But the tread doesn't say "Top 5 best players in the world" It says "technically gifted". We aren't measuring who is better at their job, we are measuring who has the best on the ball technique. Movement has nothing to do with "technical ability" though... Heskey might have good movement - but his technique once he recieves the ball is poor. Michael Owen has ability to find space and has good movement. He's not technically gifted though... is he? No. I would say defender A has a better brain than defender B. His technique hasn't been questioned - purely his decision making. Of course it's more than that... Many players can control the ball and pass well: Lampard can, Ferdinand can... But they aren't technically gifted like Zidane... Zidane didn't just control the ball well or pass it well he controlled and passed it near perfectly every time. You could give Zidane the most awful pass in the world and he'd still control it perfectly and keep his balance - whilst others wouldn't even even bother trying for it. He was just born to do it. He could control a ball in the air better than the average footballer could on the ground. Again... yes he has good movement and vision, but so do many centre mids.... What they don't have is the pure technical ability/ Finesse to pull it off like Scholes does. If this was a "best 5 players in the world" thread then definately there should be some defenders and Goalkeepers in there. Because whilst people go on about Messi's skills - it's arguble that Casilas is just as skilled at Goalkeeping (diving, closing down, catching the ball) as Messi is at drbbling. But we are talking about "technically gifted" footballers - footballers with outstanding technique with the ball at their feet.
Well this is as simply as I can put it, for me technical ability is more than just technique. And I think that is where our disagreement lies. Make no mistake though, I believe that Xavi and Scholes and Berbatov are among the most technically gifted players no matter what position.
Haha okay! Just going back your original selection, interesting that Cassano has come up a few times, I'd like to put forward another 2 strikers/forwards that have immense ability- Saviola and Aimar.
Why dont you post this article to John O'Shea, Danny ****tu, Mulumbu, Corradi and Danny Guthrie's FACE
