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Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Sports / European Football (EPL, UEFA, La Liga) / What Makes A Player The Most Complete Player? (799 Views)
The Most Complete Player In Football History *picture* / Is Cristiano Ronaldo The Most Complete Player In The Planet? / If U Were A Player In A Transfer Saga Among Arsenal Man U Chelsea Madrid (2) (3) (4)
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What Makes A Player The Most Complete Player? by biggybig(f): 5:51pm On Jul 30, 2014 |
Who is the most complete player in the world? That for me is a diffucult question to answer because the answer to this question will depend on what parameters and measures you use in measuring the completeness of a player. But if you are Mark Doyle of Goal.com that is not a difficult question to answer after all: it is Cristiano Ronaldo! According to Mark Doyle he is probably the most complete player in history! And this is based on the fact that he 'has a perfect blend of physicality and technique'. And much of Doyle's article pays glowing tribute to Ronaldo's physicallity and hardwork. Here i quote Doyle: " Physically, he is almost beyond compare. At 1.85 centimetres tall and weighing 80 kilograms, he boasts the optimum fusion of power and speed that comes with the frame of super-middleweight boxer. His upper-body strength is such that he only ever goes down of his own accord, while his sprinter-like thighs not only generate sufficient force to strike the ball just as explosively with either foot, but also provide the springboard for leaps of astounding height and sustained hang time. That he is also one of the most accomplished headers of a ball in world football is testament to another attribute, and this time of the mental variety: his dedication to his profession." Well said Doyle, but if football is about how well a player is built i can point to a 1000 players that are equally well built like Ronaldo! Even the guy who trains behind my neighbourhood can boast of better physique! But does that make him the most complete player in history? Certainly no! It can be argued however that Ronaldo has reached the peak of the game and won almost anything that there is to win, but saying he is the most complete based on just his physique is no argument! Am wondering what is the essence of this well built physique when this great footballer goes down at the slightest touch? Despite his physique Ronaldo is one of the most 'complete divers' the game has ever known! I prefer Messi's short physique, not well built, yes! But even with six players all around him he still holds on to the ball! Now that is when your physique counts! Same goes for Thiery Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Ronaldinho, Brazilian Ronaldo. These are all great players with great physique but who unlike CR7 do not easily go down on the ball! And yet these players exudes far more class, touch and technique on the ball! Am not going to talk about the argument on technique, because the most ardent CR7 fans knows he isn't the most technical player out there! No need going into that argument! The issue at stake here is Doyle has picked the wrong parameters in declaring Ronaldo the most complete player in history. It is not technique, it is not physicallity neither is it mentality. For in all these categories there are players who did better than Ronaldo. Pele, Maradona, Platini, Zidane, Ronaldo De lima, Ronaldinho and of Lionel Messi are players that comes to mind. Winning mentality, unique and unbelievable technique, they have all got these better than Ronaldo! They may not be as tall as Ronaldo or maybe of equal physique like him; but unlike Ronaldo they are not serial divers! These are not athletes but football artists who are both good on and off the ball! And this is where the technique rating comes to play, all the aforementioned players are great with the ball. Space or no space Messi, Maradona, Platini, Henry will create amazing stuffs and magic! Give these players space and you have handed them double advantage! This is where Ronaldo's game is lacking technically and cannot compare with these other greats; Ronaldo is only useful when there is space to run into! Close the space and Ronaldo is no better than Usain Bolt- a sprinter, an athlete! This is the x factor that his games lacks, that 'little thing/edge' that Messi has that he does not possess. It is this x factor that makes it easy for players like Messi, Maradona, Ronaldinho to shine in games even when they ain't scoring goals. There superior techniques on the ball allows them to pick out a pass, an assist, many dribbles, set up their teammates even in close spaces! This is what Ronaldo games lacks and what will always make many legends,coaches and ex footballer considered him second rated to Messi and the original Ronaldo! If Doyle is looking for a better blend of technique and physique in action he should look at the little Argentine goal against Bosnia: shrugging off defenders in tight spaces, dribble past a couple, exchange a one two, and executed a perfect finish! Now that was technique and physique perfectly blended! Or betterstill Ronaldinho cheeky goal against Chelsea at Stamford bridge. Crowded by many players, but shrugging off them with his physique and executing a perfect finishing with his technique, now you cannot get a better goal! However you can only find such goals in few numbers in Ronaldo's archive! Yes you will see lot of explosive 40yarders and 30yarders, explosive headers and lot of taps in. Yes these are great goals that demonstrates Ronaldo's explosive physicallity on the ball. But plays and goals that combines both physique and technique? That you will find in few numbers. But these kind of goals are the hallmarks of the careers of players like Messi, Maradona, Platini, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo De Lima etc(well a quick trip to youtube will help you verified this) Based on Doyle's premise of 'Physicallity and Technicallity' these are the most complete players in history and not Ronaldo! However to the question of who is the most complete player in history? I believe no one is! Its like asking the question who is the most perfect human being on the earth? Am yet to find one. Am of the opinion players don't have to be complete to be great footballers and be successful! However if we are to measure the most complete player on the earth i believe there are better parameters to use than just technique and physique. *The most complete player would be a player who can do what every player can do on the pitch: a) Attack. Midfield. Defend. In other words such a player should be able to play as a defender, midfielder and attacker. Utility players are the most complete players out there. Unfortunately Ronaldo isn't one but Gullit was, Lothar Mattheus was, Luis Enrique was also one and host of many players that we can't possibly list here. All these players can fill out for different positions on the pitch whether in attack, defence or midfield. These are the complete players. b) Shoot. Pass. Dribble. This is another way of looking at the completeness of a player. The ability to be able to do well all the 3 things a player is required to do on the pitch. All other skills in football are secondary for an outfield player. Every other thing you do on the pitch only helps you to be able to do these three well. You can run with the ball but you can't do this for 90minutes, a point comes where you either shoot, dribble or pass the ball, its that simple! Any player who excells at the 3 can be said to be complete! As such there are many other than Ronaldo who excels at these and who has won as much as he had over their careers! Unfortunately for Ronaldo he is an excellent shooter of the ball but an average dribbler and passer! Hence not the most complete. These parameters above in my opinion and from the comment of many fans and pundits over the years on this debate are far more objective parameters for measuring the 'completeness of a player'; far better than the argument of scoring with both legs and head. For all these as wonderful as they are just one aspect of the game - shooting! Maybe we should say Ronaldo is the most complete shooter of the ball, that i will not argue against! - PAB |
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