Who Do You Consider 'World Class'?

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Can't believe someone actually mentioned James Rodriguez...

I wouldn't say Zlatan, as he has a high tendency of being a big game bottler, especially in the Champions League.

Suarez, Falcao. Ronaldo, Messi. Robben,

Iniesta, Bastian, Pirlo, Yaya Toure, Busquets, Modric

Lahm, Thiago Silva, Hummels,

Neuer

[The Skipper 20,593]

Define world class...

[Nike 373]

Define world class...

top 11....

[The Skipper 20,593]

top 11....

Restricted to just that or? Because IMO 'world class' is very subjective.

[Nike 373]

Restricted to just that or? Because IMO 'world class' is very subjective.

also world class talent vs world class stats...

[zolayes 14,489]

Neuer, Courtois, Cech.

Lahm, Alaba, Alba, Kompany, Ramos, T Silva, Hummels & Chiellini.

Fabregas, Pirlo, Schweinsteiger, Khedira, Modric, Reus, Arda Turan, Iniesta, Di Maria, Yaya Toure, Silva & Hazard.

Ronaldo, King Zlatan, Suarez, Costa, Messi, Neymar, Sanchez, Bale & James Rodriguez.

you have picked enough players to field 3 teams ,, THIS is how I think of world class .. players

who would make a squad of this size . I would have had a few extra defenders and have left out

a couple of attackers

[Viper22 2,418]

I am only really qualified to speak about goalkeepers in this position, so the only world-class goalkeepers at the moment are Cech, Courtois, Buffon and Neuer. No-one else comes close.

As much as I love Buffon (I follow Juve a fair bit) last season he just wasn't as good as usual. It was upsetting to see. I don't think he's world class any more .

[Viper22 2,418]

Can't believe someone actually mentioned James Rodriguez...

I wouldn't say Zlatan, as he has a high tendency of being a big game bottler, especially in the Champions League.

Suarez, Falcao. Ronaldo, Messi. Robben,

Iniesta, Bastian, Pirlo, Yaya Toure, Busquets, Modric

Lahm, Thiago Silva, Hummels,

Neuer

Rodriguez was awesome for Porto and Monaco. I agree it's annoying because he was the best player at the world cup and has signed for Madrid so everyone now thinks he's one of the best in the world just because of those 2 facts. But there's no need to go full hipster and pretend he's not world class because of those 2 facts either. He's twice the player that useless arse Busquets is who you said is world class.

[Sidzeret 2,257]

Rodriguez was awesome for Porto and Monaco. I agree it's annoying because he was the best player at the world cup and has signed for Madrid so everyone now thinks he's one of the best in the world just because of those 2 facts. But there's no need to go full hipster and pretend he's not world class because of those 2 facts either. He's twice the player that useless arse Busquets is who you said is world class.

James, Bale, Neymar- those three being world-class or not should be up for discussion. IMO only Bale has qualities to be considered world-class atm eventhough he is not quite there with all the above mentioned players. Both Neymar and James are below Bale in terms of quality and both haven't had a wonder season yet.

[Fulham Broadway 16,392]

The term World Class means loosely, 'best in the world', but how many should be named, 5, 10, 50, 1000 ? As can be seen from the answers, its very subjective. Circumstances and combinations of players make it even more complex. Eg The current Chelsea team could beat many National teams, so on that occassion they would all be 'World Class'.

[Namika 922]

A world class player (top player,etc..) is a player who has proved his worth in the CL or the World Cup (more in the CL because NT level is arguably low these years), not just in the league.

For example, RvP isn't a world class because he keep bottling it in the big occasion, he lets his teams down in the CL (v Barcelona with Arsenal, v Real Madrid with MU), Kompany also isn't world class (bad against Barcelona, Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich,...).

[iseah100 5,612]

A world class player (top player,etc..) is a player who has proved his worth in the CL or the World Cup (more in the CL because NT level is arguably low these years), not just in the league.

For example, RvP isn't a world class because he keep bottling it in the big occasion, he lets his teams down in the CL (v Barcelona with Arsenal, v Real Madrid with MU), Kompany also isn't world class (bad against Barcelona, Real Madrid, Napoli, Bayern Munich,...).

This. I don't consider Kompany WC. How many WC defenders are there?

Reus is WC, Hazard isn't. Bale and Neymar aren't world class. Ribery no longer is.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Rodriguez was awesome for Porto and Monaco. I agree it's annoying because he was the best player at the world cup and has signed for Madrid so everyone now thinks he's one of the best in the world just because of those 2 facts. But there's no need to go full hipster and pretend he's not world class because of those 2 facts either. He's twice the player that useless arse Busquets is who you said is world class.

Laughable to suggest that. Nonetheless they are completely different players.

[Viper22 2,418]

Laughable to suggest that. Nonetheless they are completely different players.

Busquets is awful and has been carried by the fact that he's been in a very good team. I would class him as good, not even very good, let alone world class. On top of that he's a cheating, horrible footballer.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

Busquets is awful and has been carried by the fact that he's been in a very good team. I would class him as good, not even very good, let alone world class. On top of that he's a cheating, horrible footballer.

Bollocks. He was just as essential to Barca and Spain's success these past several years as Xavi and Iniesta were. He was the reason Yaya Toure was left out and is the main component in how both Barca and Spain tick. No Busquets, no party.

[Viper22 2,418]

Bollocks. He was just as essential to Barca and Spain's success these past several years as Xavi and Iniesta were. He was the reason Yaya Toure was left out and is the main component in how both Barca and Spain tick. No Busquets, no party.

I literally don't think I could possibly disagree with you more. It's like someone trying to argue Bendtner being world class to me... But we're obviously not going to change our opinions of the man by arguing so i'll leave you to yours.

[Atlas Lion 1,223]

I literally don't think I could possibly disagree with you more. It's like someone trying to argue Bendtner being world class to me... But we're obviously not going to change our opinions of the man by arguing so i'll leave you to yours.

If you're comparing a player who literally has defied a role in similar regards to that of Makelele and has won the world cup/champions league to Nicklas Bendtner, then there really is no need to continue on.

[Madmax 9,219]

For me they've got to be reasonably well-rounded players whose individual qualities would let them walk into any side and perform at a consistently high level irrespective of team styles and systems. I don't think there can be more than a handful of truly world class players in each position.

GK - Neuer, Cech

Fullbacks - Lahm

Centre backs - Thiago Silva

Centre mids - Vidal, Busquets, Toure

Attacking mids - Iniesta, Robben

Forwards - Messi, Ronaldo

There is a lack of truly outstanding defenders. Benatia, Hummels, Alaba, Kompany, Marcelo et al are one rung below, IMO.