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The argument as to who is the greater player between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is one that we will continue to have for time to come.
Never in the history of the sport have two players dominated the scene like these two gladiators, sharing titles and accolades. In fact, the last person to win football’s biggest individual prize not named Messi or Ronaldo was Brazil’s Kaka in 2007.
This has led to an intense argument as to who has been the THIRD best player in the world of the Messi/Ronaldo era.
While we have seen a lot of very good (Cech, Falcao, Aguero, Lewandowski, Lampard, and co) and world class players (Suarez, Ramos, Torres, Neymar, Drogba, Busquets, Chiellini among others) in the Messi/Ronaldo era, 2008 to the present, the five chosen ones have stood out for reasons of consistency, delivery on big occasions, importance to their teams and being dependable whenever they have been/were called upon.
#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovi?
The walking, talking ego machine, Zlatan Ibrahimovi? is a player who has succeeded at every club he has been to winning league titles in every country he has played in (except in England where he is in his second season).
Zlatan, as he is simply called, has bestrode the football terrain like the physically imposing giant he is and talent wise is not too far off the dynamic duo of Messi/Ronaldo.
The giant Swede is good in the air, possesses a ferocious shot and in addition to his incredible finishing, possesses the footballing intellect, vision and abilities to create chances for other players as well.
He metaphorically carried the Blågult or The Blue-Yellow as the Swedish national team is known for years before finally announcing his retirement scoring 62 goals in 116 games.
Perhaps the biggest failing of his career has been his inability to win the UEFA Champions League (or even make an appreciable impact, to be honest) in the competition. His record of 49 goals in 123 appearances for six of Europe’s leading clubs (Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, AC Milan, PSG and now Manchester United) is not too shabby.
#4 Arjen Robben
The Flying Dutchman as Arjen is fondly called should be closer to the Messi/Ronaldo duo but for injuries, such is his talent level.
Arjen has been front and centre of every good thing that Bayern Munich and The Netherlands have done in the past decade.
With his electric pace, ability to dribble while in full flight, intelligent positioning and a ferocious left foot, Robben has become the prototype for the modern left-footed winger preferring to play on the right-hand side of the attack where he can cut in and unleash holy hell on his favoured foot.
A UEFA Champions League winner with Bayern in 2013 (he scored the winning goal in the final), Arjen has experienced success everywhere winning league titles in The Netherlands (PSV), England (Chelsea) and Spain (Real Madrid).
Arjen has been an integral part of the Oranje setup since making his debut in 2003, scoring 34 goals in 94 appearances.
He has also experienced heartbreak, losing in the World Cup final to Spain in 2010 and missing a penalty in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final against Chelsea (it was played at Bayern’s own Allianz Arena)
#3 Manuel Neuer
The giant goalie has been undoubtedly the best goalkeeper in the world for a while now (since Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas lost form).
The Gelsenkirchen-born custodian has been a vital cog in the Bayern Munich and Die Mannschaft machine since he made the very contentious move from hometown club Schalke 04 to Bavaria for €22 million.
He was voted the 3rd Best Player in the world in 2014 (behind Ronaldo and Messi of course) after playing an integral role in helping Germany win the World Cup in Brazil conceding just 3 goals in the entire tournament.
Renowned for his “sweeper-keeper” antics; he has been a big help to Bayern (under Pep Guardiola) and Germany’s style of play of pressing the opponents in their own half; a style that has proven to be very successful.
His pace off his line, incredible reflexes, command of his defensive area, brilliant shot-stopping abilities and leadership qualities have made him one of the most recognisable goalies of this generation and has overtaken Oliver Kahn in the eyes of many at both club and national team level.
#2 Xavi Hernandez/Andrea Pirlo
It is genuinely difficult to split these two semi-retired superstars hence the joint 2nd choice. The hearts/souls of both their clubs and national teams, this duo have redefined the role and importance of the central/controlling midfielder and are partly responsible for the adulation and respect that players like Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Cesc Fabregas, Arturo Vidal and co.
Xavi Hernandez was the heart and soul of FC Barcelona and Spain in the most glorious eras that both teams have experienced. The metronome, the dictator and orchestra conductor, Xavi decided at what tempo the Blaugrana and La Furia Roja played and his contributions were essential. His incredible passing accuracy, ability to find space and world-class control is what qualifies him as the defining central midfielder of the Messi/Ronaldo era.
Equally as good as Xavi in the central midfield role was ex-Italy and Juventus’ midfield maestro, Andrea Pirlo. While Xavi was a conductor, Pirlo was an artist for whom the football field was his canvas and he could glide and create masterpieces whenever and however he wanted.
The suave Pirlo was at the heart of a very average Italy team that defied expectations to make it to the final of Euro 2012 (where Gli Azzurri were beaten by Xavi’s Spain).
#1 Andrés Iniesta
Don Andres has been a mainstay of perhaps the greatest eras of both FC Barcelona and Spain amassing 30 trophies in a career that has lasted for 13 years and has marked him out as the defining midfielder of this generation (above the likes of Paul Scholes, Xavi Hernandez, Andrea Pirlo and their ilk).
Nicknamed “Happy Feet” due to his amazing ability to dance past defenders, Iniesta has equalled and in some people’s eyes exceeded the genius of Zinedine Zidane.
Andres is perhaps unlucky to play in an era that has seen the emergence of the behemoths that are Messi and Ronaldo as it is not in doubt that he would have won at least one Ballon d’Or were it not for the presence of the dynamic duo.
His close control, dribbling abilities in tight spaces, ability to pick a pass, control the tempo of the game and put in a shift to help the team when under pressure have marked him out as one of the best players of the last 10 years and earned him some very interesting nicknames; El Ilusionista (The Illusionist), El Cerebro (The Brain) or El Caballero Pálido (The Pale Knight)
He has just signed a lifetime contract with his beloved Barcelona and while Father Time appears to already be slowing down this once in a lifetime talent, there can be no doubt that he has made his mark on the footballing world.
