Vieira only 28th? He was considered the best of the world on this position for several seasons. Should be in top 20 at least if not in top 15. Deschamps might deserve a higher position too.

 

Vieira's ranking is fine IMHO. As great as he was, he couldn't have laced Tigana's boots.

 

From the list, the one i can remember, also played as a forward (good level) was Osvaldo Ardiles in his Huracan days.

The other case, could be Leandro Andrade, in his early years as a insider, but hard to say, how good he was.

 

Dearman, I see you've got Cornel Dinu at 55. Cornel Dinu was a central defender I don't believe he ever played anything else... however other great DM/CM would be Ladislo Boloni, Radu Nunweiller, and our best ever and should deserve a place on this list is Ion "Lita" Dumitru


Also, I noticed Masopust wasn't on the list.. he should be somewhere in front of Ocwirck, or are you considering him an attacking mid?

 

http://pcsd.forumfree.it/?t=61818861

This source describe Dinu played as DM through his club career while NT career was performed as SW.

Masopust and Van Hanegem is creative player enough to be playmaker.

 

Jaime Pizarro

In Colo-Colo
Copa Libertadores (1): 1991
Chilean league (6): 1983, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993
Copa Chile (5): 1982, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990
Interamerican Cup (1): 1991
Recopa South American Winners' Cup (1): 1992

In Universidad Católica
Chilean league (1): 1997

Chilean team
Runners-Up Copa America 1987

Individual distinctions

* Best defensive midfielder in the world for the magazine France Football in 1987-1988
Source: Colo colo website
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:qcSHPUibs-QJ:www.dalealbo.cl/jaime-pizarro+la+revista+France+Football+Jaime+Pizarro&cd=4&hl=es&ct=clnk
* Best Chilean professional footballer for circle of Chilean Sports Journalists in 1990- 1991-1992

msioux75 gives very good references about Jaime Pizarro

Eladio Rojas

ZvjmQeWHKIM

He scored a goal from outside the area to Lev Yashin.
That stadium now bears his name.
Eladio Rojas is a legend in Chile.
It is the greatest defensive midfielder from Chile and who won third place for my country at the World Cup 1962.

Leonel Álvarez

By Colombia is a Legend

UmeDxh8L5pI&feature=related

see the entire video

 

I think Essien is far too high considering the lack of games he's played due to injury. The same goes for Paulo Sousa. I think Cambiasso should be higher. I's say he was greater than Essien.

 

I don't even think Essien belongs on the list.. Makelele, Xabi Alonso, and Cambiasso have all been much more consistent and valuable

I also think Cajkovski needs to be ranked higher

 

Van Hanegem different list?

 

Also don't think sforza deserves to be ahead of Petit or Van der elst

 

I agree about Dinu. He played mostly as Central Defender, I see him in his last years live. Probably in his first he played DM too, but Dinu was surely the best romanian CD of the 70s.. About DMs, please check Laszlo Boloni, maybe he deserve a place in the top 100.

 

OK Change Dinu to CB position, is replaced by Herbert Erhardt (7 times international-class seasons by kicker)

 

To separate DM and AM, I have found solution like this. DM include destroyer and box-to-box midfielder (CM) (players who balance between defence and offence and not much creative force). Next thread will be AM (basic playmaker) include deep-lying playmaker (CM).
[/font]

I'm not sure that I agree.

 

Olaf Thon has been added at 69th replace Americo Gallego in top 100. Thon is rated by kicker in 6 international-class seasons as DM and 1 world-class season as Libero.

I also first forgot to name Duncan Edwards and have named him in hourable mention. If need to rank him in the list, I'd nam him in top 10 without doubt.

 

What about De Rossi, Terry McDermot and Bernard Genghini? Another suggestion would be Schweinsteiger. Think he would be good enough if you have Yaya Toure. Another player to look at would be van Bommel.

Also I think Cocu definitely deserves to be here atleast ahead of Marangoni.

 

McDermot, Genghini and Schweinsteiger are considered as playmaker but not top 100 material. Cocu in not good enough in my view and let me consider Daniele De Rossi (Just forgot).

 

Another suggestion is Frings. I would have him comparable in greatness to Mascherano.

 

Redondo deserves a higher ranking!!!

 

I just found Herbert Erhardt was more defender so I have added Ion Dumitru in top 100.

 

No one's ever going to be satisfied with the list. But I applaud the effort. Agree with cutthroat's comments in this thread though.

good choices mates :thumbsup:

 

Armand Penverne might be picked as well.

 

Thanks for this name. I've added him in "All-Time France Squad". In that thread, I think there are probably some omitted players in positional ranking of French players and could you enter the thread to help out ? http://www.xtratime.org/forum/showthread.php?p=7548700

 

Done

 

No one's ever going to be satisfied with the list. But I applaud the effort. Agree with cutthroat's comments in this thread though.

 

Some suggestions would be Nobbie Stiles, Gilberto Yearwood and Paul Ince.

 

Ballack should be in the attacking midfielders list like Lampard since Ballack wasn't particularily defensive at Leverkusen and Munich.

 

No, Kicker indicate Ballack won twice international-class seasons as DM. I still look Ballack is more box-to-box midfielder in general. His level of playmaking skill and its gap of difference to his defensive quality is not much enough to be categorized in playmaker list.

 

What about Attilio Ferraris, Gabriele Oriali, Willy Van De Kerkhof and Giacomo Bulgarelli?

 

But Matthaus is also much better defensive player than Masopust. Falcao was ever a defensive midfielder while Masopust had Pluskal behind him.

 

yes he had different roles through out his career but in his prime at Inter, he played as an attacking midfielder yet he often drifted back to get the ball

 

I now classify Matthaus as a DM - he wasn't a smooth playmaker a la Didi or Xavi.
He was very combative, a player who learned how to play the game....

 

Ballack wouldn't fall into this category.

 

What about Giancarlo De Sisti?