Alright so yea this clip is a couple of days old as is ESPN's top 50 players in the world column, but let me get right to business - there are major problems with this list starting right at the top in my opinion.
(Fast forward to the 5:00 mark to see Rooney's goal)
I want to get straight to the point. Ronaldo and Rooney are better than Messi at this point, but I want to discuss Rooney right off the bat. When Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid most wondered where his incredible goal-scoring service would be made up. Sir Alex Ferguson said Rooney, who had played all over the pitch when Ronaldo was in Manchester including outside midfield and various forward positions, would make up much of the difference playing almost exclusively at forward. Being the genius that he is, Ferguson was right.
Rooney has enjoyed his coming out party this season and has become the greatest forward in the game this season - the numbers bare that out. In 27 English Premier League games, the 24-year-old has 23 goals and in 42 overall games he has scored 34 goals, just incredible numbers. The guy is simply unconscious right now as evident by his recent display against Aston Villa in the Carling Cup final. Initially Ferguson had planned to give Rooney the day off with several big games for club and country coming up, but when Michael Owen went down to injury, Rooney came in and scored an iquisite game-winner over American goal keeper Brad Friedel.
He does not have the ability to take on two or three defenders at a time, but Rooney is incredibly versatile and possessing the ability to play as a target player, be a top flight finisher, and move to outside midfield if his team needs be.
For me Cristiano Ronaldo still is not only the greatest player in the world he may be the single most skilled player I have ever seen. His ability to do anything on the pitch is second to none in all aspects. For a long time I thought Ronaldinho had the fastest feet in terms of making scissor moves and other deceptive quick on the ball movements, Ronaldo has surpassed even the great Brazilian's prime. The original Ronaldo of Brazil was the greatest goal scorer I'd ever seen growing up, but again Cristiano has surpassed him as well scoring goals at amazing clip from the flank with his greatest season to date coming two years ago for Man U when he scored over 40 in all competitions and the team won the Champions League as well as the World Club Championship. And his free kick taking and head ball abilities elevate him above any other player in the world in his league because of ability to score in so many different manners. Although his technique on free kicks is odd running straight onto the ball, when he gets it right goalies are left at the mercy.
Messi is great no doubt, but Rooney in my eyes has made the leap above him. Messi is a dribbling machine, his greatest skill no doubt better than Rooney, and a terrific finisher. But Messi is limited as a player, he is not good in the air despite what ESPN says and has trouble playing up front because he is much better going at defenders instead of playing with his back to goal. Just look at the evidence with Argentina where he has greatly struggled in his forward's role with the national team.
This is not disrespect the guy or take anything away from him. He was worthy last year of the Ballon d'Or give to Fifa's best player in the world as he was clearly the best player on the best team in the world. And he too is enjoying another fine season scoring 17 goals in 21 Spanish La Liga games and 26 goals overall in 41 games of all competition.
So as far as the list goes clearly there is much to debate, but I would completely switch around the top three with Ronaldo topping the list, Rooney a close second for the time being, Messi in third, Xavi fourth, and Kaka fifth.
I would certainly have Cesc Fabregas higher than 16 as well as John Terry, Carlos Puyol, Patrice Evra, Philipp Lahm - the four defenders named to last December's Fifa Best XI in the world - who only could amount to 37th, 39th, 42nd, and 47th on ESPN's list.
England's Rio Ferdinand and Jermaine Defoe and Arsenal's Andrei Arshavin were completely omitted from the list as were Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard, debatably the U.S.' best two players. Miroslav Klose of Germany and Lucio of Brazil do not deserve to be on this list, both are aging players past their primes. Where is Spain's Marcos Senna another phenomenal defensive midfield talent? Certainly Liverpool/Argentina man Javier Mascherano, who plays the same position, is not as good a player.
Just some food for thought as I'm sure I may be forgetting some players.
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