Zidane vs today's midfielders

vlafy wrote:Interesting thread.

Here is my opinion:

Zidane and any other players from old generations can't be compared with actual players.Football changed a lot, especially from 2008.Now football is based on different tactics, different kind of players, different style of play.

In other words: Zidane was maybe the best in his generation.Now teams have other policy and prefer players with higher sprint speed and acceleration.The rhythm of the game increseas every year.

Zidane grew up in the 90's with other tactics and other strategies.He developed amazing skills which were the best in that years.Maybe with that skills he wouldn't be that appreciated today, but it's not his fault; also we can see it in another way: if he was playing now, he would have had to develop his skills in other way in order to adapt to actual style of football.Now Iniesta has a different style.His acceleration is higher, his ball control improved a lot because he needed to improve it more than Zidane needed.

I am not saying that Zidane didn't have a great control of the ball or that the defenders were weaker, nope...he was a world class player and we should appreciate him as he was in that times.

tuddor wrote:Pirlo is the only one who reminds me of the class of zidane.. Players like zidane,del piero, raul, nedved, zanetti will never exist again, most of them (today )are just mercenaries, and morally retarded. For just a couple of millions they sale their souls! Bring back the good old days when coaches like marcelo lippi smoke their cigarettes with so much class!

Kizu wrote:Yeah 34 y.o Zidane owned Xaviesta in 2006... football changed alot.

kiranr wrote:

Kizu wrote:Yeah 34 y.o Zidane owned Xaviesta in 2006... football changed alot.

Iniesta did not even play that match

And i think Vieira had a better game than Zidane in that match.

Did you watch that match? Or are you just talking out of your ass as usual?

The Sanchez wrote:

Giggity5313 wrote:
Iniesta is not at zidane's level..

And yet you Madrid fans claim Iniesta is better than Messi who people regard as top three greatest ever...

sportsczy wrote:

The Sanchez wrote:

Giggity5313 wrote:
Iniesta is not at zidane's level..

And yet you Madrid fans claim Iniesta is better than Messi who people regard as top three greatest ever...

I have no problem saying that Messi is on pace to be a top 3 player of all time. But you can't say he's top 3 today because a lot of the players that are in the Top 10 did it for a long time. I can't think of a top 10 player who didn't excel for 10 years.

But yes, Messi is without question on pace to be top 3 if he keeps it up for another 5 years.

sportsczy wrote:Zidane was never consistent? Come on Jibers. You have no idea of what you speak. Yeah, his first years at Juve and Madrid were tough... that's because those idiots at Juve wanted him to play DM initially lol. Madrid is never easy to adapt to. Other than those years, he was incredible for 13 years lol.

Maradona, Pele, Platini, Beckenbauer, Garrincha, Zidane, Eusebio, Di Stefano, Maldini, Nesta, Carlos Alberto Torres, etc. all had very long careers. Cruyff is the only exception and he was elite for 8 years. And nowhere is Cruyff considered top 3. Top 10, yes. If we're talking top 10, Messi will be there this year or close to it.

But we're talking top 3 here. That's Pele, Maradona and Maldini imo. Unless you match that level of excellence for at least 10 years, you're not going to bump one of those guys.

But again, Messi is on track to compete for top 3.