“The Best Player in the World” World Cup

Ollie Irish

12th, May 2009

36 Comments

YOU decide who is the best footballer on the planet
world-best-players-cristiano-ronaldo.jpg
Vote for me! Vote for me!
Nothing gets football fans going as much as the question, “Who’s the best player in the world?” So let’s stop all this idle pub chat and sort it out…
Pies is proud(ish) to announce the first ever “Best Player in the World” World Cup. I’ve chosen who I think are the best 32 players in the world, split them into eight groups of four (just like in the real World Cup) and set out a proper schedule of group “fixtures”, for which it’s up to YOU to vote for the winner.
The Cup will begin on Monday, but I’m posting up the eight groups now, so you can have a think about who you might vote for…


GROUP A
Cristiano Ronaldo
Fernando Torres
Dani Alves
Luka Modric
GROUP B
Kaka
Diego
David Villa
Gigi Buffon
GROUP C
Steven Gerrard
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
John Terry
Karim Benzema
GROUP D
Lionel Messi
Javier Mascherano
Daniele De Rossi
Robinho
GROUP E
Michael Essien
Iker Casillas
Samuel Eto’o
Andres Iniesta
GROUP F
Frank Lampard
Franck Ribery
Andrey Arshavin
Alexandre Pato
GROUP G
Wayne Rooney
Cesc Fabregas
Nemanja Vidic
Didier Drogba
GROUP H
Rio Ferdinand
Thierry Henry
Sergio Aguero
Ryan Giggs
So there you go – I’m sure there are many players you think I’ve missed out, and a few on the list who you disagree with, but this is subjective, not definitive (and you’re the ones voting, after all). That said, I am open minded and if you think you can convince me to change the provisional 32, go for it.
As I said above, the first head-to-head “group games” (aka votes) will take place on Monday. And please, no comments along the lines of “This is stoopid, Ronaldo is the best LOL!” It’s just a bit of fun.

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36 Comments

  1. FredFister says:

    This is stoopid, Ronaldo is the best LOL!

  2. Ollie Irish says:

    Thanks Fred.

  3. Darren K says:

    Fernando Torres

  4. chrissmari says:

    i love how ronaldo looks like a smacked asshole in that picture whilst the others look relatively normal

  5. Kipp says:

    Where is Xabi. I’m disappointed. I would’ve put an each way on him, considering i would’ve voted from every proxy on the world for him.

  6. Ollie Irish says:

    Sorry Kipp – Xabi would be in my top 50, but not in my top 32

  7. Nay says:

    Henry wins not only for his game, but for his looks too.

  8. Glenn G says:

    Group H is really the non-Group of Death, eh?

  9. marc says:

    what about Xavi, named best player in Euro2008?? He should be on the list!

  10. Ollie Irish says:

    @ Glenn G: yeah, you could say that. Not sure what is the Group of Death though? Group E, perhaps?

  11. Eric says:

    What exactly has Pato done to warrant a place ahead of Xavi? Sorry but this 32 is an absolute joke, Dani Alves was proved to be a donkey over the 2 Chelsea games, Maicon as crap as he is, is a far better player hence why he starts for Brazil ahead of him. As a Manu fan, Ryan Giggs? NO!
    It just makes no sesnse to have a player who is widly regarded as one of say the top 5 in the world not in this list! Re-do! Bring Xavi in, and at that you could probably bring Xabi alonso in.

  12. Glenn G says:

    Hard to say. They’re all pretty ridiculous- you did a good job.
    Group F would be the most fun to watch, methinks.

  13. Ollie Irish says:

    @ Eric: you’re absolutely right. I thought I’d put Xavi in, but forgot to include him. Xavi is a must, of course. Knew I’d forget someone!
    Xavi will replace Pato then, who I wasn’t happy with anyway. As for Alves, have you watched him this season apart from against Chelsea? He’s been immense. Not long ago, The Guardian’s Sid Lowe hailed him as the best player in the world.

  14. Eric says:

    I have watched, although admittedly not enough, but I would say that he was probably just found out really! I read that article from Sid Lowe too, and did agree to a certain extent but… time after time he was given oppurtunities to cross the ball in the other night and just so many were so poor, Gary Neville has a far superior delivery even this season! IF he’s continually keptout of his national side there is obviously someone better! i.e. Maicon!(Even though he’s not that good either!)
    Also, goalkeepers probably could be taken out!
    I feel maybe. just maybe… I’m being a bit too picky today.

  15. OmegaSupreme says:

    I don’t know cos I only watch the English league really and I bet most people are similarly their own country centric. That said it’s Jagielka.

  16. kazimkazim says:

    Please remove Ryan Giggs, surely the Player of the Year award was bad enough! Let him fade away with dignity without pretending he’s still one of the best in the world. I’d rather have Xavi, Sergio Ramos, Sneijder, Tevez, Bosingwa or Cech to name but six.

  17. Ollie Irish says:

    @ chrissmari: ha. it looks like Xavi and Messi are two fans meeting the three male stars of a South American soap opera.

  18. Tim Reardon says:

    Great idea Ollie! I hope this stems from the lively debate that took place on your Big Soccer blog a few weeks ago. (Aka Stevie G is the the Man)

  19. kaya says:

    Yeah, I disagree with having Giggs in there, and also have to agree about leaving the GK’s out.
    I really like Dani Alves though I only got to watch a single half of the 2 games against Chelski. First half of the 2nd game seemed like only he and Xavi tried to do much.

  20. Usama says:

    Would I be looking like an arse if I said David Beckham? ;)
    Also you should be looking at seeding. Gerrard, Ibrahimovic, and JT in one group?! You should make a top 32 in a list and seed the top 8, then the next 8, etc. Should even out the competition a bit!

  21. ben c says:

    Luka Modric? Seriously?

  22. Devanagiri says:

    Luka Modric – not played well enough
    Pato – not played well enough
    Ryan Giggs – not played enough full stop
    Steven Gerrard – Alonso has been better this season (than both Mascherano and Gerrard)
    Terry – not played well enough
    Robinho – not consistent enough
    Essien – injured for most of the season, remember?
    Fabregas – not played well enough
    Missing are:
    Maicon
    Xavi
    Xabi Alonso
    Gonzalo Higuain
    Anelka based on form
    Julio Cesar
    Vucinic/Totti
    There are too many sloppy choices here not to provoke complaint
    World Cup should be played on form, not some Football Manager style ‘who has best attributes’.

  23. kaya says:

    Woops, I meant to say only Dani Alves and *Iniesta* looked like they showed up… but was subliminially thinking the same thing about Xavi not being on the list :)

  24. Kazbar says:

    the goalkeepers deserve to be in there, how many games have goalkeepers won for thier clubs when crappy strikers miss 8 simple shots at goal.
    I would say that group B is the group of death, being the only one that doesnt have a clear two winners, although with the gk hate and robinhos current form it isnt too difficult, then again, what can you expect from someone playing for man city.
    Alonso should not be in there, Liverpool dont even want him and Devanagir, to say that he has played better than gerrard who has been possibly the best player in the premier league this year is simply rediculous
    speaking of Goalkeepers, what about van der sar? the man with the new european record for clean sheets, surely he deserves a mention over buffon?

  25. Usama says:

    Kazbar – Van der Sar over Buffon? Ridiculous. That record was Vidic’s, not Van der Sar’s. He had an average of three saves per game to make during that record run – and I do not recount any of them being memorable.

  26. Usama says:

    On another note – how about one of the most under-rated and forgotton players of the past few years? Step forward Adrian Mutu. I’ve made it a point to watch all of his goals every time he scores, and more often than not they’re sensational. Still one of the best freekick-takers around. Surely, surely, he’d displace Luka Modric or Daniele De Rossi from that list?

  27. Aidan says:

    Good bracket… F is definitely the Group of Death though

  28. Eric says:

    A glorious idea, which creates a brilliant distraction from studying for college exams.
    Thank god Pies is back!

  29. joe bloggs says:

    is it gunna start then? it is monday…

  30. bluesluv says:

    one question.. why is lampard never in these? has he not scored almost 15 goals this season as a box2box… and the premier leagues second highest scorer isnt here either..

  31. yurista says:

    woooww…. they are the best player…

  32. johnathan says:

    cR9 cristiano ronaldo is undoubtedly the best player on this planet ,

  33. paul says:

    cR9 is the messiah of foot ball , he is the most unique player that I have ever seen because of his passion & style ,it was just his first season at laliga and he scored an avalanche of goals which were the best in laliga as well , the thing that most suprised me is that he was able to understand the spanish defense within one year and thats something that makes him the player of century.

  34. pooja says:

    the style of Messi resembles to that of George best & Diego Maradona ( which are better than him )but on the other side Cristiano Ronaldo has a unique style of thrashing the defense which have not been seen if we turn over the pages of history.

  35. Abdullah babaker says:

    CRISTIANO RONALDO is the best of coures

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