 0-0, you get a free kick a few yards outside the box.

Who do you want to take it? Ronaldo? Messi? Beckham? .... how many names down the list do you go to get KdB?

Imagine if that freekick is a corner, or placed out wide ... who do you want taking it?

I think he was the best crosser i've ever seen and only surpassed in free kick taking by Messi.
 

The Cat

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Two different types of players for me. Both world class with different abilities.

To answer the question though as a crosser I can't looks past Becks.
 

Mogget

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If you were in the 90th minute of the Champions league final, it's 0-0, you get a free kick a few yards outside the box.

Who do you want to take it? Ronaldo? Messi? Beckham? .... how many names down the list do you go to get KdB?

Imagine if that freekick is a corner, or placed out wide ... who do you want taking it?

I think he was the best crosser i've ever seen and only surpassed in free kick taking by Messi.
Is this a joke?
 

arthurka

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Becks, he just was something else. Never seen anyone defy laws of physics like Becks did.

 

Seaman

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One player has a movie made after him. He has a saying named after him, and he's one of the biggest legends to play in the England jersey. The other is one of the best all round players in the world.

KDB is a star, but Beckhams foot is beyond even KDB with some margin.
Beckhams most memorable moment for England was the Sending off in a world cup