@Romanofan82739@Thefrenchlad274 I agree. But you're gonna need to ask yourself - do you take Kimmich's rather average defending for exceptional passing and creation or Pedri's superior defensive game for his good not great chance creation.
I'd choose Pedri personally.
There isnโt a midfielder on the planet Iโd have above Pedri, and Iโd make a strong case that Iโve never seen a midfielder at the level heโs consistently been at since he was a literal 16YO.
If he has occasional drop offs (which are massively exaggerated btw), itโs because every coach heโs played under values him too much to actually give him a sufficient amount of rest.
At first I was like 26 years is awfully specific. Then I remembered we're in 2026 and have gone through 3 different generations of football in this century already.
@blancoparotta Yeah I agree there's also the thing that back in the day just flair was enough to get you through the door. Now even a guy like Yamal needs 50 g/a to be part of any serious conversation.
Disagree with Nani, agree w Costa though. Tbf it was pretty universally agreed that in say, 2016 he was one of the 6-7 best wingers itw.
In a VERY strong pool of wingers btw. So yeah. If Gordon goes for 80 mil I wonder what someone like Costa goes for.
I feel like dribbling becoming a lost art in modern football is the only thing driving up prices for some dribblers. I swear some of these 80Mโฌ wingers today aren't necessarily better dribblers than guys like Nani, Douglas Costa or Coman from a decade ago.
One of the most beautiful thing I noticed among the Portuguese players that they all want to play for Ronaldo and want him to win the World Cup except Joรฃo Cancelo of course.
It feels very similar to the mentality Argentina's players had toward Lionel Messi during the 2022 WC.
Lamine's goal contributions are supposed to be an EDGE for our squad. Not the foundation
60/70% of our goals should be systematic. Systematic goals are what win you the big big games because you don't have to rely on your star players to "show up"
MOVE. THE. BALL. TO. THE. NET.
Spain deserved to win in South Africa and were far superior to Germany when they actually played them, but the team with the highest level of performance in that tournament was definitely Germany imo just tearing everybody they played apart
He's in year 3 give him some time to work on his game. As is a big reason he doesn't bang with 7 ft guys in the paint is to prevent injuries.
I'm sure eventually his post game will develop.
I disagree, I don't think Doue is a generational talent.
Mbappe and Dembele are greater talents and they broke through only 8 or so years ago. Sancho and Saka are also comparable talents.
Yamal is a different tier guys. Stop bringing him down to Doue's level.
@CRISGOATIANO Now do UCL winners IN World Cup winning squads.
You're suggesting an opposite correlation - more UCLs generally means higher tournament quality, which means a higher chance to win.
Imagine if Messi came into a tournament with UCL winning midfield, best LB itw, a top 5 CB of the 2020s, a top 5 AM of the 2020s and some good (if not great) pieces around them.
The cut victim complex among Ronaldo fans is genuinely hilarious. It's almost as if they know he's
Nah I'm convinced you people are deeply ill and hate football. Very miserable. Portugal is an outsider for the World Cup under any circumstances. Choose a different career path mate.
When I say Messi and Ronaldo have been judged by two different measuring sticks their entire careers and the degree of vitriol Ronaldo has faced vs the support and adulation and protection in the media Messi enjoyed - I am proved right again and again. If you're around long enough you would see it.
@AarnavVerm96079 No, a strong showing was never enough. Maradona won in 86. Maradona himself said Messi will take his place in football history. Messi HAD TO win. Anything else would be a failure.
This is how they were treating him back then
None of that "he is an outsider" bullshit.
World Cup or bust. Because his benchmark was Pele and Maradona.
Messi World Cup career before FIFA stepped in to save his legacy:
โข 2006: Benched
โข 2010: 0 Goals
โข 2014: Choked the final
โข 2018: Knocked out by a teenager
Zero international trophies,
Zero knockout goals.
They started doing COPA America every year instead of two years just to make him win over Chile.
They brought back Finalisiima after so many years because Ronaldo had Euros and lied that the competition is important to football.
Why wasnโt the Finalisima played between Spain and Argentina if itโs important?
The moment FIFA needed a script for Qatar, he suddenly got 5 penalties in 7 games.
Letโs stop pretending.
Deep this - Messi's international career was being set up being his OWN manager since he was 18 years old.
Expectation to win was on his shoulders ever since 2008. When he was 20.
This is what Messi and LeBron dealt with at the age where mfs cut themselves after breakups. GOATs
They're being overplayed like crazy.... Foden Saka Jude Lamine Pedri Musiala Gavi it feels like everyone is getting a quicker start.
Partly because the 90s generation, which was supposed to be peaking now, was so shit. Thiago, Isco, Neymar, Griezmann etc etc washed.