Who would be his competition? Kroos would be one from recent times, are you considering Zidane in this as well? Would love to hear how Netzer is rated by Madrid fans given his short spell but his ability is really talked up a lot amongst some former players.
So where is Modric rated in best CM’s of all time ?
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I’d have him above Iniesta as a CM - Iniesta was more of a mezzala (wide CAM).
Easily better than Scholes and I would place him ahead of Pirlo due to how versatile he is.
Alongside Xavi for me, as I don’t think Xavi could do as well outside the tiki taka system whereas Modric could fit into prime Spain and Barca as well as any other system of football.
Rijkaard gets slightly overrated - huge talent but didn’t control games as well as Modric can imo.
Modric, Xavi, Didi, Matthaus would be in my top 5 creative/game controller CMs list.
Easily better than Scholes and I would place him ahead of Pirlo due to how versatile he is.
Alongside Xavi for me, as I don’t think Xavi could do as well outside the tiki taka system whereas Modric could fit into prime Spain and Barca as well as any other system of football.
Rijkaard gets slightly overrated - huge talent but didn’t control games as well as Modric can imo.
Modric, Xavi, Didi, Matthaus would be in my top 5 creative/game controller CMs list.
Sounds like someone had a good game last night.
That makes as much sense as you in this thread.
Fair enough
He's still at least a tier below Xavi and Iniesta and one excellent game against PSG in the last 16 doesn't change that. However a tier below is still pretty fecking excellent. Definitely a top 5 midfielder of his generation.
Haha
Another substantive post. Someone had their extra helping of self-importance this morning.
Greatest
Scholes, Xavi and Modric are the three best in the last 30 years.
Pirlo is top 10. It's his coolness factor adds to his reputation and makes people rate him higher.
Pirlo is top 10. It's his coolness factor adds to his reputation and makes people rate him higher.
Agree on the 3 names you mentioned as the best CMs, I would add Viera & Keane to them too, bit unfair from you on Pirlo, he is clearly in the conversation as at least top 5 CMs/DMs in the past 30 years.
I don't include the likes of Zidane & Iniesta as I see them as an attacking midfielders, like Ronaldinho.
On Modric, he is so consistent that you do not even worry about him at all, he would always turn up and play the same and do the same exact things, when I watch Madrid, I worry about their attackers and defenders more than I would worry about their midfield.
No, not considering Zidane. Pirri, Hierro, Redondo, Makelele, Kroos, Casemiro, Xabi Alonso, Velazquez and i'm not going further back than that
Can't really tell you about Netzer
Instrumental in one of the great CL sides and helping his National team become a force again.
I'd actually put him above Xavi / Iniesta for his all round ability in the CM role. Wonderful to watch.
I'd actually put him above Xavi / Iniesta for his all round ability in the CM role. Wonderful to watch.
Like most football fans you're just not comfortable saying what we all know. Modric is better than Xavi.
The one player who can defend, pass, control the game, dribble, shoot, all the highest level. No other CM has his spread of talents and he has them to the same depth as most other top players.
The only player of the last 20 years you could call truly complete.
And it shows in his success:
- Elevated Spurs
- Integral part of the greatest Madrid side (arguably the greatest club side in history)
- Carried Croatia
Can you picture Xavi having much of an effect at spurs?
Problem with these discussions is that it’s so dependent on their teams. There’s arguably no player in the last 50 years who would have performed better than Modric during his time at Madrid, Xavi and Inieste included. At the same time, not Modric, or any other player, would likely have performed better than Xavi and Iniesta in their Barca team
When did he elevate Spurs?
I admire your confidence, going in all guns blazing, but you’re wrong in all of your assumptions.
As for the comparisons between different eras, it is a different and a very interesting point to discuss and we’ve had this discussion many times on here, but somehow I don’t get the feeling that you’re open to constructive dialogue.
Take care
World Cup 1970 was the first World Cup that televised in colour and they probably had many full matches. It’s one of the best wc of all time and Brazilian football during 60s and 70s had some full matches too.
The problem with that reference to Xavi is that he is systems by himself and you build around him and that accordingly. You don't drop him into other methods of play, you optimise him and make the team play with that in mind. It's not just tiki-taka, it's possession and ball retention - anything where players comfortable in their own passing and movement give the ball to him, use him as the central hub and be more assured by him than any other in that role to get the ball back and get any kind of chain football going.
Versatility can be of merit, but first and foremost, the impression a CM leaves on his teammates and opponents is what takes precedence and where we take about dominance. Xavi does that by being the best to ever live at passing, chaining and relaying the ball, but when the other monsters are brought into the conversation, such as Neeskens (no less than 3rd between Matthaus and Rijkaard, for me) it's about their presence being an overwhelming and decisive factor not only in how a game will be played, but also how much they will oppress the opposition on both sides of the ball.
You've reduced the category to a specific type of CM, ones that are more about control on the ball over off it, which is a different discussion really, one that does elevate Modric, but also places Xavi right at the top because nobody has been able to exert as much control via use of the ball as him.
If I'm told to drop a CM into any system with any type of player and I don't know the individual qualities of the team, Modric goes in over Xavi, but the moment I'm aware it's a possession-based team, literally no CM ever gets in the team over Xavi, not even Falcao. Once you go down that route, however, Modric is up against the aforementioned plus many more whilst the only discussion happening on the other side is: who'll get to play in that team alongside Xavi?
Xavi Iniesta Modric Zidane, in no particular order.
Don't think anyone comes close to these 4, as much as I love Scholes.
Don't think anyone comes close to these 4, as much as I love Scholes.
I categorize Iniesta as a left-playmaker or left attacking midfielder, he's not the same category as Modric. Both have some same and different skillsets. He's a bit similar to Raymond Kopa who was another side playmaker too, although they are not the same side ( Iniesta-left and Kopa-right).
Tbh, Central midfielder position is very difficult to categorize and it's even debatable about the method of categorization. There are some players who are ambiguous like Luis Suarez Miramontes ( different roles between Inter and Barcelona), Schuster or Ademir Da Guia .
I would give him to the similar level of Masopust, Van Hanegem, Bozsik and Brietner above Pirlo, Kross, Redondo, Gerrard and Gerson. A level below Matthaus, Xavi, Rijjkaard (defensive holding midfielder) , Paolo Roberto Falcao ( his skillsets are probably one of the best and his peak was probably top5 players in the world) and Didi ( god of controlling in 4-2-4).
Tbh, Central midfielder position is very difficult to categorize and it's even debatable about the method of categorization. There are some players who are ambiguous like Luis Suarez Miramontes ( different roles between Inter and Barcelona), Schuster or Ademir Da Guia .
I would give him to the similar level of Masopust, Van Hanegem, Bozsik and Brietner above Pirlo, Kross, Redondo, Gerrard and Gerson. A level below Matthaus, Xavi, Rijjkaard (defensive holding midfielder) , Paolo Roberto Falcao ( his skillsets are probably one of the best and his peak was probably top5 players in the world) and Didi ( god of controlling in 4-2-4).
What on earth are you on?
What makes people think Xavi is less versatile than Modric?
Netzer & Breitner probably don’t have the longevity. Schuster was not at his best. Zidane is an obvious shout but his body of work at Real doesn’t match Modrić’s even if you count him as a CM… Pirri probably has the best resume to challenge Modrić? (And he still falls short). Stielike (so many Germans!), Seedorf, Kroos, Makélélé…
edit: and Redondo, of course!
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I believe Xavi had a bigger engine and was more reliable. According to transfermkt not including Barcelona B or Xavi retirement in Qatar, just Barcelona first team and Spain national team. Xavi played 7461 minutes more the Modric, that's about 83 full games, basically Modric will have to play another 2 full season to reach those minutes or pass them. I think a lot of people are sleeping Xavi longevity here.
Yep and Xavi was as good in the mid-2000s as Modric was in the late 2000s/early 2010s. Both kicked on then, Xavi after 2008, Modric after 2014. And let's not act like Modric has been among the best midfielders in the world since he won Ballon d'Or. He simply hasn't. He really rolled back the years last night, but even in the first leg he was poor. He got absolutely destroyed by Frenkie De Jong and Ajax a few years ago. He's still great for his age but he's past his best.
Mou's fault. Modric was instrumental in Ancelotti's 13-14 Madrid.
I don't see what made Pirlo or Scholes better than someone like Laudrup. This guys rarely gets enough recognition
I would probably choose Pirri as the best resume to challenge him. His longevity could match Modric since he had played since Puskas and Gento era to Ye-Ye era (his peak was there) until 1980s, he played as a starter for full 16 seasons at Real Madric from 1960s until 1980s. His versatility was impressive since he was deployed as cm, cdm and sweeper ( in 78 wc and later of his career). His team achievements were superb too, since Munoz's Madrid was such a domination in domestic league( different circumstances from Modric's era) and Copa del Rey ( he got 10 and 4 respectively). On iconic status, he had captained Madrid so many times and was one of the symbols of the team.
Stielike was a great player for sure and his career at Madrid was succesful but I would rate him below Modric and Pirri in term of influence on the pitch, overall domination and personal skills.
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Pirlo was a regista and Laudrup played further forward most of his career, right? Scholes did both essentially, but Laudrup would be more like Zidane and Iniesta?
It wasn't until 2008 that Xavi introduced himself as a World Class midfielder, yet by 2015 he was playing at Qatar, and he was way past it before that. Came in late, and got out soon.
For comparison, Modric is 2 years older than Xavi's Qatar episode, and he's still in the conversation for one of world's best CMs in 2022.
For comparison, Modric is 2 years older than Xavi's Qatar episode, and he's still in the conversation for one of world's best CMs in 2022.
Yes, you are right but when we talk about these things, we put Zidane and Xavi at the highest level which means the various shades of CMs aren't taken into account
If he won that World Cup final - he'd be considered the best.
He's top 3 with Xavi and Iniesta - but these two where crucial parts of dynasties in both club and international football. It's hard to look past that. Ability wise, there really isn't much in it. Ineista would have my personal vote because his footwork was just magical.
He's top 3 with Xavi and Iniesta - but these two where crucial parts of dynasties in both club and international football. It's hard to look past that. Ability wise, there really isn't much in it. Ineista would have my personal vote because his footwork was just magical.
I don’t know enough football to comment on this. But just wanted a place to say
That assist sometimesfootball gives you those moments that you’ll YouTube later again and again. Like Riquelme vs Ivory Coast or Bergkamps Argentina flick or Ronaldinho vs Chelsea. It’s poetry.
That assist
sometimesfootball gives you those moments that you’ll YouTube later again and again. Like Riquelme vs Ivory Coast or Bergkamps Argentina flick or Ronaldinho vs Chelsea. It’s poetry.Bar 18/19 he absolutely has been among the best midfielders in the world these past 3 years actually
Laudrup's best came as a false 9. He's more comparable to Messi than the ones you mention
I used the word limited in a relative sense ofcourse. They weren’t close to Modric’s level of versatility. And when did Iniesta ever play DM? That’s simply untrue.
Easily the best midfielder of his generation.
Better than Xavi? Overall I would say yes. He just has more in his locker.
Better than Xavi? Overall I would say yes. He just has more in his locker.
Exactly. Modric was brilliant the moment he stepped foot on a blade of grass in Madrid. He was just sparsely used my Mourinho in 12/13 which led people to falsely label him flop of the season early on. But make no mistake, he was class whenever he played.
I don't see anything in Iniesta's skill set to suggest he wouldn't have been excellent in any team. And Xavi made a system in a way that Modric wouldn't be able to (Modric regularly plays in less possession teams in the CL, whereas Xavi dominated midfields to 60-70% possession), so Modric can't control a game to that level (again this is relative sense as you said).
Laudrup was a forward and played as a false 9 that rotated with the left winger in Johan Cruijff's 3-1-2-1-3 a lot of the times. The comparison between Laudrup and Pirlo is baffling. People need to actually watch some of these people play. Even the games where he played as a midfielder, he wasn't a controller like Pirlo or Scholes. Guardiola is the one that played the 6 position and was Barcelona's main controller. Guardiola being compared to Scholes and Pirlo makes more sense.
This is one of the main reasons comparing players simply based on words like central midfielder never truly works.
On a few occasions. Remember a noteworthy performance in the position against Benfica in CL QF’s too. Was arguably the best player on the park.
He’s played as the deepest midfielder on quite a few occasions when circumstances dictated it.
I just struggle to understand how he can be considered limited in any sense, relative (whatever that means) or otherwise.
His obvious weakness was his finishing, though he’s scored some of the most crucial goals ever for his club and country.
Despite his plaudits, he’s still somehow underrated in these type of discussions.
Ballon D’or winner in the Ronaldo/Messi era. The best along with Xavi. He probably edges it even.
Ballon D’or winner in the Ronaldo/Messi era. The best along with Xavi. He probably edges it even.
1. Matthaus
2. Modric
3. Rijkaard
2. Modric
3. Rijkaard