Last month, I did a video on the 7 most complete footballers of all time. Now, I won’t spoil the entrants in that seven for you here for those of you who haven’t watched it yet and may wish to do so, but as tends to be the case when I do an all time video – lots of you asked me to do a current version in the comments.
Now, I laid out my criteria for completeness in a footballer pretty comprehensively in that video, but I’ll try to give a super-quick breakdown here. I’m not talking about just complete defenders like Virgil van Dijk or complete forwards like Cristiano Ronaldo, but complete footballers in every aspect of the game. Tackling, passing, shooting, reading of the game, etc. Nine times out of ten, a complete footballer will be or could be a versatile footballer, although completeness and versatility are not exactly the same thing.
Lastly, quality is not the only factor – that is to say, the best footballer and the most complete footballer are not at all the same thing – but it is a factor, so someone who is mediocre in every respect isn’t as complete as someone who is brilliant at 80% of their game and mediocre in 20%. I hope that is clear enough.
Here are my 7 most complete footballers right now:
7. Miguel Layun
As I said in the introduction, completeness is quite often a prerequisite of a versatile footballer, and they don’t come much more versatile than Miguel Layun. Probably best known now as a right-back, Layun is just as capable at left-back, he can also play on either wing, in central midfield and occasionally even at centre-back.
The varied skill set which affords the Mexican the freedom of the park includes good technique, pace, stamina, passing and tackling. Arguably Layun’s finest attribute is his delivery from wide areas and ability when striking a dead ball, and he’s probably at his best getting forward from that right-back position and putting balls into the box.
Aged 31, Layun has won 70 caps for the Mexican national team, although he missed out on the nation’s recent success in the Gold Cup through injury. Best known in Mexico for his successful five-year stay at Club America between 2009 and 2014, Layun went on to play for the likes of Watford, Porto and Villarreal in Europe. He returned to Mexico in January 2019 in a move to Monterrey.
6. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi and Sergio Aguero celebrate the second goal of their team scored by teammate Paulo Dybala (not in frame) during the Copa America Brazil 2019 Third Place match between…
The best footballer in the world and the finest to have ever lived in my humble opinion, there are a couple of reasons why Lionel Messi firstly makes this list, and secondly only comes sixth. We’ll address the reasons he isn’t higher first, and they are the fact that he isn’t particularly industrious these days, we don’t see much of him defensively in terms of tackling players, and he doesn’t possess a tremendous leap or brilliant heading technique.
As for why he makes this seven, well, aside from those two or three negatives, Messi is almost flawless. His technique, first touch, vision, movement, free-kicks, finishing – from long or close range, his pace, dribbling, agility and deliveries into the box are all utterly stupendous. One could make a really compelling argument for Messi being the best passer of a ball – in terms of both the accuracy of his passes and the vision and incisiveness behind them, the best dribbler and the best finisher in the world game, or at least in the top two or three for each one. Quite simply, there’s no other player you can say that about.
Messi is the most prolific goal scorer of his generation in terms of goals per minute and per game, despite being one of the least selfish. He has the most assists of any footballer since records began and the most chances created. We have only really seen him play on the right wing, attacking midfield and up front, although at times he has dropped deep enough to regularly be picking up central midfield positions. That’s where Messi is most devastating, in forward areas, but he would be absolutely brilliant in any midfield or forward area from being a deep-lying playmaker to a pure poacher.
5. Roberto Firmino
Over the last couple of decades there has been a real shift in the style and expectations surrounding centre-forwards. As teams moved away from playing with strike partnerships, maybe made up of a little and large or one more creative and one more clinical striker, to playing with just one up top, naturally that lone striker is expected to have a more well-rounded set of talents. The likes of Romario, Ronaldo, Van Basten, Weah and Henry all contributed to their teams play outside the box as well as in it, as gifted footballers as much as they were gifted goal scorers.
Roberto Firmino has almost taken that to a new extreme at Liverpool, with a lack of goals actually being one of the few criticisms of his game. Firmino operates through the middle of a prolific front three under Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but the two players either side of him are much more prolific. Firmino, meanwhile, who has previously played in central and attacking midfield, has an extraordinary work rate and is brilliant at winning the ball back high up the pitch.
You will do well to find a centre-forward who wins the ball back with the same skill and regularity as Firmino, whose industriousness and selflessness is pivotal to the Reds success. As well as being a tireless runner and effective ball-winner, Firmino is also fairly quick and strong, he has excellent technique, he has fine vision, he’s a good passer of the ball and he still averages at least a goal every three games. Firmino could play just about anywhere on a football pitch, he is incredibly complete and if he was any more prolific he’d be mentioned in discussions about the best centre-forwards in the world.
4. Bernardo Silva
Bernardo Silva of Manchester City is interviewed after arrival at the Premier League Asia Cup on July 16, 2019 in Shanghai, China.(Photo by Fred Lee
It is rather in the nature of the way in which Pep Guardiola likes his teams to play that he often buys, promotes or develops really complete footballers. Bernardo Silva is the most complete player at his disposal right now, and one of the most complete in the world. After a good debut campaign at Man City in 2017-18, Bernardo was absolutely superb last season, winning five trophies with club and country as one of the four or five best players in the world.
Equally capable out wide or through the middle, whether that’s on the right of a front three, in attacking midfield or in central midfield, Bernardo is primarily a really gifted and creative playmaker. That is what he was signed as from Monaco, but what Man City have got now is a whole lot more than that.
Bernardo’s touch, technique, vision, passing, dribbling, crossing and indeed finishing are all excellent, but he’s also quick, dynamic, an absolute workhorse and someone who is brilliant at winning the ball back typically through interceptions or pressing an opponent into making a mistake. Bernardo certainly isn’t a midfield powerhouse, he presents virtually no threat in the air and you wouldn’t fancy him at centre-back, but in just about every other department he varies from good to excellent. He has to make this seven.
3. James Milner
The second Liverpool player in this seven and it could reasonably have been more, James Milner has obviously played in a vast array of positions under Jurgen Klopp. Milner made his name as a teenage prodigy on the right wing, and he continued to impress there with Newcastle and Aston Villa. Following a move to Man City, Milner began to play increasingly in central midfield, although he was always capable of returning to the wide areas should it be required.
He was an inspired signing on a free transfer by Liverpool in 2015, and in his 177 appearances at Anfield since then, Milner has played all over the place. He spent almost an entire season at left-back after it became clear that Alberto Moreno had attended the Chris Smalling school of defending, a position Milner was qualified for having previously played at right-back earlier in his career.
Milner is so versatile partly because he is a terrific character who would never kick up a fuss about being asked to play out of position, but also due to his range of talents. Manuel Pellegrini called Milner the most complete English footballer, and we’d tend to agree with that. The Yorkshireman has a brilliant engine and work rate, he reads the game well, he can spot a pass, he can play a pass, he is strong in the tackle, he has above average technique and he can put a really tempting ball into the box.
2. Daniel Wass
Daniel Wass of Denmark controls the ball during the UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifier match between Denmark and Georgia at Telia Parken on June 10, 2019 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Anything James Milner can do, Daniel Wass can too. The Danish international is quite possibly the most versatile elite level footballer in the world. He has regularly played as a full-back, defensive midfielder, central midfielder, attacking midfielder and as a winger. The only positions we haven’t seen Wass really try his hand at are goalkeeper, centre-back and centre-forward.
The Valencia star, formerly of Celta and Evian, is so versatile due to being so well-rounded as a footballer. Jack of all trades but a master of none could perhaps be a fair compliment and criticism of Wass, with the possible exception of his ability from dead ball situations, which is excellent.
He is reasonably quick, reasonably good on the ball, a reasonable crosser of the ball, reader of the game, passer of the ball, we could go on. Ultimately, Wass is arguably the least gifted player in this seven along with Miguel Layun, he is certainly the most versatile and in my opinion the second most complete.
0. Honourable Mentions
In terms of players who made my shortlist but missed out on the final cut, I’ll start with Joshua Kimmich. The Bayern and Germany star played everywhere in youth team football, before Pep Guardiola nailed him down as a right-back. He’s got a bit of everything though, and many at Bayern still feel as though his future lies in central midfield. Fellow Bayern full-back David Alaba is equally versatile, and he too has played in the middle of the park particularly at international level with Austria. I much prefer him at full-back though, where he is arguably the most complete and potentially the best full-back in the world.
Sticking to defensive areas, I should mention Sergio Ramos, who previously transitioned from being a talented right-back to one of the outstanding centre-backs of his generation. Ramos has scored over 100 goals for club and country, and has twice hit double figures in a single season. He’s a rugged and sometimes dirty defender but also quick, strong, good on the ball and occasionally inspired from set pieces. At the other end of the footballing world, Callum Paterson started last season out as a right-back, but ended up featuring as a striker at times for Cardiff City. The Scottish international isn’t as gifted as others featured here, but he is a classic utility player who has to be mentioned.
The central, holding and box-to-box midfield areas tend to be the heartland of complete footballers, and I’ll rattle off a few quickly for you here. Barcelona’s homegrown midfielder and full-back Sergi Roberto, Inter Milan’s explosive midfield dynamo Radja Nainngolan, dynamic and energetic Chile star Arturo Vidal and Man City’s world class midfield playmaker Kevin De Bruyne.
Lastly, in more forward areas, I must first mention Cristiano Ronaldo, whose technique, movement, heading, touch, anticipation, finishing, long shots, pace, strength and crossing are all excellent. There was a time earlier in his career when Ronaldo was even more complete, peaking probably in his last couple of seasons at Manchester United. He is still arguably the most complete forward, in terms of purely attacking attributes, in the world, but he lacks certain defensive attributes and I wouldn’t really fancy playing him anywhere other than out wide or up top, so he just misses out on the final seven. Joining him, I think, as our third and final Bavarian-based honourable mention, is Thomas Muller. Capable of playing out wide, in attacking midfield or as a centre-forward, Muller is a tireless runner and such an intelligent footballer.
That’s it for our honourable mentions, but here is your top spot…
1. Saul
Saul Niguez of Atletico de Madrid looks on during the training session of Atletico de Madrid on July 08, 2019 in Madrid, Spain.
Yes, the most complete footballer in the world, in my personal opinion, has to be Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez. A graduate of the Atletico academy, Saul started getting regular game time in the 2014-15 season, and he has played 249 games for Diego Simeone’s side at the age of 24. Basically capable of playing anywhere outfield on a football pitch, and I literally mean that from centre-back to centre-forward, picking a weak spot in Saul’s game is like trying to find a flaw in Olivier Giroud’s hair. It can’t be done. The man applies eight tubs of gel before every match.
Although Saul could play at Champions League level in any outfield position, it is in central midfield that we are most used to seeing him. The Spaniard is creative, neat in possession and a really good passer of the ball. He’s also athletic, intelligent, hard working, strong in the tackle, good in the air and capable of striking a ball from long range.
When Luis Enrique took over as Spain manager last year, he said, “The new centre of the park for Spain is now defined by him, a box-to-box player and one never afraid to try his luck in front of goal,” and Spain are notoriously rather blessed for options when it comes to central midfielders. Saul then, for me at least, is undoubtedly the most complete footballer in the world game at this moment in time.
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