World class i'd say is someone who'd be in contention for a world team but if a lot of players in the same position are at the same level then you could have more. I personally don't see a lot of difference between Mata, Silva and Iniesta. One has played at a higher level for longer and plays for Barca but you can't tell me Barca would be any worse off by swapping Iniesta for Mata. Messi and Ronaldo are a cut above everyone else in terms of impact and goal scoring but that's not to limit the number of world class players to only 2-3. Surely the best defender in the world must be world class cos a team of 11 Messi's would win nothing (although can you imagine them with the ball??!!).
World Class to me means you are as good as/unrivalled by anyone else in your position in World Football. Who is better than Mata in his current position? Certainly nobody in the Premier League. He'd get into Bayern or Real's team no question, not Barca's but nobody would displace Xavi or Iniesta, they are footballing gods, once in a lifetime players Tiger Woods - World Class Golfer Nadal - World Class Tennis player etc.
I think his level is the Real bench, but the hype surrounding him would probably cause the manager to play him.
Here are the players I believe to be world class in respective positions: GK: Neuer Buffon Hart Cech RB: Alves Lahm CB: Chiellini Kompany Vidic (arguably not anymore due to injury) Ramos Badstuber LB: Cole Marcelo CM/CDM: Pirlo Xavi Iniesta Toure Alonso Busquets Schweinstieger CAM: Ozil Mata Muller Silva Rooney RM/LM: Ronaldo Ribery Bale could be here soon, but I still wouldn't take him over them. Robben Di Maria ST: Messi Falcao RVP Suarez Cavani Aguero
I think he's the best in the PL tbf, he is overhyped due to being English but that also gets him a lot of criticism. edit: I added Badstuber and schweinsteiger too
What do you see as his position? Left wing - Ronaldo and then there are a few players like Mata, Bale, Muller, who are all at a similar level and will happily play from the same starting position, whilst El Sharaawy and Schurrle are getting there, both are devastating in their own leagues. Attacking midfield - Toure, Iniesta and then Mata fits in amongst Hamsik, Gotze, Ozil and Rooney(feel free to ignore that one to avoid an argument ).
Sorry, I have to ask but do you guys watch Di Maria regularly? I don't but everytime I've seen him over the last couple of seasons he's not looked anywhere near the potential he had. I'm lost at how highly you rate them.
I'm sure you'll agree then that Wes Brown has been a superior player to John Terry. CL titles Brown 2 Terry 1 PL titles Brown 7 Terry 3 FA cups Brown 2 Terry 5 League Cups Brown 3 Terry 2 Community Shield Brown 4 Terry 2 Your logic, not mine!
bit of an old school winger, gets assists but not many goals. I admit he hasn't been amazing in europe. tbf it was between Di Maria and Bale for that spot! I also am a big fan of Valencia but he appears to have gone off the boil this season.
DL just listed tournaments Mata had won, including all his achievements internationally, where he has barely kicked a ball
you quoted it yourself, no he didn't or do you just chose to be stupid? oh and he has 21 caps for Spain at 24 despite the amount of world class talent also there. As Silva/Iniesta decline Mata will replace them. People used to say the exact same thing about Fabregas because he didn't play for Spain, such a naive view.
Read it back, he says Mata is World Cup winner and Euro chpionship winner, when he barely played. He only got a goal in the final when the manager brought him off the bench for a run out once the game was already won. It's like boasting that Ross Turnbull is a CL winner
He scored the winner off the bench, abit different to Mata scoring the 4th in a 4-0 win, coming off the bench at 3-0. I assume you agree then by your own logic Brown>Terry