Best players to play at a WC (The noone has ever seen Di Stefano or Puskas play)

[Bon Esprit]

I'm not trying to be deliberately obtuse, I just don't fully understand what the original question is about...
Best player to have watched on TV in a WC? In person, live?
A player having the best tournament? Best game?

Best player - Messi. It doesn't necessarily mean he had his best games there, but he's the best player I've watched, anywhere, ever.

Best game - probably Zidane vs Brasil in 2006. (I didn't watch Mexico 86 live, Italy 1990 was my first "live" tournament)

Best tournament - maybe Kahn in 2002. That German side had Ballack and Kahn (Scheider was decent) and made it to the final.
Kahn was unreal, making key save after key save every game (until giving up a soft one in the final).

Many live in regions where it's simply almost impossible to watch WC games live. So watching games live on tv also counts.

 

[Eye of Ra]

fredrik ljungberg

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

I'm young and also didn't become a serious viewer or fan until 2012, so I'll go through Euros 2012 and 2016 + WC 2014.

The performances I truly remember from Euro2012 are Jordi Alba and Mesut Ozil (until the semis, in which he was godawful). Iniesta won the Golden Ball, but Alba was the player on that Spanish squad who really impressed me, mainly because I already knew that Xaviesta were world class, whereas Alba was more unknown to me.

Robben in 2014 played some of the best football I've ever seen, he was absolutely lights out. He had a really bad Euro2012 (as did the rest of the Dutch squad), so I was blown away by how dominant he was in Brazil. The other guy who I don't think gets enough credit when people talk about that WC (conversations generally, justifiably, focus on James, Messi, Muller, Robben, etc.) is Mats Hummels. He and Boateng were dominant in that tournament.

Euro2016 was just all Griezmann all the time. I know lots of people here were still skeptical at that time about how high of a level he could hit (@Evilo specifically, I do recall), and holy mother of god was he good.

 

[The Abusement Park]

One that sticks out to me is Buffon in 06. I remember that he was just incredible during that tourney and only gave like 2 or 3 goals during the whole tourney if I remember correctly.

 

[cgf]

Kahn in 2002 & Schmeichel 92 where ridiculous, since we’re reminiscing about goalies dominating tourneys. Kahn made one mistake in that tourney, and Phenomeno turned it into a backbreaking goal.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Kahn in 2002 & Schmeichel 92 where ridiculous, since we’re reminiscing about goalies dominating tourneys. Kahn made one mistake in that tourney, and Phenomeno turned it into a backbreaking goal.

I’m a little biased but I’ve always thought Schmeichel was the best ever. Dude commanded his box like no other, and was just straight up unbeatable at times. I totally forgot about Kahn, but there’s no way he’s better than Neuer imo.

And Buffons 06 WC was insane as well. He had an incredible defense in front him to be fair, but some of the saves he made were incredible. I wanna say they set the record for least amount of goals conceded in one WC that year.

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

And Buffons 06 WC was insane as well. He had an incredible defense in front him to be fair, but some of the saves he made were incredible. I wanna say they set the record for least amount of goals conceded in one WC that year.

They tied France '98, and were later matched by Spain '10 (two goals conceded).

 

[The Abusement Park]

They tied France '98, and were later matched by Spain '10 (two goals conceded).

Jesus... that’s insane.

 

[cgf]

I’m a little biased but I’ve always thought Schmeichel was the best ever. Dude commanded his box like no other, and was just straight up unbeatable at times. I totally forgot about Kahn, but there’s no way he’s better than Neuer imo.

And Buffons 06 WC was insane as well. He had an incredible defense in front him to be fair, but some of the saves he made were incredible. I wanna say they set the record for least amount of goals conceded in one WC that year.

On the balance of their careers no, but Kahn was absolutely dominant in 2002

 

[The Abusement Park]

On the balance of their careers no, but Kahn was absolutely dominant in 2002

Oh no that I totally agree with. Keepers is something that I feel like Germany is always consistently pumping out good talent at.

 

[Evilo]

Euro2016 was just all Griezmann all the time. I know lots of people here were still skeptical at that time about how high of a level he could hit (@Evilo specifically, I do recall), and holy mother of god was he good.

Yeah I remember saying he didn't have a true weapon when played LW in the U19 Euro. Watched him live plenty of times, and the guy struck me as good at everything, but not great at anything.
Then he was placed at striker and there's no denying what he's done.

 

[cgf]

Yeah I remember saying he didn't have a true weapon when played LW in the U19 Euro. Watched him live plenty of times, and the guy struck me as good at everything, but not great at anything.
Then he was placed at striker and there's no denying what he's done.

Griez is a speedy version of Thomas Muller, their great weapon is their movement off the ball and instincts.

 

[gary69]

They tied France '98, and were later matched by Spain '10 (two goals conceded).

You mean conceded by champions, right? Third place Italy conceded only two in WC 1990 as well (same number of matches as champions).

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Zidane 06. Tops it off with a panenka in a WC finals. The balls on that man.

 

[Elliman]

For me in no order and for me this is a very personal list. I enjoyed all World Cup games. Nothing compares IMO.

Zidane 98’, 02’, 06’
Kahn - 02’ I believe he didn’t let in a single goal until WC final
Rivaldo
Cannavaro
Roger Milla 90’ - funny Roger sticks out for me in 1990 World Cup. I was only 9 but Cameroon and Milla made such a big impression on me.
Romario 90’+94’
Maldini - 90’, 94’, 98’, 02’ just an absolute joy to watch defending
Cafu - 94’, 98’, 02’, 06’
Matthaus 90’ 94’ 98’
Paul McGrath
Ronaldo - 98’ 02’ 06’
Hagi 94’
Thuram
Batistuta
Buffon
Deschamps 98’
Saeed Al-Owairan
Muller 2010

 

[Evilo]

Zidane had a poor WC 98.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Zidane had a poor WC 98.

Still at it with the blinkered, pro-French players agenda, I see.

 

[Evilo]

Yeah, so they say.

 

[crobro]

Golden boot winner Davor Suker in 1998

 

[John Pedro]

Diego Forlan in 2010
James Rodriguez in 2014
Zidane in 2006
Rivaldo in 2002

I'm much too young to remember past these years.

 

[Panteras]

El Hadji Diouf was great for Senegal in 02. I think that was my favorite African team of all times.

Baggio and Romario in 94, Suker in 98, R9 in 02, Zidane was a complete monster in 06, Forlan in 10 etc..

lot of different players have had breakout WC

 

[Suiteness]

Rivaldo gets shortchanged in these things I find. IMO, he was the best player in two consecutive World Cups, in both 1998 and 2002 (Granted, he was crap in the 1998 final but the entire Brazilian team was off on that day). He was an absolute monster in the 1999 Copa America as well.

 

[DashingDane]

My childhood hero... Michael Laudrup! 86 & 98 world cups.

"Who is the best player in history? Laudrup." - Andres Iniesta