What is world class???

[Revolver]

You beat me to it.

Lionel Messi is world class.

 

[mancunial]

world class anybody who sky says?

 

[Bluemoon115]

Players who could potentially be in a world XI squad maybe?

That's how I judge it.

 

[City Raider]

a player that every now and then does something that leaves you staggered, takes your breath away, has you thinkin how the fuck did he do that - in a messi way, not a creaney way

 

[bluesmith]

A player who has shone on the World stage. Nothing less than being outstanding at the World Cup. The more the better. Vastly overused phrase and I reserve judgement on Rooney until we see him in that environment !

So George Best was not world class?

 

[Anonymous]

World Class means that they would get into any side in the world.

 

[rickmcfc]

A player who has shone on the World stage. Nothing less than being outstanding at the World Cup. The more the better. Vastly overused phrase and I reserve judgement on Rooney until we see him in that environment !

So George Best was not world class?

Whos George Best?

 

[BoyBlue_1985]

A player who has shone on the World stage. Nothing less than being outstanding at the World Cup. The more the better. Vastly overused phrase and I reserve judgement on Rooney until we see him in that environment !

So George Best was not world class?

or George Weah
Ryan Giggs
Alfredo Di Stefano

 

[Newman Noggs]

So George Best was not world class?

or George Weah
Ryan Giggs
Alfredo Di Stefano

Yup. That's right. All hype.

 

[mad4city]

Like Louis Armstrong said about jazz, "If I gotta explain it to ya, ya won't never get it!"

For me, getting onto anybody's so called, world XI is a bare minimum. World XI teams, as a rule, are usually packed with media favourites. Nowadays, they seem to be picked on the strentgh of a guy's boot contract & image rights, rather than his footballing ability.

As others have said before me, the ability to change a game, run a game, be the abiding memory that one takes from a game. The sort of guy that after he does something so special, you're left thinking "now, somebody wipe down that ball and hand it back to the nice man...". A guy that you can name in the same breath as Pele, Maradona, Cryuff, Beckenbaur, Maldini, Zidane... It's a very, very small club, in my mind.

And (this is the crucial thing for me)... consistency. Above all, consistency. To do all of the above and do it, year-in, year out. Then you can start to think about calling a player 'world class'.

Failing that, anybody that Jamie Redknapp/ Paul Merson/ Andy Townsend is excited about, at any given time, is obviously, automatically world class, Jeff.
Also, the best player at Manyoo, at any given time, is (this goes without saying, doesn't it?) "The Best Player In The World!!!"(TM). Be it, Robson, Keane, Beckham, Cantona, Ronaldo, Rooney... all the bestest ever, ever, ever.

Great topic, by the way. Well done the OP.

 

[KingofDraw]

To most on here De jong is world class.. to ppl outside of city fans, hes average

 

[tevez2202]

Think there's only ever gonna be 4 or 5 of these players on the planet at any one time...usually less than that

 

[Citizen Green]

Consistency

 

[tevez2202]

Andy Cole was consistent....he consistently fluffed 4 or 5 sitters a game for rags!

 

[Anonymous]

1.The ability to fundamentally alter the course of a game singlehandedly.
2. The ability to inspire and lift the performances of his team mates.
3. Er......

Yep ..... i'd agree with that

with the probable answer to No 3 being ..'able to demonstrate great consistency'!

 

[ST Coleridge]

For me, world class is any player who would get in a squad of the top players in the world, so say the top 3 keepers, 4 fullbacks, 4 Centre halfs, 4 wingers, 4 midfielders and 4 stikers.

Oh right. So Buffon, Casillas, Craig Gordon, Maicon, Alves, Evra, Cole, Samuel, Pique, Vidic, Nesta, C. Ronaldo, Kaka, Iniesta, Arshavin, Essien, Xavi, Mascherano, Fabregas, Messi, Drogba, Rooney and Santa Cruz are all world class then.

Ugh, just realised - I've only gone and put two fucking Africans in that list.

 

[Freestyler]

Messi is world class.

There's only a handful of world class players.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Regardless of nationality, on pure ability alone -

1 Any one who could get in the top two national sides in South America

2 Any one who could get in the top two national sides in Europe, and

3 Any one who could play for any side making the semis of the CL.

You can't be better class than that!