What's your definition of 'World Class'?

[Hibbyradge]

The debate on the David Beckham thread has got me thinking about the now hackneyed expression, "World Class" and how to define it.

That's not an easy task.

Ability alone isn't enough. Some players can do extraordinary things from time to time.

Marciano has made a few "world class" saves for us, but he's not even close to earning that description, and he's not even first pick for his country.

Derek Riordan could hit a dead ball, and often a moving one, so well that it was literally breathtaking, but only managed 3 caps and no goals.

Consistency and the level at which the player performs must play a part.

Players like Dr Bruyne, de Gea and Kane could walk into any team in the world and improve them.

For me, that's the most objective definition I can think of, although even that is subjective.

What's your favourite definition?

[AgentDaleCooper]

Sir David Gray

[J-C]

For me world class means a players who is capable of walking into any top club team without a problem, this would also apply to walking into any world class international team.

[Stevie Reid]

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The debate on the David Beckham thread has got me thinking about the now hackneyed expression, "World Class" and how to define it.

That's not an easy task.

Ability alone isn't enough. Some players can do extraordinary things from time to time.

Marciano has made a few "world class" saves for us, but he's not even close to earning that description, and he's not even first pick for his country.

Derek Riordan could hit a dead ball, and often a moving one, so well that it was literally breathtaking, but only managed 3 caps and no goals.

Consistency and the level at which the player performs must play a part.

Players like Dr Bruyne, de Gea and Kane could walk into any team in the world and improve them.

For me, that's the most objective definition I can think of, although even that is subjective.

What's your favourite definition?

Probably as good a definition as you'll get, I reckon.

[JimBHibees]

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The debate on the David Beckham thread has got me thinking about the now hackneyed expression, "World Class" and how to define it.

That's not an easy task.

Ability alone isn't enough. Some players can do extraordinary things from time to time.

Marciano has made a few "world class" saves for us, but he's not even close to earning that description, and he's not even first pick for his country.

Derek Riordan could hit a dead ball, and often a moving one, so well that it was literally breathtaking, but only managed 3 caps and no goals.

Consistency and the level at which the player performs must play a part.

Players like Dr Bruyne, de Gea and Kane could walk into any team in the world and improve them.

For me, that's the most objective definition I can think of, although even that is subjective.

What's your favourite definition?

Lets see how he does in the world cup, he was atrocious in the last Euros.

[Codheed]

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Lets see how he does in the world cup, he was atrocious in the last Euros.

Aye , too busy taking corners ! What was that all about ?

[calumhibee1]

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Aye , too busy taking corners ! What was that all about ?

I forgot about that. Mental decision.

[Deansy]

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For me world class means a players who is capable of walking into any top club team without a problem, this would also apply to walking into any world class international team.

I'd agree with that - for me 'World Class'' is Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Best, Messi etc, etc. Beckham WAS a very good player but he was never 'World Class' !

[Hibbyradge]

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Lets see how he does in the world cup, he was atrocious in the last Euros.

Ronaldo was poor at the last World Cup. He didn't exactly set the heather on fire at the last Euros either.

Messi disappointed in 2014 too.

The other Ronaldo was inexplicably poor in 1998 and was ultimately left out of the final.

I doubt anyone would use those performances to suggest they weren't world class.

[Hibbyradge]

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I'd agree with that - for me 'World Class'' is Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Best, Messi etc, etc. Beckham WAS a very good player but he was never 'World Class' !

How would you define "World class"?

[Barman Stanton]

I also think it's someone who could walk into most teams in the world. Beckham definitely falls into that category.

In a Hibs point of view you could argue that Franck Sauzee was World Class in his prime. Key player in league and Champions League winning teams, French captain, 39 caps etc.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Gary Mackays medal collection.

[Spudster]

Top ten in the world for their position to me = world class. The downside of this is when you reach number 6 for the best centre backs in the world it doesn't really work currently!

People saying Pele, Maradona etc we are talking the greatest of all time IMO

[JimBHibees]

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Ronaldo was poor at the last World Cup. He didn't exactly set the heather on fire at the last Euros either.

Messi disappointed in 2014 too.

The other Ronaldo was inexplicably poor in 1998 and was ultimately left out of the final.

I doubt anyone would use those performances to suggest they weren't world class.

But they all have done very well in other tournaments. Personally think having a brilliant tournament either continent wise or World cup is a decent marker to be genuinely labelled as World class as it is the highest level you can get. Depends how wide you want world class to be defined personally would be 4 or 5 per year for me. For that reason not sure there are too many English players that can geuinely be described as such.

[KWJ]

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Ronaldo was poor at the last World Cup. He didn't exactly set the heather on fire at the last Euros either.

Messi disappointed in 2014 too.

The other Ronaldo was inexplicably poor in 1998 and was ultimately left out of the final.

I doubt anyone would use those performances to suggest they weren't world class.

You're a bit wrong there regarding the original Ronaldo.

He was living up to his billing and had scored 3 goals prior to the final including Brazil's only goal in the semi where he also scored a penalty. There was speculation he was ill in the run up to the final but he played the full game but was clearly not himself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/27797881

[Barman Stanton]

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But they all have done very well in other tournaments. Personally think having a brilliant tournament either continent wise or World cup is a decent marker to be genuinely labelled as World class as it is the highest level you can get. Depends how wide you want world class to be defined personally would be 4 or 5 per year for me. For that reason not sure there are too many English players that can geuinely be described as such.

I'm curious, why only 4 or 5? We currently have Messi and Ronaldo who are up there with Pele, Maradona etc as the greatest. So other than them you think only another 2 or 3 players in the world are World Class? You could argue that the whole Germany team is world class imo.

[KWJ]

And on the thread I suppose World Class are those that feature in Fifa's Best 11 and arguably those that are in the conversation.

[JimBHibees]

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I'm curious, why only 4 or 5? We currently have Messi and Ronaldo who are up there with Pele, Maradona etc as the greatest. So other than them you think only another 2 or 3 players in the world are World Class? You could argue that the whole Germany team is world class imo.

Your right it could be as someone else said say the best eleven of that season in the world. Just think the label world class is too widely used.

[Baader]

You are only talking a very select few players when using World Class... Not going to put a figure on it but it's not many!

[Sauzee16]

The only world class Scottish player I can ever remember has been Andy Goram.

[Sauzee16]

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I'm curious, why only 4 or 5? We currently have Messi and Ronaldo who are up there with Pele, Maradona etc as the greatest. So other than them you think only another 2 or 3 players in the world are World Class? You could argue that the whole Germany team is world class imo.

The German side that won the WC is different to the side now.

[Hibbyradge]

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You are only talking a very select few players when using World Class... Not going to put a figure on it but it's not many!

No, you are only talking a very select few players when using World Class...

[worcesterhibby]

It's funny we chatted about this down the pub the other day. I ended up deciding that the only real meaning you could attribute to World Class was someone who consistently performs with excellence in their position and plays at the highest level. I think they would be able to happily play in any team in the world..but not necessarily improve it. If you take Ronaldo out of the Real Madrid team and replaced him with Gareth Bale is that an improvement..no I don't think so...but is Gareth Bale World Class..yes I think he is..or certainly has been at periods of his career.

Some periods in history there might be 50 players in the world who are truly 'World Class' at other times there might well be fewer. It's also about what their job is. Almost every team needs an enforcer type player who wins the ball and passes it to a more creative player, so we can't just pick people who are all silky skills and wonder goals.

These days you have to look at a player and when he is nearing the end of a contract if Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man Utd, PSG, Man City and maybe Bayern Munich aren't fighting over their signature, you have to ask if they are really world class.

That's not to say that every player who has ever signed for those clubs is world class ( Man City were trying to sign Johnny Evans for gods sake !)

At the end of the day it's an opinion. But if you really can't envisage a player playing for one of the big 6 or 7 clubs in the world, then they are probably not World Class.

[Geo_1875]

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You are only talking a very select few players when using World Class... Not going to put a figure on it but it's not many!

Too many players are described as world class when all they are is the best of the current crop.

Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff, were at the top for long periods of time, at a time when defenders like Baresi, Beckenbauer and Moore were at their peak. That's a measure of world class that Messi and Ronaldo can never match up to.

[Sauzee16]

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Too many players are described as world class when all they are is the best of the current crop.

Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff, were at the top for long periods of time, at a time when defenders like Baresi, Beckenbauer and Moore were at their peak. That's a measure of world class that Messi and Ronaldo can never match up to.

That’s pretty unfair.

[worcesterhibby]

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The only world class Scottish player I can ever remember has been Andy Goram.

Dalglish, Law and Souness (I know) would be up there for me, I'm not sure if I would have picked Goram, I don't really feel he played his career at a high enough level to judge.

As well as Alex Ferguson if we are including World Class Managers

[Barman Stanton]

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The German side that won the WC is different to the side now.

True. But I'm looking at the German team and struggling to see who isn't World Class. They have lost Lahm and gained Kimmich for example. Totally depends on your definition of World Class though.

[Barman Stanton]

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Too many players are described as world class when all they are is the best of the current crop.

Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff, were at the top for long periods of time, at a time when defenders like Baresi, Beckenbauer and Moore were at their peak. That's a measure of world class that Messi and Ronaldo can never match up to.

Are you saying Messi and Ronaldo are not World Class? This thread is getting even dafter. By the way I think Maradona is greatest of all time.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Someone who is always overlooked in these chats is Lothar Matthaus, the guy was a genius.

[calumhibee1]

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Too many players are described as world class when all they are is the best of the current crop.

Pele, Maradonna, Cruyff, were at the top for long periods of time, at a time when defenders like Baresi, Beckenbauer and Moore were at their peak. That's a measure of world class that Messi and Ronaldo can never match up to.

Messi and Ronaldo are the two best ever. They’re also probably further infront of their peers then the likes of Pele and Maradona were also.