Nimreitz

Simple premise. The "best players" is fluid, but aside from 1 or 2 real darkhorses who will come out of current U-14 teams, we probably know these players already. So simply, rank who you think will be the best players after the 2018 World Cup. If this forum still exists and I remember, I'll even bump the thread in 6 years!

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Can't wait for your Pogba and Reus riddled lists.

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Gareth Bale, Neymar, Daimao, Reus, Oscar, Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, Moura, Gotze, Munaiain, Alcantara, Coulibaly.

Highlighted those I see as more likely.

Balotelli could well be the leader of this pack or could be long forgotten by then too.

It's also scary that Messi will still just be 31. Ha.

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Nimreitz

1. Neymar
2. Toni Kroos
3. James Rodriguez
4. Thiago Alcantara
5. Paul Pogba
6. Leo Messi
7. Marco Reus
8. Isco
9. Romelu Lukaku
10. Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Here was my shortlist that I compiled quickly with ages. Forgot Bale, he belongs there. I'm down on Gotze, and very skeptical of all Brazilians before they leave Brazil (except Neymar of course).

Messi - 31
Kroos - 28
Reus - 29
Neymar - 26
Hazard - 27
Oscar - 27
Thiago - 27
Isco - 26
James - 27
Lukaku - 25
Wilshere - 26
Varane - 25
Verratti - 26
Mkhitaryan - 29
Aguero - 30
Benzema - 30
Falcao - 32
Ozil - 30
Pogba - 25
Hummels - 29

mvP to the Wee

Wow Kroos as the second best? You really think he'll be that good? Would be great.

Nimreitz

I love him. I really think he's the German Paul Scholes. Okay, so I never rated Scholes that good, but I think he's got Xavi/Iniesta potential as well, and he's playing more advanced than Scholes did for most of his career. He's just really really awesome.

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Toni Kroos is playing more advanced than Scholes did for most of his career? I honestly hate your judgement of football sometimes.

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I agree to a certain extent about Brazilians being hit or miss when they leave their home country but you're omitting Oscar? He's shown more than nearly everybody on your list and plays for one of the biggest clubs in the world, not to mention he has just turned 21.

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Nimreitz

Xavi quote is ridiculous, but I meant I never rated Paul Scholes as the #2 player in the world. Kroos IS playing a more advanced role; I don't mean complicated, I mean positioning. Scholes has been in a 4-4-2 with very few exceptions his entire career which mandates a more conservative approach, Kroos is basically a second striker.

I think Oscar is pretty good and was tough to leave off. As you see he was on my shortlist. If he has a brilliant season I'll probably put him on, but at this point, both he and Hazard have been extremely hot and cold. You'll notice Hazard isn't on my list either.

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Ahh, my misunderstanding. Oh and it doesn't matter if you think it's ridiculous, as I keep mentioning to you, you've got to stop letting your own (misguided) opinions be the only thoughts you have when it comes to football.

Oscar has 'it', I never expected his scrawny little self to amount to much I'll be honest, but his technical ability is off the charts. I left off Hazard too, I just hate French players and their bum ass attitude.

I was surprised to see Lukaka on your list. I mean, he's big, strong and will score goals but he'd literally have to develop into Drogba if he wanted to crack any Top 10 in the world list.

I can't believe I forgot James Rodriguez, if he gets away from Porto, he could be a very special player indeed. Reports are saying he signed a new deal that has a £36million buy out clause. Ridiculous.

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Nimreitz

The buyout for James sounds about right. I also love the idea of calling a guy by the one name "James". I guess they say it's "Ha-mez" in Portugal, but when he comes to a real league he'll be James like James Vanderbeek. Porto are stingy as all **** with their players, but you can't say it hasn't paid off. There's always some sucker to give them 30-40m for their newest sensation. Hell, go check out what Anderson cost United! I couldn't believe it when I saw it today. And I have a real suspicion that Hulk is going to have a shitty career after leaving them. I see poor technical ability alienating fans and weight problems in his future.

I love Lukaku. He's faster than Drogba, like lightning fast, and his frame is bigger. He's going to be amazing. I don't even know how he could NOT be one of the best players in the world barring injury. The kid is only 19! Drogba at that age had 6 more years before he got to Marseille.

Fair enough on Oscar.

Haha, I'm not trolling you on Scholes! I JUST POSTED that I think the guy who is my favorite player in the world and future #2 in the world is "the German Scholes". He's good! You just gotta realize that when someone can't get picked for England except on the left, it makes people think maybe they weren't that good at all. I think he's great, but not GREAT. And by that I mean I think he's a legendary player in England, but just not one of the 5 best players in his generation at his position. He wasn't Zidane, and there's more than just ZZ that I'd put ahead of him from his era.

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James should come play for United, let Ferguson turn him into Ronaldo and then make the move to Real. A perfect symmetry that will earn United a lot of money.

If Lukaka develops the technical ability that Drogba had, then yes, he's going to be something else because you can see he has that innate desire to succeed.

As for Scholes, I think poor management of the England team shouldn't be put on him. Nobody is Zidane but I would put a lot of money on Scholes making that Top whatever list from the era if we polled every player from the 90's through the 'Naughties.

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Nimreitz

Just really quickly, I'd put him below these guys:

Zidane, Riquelme, Figo, del Piero

They are all about the same age.

James is going to be grossly expensive, but United are in the good position that none of their rivals will either need him, or be able to afford him. Barca and Real are the only real rivals I would think and even they have good players on the wing and behind the striker. Chelsea won't sign him because they are packed on the left wing and AMC. Arsenal are poor. Liverpool hahahaha. Spurs are cheap, and he'd probably cost them more than they could sell Bale for. Bayern are overloaded with players at his position and no one else in Germany could possibly raise even half that transfer fee. Everyone in Italy is poor, and Juventus wouldn't even spend money this summer on a desperately needed striker instead bringing in BENDTNER! I guess there's the looming threat of a Russian bid, but I hope James wouldn't stoop to that.

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Riquelme? Really?

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Nimreitz

No doubt. Even bigger legend in Argentina than Scholes in England. What he did with Villarreal is pretty remarkable considering how bad the rest of the team was, although sadly his penalty was saved in the Semi Final against Arsenal. I think his story would be a lot different if van Gaal wasn't the manager when he got to Barca.