World Class?

Afternoon all,

Simple question, maybe a difficult answer. You hear this player is world class, that player isn't world class. But how do you define world class? Top 20 players? One's that could get in Barca/Real/Bayern side? Are we being harsh on some players saying they are not world class? Or being favourable to others saying they are.

It's not intended on a bashing of certain players but it would be good to see why some are rated above others.

I'm interested in hearing you thoughts guys.

Cheers

The purist view I'd suspect would be one of people being the current best in their position in the world aka Messi or Neuer.
For me I'd branch it out a little further, there's also the one's that have the potential to be and the one's that have been put perhaps aren't currently.

So Hazard for example is not currently world class, he could though reach it. Pogba the same. Iniesta possibly the other side of the hill.
That's probably the best analogy as well for my view, there's plenty of mountains out there but only one Everest. Some players are currently at the peak of it, some have been there and are descending down from it, some still have a way to go. There's a lot of others though that aren't on Everest.

My definition is a player who wouldn't look out of place in the best side in the world.

I take on board what Hero saying about being the best in their own position, but I think that's too limiting, as it means for example, there can only be one world class goalkeeper at anyone time.

World class to me is a player who would get their game for the best teams in the world and not look out of place.

For instance England haven't got a World Class player, Hazard on the other hand could play in any International side in the World and look the business IMO.

its different for everybody, but world class for me means the worlds elite. so top 10 in there position would be world class for me

I think my impression of world class is a little wider scope than most and the criteria changes with time. For instance if football is having a bit of a lull in quality then players don't necessarily have to be at the same level as a period of high quality to be world class. I think it's like how people compare players to Messi and Ronaldo. You can be a step down from them and still be world class as they are just something special. I don't like how people regard players as rubbish if they just aren't as good as those two!

It's interesting to see everyones different takes though as it explains why a player can be quantified as world class by some but not others. It's footballs equivalent of the mythical pound for pound rankings.

The problem is how do you show your World Class on the big stage if your in an International side that would struggle to qualify for any major competition.

The only way you could possibly show your ability is at a top Champions League club like Barca or Real Madrid etc., Bale for instance would only be able to reach World Class at Club level but not with Wales.

I think top 5 in each position would be a good starting point.  But that wouldn't be the same for every position.
For example you have to have more than 2 for the attacking midfielder because of Messi and Ronaldo.
But on the other side there may only be 4 World Class right backs at this moment in time (I'm only using this as an example). So you could be looking at anything between 30-50 players?
So imo it is not black and white, more opinion, and of course everyone has different opinions.

At this moment in time the PL is lacking in quality compared to past times and also other leagues, most notably the Spanish and German. So if you are only watching the PL week in week out you could be forgiven for thinking the likes of Kane or even Pelle or Berahino for example are World Class when they just aren't.

Any player who can and does consistently perform at the highest level.

I think top 5 in each position as well. So Neuer, Courtois, de Gea, Buffon and Lloris would be the world class keepers in my eyes, Messi/Ronaldo/Aguero/Ibrahimovic/Suarez the strikers. Some positions have more WC players and some have less (RB for instance).

Nico the gman wrote:World class to me is a player who would get their game for the best teams in the world and not look out of place.

For instance England haven't got a World Class player, Hazard on the other hand could play in any International side in the World and look the business IMO.

I'd agree with that. Essentially, it's a player who's among the top handful of players in his position in the world. If you were drawing up a World XI, he would be in contention.

Probably the nearest to world class that England have is Joe Hart, and he's a level below the top keepers.

jbeadlesbigrighthand wrote:

Nico the gman wrote:World class to me is a player who would get their game for the best teams in the world and not look out of place.

For instance England haven't got a World Class player, Hazard on the other hand could play in any International side in the World and look the business IMO.

I'd agree with that. Essentially, it's a player who's among the top handful of players in his position in the world. If you were drawing up a World XI, he would be in contention.

Probably the nearest to world class that England have is Joe Hart, and he's a level below the top keepers.

I'd put Rooney, at least when at his best, in a similar bracket - very good international level player but a level below what I would consider world class. Stevie G, Rio and John Terry as well in their prime.

Last genuinely world class English player? Probably David Seaman. Gazza should have been, but was never quite the same after the knee injury - just lost that half yard of pace that took him away from the defenders he'd just beaten.

Gerrard, Cole and Ferdinand were all among the best players in the world in their position, all three were undeniably world class.

Shearer, Scholes, Owen, Beckham, Lampard, Terry, Rooney and Campbell were all world-class over a short period of time. Cole was the last player who was world class over a period of more than two years, but got ignored because of his behaviour off the field.