Who has the greatest 1st touch in PL history?

Fortitude

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If there are even any other candidates after Berbatov and Bergkamp, please state!

For the record:

Berbatov:





Bergkamp:





Anyone else? Who’s #1?
 
There are none better than the two you mentioned. Mahrez third for me
 
Zola, Cantona, Le Tissier just as good. Silva, De Bruyne, Cazorla, Scholes...

Probably quite a lot you wouldn't expect could be right up there. You don't need to be an elite player to have a great first touch.
 
This could be two questions - who has the most stylish first touch in PL history (probably someone like Berbatov or Bergkamp) or who has the best touch (to take the ball down in the most difficult situations, maybe at pace).

I think for me the best, was probably Ronaldo - watching Scholes ping the ball over to him at pace, and you knew he was taking it down straight into his stride and attacking the full back was incredibly skillful.

Best combination of style/effectiveness - maybe Van Persie?
 
Mahrez is up there for sure.
 
Thiago Alcântara. Poetry in motion.
 
There are loads who had a near flawless first touch but Bergkamp had the most high profile moments where it resulted in memorable goals so it would be fair to vote for him.

Mahrez felt the most perfect to me just from watching it.
 
Demyanenko_square_jaw said:
Zola, Cantona, Le Tissier just as good. Silva, De Bruyne, Cazorla, Scholes...

Probably quite a lot you wouldn't expect could be right up there. You don't need to be an elite player to have a great first touch.
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...Henry, Aguero, Cristiano, Rooney, Mahrez , Thiago, Salah...also I find it difficult to see a real diff on the eye when it comes to these caliber of player. Also Berva or Dennis it's more probaly that they would receive the ball in a more passive manner, than what usually for instance it's the case for a Henry, Cristiano and what in full throtle they has to manage
 
Berbatov caressed the ball in the most dreamy way.

I don’t watch enough of anyone else to truly pass judgement, but I’ve literally seen Berbatov casually stick his leg out at near shoulder height and control a long driven ball like it was nothing.

The best single first touch I’ve ever seen (imo) is Cristiano Ronaldo vs Newcastle in the 07/08 season. Tevez absolutely rifles the ball in his path and somehow he controls it like it was nothing and scores. It’s not flashy, but 99% of players wouldn’t be able to take that ball in their stride and finish the move.
 
Fobal said:
...Henry, Aguero, Cristiano, Rooney...also I dind it difficult to see a real diff on the eye when it comes to these caliber of player. Also Berva or Dennis it's more probaly that they would receive the ball in a more passive manner, than what usually for instance it's the case for a Henry, Cristiano and what in full throtle they has to manage
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Love Rooney but he wouldn't be in this list, his touch went to shit too often when out of form.
 
OverratedOpinion said:
Love Rooney but he wouldn't be in this list, his touch went to shit too often when out of form.
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He had an excellent first touch, Rooney normally would have to deal with diff scenarios than Dennis or Berva and these two look inmaculate, so I agree that him being a bull, it's harder to look with more finesse, but I've seen plenty of times Wayne controlling very difficult balls in tight areas in full throtle, also it's logical for him a Henry, Cristiano to actually try to speed up his game and at times they'll fail
 
Fobal said:
He had an excellent first touch, Rooney normally would have to deal with diff scenarios than Dennis or Berva and these two look inmaculate, so I agree that him being a bull, it's harder to look with more finesse, but I've seen plenty of times Wayne controlling very difficult balls in tight areas in full thrtle, also it's logical for him a Henry, Cristiano to actually try to speed up his game and at times they'll fail
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He had a brilliant touch when he did and a pretty average first touch when he didn't. The people in this conversation are just more consistent in that aspect.

Someone like Giggs had a much, much better first touch than Wazza overall
 
Except the obvious, I seem to remember Valencia having a great first touch.

Yorke as well
 
Just a few.

Cantona
Roy Keane
Bergkamp
Berbatov
Scholes
Vieira
David Silva
KDB
 
I tend to rate the guys highest who could take the best touch at pace.

But will make an exception for this guy

 
Forgot to mention Jay Jay Okocha.
 
Bergkamp (and to a lesser degree Van Persie) is the fairly obvious shout, but Modric might be worth a mention, too. (benzema, Mahrez, and Modric were, incidentally, the only major players with 20 in this category the last time I played FM.)

Suarez and Ibrahimovic (though probably not by the time he'd reached United) were each capable of pulling off just about any touch they tried, but also messed up far too many simpler efforts. Aguero was probably a little more consistent. While not quite an all time great, Cantona actually did stand out in this regard when I've seen him, and that mostly just past his prime.

Le Tissier is easily the one PL player I'd love to have more footage off.
 
Querulous Megapode said:
Bergkamp (and to a lesser degree Van Persie) is the fairly obvious shout, but Modric might be worth a mention, too. (benzema, Mahrez, and Modric were, incidentally, the only major players with 20 in this category the last time I played FM.)

Suarez and Ibrahimovic (though probably not by the time he'd reached United) were each capable of pulling off just about any touch they tried, but also messed up far too many simpler efforts. Aguero was probably a little more consistent. While not quite an all time great, Cantona actually did stand out in this regard when I've seen him, and that mostly just past his prime.

Le Tissier is easily the one PL player I'd love to have more footage off.
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Suarez indeed was capable of the impossible and doing a very bad play. In his case I think that it has do with him ALWAYS trying to gain advantage with that first touch and in consequence it's logical that at times he'll fail.
 
Other than Bergkamp, here's the case for Le Tissier

Most of those names would struggle to pull off these goals and do it with this level of ease



 
Everyone has said all the good ones already but an underrated first touch for us was Valencia. Nothing fancy but every ball that went to him got controlled perfectly in his stride.
 
Bergkamp and Berbatov had amazing first touch especially for their size.

I see a lot of folk say KDB but at City I'd say Mahrez, Foden and both Silvas were better alone.

Bernardo's first touch is ridiculous. They used to call him bubblegum at Monaco because of how the ball stuck to him.

Zola and Ginola were phenomenal too. John Barnes another one. Carrick was another I tend to remember being able to control pretty much anything.
 
I came to mention Luke Shaw. He’s so effortlessly soft and consistent with it.
 
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