Who is the best striker in the world?

[Gaetan]

Actually...I would still put Ruud ahead of Makaay. Ruud has better skills with the ball and can also play better moving to the flanks. Inside the box he is just as good or even better than Makaay. Plus he also plays fine when left all alone.

I agree. At one point, Ruud was overrated by the English media (we all know that there isn't a medium with that, you are either the flavor of the month or no longer a world class player). He may not have been healthy the past two seasons, but there is no denying that at his very best, he did exactly what he was asked to do which is putting the ball in the back of the net.

One has to look at the current formation that Manchester United is using right now, with Rooney and Ji Sung Park playing either in the wings or deeper roles to appreciate what Van Nistelrooy can bring to the team. Not only does he have enough skill on the ball, but as a pure CF, he's gifted enough to buy enough time to attract extra defenders and create space for others. I really love this part of his game, and why think it's rather foolish to even compare him to the likes of Roy Maakay.

In order of preference, the best (current) strikers in the world IMO.

1. Thiery Henry
2. Andriy Shevchenko
3. Adriano
4. Ruud Van Nistelrooy
5. Gilardino

 

[UhUhOleguer]

Makaay certainly has a strong nose for the goal, but as an overall football player and in terms of skills, Ruud still has the edge over him.

As you said, his goalscoring ratio really speaks volumes. Further, he isn't the type of striker who just sits upfront for scoring, but he also works a lot for the team, not as much as e.g. Eto'o maybe(I can mainly speak of him because I see him most and really, I have hardly seen a striker running that much) but still a lot.

Btw. what I think is most important about a striker is his attitude. A striker is supposed to have the will to win, fight and score. Eto'o is a real fighter and that's why I really adore his game. I even adored it when he didn't play for Barca, because he was always out to win. Same goes with Sheva and also Adriano and Ruud.
While e.g. Henry is also a fantastic player, but I often miss in him the sheer determination to win and his body language sounds to me at times that he doesn't know what he has lost on the field.

 

[Hammoudi]

Dynamite is certainly among the best too. He has everything a modern forward needs. he is powerful, good foot skills, good defending, etc.

Who is Dynamite?

Zlatan is also fine, yet as cruyff says, he does difficult stuff easily and easy stuff difficult.

Man, there is nobody that sums it and says it like Mr. Cruyff. That was equisitely put by him, and it's so true. I remember him saying during the Kluivert honey years, that as good as Kluivert is, he lacks the killer instinct, and boy was he right!

Great points all around specially by Mikkel and Oleguer. A striker is much more than goals, there are other factors defining a striker.

I still think Makaay is better than RVN. As impressive as RVN stats are, he isn't a complete player. As it's widely known, he is the tap-in master. His danger drops dramatically when he is outside the box, and he tends to miss easy chances as well.

Makaay in the other hand is dangerous all over. He doesn't drop back much, but he can manage to fight his way forward with the ball. Also, he scored many goals in the CL, La Liga, Bundesliga, whereas RVN did great in CL and EPL, the Eredivisie is very easy to score in, I'd like to see RVN outside the EPL one day, and how good he'd do.

Also, I rate Owen highly. I think many hate him due to media exaggeration, but he is a good striker. He may only scored 11 goals with Real, but they came in limited opportunities.

He is a great poacher, header, and is strong given his small stature. He may not be a good dribbler, but makes up for that with his amazing pace.

 

[Khalifa]

Dynamite is certainly among the best too. He has everything a modern forward needs. he is powerful, good foot skills, good defending, etc.

Who is Dynamite?

Zlatan is also fine, yet as cruyff says, he does difficult stuff easily and easy stuff difficult.

Man, there is nobody that sums it and says it like Mr. Cruyff. That was equisitely put by him, and it's so true. I remember him saying during the Kluivert honey years, that as good as Kluivert is, he lacks the killer instinct, and boy was he right!

Great points all around specially by Mikkel and Oleguer. A striker is much more than goals, there are other factors defining a striker.

I still think Makaay is better than RVN. As impressive as RVN stats are, he isn't a complete player. As it's widely known, he is the tap-in master. His danger drops dramatically when he is outside the box, and he tends to miss easy chances as well.

Makaay in the other hand is dangerous all over. He doesn't drop back much, but he can manage to fight his way forward with the ball. Also, he scored many goals in the CL, La Liga, Bundesliga, whereas RVN did great in CL and EPL, the Eredivisie is very easy to score in, I'd like to see RVN outside the EPL one day, and how good he'd do.

Also, I rate Owen highly. I think many hate him due to media exaggeration, but he is a good striker. He may only scored 11 goals with Real, but they came in limited opportunities.

He is a great poacher, header, and is strong given his small stature. He may not be a good dribbler, but makes up for that with his amazing pace.

Owen is great, he has some explosive pace and knows how to use it. Really sneaky goals, a couple of goals he ahd with read jus looked master minded.

 

[UhUhOleguer]

dynamite = adriano...

well...IMHO Owen didn't really make any progress the last 4-5 years. I mean he still has problems when he plays with his back to the goal as an example. plus I don't see him working that much for the team, playing for the team etc. as others do. he has excellent pace, he is also deadly on 1 on 1s, and he has a good nose for the goal, but as said, he was a victim of his own hype maybe. Some players simply can't handle it being teenage stars.

and about Cruyff....I came to the point that I really think that Cruyff is simply always right. He has always been right in his life, and Barca owes him so much, it's unbelievable. They used to call him "El Salvador"...the savior, and given what he has done for us, I think it suits.

 

[AdriOba]

for me best strikers in the world are Adriano and Eto'o ... Adriano quick , strong ... Eto'o very quick , unexepted ...

 

[cool_cuchu]

Adriano will be my option....

for the younger strikers, I will go with Martins...

and you know that I am an inter fan !!!
but truly, I am feeling that way

 

[Adriano@10]

mhh at the moment i realy think adriano is the best ¨!!!
after him thers henry and sheva, henry is behind him coz he never prooves his skills in eurocups, sheva is behind him coz he never takes the ball in middle and runs a cross the hole field and then scores.

On eto'o hes great in dribling and has great speed but he s realy bad in shouting he misses to many chances to be world s best!!

 

[UhUhOleguer]

On eto'o hes great in dribling and has great speed but he s realy bad in shouting he misses to many chances to be world s best!!

after what he missed yesterday, you can say that loud.
it was freaking unbelievable..

 

[Hammoudi]

I first noticed that in the Football for Hope game, he really tries to do the fancy job rather than SCORE.

He is only 23 though, so he still has sometime to learn.

 

[Roberto]

Del Piero is the world's best striker imho such class and skill truly a legend of our time

 

[minterke]

Del Piero is the world's best striker imho such class and skill truly a legend of our time

Roberto, dear friend I will have to disagree on that one.

Del Piero has undeniable talent throughout his years of winning Scudettos with Juventus (which they deserved every single one of them) but Filipo Inzaghi just blows me away. He touches the ball with such grace and has the greatest finish I've ever seen in my life. Not to mention acrobatics that would make Van Basten sh-t himself.

A true legend in the making.

 

[Hammoudi]

You two Canucks Clowns got me at the beginning

But I have to admit, the pre-97 injury DP was a freaking dangerous player. But it could be thanks to the dope he got, you see, many of the Juve achievements are tainted now, and it's hard to know what was deserved and what wasn't!

 

[Roberto]

Mike you bring up an excellent point Filippo is what every striker should be. The epitamy of class having said that I think that Simone Inzaghi is the world's best striker and anybody who disagrees has been living in a cave for the past 8 years.

 

[Handoyo]

You lot are fools! Nothing but fools!

Ade Akinbiyi, the Leicester City icon, walks all over the Inzaghis combined. :stuckup:

 

[Roberto]

I don't know who it is so i don't get the joke :dielaugh:

I'm sure he's no match for My personal favourite Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink though.

 

[minterke]

Ok guys enough of this bullshit. We all know it's a toss up between 2 players:

Peter "Colgate" Crouch

Marcelo Zalayeta

A poll, if possible? :dielaugh:

 

[Roberto]

Add Angelos Charisteas and we got ourselves a poll

 

[Handoyo]

I'm sure he's no match for My personal favourite Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink though.

I don't know if you are being sarcastic or serious here but Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is one of the best finisher I have ever seen, even though I found him to be very selfish at times.

His record for Leeds & Chelsea speaks for himself. :star:


Handyo

 

[UhUhOleguer]

man..pippo was the reason I loved Milan....
pippo is fantastic...he was the best striker Milan ever had, even better than Van basten. His elegance and touch is still unmatched in the world...