Your thoughts?
Most complete footballer ever?
- Thread starter GatoLoco
- Start date
Messi
Mason Mount or Billy Gilmour.
Mount Mason or Gilmour Billy
Beckham
There's already a Roy Keane thread!
Gilly Bilmour
Philip Anthony Jones.
Seedorf
Kristoffer olsson
It has to be Messi, right? At least from an attacking perspective. Although he is not that good at headers( before anyone mentions it, I know he scored via a header in a CL final against us)
is there any footballer who was good both at attacking(puts up the numbers) and defending(tackles, interceptions and the like)? Maybe @Invictus can help here.
is there any footballer who was good both at attacking(puts up the numbers) and defending(tackles, interceptions and the like)? Maybe @Invictus can help here.
Ruud Gullit could do pretty much everything.
Great in the air, great with his feet. Fast, strong, creative and brave.
I can't think of many flaws in his game.
Great in the air, great with his feet. Fast, strong, creative and brave.
I can't think of many flaws in his game.
Gareth Frank Bale, who else can spend the season skipping training to play golf and then come on in the CL final to score twice against the dippers including a contender for best CL final goal ever.
John O'Shea.
Seconded.
Agreed.
I think those that’s did a bit of everything, winning the ball back, carrying it forward, good distribution and being leaders on the field are the best shouts for most complete.
Di Stefano, Beckenbauer, even Matthaus from a more contemporary perspective. Someone who could genuinely do it all at the highest level.
Di Stefano, Beckenbauer, even Matthaus from a more contemporary perspective. Someone who could genuinely do it all at the highest level.
Tough finding someone who's good at:
Tackling
Passing
Finishing
Crossing
Tactics
Hold up play
Running
Goal-keeping
Stamina
Technique
Etc.
So I'm gonna say John O'shea.
Tackling
Passing
Finishing
Crossing
Tactics
Hold up play
Running
Goal-keeping
Stamina
Technique
Etc.
So I'm gonna say John O'shea.
Gullit and Matthaus were the first two I thought of. There are plenty of "complete" footballers who are 7 out of 10 or above in all areas, but to be 9 or 10 out of 10 in everything is extremely rare.
I think the two above could probably play in any outfield position and still be one of the best in the world at it, Gullit especially.
I think the two above could probably play in any outfield position and still be one of the best in the world at it, Gullit especially.
Great player but had many flaws, nowhere near complete.
Same for me. Those two names immediately sprung to mind.
What would you say they were? I thought defensively he was good, fantastic with the ball. He lacked certain things but as an all round player I though he was pretty complete.
Rooney is another that was pretty complete.
I'll have to watch some footage. Not really watched either.
Not a complete player as such, but John Charles is a thought. A world class player at both centre forward and centre back, not many of those about.
Young Keano isn't the worst shout. He was even a decent finisher.
That was the first one that came to my mind as well. Could play sweeper, midfield, out wide or up front and be world class anywhere.
Michel Platini
Passarella certainly had amazing goalscoring stats for defender. Koeman too.
Definitely worth a look. Gullit was an amazing athlete. Think Kante but with Yaya Toure's power and size. On top of that he had world class technical ability.
Retired:
Gullit, original Ronaldo, Seedorf
Current:
Pogba. Wait with criticsm and here me out; he has pace, shot power, skill, creativity, strength, height, technique, dribble, good in air. Now, why he didn't became best mc in the world...that is another story
Gullit, original Ronaldo, Seedorf
Current:
Pogba. Wait with criticsm and here me out; he has pace, shot power, skill, creativity, strength, height, technique, dribble, good in air. Now, why he didn't became best mc in the world...that is another story
Of recent years Rooney is the one who immediately comes to mind.
He could tackle, press and had the positional sense to do whatever was asked, be that leading the press as a striker or giving cover to the full back as a more defensive winger.
Beyond that he was of course a superb finisher, was strong as an ox and had a terrifying sprint at his peak.
I feel like there mustn't be many sides in world football that couldn't accommodate Rooney somewhere in their front line such is his level of talent and versatility, combined with his selflessness to sacrifice his own glory for the overall benefit of the team.
He could tackle, press and had the positional sense to do whatever was asked, be that leading the press as a striker or giving cover to the full back as a more defensive winger.
Beyond that he was of course a superb finisher, was strong as an ox and had a terrifying sprint at his peak.
I feel like there mustn't be many sides in world football that couldn't accommodate Rooney somewhere in their front line such is his level of talent and versatility, combined with his selflessness to sacrifice his own glory for the overall benefit of the team.
Messi or John O'Shea
Gullit, Beckenbauer, Matthäus come to my mind. Hard to decide as they all played in more or less different times.
I absolutely don't understand how people are thinking of Messi. Put him at CB and see opponent 9's score goals for fun, especially from crosses. Such a player may be great or even among the greatest ever, but he is surely not the most complete.
I absolutely don't understand how people are thinking of Messi. Put him at CB and see opponent 9's score goals for fun, especially from crosses. Such a player may be great or even among the greatest ever, but he is surely not the most complete.
feck off, came here to say this
Beckenbauer, Rijkaard, Krol, Charles...
Ruud Gullit is the obvious one.
And to a lesser extent, Yaya Toure. At his peak he was pretty much everywhere, doing everything. Played at CB sometimes for Barca. Played quite deep for City, but then he'd go up and play almost as a 2nd striker when they needed a goal. He was very quick for a player his size too. At his best, you could probably have played him anywhere.
And to a lesser extent, Yaya Toure. At his peak he was pretty much everywhere, doing everything. Played at CB sometimes for Barca. Played quite deep for City, but then he'd go up and play almost as a 2nd striker when they needed a goal. He was very quick for a player his size too. At his best, you could probably have played him anywhere.
How's Messi the most complete since he's short and doesn't partake in the defensive side of things?
If we include goal keeping it's probably Neuer.
John O'Shea.
On top of playing every position, scoring some memorable goals, he even managed to meg Figo along the way.
Any excuse...
On top of playing every position, scoring some memorable goals, he even managed to meg Figo along the way.
Any excuse...