By Gabriele Marcotti
When my editor suggested putting together a list of the top 50
players, I greeted it with a healthy dose of apprehension. For
journalists, such lists are often a lose-lose proposition, exposing
you to ridicule and, occasionally, venom. Then again, they do
generate debate and I like open-ended discussions as much as the
next guy.
But before we get into it, here are the usual caveats. Making
comparisons between different positions on the pitch is extremely
difficult. Equally, while I do watch a lot of football (far more
than is healthy), I havent watched most of these players week in,
week out, for all ninety minutes. Then again, nobody has. So what
youre getting is a combination of personal assessment and, perhaps
more importantly, the distilled views of people I talk to, from
scouts to fellow journalists, from agents to managers, from club
officials to, yes, ordinary fans.
I couldnt even have begun to compile such a list without basic
criteria. So here they are: imagine you are the manager of a
totally new team. You have a certain budget to spend, but first you
get one freebie, one guy to build your team around. You get him
only for one season, the 2007-08 campaign, so you want to go for
who can do the best job for you here and now, without worrying how
good he can be down the line. Who would you choose? Who would your
ringer be? Have a look at all at my selection and then post yours
in the comment box below.
50. Gary Neville (Manchester United)
A right back is admittedly an unusual choice, but Neville brings a
host of intangibles to the table, from leadership to experience to
consistency.
49. Clarence Seedorf (Milan)
You dont win four Champions League crowns with three different
clubs by accident. Perhaps he doesnt turn it on as often as he
once did, but his collection of rabbits feet alone makes him a
worthwhile punt.
48. Jefferson Farfan (PSV Eindhoven)
He gives you trickery, pace and width, plus a host of goals (42 in
the Dutch league over the past two years, a remarkable total for a
guy who is not a genuine centre forward).
47. Phillip Lahm (Bayern Munich)
Little Mr Consistency runs all day and is a reliable source of
goal-saving tackles and pinpoint crosses. Arguably the best left
back around.
46. Rodrigo Palacio (Boca Juniors)
Probably the most reliable striker outside Europe. Something of a
late bloomer, at 25 hes really hitting his stride.
45. Diego (Werder Bremen)
Stick him in the hole behind two strikers and watch him weave his
magic. Hes Kaka-lite (or, given his corpulent build,
Kaka-heavy).
44. Rino Gattuso (Milan)
Steven Gerrards ghostwriters may not rate him, but most of the
rest of us do. He runs himself into the ground, lifts the crowd and
never gives up.
43. Hernan Crespo (Inter)
139 goals in his past 209 league starts in Serie A and the
Premiership tell only part of the story. His movement up front is
also straight out of a footballing textbook.
42. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (Ajax)
By all accounts, he had a poor season - just 21 league goals
(down from 33 last year). That says it all. Comparisons to Marco
van Basten may be wide of the mark, but hell get you goals.
41. Alessandro Nesta (Milan)
Now that hes fit again, strikers beware: hes unnaturally quick,
strong in the tackle and about as athletic as anyone playing the
game today.
40. Juninho Pernambucano (Lyons)
Elegant and creative, but also with an edge when necessary, he can
light up any side. Plus, hell get his usual haul of set-piece
goals.
39. Lucho Gonzalez (Porto)
A box-to-box dervish who gets his fair share of goals and is a
natural leader to boot. If only he played in a higher profile
league...
38. Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
He redefined the role of attacking midfield player in the
Premiership. The one concern is how well he would do away from his
mentor, Sir Alex Ferguson.
37. Daniele De Rossi (Roma)
The poor mans Roy Keane. Runs the midfield with intensity and
intelligence and, like Keane, occasionally falls prey to the red
mist (just ask Brian McBride).
36. Dejan Stankovic (Inter)
His long-range goals make the highlight reels, but his real
contribution is the way he can effortlessly slot into any midfield
position.
35. Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid)
It feels as if hes been around forever, but hes still just
twenty-three. Tall, strong, bright, he can lead any line on his
own.
34. David Beckham (Real Madrid/Los Angeles Galaxy)
Strip away the hype, and you have a respected leader who provides
the most delicious service from wide positions. That alone is worth
a few dozen goals a season.
33. Javier Zanetti (Inter)
Again, were dealing with intangibles here. The Inter skipper is a
true leader, selfless and self-sacrificing, who can fill either
full-back position or play in midfield. One of the most underrated
players of the past decade.
32. Jamie Carragher (Liverpool)
Like a fine wine, he gets better with age. Reads the game
exceptionally well and has developed a first-rate tactical
awareness. Plus, hed run through a brick wall for you.
31. Florent Malouda (Lyons)
Put him wide or put him in a diamond and the result is the same: a
blend of quality and workrate that make him one of the most
sought-after players on the market today.
30. John Terry (Chelsea)
Hes what God had in mind when he invented the British centre half.
While Terrys strength and courage win him plaudits, he is also an
underrated distributor who reads the game very well.
29. Andrea Pirlo (Milan)
Possibly the best free-kick taker of the lot. He single-handedly
brought back the role of the deep-lying playmaker. Hes the human
metronome, the man who dictates his teams rhythym and hardly ever
gives the ball away.
28. Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid)
Hes a natural-made backbone to any side. Never stops running, wins
every 50-50 and distributes the ball efficiently. A central
defenders best friend.
27. David Villa (Valencia)
Nobody in La Liga has scored more over the past two seasons. Quick,
tricky and with an eye for goal, he will punish any opponent's
error.
26. Michael Ballack (Chelsea)
OK, so he had a bad season. But hes big, strong, outstanding in
the air and can find the target from anywhere in the final third of
the pitch.
