Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are deemed to be the best- but the game is about more than just goals. Paul Moore thinks Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech should get some recognition.
Everyone has an opinion on who the best player in the world is; that’s what football is all about. But year in, year out the player voted the best in the world, be it by fellow pro’s or fans, it’s nearly always a forward.
Now you are going to say, ‘Forwards score goals and win you games,’ and you’d be right, but defenders that keep the ball out of their own net are doing the same.
Or a goalkeeper; when was the last time a goalkeeper got the votes for best player in the world? He is the last line of defence and he can win you the game or lose it.
The answer to that is 1963, when Russian legend Lev Yashin won FIFA’s award, beating Gianni Rivera into second and Jimmy Greaves into third.
I’m not saying midfielders or forwards don’t deserve it; I’m saying it’s a team game and every position is vital.
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Two of the great players on the world stage today are Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Messi of Barcelona; they will become legends and I’d be a fool to say they are both not world class players.
But I don’t think they’re playing in the best league in the world; to me La Liga is second to the Premiership. Would they score 60, 70 goals in England?
A look over the past 10 years, a striker or attacking player has always won the Ballon d’Or, with the exception of 2006, when Fabio Cannavaro’s defensive showings with Italy in the World Cup helped win him the award.
As much as it hurts me to say this, in my opinion Petr Cech of Chelsea is the best goalkeeper in the Premier League. The league has the best defenders; midfield and forwards lines, again I think the Premier League wins but only just.
I suppose you could compare it to a rock group or a band; the lead singer will always get the glory but without the band he wouldn’t be there.
At least sometimes the singer is a drummer or keyboard player; a bit like sometimes a defender or midfielder gets the vote.
In my opinion a good tackle is just as good as a nutmeg or a forty yard pass but that isn’t seen as skill and that’s not right.
Tackling is an important part of the game but the way the game is going it will become a non contact sport; if that happens I might start following egg chasing!
Should goalkeepers and defenders get more recognition? Will it ever change?
image: © Ben Sutherland
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