re Cronaldo – i think he’s a sight to behold on the break but when his team is trying to build a move in the final third, he too often takes momentum out of the move with his dribbling and fancy touches with no final product to show for it.

Gerrard v Messi – How do you compare the two? They are so different, it’s not even worth it. Neither can do what the other can. Silly

C. Ronaldo v Pirlo – I think C. Ronaldo would run away with the FIFA Player of the Year award if he could only learn to pass better. Honestly. The kid’s ability to shoot, dribble, and create are off the charts. He is faster than Ronaldinho, better dribbler than Kaka, as good a shot as any…Pirlo meanwhile, is one of the best passers in Europe…aaaand that’s it. He doesn’t defend well, he possesses no speed, dribbling is average, ballwinning is marginal (he is simply a small guy). If he can’t pass to anyone, he can’t make a difference. C. Ronaldo is one of the few players (Gerrard, Kaka, Messi, and Ronaldinho being the others) who can put an entire team on his shoulders. Ronaldo by a mile.

Sneijder v Deco – One is on the way up, the other on the way down. I think they have just met in the middle. Next year, this will not be the case. So I’ll go with Sneijder.

Thuram v Puyol – I think everybody else has already said it, but Puyol is now. Thuram, as good as he still is, was then.

Nesta v Terry – Nesta. No justification needed.

Totti v Rooney – Totti, simply because he is the more polished, mature player – Although that’s not saying much when comparing these two. Short fuse, anyone? Anyways, Totti is the better dribbler, finisher and passer, while they push on shooting and physical attributes. Totti wins.

Goalies: I’m sorry, I am a Red through and through, but there is NO – I repeat, NO- comparison between Cech and Reina. Reina gets caught out to much in the air (although he is getting better), and he gets frazzled sometimes. Cech is a rock. There is no weakness in his game.

Defense:
1) Stevie Finnan deserves to be listed here. The man plays mistake-free football. He can attack and defend equally well and he is big enough to handle centre-back duties as well. Class player who doesn’t get stuck in and plays unselfishly.

Midfield – Yes, Essien had one great season, but the fact of the matter is that he is a beast, who can play almost anywhere on the pitch. There is not a single other player on this list who possesses the versatility and energy of this guy. And I HATE Chelski.
I also think to leave out Claude Makelele is a grave, grave offense to the man who still defines the pinnacle of the holding midfielder role. It is no coincidence that every team that picks this man up immediately notices an upswing in results. I do not need to say anymore. I will allow this guy named Zidane to say the rest: (After Madrid sold Makelele and bought Beckham) “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine? “ Nuff Said.

Forwards: To be honest, Rooney has not pushed himself up here yet for me. He will eventually be here, but not quite yet. Has to mature a little, keep his head about him more often.
Whoever thinks Ibrahimovic belongs on this list is laughing. Please refer to opening paragraph for explanation.
Dimitar Berbatov deserves some recognition here too as well. No club would turn down the chance to start him.

Goalies: Buffon, Cech, Casillas
Defense: Thuram, Nesta, Terry, Zambrotta, Zanetti, Alves, Ramos, Puyol
Midfield: Kaka, Gerrard, Ronaldinho, C. Ronaldo, Essien, Makelele, Pirlo, Totti
Forwards: Henry, Messi, Berbatov, Eto’o, Drogba, Van Nistelrooy

eirik – nice shout on ramos although he was a little inconsistent at the start of last season. he definitely get’s bonus points for being a lucky defender – being on a team that won its league when it had absolutely no right to do so.

adam – i had to leave terry off. compared to the rest of the squad he had no chance. he’s a rock and a great defender but i prefer the make-up and superior ball-playing ability of cannavaro, nesta and thuram…

on second thoughts, i’d probably drop rooney for totti – although it’d be nice to have a player who wasn’t a walking red card…

Nway u’ll ask bout sheva but if u can ans on ballack i’ll too,Torres has been there due to the perfomance he gave on Atl.M,has been scoring though not in the best team leave alone being playing alone up front….Essien/Drogba/C.ronaldo only had a best season we dont know if they can be consistent…Thuram/Cannavaro never good at all last season…Rooney havent scored 20 since his arival in Manure land…Sneijer only the begining…Eto’o not consistent(glass boy)…

Nway there are some players who are trully consistent but they havent made in the Likes of Finnan(for Alves)…Nway Stil the list looks gud….

I stil wonder why chelsea Fans they havent tokd bout their FatBoi Lamp while whenever they hear SG they tend to respond by Lamps….

Atlast we’re gettn somewhere

Defender: I would add Terry as well purely for how dominant and important he is to Chelsea. Whilst it’s true he has an awesome midfield ahead of him, the guy rarely puts a foot wrong and you really can’t ask for more. Question marks over Cannavaro, Thuram, Lahm and Zambro atm for me but, Lahm’s still young and those 3 are definitely on the slope down. And can Alves really be classed as a defender? =P

Midfielders: I don’t think Sneijder’s worldclass, a great start to La Liga doesn’t mean he’s automatically in the same class as Gerrard. If Totti can still be classed as a midfielder I would add him, the guy’s srsly underrated out of Italy, and is much closer to Zidane’s level than what many people are willing to admit.

Strikers: Even though I really don’t like him, RVN is a worldclass striker, the guy has scored goals everywhere he’s gone, and for someone in his first season of spanish football, to be pichichi is an awesome achievement.

Sneijder is far from world-class, Cronaldo would be there also but he is not better than Messi, Totti or Ibra…

that team would reck havok to any team in the galaxy… Mexes might be debatable to some people that don’t follow Roma but to me he is right now one of th ebest defenderrs n the world

and how coul dyou not mention Puyol in your defenders list? he is one of the most ferotios defenders out there