Does modern football have less entertainers than past decades?

[El Jefe]

Football has progressed so much in the last decade but the greater focus on efficiency and statistics have led to less magical players at the top level. This isn't a 'back in my day football was better' thread, as I actually believe football is better now but the artistry has definitely died IMO.

The best players in the last decade have been exceptional but their game is based more on the consistently high level they perform.

I feel like 2000s was the last era of having mavericks in top teams. Henry, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Zidane, Riquelme, Totti were all artists and going back to the 90s you had Cantona, Ronaldo, Baggio, Laudrup, Bergkamp etc.

You look at the top players in the last decade and only Neymar is really a showman. He actively tries to entertain the crowd and display his ability while still playing winning football. Ronaldo and Zlatan used to do this too but moving into the 2010 era they opted for greater efficiency. Messi and Iniesta were of course able to 'wow' the crowd but there isn't much improvisation in their game compared to the greats of previous eras.

I wonder if its a trend that will continue in this decade. It looks that way because Mbappe and Haaland IMO have even less artistry to their game but are far more efficient for their age than previous eras. Football goes in cycles so a return of such players might be right around the corner.

 

[DWelbz19]

Does feel that way, doesn’t it? It’s all final third G/A monsters, way less sauce in footballers these days.

I’d also say Neymar is the last one (at the very top top level).

 

[Lay]

Yes. Football is more tactical and robotic nowadays. Entertainers will get it coached out of them as soon as possible

 

[Sylar]

Yes. Football is more tactical and robotic nowadays. Entertainers will get it coached out of them as soon as possible

Yep and this is why
I think entertainers get into trouble for trying things especially with top teams and coaches

 

[TheReligion]

I don't think players are coached, or allowed, to take such risks. It's sad really.

 

[Lay]

Too much money involved to have a player who is a maverick.

 

[adexkola]

I'd like to see the Venn diagram of people who agree with the OP and shouted at Nani when he took risks instead of keeping it simple.

Also, award a goal for every 10 dribbles completed by your team. Problem solved, elasticos and AKKAs return.

 

[Judas]

The fun is being coached out of football. It's becoming a more cold and clinical sport in every department.

 

[calodo2003]

A rise in the average quality of modern players has also helped to reduce the impact of entertainers.

 

[El Jefe]

I'd like to see the Venn diagram of people who agree with the OP and shouted at Nani when he took risks instead of keeping it simple.

Also, award a goal for every 10 dribbles completed by your team. Problem solved, elasticos and AKKAs return.

Nani isn't on the level of player this thread was made for.

Many people on caf and United fans in general have Cristiano's 2006/07 season as their favourite, as it was the last time he made being a showman a priority. Don't remember calls for him to keep it simple then so I disagree with the premise of your point.

 

[Leftback99]

You need to be an athlete before anything these days. Players are bigger, faster, stronger than ever. Less space and time for maverick play.

 

[Vidyoyo]

What do you call Fred then?

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Entertainment has been sacrificed at the altar of effiecency.

That is why players like neymar who insist on trying both get heavily criticized when it doesn't come off into trophy wins.

 

[Makelele]

No doubt about it. This is progress in the same way our capitalistic system deems increased profits and profit margins as progress. It’s the sad reality of the world and football is poorer for it. The quality is better but the entertainment is poorer.

I believe Iniesta was the last player to combine efficiency and entertainment in a brilliant way. Now it’s more robotic than ever. The days of Zidane, Totti, Etc look far far gone.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Pogba is another victim. Constantly called daft or brainless for trying to play with flair. Scolded to 'keep it simple".


A reason why De Bruyne's Beckham like effieciency is so beloved....

 

[GifLord]

Entertainment has been sacrificed at the altar of effiecency.

That is why players like neymar who insist on trying both get heavily criticized when it doesn't come off into trophy wins.

Neymar's being criticized for being a diving cnut.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Neymar's being criticized for being a diving cnut.

Bullshit.

 

[GifLord]

Bullshit.

It's not also Neymar usually started to heavily showboat when the opponents were already losing by a large margin.

 

[Dancfc]

Nostalgia bias.

Ten years time it will be the good old days of the chase and CL nights with Messi/Ronaldo/Neymar etc

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

The difference between great players and average players has decreased dramatically over the past 20 years.

fitness, sports science, attitude all focus on the physical aspect - so talented and gifted players don’t stand out anywhere near as much as they used to.

it’s no longer the beautiful game, it’s who can press the most.

 

[GifLord]

Nostalgia bias.

Ten years time it will be the good old days of the chase and CL nights with Messi/Ronaldo/Neymar etc

It's not there's no fantasistas anymore, no magicians, number 10 is a dying breed. Like someone wrote footballs become way too robotic.

 

[McGrathsipan]

The fun is being coached out of football. It's becoming a more cold and clinical sport in every department.

Yes it is. Its getting worse too.

Its analysed to death from all angles.
Coaches
"Pundits"
Media
Social media pundits


Jesus every kick is analysed now in match day threads. There is no fun in the game anymore.

The players insist on having social media so their every move and comment is dissected. Its beyond ridiculous.

Its dead.

 

[FujiVice]

Players arent encouraged to play with a smile on their face. The game is all about fitness and coaching now, sadly. Millionaire robots taking enhaler and supliments. The stars of the game are Pep, Klopp and Mourinho. Not your Ronaldinho, Baggio and Cantona. Its like Snooker.

 

[Wumminator]

Imagine someone like Jay Jay Okocha nowadays? It’s a massive shame it’s been coached out of the game

 

[VidaRed]

There aren't many world class strikers anymore.

 

[Makelele]

Nostalgia bias.

Ten years time it will be the good old days of the chase and CL nights with Messi/Ronaldo/Neymar etc

I don’t remember anyone being nostalgic during the 90s with the likes of Del Piero, Zidane, Bergkamp, Zola, Cantona, Nedved, Totti etc running around. More and more it is becoming clear that the period was the pinnacle of the game.

 

[VeevaVee]

I'd like to see the Venn diagram of people who agree with the OP and shouted at Nani when he took risks instead of keeping it simple.

Just look at how much stick Bruno gets for trying risky passes and not having great completion stats (although he has admittedly fecked up some simple stuff recently too)

 

[Andersonson]

Pogba is another victim. Constantly called daft or brainless for trying to play with flair. Scolded to 'keep it simple".


A reason why De Bruyne's Beckham like effieciency is so beloved....

Flair is one thing, but knowing when to use it is a problem for many.

Pogba for instance has this problem.

You never saw Denilson or Rivaldo dropping down to the CB's to get a pass and started dribbling either.

 

[VeevaVee]

Pogba is another victim. Constantly called daft or brainless for trying to play with flair. Scolded to 'keep it simple".

Does he though? It tends to be for keeping hold of the ball too long or making a fatal error in our own half near the end of the game, where he really should be keeping it simple. Think most people praise him when he does something with flair in attack

 

[Dancfc]

It's not there's no fantasistas anymore, no magicians, number 10 is a dying breed. Like someone wrote footballs become way too robotic.

I would say number 10's have moulded into a false 9 type of role,we seen it with Firmino at Liverpool, various players at City this season and it's appearing that Tuchel wants to go the same way with us 're Havertz.

If anything is dying out it's the role of the out and out striker (partly as a byproduct of false 9 coming into fashion like it has),take Haaland for example, absolutely unreal statistically but BVB as a team have got worse since signing him.

 

[TheReligion]

Too much money involved to have a player who is a maverick.

What about the odd maverick renegade?

 

[adexkola]

Nani isn't on the level of player this thread was made for.

Many people on caf and United fans in general have Cristiano's 2006/07 season as their favourite, as it was the last time he made being a showman a priority. Don't remember calls for him to keep it simple then so I disagree with the premise of your point.

So flair can only be tolerated when you're playing at the level of 06/07 Ronaldo? Keep in mind we've not replaced Nani since he left...

 

[Demyanenko_square_jaw]

It seems like almost everything at the higher levels this last decade has been reheated themes on the Cruyff/lobanovsky/Sacchi'ish school, then refined as much as that sort of thing can be. Pep taking the intense, organised pressing and positional rigour of that and mixing it in with older short-passing focused team ideas like lots of triangles and diagonal through balls was the most innovative, but seemed to eat itself by going too deep into the possession aspect, though Pep himself has since further adapted/refined his approach.

I'm not sure i agree with ideas that football will keep on getting quicker and even more robotic. imo a lot of the low hanging fruit from the sport becoming more professional about nutrition and training have now been plucked over the last 10-15 years. Same thing with pressing/positional play of the current dominant Pepcruyfflobancchi mashup nd taking that as far as it can go. Unless there are further big innovations that go beyond "everybody knows how to sytemise short passing and pressing now" i think the next decade or two will be more about further refining and milking out that last 1 or 2% of performance.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

What about the odd maverick renegade?

they’ve been run out of the game. Social media, massive focus on every aspect of a players performance, the micro analysis. Just look at the anodyne interviews all footballers give. They are all pointless.

Cantona wouldn’t have been allowed to be the player he was in this day and age.

 

[AKDevil]

Does feel that way, doesn’t it? It’s all final third G/A monsters, way less sauce in footballers these days.

I’d also say Neymar is the last one (at the very top top level).

Was going to say this. Obsession with stats as being proof of a players talent. Listened to an interview with Yannick Bolasie recently saying he didn’t have the importance of goals/assists pushed on him till very late in his career. That summed it up. Players used to want to entertain and be a bit different/off the cuff but now it’s getting drilled out of them.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Flair is one thing, but knowing when to use it is a problem for many.

Pogba for instance has this problem.

They way some of y'all talk about Pogba one would readily believe his creative out put is very poor and his loss percentage of possession that directly lead to goals is super huge. Neither is even close to true.

You never saw Denilson or Rivaldo dropping down to the CB's to get a pass and started dribbling either.

Denilson? An attacker who never knew what letting go of the ball was like? THaT is your superior comparison to Pogba? seriously?

 

[Andersonson]

Denilson? An attacker who never knew what letting go of the ball was like? THaT is your superior comparison to Pogba? seriously?

Even Denilson didnt lose the ball in the positions Pogba does. Denilson was all about trickery and the Betis fans loved him for his entertainment.

Pogba tries his trickery when he shouldnt. My point is, even back in the day, it wasnt OK to try trickery in those positions

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Even Denilson didnt lose the ball in the positions Pogba does. Denilson was all about trickery and the Betis fans loved him for his entertainment.

Pogba tries his trickery when he shouldnt. My point is, even back in the day, it wasnt OK to try trickery in those positions

Denilson was an attacker. To even compare him that aspect to Pogba is inane in the extreme. They don't operate in the same areas.

People are acting in here like flair is NEVER allowed in deep midfield.

On top of acting like all a pogba does is lose the ball there when he tries it. Yet on the ball flair is an inherent part of his game. This conversation is literally proof of what the thread starter was alluding to. Flair players are castigated more often than appreciated unless they are being nigh super human like Messi and CR7.

 

[FujiVice]

Arsenal's third goal they just let in highlights this. 2-0, playing out from the back as if they are Barca. Just pure auto pilot shit from a bunch of players coached to do the one thing regardless of the score.

 

[One Night Only]

Nani Vs arsenal