Best number 6s in the world (Past and Present)?

[Dreambeliever]

I need names

The sport has moved on. The professionalism is not comparable. DM more than anywhere. They’d all get sent off inside 5 mins.

 

[Dreambeliever]

If you took them directly from the past and dropped them into today's game then yes, they might struggle as the game was very different then.

In some ways it would work in the other way too, of course, as today's players wouldn't be used to playing on horrendous pitches and getting kicked all over the place.

However, if the top players from the past followed the same training and fitness programmes as players do today they would be just as good.

Oh absolutely today’s players wouldn’t survive the physicality. One of the reason I respect what Best and Maradonna especially could do. The tackles they got everytime they got the ball was insane.

 

[Judge Jules]

Best could put those tackles in as well, and did at times when the ball wasn't reaching him in any given game. Had his life off the field stayed on track as he got older I reckon he would gradually have played in deeper positions and done that very well too.

 

[bluebell]

I need names

Fergies Triple winning team vs Klopp's League winning team. Liverpool would win 7-8 times out of 10.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

The players of yesteryear would get eaten alive in today’s game.

John Barnes just texted me a ROFLMAO emoji.

 

[Whaddapie]

Essien is very underrated, for me... I know most think he was very good, but I think he was as good as I've ever seen play the position, and should get more seriously considered when we do this best ever conversation. That dirty, cynical, 'tactical fouling' bastard Brazilian who played in the hole for cheaters FC was just soooooooooo fucking good, too. For me, it's between those two. Our own Fabs was the best for a year or two, but his drop off was equally rapid and spectacular, I'm afraid.

A slight aside: Was listening to a tribute for Bobby Charlton recently, and the question was asked who has been most like him as a player, in the more modern game... Several names were thrown in, but not the obvious one, for me... Am I nuts for thinking that Lothar Matthaus is as close as we've seen to what Bobby used to do? Happy to be told I'm wrong, but I've never seen another player who would remind me of those old highlights as much as he did.

 

[tombrown]

I think everyone has missed the obvious answer ... the best No. 6 was in Madrid on 1st June 2019

 

[Modo]

Fergies Triple winning team vs Klopp's League winning team. Liverpool would win 7-8 times out of 10.

Yes but how far back are we going? I think Rijkaard and Davids could play today for instance.

 

[StevieM]

I need names

Roy Keane.

 

[Modo]

Roy Keane.

Agreed.

 

[keniget]

Essien is very underrated, for me... I know most think he was very good, but I think he was as good as I've ever seen play the position, and should get more seriously considered when we do this best ever conversation. That dirty, cynical, 'tactical fouling' bastard Brazilian who played in the hole for cheaters FC was just soooooooooo fucking good, too. For me, it's between those two. Our own Fabs was the best for a year or two, but his drop off was equally rapid and spectacular, I'm afraid.

A slight aside: Was listening to a tribute for Bobby Charlton recently, and the question was asked who has been most like him as a player, in the more modern game... Several names were thrown in, but not the obvious one, for me... Am I nuts for thinking that Lothar Matthaus is as close as we've seen to what Bobby used to do? Happy to be told I'm wrong, but I've never seen another player who would remind me of those old highlights as much as he did.

Essien was more of a box to box midfielder at his best, wasn't he?

Fernandinho was a great player for City but can't help but think a large part of what made him great was just the insane fitness / energy he had to get around the pitch. Plus the fact that he seemed to get away with fouling people a lot.

 

[Judge Jules]

A slight aside: Was listening to a tribute for Bobby Charlton recently, and the question was asked who has been most like him as a player, in the more modern game... Several names were thrown in, but not the obvious one, for me... Am I nuts for thinking that Lothar Matthaus is as close as we've seen to what Bobby used to do? Happy to be told I'm wrong, but I've never seen another player who would remind me of those old highlights as much as he did.

Tough question to answer. There are similarities between Charlton and Matthäus for sure but the latter was definitely a MF whereas Charlton (who got his start in their first team at outside-left and habitually wore no.9 once he established himself as a first choice) was a full-time attacking player who floated between midfield and the front line for both club and country. I'd say a closer parallel among German players might be Michael Ballack, but among modern-day players the first name that comes to my mind is Kevin de Bruyne. And yes, Charlton was that good - possibly the best English player I can remember.

 

[tomasjj]

 

[bluebell]

[article]
Obdulio Jacinto Muiños Varela (Spanish pronunciation: [oβˈðuljo βaˈɾela]; September 20, 1917 — August 2, 1996) was a Uruguayan football player. He was the captain of the Uruguay national team that won the 1950 World Cup after beating Brazil in the decisive final round match popularly known as the Maracanazo. He was nicknamed "El Negro Jefe" (The Black Chief) because of his dark skin and the influence he had on the pitch, especially during the unlikely victory over Brazil. He was of African, Spanish and Greek ancestry. Commonly regarded as one of the greatest classic holding midfielders, Varela was adept in defence and was renowned for his tenacity and leadership.[2] He is regarded as one of the greatest captains in football history,[3] and "he remains one of the biggest sporting heroes in Uruguay"
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