Players that perform their best in the WC, and for their NT

Really into the WC mood now, only a few days left now    I thought this is interesting how some players just perform so well in WC for some reason and just never be able to repeat that level for their clubs or even the NT regularly. They perform so damn well above their usual level it seems and catch the world's eye from no where often. There are many of such players and I would name some and perhaps discuss why that is apart from the fact that we know some players just play their hearts out when in their NT. Just a few to start of in recent memory:

Grosso - amazing in 2006 in the LB position, but after that just seem to fade quickly in clubs.
Gyan - scored nice goals and really caught the eye of many, but again not the same for clubs.
Karagunis - similar
Thuram - had to mention him for his performances and the 2 goals in the 98 SF
Bruno Alves - Also a beast for the NT for a top nation, but club career seems nothing special

So, any opinions why that is and who are some others?

Well, Miro Klose and Lukas Podolski have always been at their best in the NT, too. Maybe the playing style there just works best for them.

You can't put Thuram in this list. He's been brilliant in club football as well.

Neymar,Iniesta and Ozil

Iniesta cannot be in this list since he has done outstanding things for both country and club. Ditto Xavi, Zidane and so many others. This list is only about those who do not perform well for club but excel for country.

el hadji diouf

messixaviesta wrote:Iniesta cannot be in this list since he has done outstanding things for both country and club. Ditto Xavi, Zidane and so many others. This list is only about those who do not perform well for club but excel for country.

he still plays better for Spain than Barca.

Ramos is a beast for Spain NT.

De Rossi... he is always top notch for italy always!!!

JespSwe wrote:De Rossi... he is always top notch for italy always!!!

JespSwe wrote:De Rossi... he is always top notch for italy always!!!

best DM in the world by far when playing for Italy. Still the best DM when playing for Roma, but for NT he's a beast

Valkyrja wrote:Neymar,Iniesta and Ozil

pity...some people just cant stop trolling...

Valkyrja wrote:

JespSwe wrote:De Rossi... he is always top notch for italy always!!!

JespSwe wrote:De Rossi... he is always top notch for italy always!!!

best DM in the world by far when playing for Italy. Still the best DM when playing for Roma, but for NT he's a beast

hahahaha for Roma he will have really top games and at times below par game but still world class DM.... but for Italy omg he is something else.... guy really thrives in international front. he is so calm and composed. plays with passion for national team ...

i cant think of anybody else apart from De Rossi who really thrives in international front.

Let's redefine this thread.

Are we talking about players who are brilliant but arguably play marginally better for their nation team?

Or are we talking about players who are nothing great at club level but somehow excel for their national team?

If it's the first question then there will be too many names. If it's the second question then it's a really interesting one. This is just my take on the subject though.

messixaviesta wrote:Let's redefine this thread.

Are we talking about players who are brilliant but arguably play marginally better for their nation team?

Or are we talking about players who are nothing great at club level but somehow excel for their national team?

If it's the first question then there will be too many names. If it's the second question then it's a really interesting one. This is just my take on the subject though.

i agree

hopefully the second one

I am baffled to see Thuram and Iniesta on people's lists.

Anyway from current palyers.

Klose
Podolski
Altidore
Schuerlle
David Luiz
Gago

@BarcaLearning
Thuram? lol



David Luiz, DDR(great with roma, but majestic with NT), Neymar, Klose

torres... he's not exactly amazing, but at least he looks like a professional football player for spain

Surprised no one has mentioned TGSTEL Nicklas Bendtner.

Torres is a hard one to add. I mean he's always looked good for Spain even after he fell apart at the club level so that's one I guess.

I was going to say Sneijder because he's at his best playing for the NT, but when in form he's also a beast at club level.

came here to say Daniele De Rossi but happy to know that he is already getting the recognition here that he deserves

silver wrote:Surprised no one has mentioned TGSTEL Nicklas Bendtner.

Surprised it took so long for Nicky B to get a mention

He's pseudo World Class for Denmark

I suppose this name has not been mentioned so far - Milan Baros.

We could also say Lukas Podolski - hasn't had a great club career.

Gio Dos Santos as well.

about past players,
impossible to forget Toto' Schillaci.

An average CF, back-up in NT , he was leading Italy to win the homemade World Cup 1990
And he would have won the Balon d'or in that case
Beautiful story.

Grosso was an average fullback, he had not to be even a starter in that WC ( the starter was Zaccardo on paper. Another average, just to emphasize the low value of Grosso)  he played greatly just 3 matches in career  ( if I don't consider Italian third division ) , against Australia , Germany and France

Materazzi too. He was a good defender , but not top defender, anyway he gave  a decisive contribute to Italy WC . Both defending and scoring


about better players.
I rate Nesta >>> Cannavaro . Nesta was definitely better for me . But anyway in NT it was the opposite, Cannavaro gave really his best and he became even stronger than what he already was. Not only 2006, he was amazing already in 1998 .

And I agree about De Rossi , he returns the old De Rossi in NT

In No particular Order:
1.denilson- mr. step-over
2.kleberson
3.lucas podolski
4.fabio grosso
5.el hadj diouf and the whole senegal team in the 02 african nations cup/02 world cup
6.ariel ortega- another who was supposed to be maradona's heir; beasted for argentina, did nothing significant in europe...was absolute shit in serie a
7.salvatore schillaci - at italia 90 anyone remember him? i thought his move to juventus which would see him and baggio continue their strike force in serie a would mean goals galore for the old lady.....it didn't
8.paul gascoigne - i'm a little hesitant about this one....i never saw him at rangers, and i heard that's where he excelled...saw him @ lazio though, and besides a goal against roma, he did nothing major (lazio fans might think differently, a goal against roma means almost everything to them).....gazza was always a beast for england tho; lethal player @ italia 90 and euro 96
9.claudio cannigia - besides diego n argie's goalie (can't remember his name) he was probably argentina's best player @ italia 90...did well for them in the copa america too, (can't remember the year) and at usa 94 against nigeria (who where getting the better of argentina) scored twice, one a curled shot from a diego pass...and there was that goal against brazil in 90 where he dribbled pass tapharel (i'm sure i botched the spelling)....did little at club level,was part of a good rangers side in the early 2000s but was mainly a bench-man.
10. Robinho- he has probably had more success than everyone on this list at club level, but if he played with the same vigor for his clubs that he did for brazil he'd have realized his potential...between 05-09, love him or hate him, he was a beast for brazil, they had a better supporting cast, but even with that you could see the guy's talent come out, and it wasn't just limited to step overs and fancy tricks
11. milan baros- scored some amazing goals for the czech in his day.....

i'm not adding klose, cos i think despite the fact he has beasted for germany, he has had a reasonable club career, and most clubs he has played for have appreciated his services.