FourFourTwo Magazine: Top 100 Players for 2017

[SirBalon 2,199]

Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar head the podium for the year (2017) in that order and then we have some obvious ones along the way and some quite disputable decisions.

Not going to write them out because I’m on my phone, but there is room for debate here...

[Smiley Culture 948]

FourFourTwo is still going? 

[Spike 1,582]

5 hours ago, SirBalon said:

Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar head the podium for the year (2017) in that order and then we have some obvious ones along the way and some quite disputable decisions.

Not going to write them out because I’m on my phone, but there is room for debate here...

Neymar

The abuser of Auxerre
The basher of Bordeaux
The crusher of Cannes
The fighter of Fives
The lamented of Lille
The lasher of Lens
The liontamer of Lyon 
The murderer of Marseille
The monster of Metz
The maligned of Monaco
The malevolent of Montpellier
The nibbler of Nantes
The nuker of Nimes
The obliterator of Olympique Lillois
The punisher of Paris RCF
The raper of Reims
The ravager of Roubaux
The stilter of Saint-Etienne
The slayer of Sochaux
The supressor of Strasbourg
The shatterer of Sete
The thrasher of Toulouse

 

Are we speaking of the same Neymar here?

 

[Grizzly21 1,162]

The list is shocking and totally European centric, as expected.

[The Palace Fan 1,468]

3 hours ago, Blue said:

The list is shocking and totally European centric, as expected.

Well yeah.... Because the best players in the world play in Europe...

[Grizzly21 1,162]

6 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

Well yeah.... Because the best players in the world play in Europe...

That doesn't mean all of them should be from Europe.

Mina, Barco, Guerrero, Arthur, Armani and Arana all warrant a place on that list.

[Grizzly21 1,162]

Ill even add Giovinco to that list. Don't have to play in Europe to be a great player.

[The Palace Fan 1,468]

6 minutes ago, Blue said:

Ill even add Giovinco to that list. Don't have to play in Europe to be a great player.

I'm not saying they're not 'great' players. It makes it very difficult however for people to include them in such a ranking system if they're not challenging themselves against the best players in the world. Especially when there's not a major international tournament during that summer.

[Grizzly21 1,162]

6 minutes ago, The Palace Fan said:

I'm not saying they're not 'great' players. It makes it very difficult however for people to include them in such a ranking system if they're not challenging themselves against the best players in the world. Especially when there's not a major international tournament during that summer.

I don't know about Giovinco, Arthur or Arana but Guerrero and Mina have taken on among the best attackers/defenders in the world this year and took them on successfully. Mina has been even linked to Barca so heavily. The fact he nor Guerrero are on this list is criminal.

Landon Donovan never played against top opposition but he was a fantastic player. Sometimes the standard doesn't matter at all if you've provem yourself a few times in your career.

[Cannabis 3,266]

Just now, Blue said:

I don't know about Giovinco, Arthur or Arana but Guerrero and Mina have taken on among the best attackers/defenders in the world this year and took them on successfully. Mina has been even linked to Barca so heavily. The fact he nor Guerrero are on this list is criminal.

Landon Donovan never played against top opposition but he was a fantastic player. Sometimes the standard doesn't matter at all if you've provem yourself a few times in your career.

Landon Donovan was excellent in his first stint with Everton although I do understand your point.

[Spike 1,582]

22 minutes ago, Blue said:

That doesn't mean all of them should be from Europe.

Mina, Barco, Guerrero, Arthur, Armani and Arana all warrant a place on that list.

 

15 minutes ago, Blue said:

Ill even add Giovinco to that list. Don't have to play in Europe to be a great player.

I could easily name 100 players that I rate above those guys. I do like Guerrero however, I could make a case for him. Half of them are too young to warrant a place.

[Grizzly21 1,162]

Just now, Spike said:

 

I could easily name 100 players that I rate above those guys. I do like Guerrero however, I could make a case for him. Half of them are too young to warrant a place.

Armani for me is the best Argentinian keeper and should be on the list. Heavily underrated.

Mina should also be on in my opinion.

You might be right that they are a bit too young though.

[Spike 1,582]

@Blue I feel like you place too much stock on what player 'could do' or what the 'will do'. This is about the 100 best players right now, not in the past, not potentially who will be. That is why I would never include many of the prospects you've listed. Guerrero is easily in the top 100 Centre Forwards, maybe even top 25, but to include every position on the pitch, I could easily name 100 that surpass him. 

[Grizzly21 1,162]

1 minute ago, Spike said:

@Blue I feel like you place too much stock on what player 'could do' or what the 'will do'. This is about the 100 best players right now, not in the past, not potentially who will be. That is why I would never include many of the prospects you've listed. Guerrero is easily in the top 100 Centre Forwards, maybe even top 25, but to include every position on the pitch, I could easily name 100 that surpass him. 

You're right about will do and make a fair point but Guerrero and Mina are a "in process"players and I would personally name both. Look how bad Flamengo became once he got banned. It was unreal how much they lacked. Same with Palmeiras when Mina got injured to an extent.

[Smiley Culture 948]

On 16/12/2017 at 10:50 PM, Blue said:

That doesn't mean all of them should be from Europe.

Mina, Barco, Guerrero, Arthur, Armani and Arana all warrant a place on that list.

Get fucked soft lad. 

The best players play in Europe, not for feeder clubs in Brazil or Argentina. 

[Grizzly21 1,162]

4 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Get fucked soft lad. 

The best players play in Europe, not for feeder clubs in Brazil or Argentina. 

Lol your euro centrism hurts.

Players who have been world class have played outside in this century. Riquelme is the best example. I also mentioned Donovan, who while not world class was a top player.

[Cicero 2,491]

Riquelme wasn't world class, even at his very best. 

[Smiley Culture 948]

1 hour ago, Blue said:

Lol your euro centrism hurts.

Players who have been world class have played outside in this century. Riquelme is the best example. I also mentioned Donovan, who while not world class was a top player.

Landon Donovan was wank in Europe. As was Riquelme. 

Next you’ll be saying Brian McBride and  Ignacio Scoccho. 

[Grizzly21 1,162]

28 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Landon Donovan was wank in Europe. As was Riquelme. 

Next you’ll be saying Brian McBride and  Ignacio Scoccho. 

Riquelme wank in Europe? He was good for Villarreal. Both were great at international level. 

Riquelme was also part of the Boca side that tore Real Madrid apart.

Youe logic doesn't work. Dempsey had a better career in Europe than Donovan but he was in no way even close to Landon Donovan.

I have no idea who McBride is and Scocco is South American level at best.

 

36 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Riquelme wasn't world class, even at his very best. 

I'd say he was. Very close call though.

Definitely one of the best 100 though.

[Cannabis 3,266]

27 minutes ago, Smiley Culture said:

Landon Donovan was wank in Europe. As was Riquelme. 

Next you’ll be saying Brian McBride and  Ignacio Scoccho. 

Donovan was a class apart in his first stint at Everton but everything else you've said I agree with.

[Grizzly21 1,162]

10 minutes ago, Cannabis said:

Donovan was a class apart in his first stint at Everton but everything else you've said I agree with.

Mina and Guerrero definitely deserve a spot on that list. If Mina being linked with Barcelona heavily and Colombians admitting that he's better than Davidson Sanchez isn't enough I'm not sure what is. Guerrero is a class apart and should be in Europe.

Just having 100 European based players is ignorant. I would say Liga MX too but I think the best players there miss the cut.

Also, haven't you thought some players maybe don't want to play in Europe? If that's the case then international football is their chance to prove themselves. I'm sure Donovan wasn't bothered about playing in Europe. Tevez too, although he spent more years than the former.

Actually I have a feeling Donovan wasn't too bothered with playing football but he was still very good.

[Danny 764]

It's like doing a 100 best in England and complaining they're all from the Prem.

[RandoEFC 2,091]

Donovan was boss for us the first time round. Second time he was only really a safe pair of hands in a poor side. I believe that was the season when we were playing Saha and Cahill up front every week and they were both completely ineffective so we were shite until we got Jelavic and Pienaar in.

Didn't he do a loan stint somewhere in Italy or Spain too one year?

[Grizzly21 1,162]

27 minutes ago, RandoEFC said:

Donovan was boss for us the first time round. Second time he was only really a safe pair of hands in a poor side. I believe that was the season when we were playing Saha and Cahill up front every week and they were both completely ineffective so we were shite until we got Jelavic and Pienaar in.

Didn't he do a loan stint somewhere in Italy or Spain too one year?

Leverkusen I think.

[Smiley Culture 948]

10 hours ago, Blue said:

Mina and Guerrero definitely deserve a spot on that list. If Mina being linked with Barcelona heavily and Colombians admitting that he's better than Davidson Sanchez isn't enough I'm not sure what is. Guerrero is a class apart and should be in Europe.

Just having 100 European based players is ignorant. I would say Liga MX too but I think the best players there miss the cut.

Also, haven't you thought some players maybe don't want to play in Europe? If that's the case then international football is their chance to prove themselves. I'm sure Donovan wasn't bothered about playing in Europe. Tevez too, although he spent more years than the former.

Actually I have a feeling Donovan wasn't too bothered with playing football but he was still very good.

Those great judges of Footballers, the Colombians. Mina might be great but until he does it on a bigger stage, like one of Europe’s top leagues, nobody can have any criticism of him not making a top 100 players in the world list. 

 

[SirBalon 2,199]

So The Guardian has contacted the same experts (coaches, footballers and journalists) that voted for FIFA’s The Best award which saw Cristiano Ronaldo win it for 2017. This time even though the podium was the same three players, Messi came first!

They’ve done their Top 100 and you can see it in this link... See where it varies in comparison to the FourFourTwo Top 100 for 2017. 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2017/dec/19/the-100-best-footballers-in-the-world-2017-interactive

[Grizzly21 1,162]

Gianluigi Buffon is NOT the best goalkeeper in the world right now, let alone 16th best in the world.

I feel some of these experts prefer the "have done" or the "he deserved to win the UCL" trend that went on this year. 

I've said it before but for me, the main factor for Juve's UCL final appearance this year was Bonucci. Buffon had his fair share of saves but it wasn't enough to make him the best goalkeeper in the world. Ter Stegen and De Gea were the 2 best goalkeepers in the world this year.

Edited December 25, 2017 by Blue

[Grizzly21 1,162]

Also, Alexis Sanchez in 32nd? Is that a joke? For me he's one of the 15 best players in the world.

I can understand he couldn't influence Chile nor Arsenal this year, but he's just so good that 32nd is harsh.

The fact he's 32nd and Dybala is 13th is a joke.

From a Napoli point of view, Hamsik should be higher than Mertens. Hamsik has been better this year and did well against a high standard of opposition, on the contrary to Mertens.

[Stan 4,476]

17 minutes ago, Blue said:

Also, Alexis Sanchez in 32nd? Is that a joke? For me he's one of the 15 best players in the world.

I can understand he couldn't influence Chile nor Arsenal this year, but he's just so good that 32nd is harsh.

The fact he's 32nd and Dybala is 13th is a joke.

From a Napoli point of view, Hamsik should be higher than Mertens. Hamsik has been better this year and did well against a high standard of opposition, on the contrary to Mertens.

But its based on this year's form and Sanchez has largely, this calendar year, been under par. 

Dybala has had more influence for Juve than Sanchez has for Arsenal. 

To say 'he's just so good' doesn't mean anything if he's not gonna perform. 

[Grizzly21 1,162]

1 minute ago, Stan said:

But its based on this year's form and Sanchez has largely, this calendar year, been under par. 

Dybala has had more influence for Juve than Sanchez has for Arsenal. 

To say 'he's just so good' doesn't mean anything if he's not gonna perform. 

I can't disagree that Sanchez has been underwhelming this year, but that brings up the question. Why is Griezmann 19th when he's also had a bad year?

Luis Suarez has also had an awful year, yet he's 15th.