Back in November and December, we did three different videos on footballers who are too good for their current clubs. It was suggested at the time that was should do a video on 7 players who are too good for not just their clubs, but their current league’s.
For the record, we won’t be including any players from Europe’s top five league’s according to UEFA coefficients, namely La Liga, the Premier League, Serie A, the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. So whilst it could be argued that Neymar or Mbappe are too good for Ligue 1, or that Lionel Messi is too good for planet Earth itself, they won’t be featuring.
Beyond that, it’s fair game. It’s not a case of the best players outside those five league’s though, but rather a question of players who are quite obviously head and shoulders above the overall standard of the division they are playing in. We’re also limiting it to just one player per league.
Oh, and just before we start, I’ve seen a few people say that our new uploads – and other channels uploads for that matter – haven’t been appearing when they log in to YouTube. I’ve no idea why this is, but a simple solution is to click the little bell symbol as well as subscribing. You don’t have to watch the video, but that way you’ll at least know we’ve made an upload…
Right, here are our 7 footballers who are too good for their league:
7. Taison – Ukrainian Premier League
The Ukrainian Premier League isn’t the most competitive division in the world, it would be fair to say. Since the 1992-93 season, over a quarter of a century ago, Dynamo Kyiv and Shakhtar Donetsk are the only teams to have won the league title, Dynamo having won 15 and Shakhtar having won 11.
Taison plays for, and captains, Shakhtar, who do have a handful of decent players, such as Marlos and Taras Stepanenko. Taison is the standout in our eyes though, combining great speed and skill when deployed on either the left flank or in attacking midfield. Such a dangerous player who loves to run at defenders and cut inside onto his thunderous right foot, Taison has won 8 caps for Brazil since 2016, and he’s scored 40 goals in 222 games since joining Shakhtar in 2012.
Previously linked with the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Inter Milan, Taison is 31 now, so unless Shakhtar are willing to sell him at a cut price, it seems unlikely that he’ll be leaving the Ukrainian Premier League anytime soon.
6. Claudio Marchisio – Russian Premier League
Claudio Marchisio during Serie A match between Juventus v Roma, in Turin, on December 22, 2018
The Russian Premier League is actually ranked as the sixth strongest division in Europe by UEFA coefficients, so there are some very good footballers based in Russia. The likes of Igor Akinfeev and Mario Fernandes gave us pause for thought before including one of the division’s players, but we still think Claudio Marchisio is a cut above.
The experienced Italian international with 55 caps and seven Serie A titles to his name joined Zenit St Petersburg over the summer, where he has since made 13 appearances. Marchisio’s move to Zenit brought to an end a 25-year association with Juventus, the club he joined as a six-year old.
In fairness, Marchisio hasn’t actually played his best football for Zenit, failing to really stand out for the Russian Premier League leaders. However, the classy midfield operator is still only 32, so one suspects it should only be a matter of time. Marchisio is a really hard working and intelligent central or defensive midfielder who loves to spread the play, but he has unfortunately become increasingly injury prone over the last few years.
5. Giuliano – Saudi Professional League
Taking us outside of Europe for the first, but by no means the last time in this seven, is our second Brazilian entrant, Giuliano. Also a full Brazilian international, Giuliano has won 14 caps for his country since 2010, but somewhat surprisingly failed to score in any of those appearances.
Formerly of Zenit St Petersburg and Fenerbahce, Giuliano is a former Europa League top scorer, despite the fact that he’s an attacking midfielder. A hard working player and a fine passer of the ball, it is really his predatory instincts that make Giuliano stand out. A master at arriving into the box at just the right time, the 28-year-old possesses an accurate finish with either foot, although he’s next to useless in the air.
The Saudi Pro League isn’t entirely devoid of talent, Bafetimbi Gomis and Karim El-Ahmadi can both be seen strutting their stuff in the Middle Eastern nation, but the overall standard is poor, and Giuliano is the league’s outstanding player. He has six goals and three assists from 16 appearances to his name so far this season.
4. Kieran Tierney – Scottish Premiership
Kieran Tierney of Celtic in action during the UEFA Europa League Group B match between Celtic and RB Salzburg at Celtic Park on December 13, 2018 in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
The Scottish Premiership, or Ladbrokes Premiership as it is known for sponsorship reasons, looks to be finally regaining an element of competition, and that can only be a good thing. Following years of unrivalled dominance at the top of the table, Celtic will have to fend off the challenges of Rangers, Kilmarnock and arguably even Aberdeen if they are to retain their title this season.
The finances of the division make it really tricky for clubs to compete with those south of the border, but in the forms of Tom Rogic at Celtic, Allan McGregor at Rangers and young Scott McKenna at Aberdeen, just as three examples, there is some talent in the division. We still feel one player stands out quite a distance ahead of the rest though, and that man is Kieran Tierney.
Currently out injured, the 21-year-old has already made 161 appearances for Celtic, as well as winning 12 caps for Scotland. He has been named as Scotland’s Young Player of the Year a record three times, and the youngster plays with a real passion, bringing pace, ambition and a strong tackle to the left-back position. Tierney has been linked with a move to Manchester United, after Everton seemingly failed in their bid to sign him over the summer, but no-one can question his loyalty to his boyhood club.
3. Oscar – Chinese Super League
By the time this video comes out, Marko Arnautovic may well be the standout player in the Chinese Super League, but for now we’re sticking with Oscar. There’s no shortage of big names playing in China now, from supposed Arsenal target Yannick Carrasco to the prolific Tottenham-linked Cedric Bakambu and the experienced Ezequiel Lavezzi, but you only need to watch a few games to notice that the overall standard of the league is still very much in its developmental stage.
Oscar is our choice for the division, having been with Shanghai SIPG since his £50 million move to the club in January 2017. The former Chelsea midfielder was only 25 at the time, and he’s only 27 now.
Capable of playing out wide but predominantly used as an attacking midfielder, Oscar is smart, hard working, skilful and good on the ball. He made 41 appearances for Chelsea when they won a league and cup double, and that was when he was only 23. It’s unclear if the midfielder is likely to return to Europe anytime soon, he is reported to be earning £400,000 a week after all, but his current contract runs out in December 2020.
2. Xavi – Qatar Stars League
Xavier Hernandez (xavi) of Al Sadd in action during AFC Champions League match between Persepolis and Al Sadd FC at Azadi Stadium on October 23, 2018 in Tehran, Iran.
Two time Euros and one-time World Cup winner Xavi may just have celebrated his 39th birthday, but he still takes second place in this seven. Quite simply one of the finest footballers of his generation, Xavi was a genius and the lead orchestrator in one of the greatest club sides ever assembled.
A supremely intelligent footballer with a touch, passing ability and overall technique that made him a poster boy for Barca’s La Masia academy, Xavi may now be able to be outrun by a fairly sprightly slug, but he is still puts on weekly masterclasses in central midfield. In terms of other players in the Qatar Stars League, we should mention Xavi’s Al Sadd teammate and fellow Spanish veteran Gabi, along with Wesley Sneijder of Al-Gharafa, but Xavi still gets our pick despite his advancing years.
Xavi is contracted to Al Sadd until the summer of 2020, by which time he’ll be 40, and still probably good enough to play for another decade in Qatar.
1. Jonas Hector – Bundesliga 2
Jonas Hector of 1. FC Koeln controls the ball during the friendly match between RCD Mallorca and 1. FC Koeln as part of the 1. FC Koeln training camp on January 16, 2019 in Palma de…
Taking top spot for us is a player who featured in our 7 players who are too good for their clubs series, and that man is Jonas Hector. Still a regular fixture for the German national team under Joachim Low, Hector has won 42 caps for his country.
Primarily a left-back but equally adept at either wing-back or in defensive midfield, Hector is tireless, determined and dependable. He has been with Koln since 2010, and despite the club’s relegation from the Bundesliga last season, along with the fact that Hector would make just about any Bundesliga starting XI and is at the peak of his powers right now aged 28, he stayed loyal to the now second tier side.
Hector is by no means the only talented player plying their trade in the Bundesliga 2 this season, with his Koln teammate Timo Horn and Hamburg stars like Gotoku Sakai and Lewis Holtby springing to mind, but he is the best. Hamburg and Koln unsurprisingly lead the way in the German second tier right now, although it is a mightily close run thing, and St Pauli in particular look perfectly poised to spoil a few parties.
0 – Honourable Mentions
Right, this is a sort of part honourable mentions, part explanation. Whilst we didn’t want to include any of the top five divisions, we also didn’t want to include any really low ranking leagues. For example, someone like Leon Britton who recently joined Welsh Premier League outfit Llanelli. The former Swansea man will stand out a mile in that division, but it’s a little too obscure.
Just from Britain alone, you’d have the likes of Lee Trundle in Wales’ third tier, Stephen Dobbie in the Scottish Championship, Blair Henderson in Scotland’s fourth tier and Adam Rooney in the National League, England’s fifth tier.
We thought it’d get a bit silly, so instead we tried to limit it to somewhat well-known divisions.
In that respect, we could have gone for someone like Miguel Almiron, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or even Wayne Rooney in the MLS, Fernando Muslera in the Turkish Super Lig, Hakim Ziyech or Hirving Lozano from the Eredivisie, or even someone like Jack Butland in the Championship.
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