Players that could have been

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I dunno about Messi, but Sneijder was incredibly gifted. Incredible with both feet, too. Didn't have the commitment or work ethic though.

He could've had Jagr or Ronaldo work ethic he still wouldnt have come close lol.

 

[YNWA14]

He could've had Jagr or Ronaldo work ethic he still wouldnt have come close lol.

I don’t think you watched enough of Sneijder if you believe that.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I don’t think you watched enough of Sneijder if you believe that.

I don't think you've watched enough Messi if you believe that.

 

[YNWA14]

I don't think you've watched enough Messi if you believe that.

I don’t think he’d be as good as Messi, but given at his peak he should have probably won the Ballon d’Or and that was with a poor work ethic and commitment he could have definitely been even better and had much better longevity. I’d say a better version of KdB who is completely two footed is on the level of Ronaldo. Again, he was incredibly good in spite of his commitment to football, aside from including Messi in that quote he isn’t far off.

 

[les Habs]

Sneijder made some laughable comment like he'd have been as good as Messi and Ronaldo if he'd have put in the effort. He should concern himself more with the other players ahead of him especially those at his position.

Illaramendi

I think he's underrated. He's a top player IMO, not sure why he's still at Sociedad.

Well the thread is could have been and he really shouldn't have been a starter for the likes of Madrid. Squad player though for sure.

As @YNWA14 said though he's definitely underrated. Every year we do a draft I consider taking him and I think he rarely gets drafted.

I'm not sure why he was ever allowed back to La Real. Should have told him to f*** off to Athletic Club.

 

[Cassano]

Sneijder a weird case. How are you the alpha male and key player on a Treble winning team and then off to Galatasaray 2 years later?

 

[YNWA14]

Sneijder a weird case. How are you the alpha male and key player on a Treble winning team and then off to Galatasaray 2 years later?

Lack of commitment to the sport and didn't really take care of himself. Pretty sure he also was married then had an affair and then got married again and had a bunch more affairs while having a couple kids in between. I mean the guy once scored 22 goals and had 18 assists from cm (Ajax), he was like you said the key player for Inter on a treble winning side (he had something like 8 goals and 15 assists that season too) as well as joint top scorer at the World Cup that year and would have won the player of the tournament if Robben had finished either of the beautiful through balls Sneijder sent him 1 on 1 with. Could smash the ball with both feet, incredible vision, great touch and control...and the epitome of a big game player. Unfortunate that he just didn't have that work ethic and mentality to really make use of all of it. Even his first season at Galatasaray he had 17 goals 9 assists despite that.

 

[Savi]

Even at his peak I would never take Sneijder over KdB

 

[Ceremony]

Ryan Gauld

 

[Ajacied]

Even at his peak I would never take Sneijder over KdB

I sure as heck would.

 

[Savi]

I sure as heck would.

I'm shocked

 

[Chimaera]

I think some of the players listed are probably getting too bad of a rap. Sure, some might not have ended up as a top 10 player in the world, but many were solid pros in stints (even if their potential might have marked them for greatness at times). I wouldn't put Rafael van der Vaart on this list, even if he didn't reach heights he might have been able to hit. He was pretty good for Spurs, and did show some things at other big stops on his career. Was he a top talent? No, but he did have a career that many footballers would happily trade for.

There are some other spectacular flame outs that never really did much of anything after even shorter stints. I think there should be some quantifying with some of it.

 

[Gecklund]

Freddy Adu

 

[ScottishCanuck]

Bojan
Mendieta
Pato

 

[YNWA14]

I think some of the players listed are probably getting too bad of a rap. Sure, some might not have ended up as a top 10 player in the world, but many were solid pros in stints (even if their potential might have marked them for greatness at times). I wouldn't put Rafael van der Vaart on this list, even if he didn't reach heights he might have been able to hit. He was pretty good for Spurs, and did show some things at other big stops on his career. Was he a top talent? No, but he did have a career that many footballers would happily trade for.

There are some other spectacular flame outs that never really did much of anything after even shorter stints. I think there should be some quantifying with some of it.

I mean, the topic is 'that could have been'; I don't think that this excludes players that have still had decent careers. Guys like Rafael van der Vaart and Hatem ben Arfa were talented enough and largely believed to be the next best players of their generations. That they had decent careers doesn't detract from what could have been for them. I mean when Rafael van der Vaart was coming up there was a large contingent that believed he was the best prospect since Cruyff and he didn't even end up being a top 3 Dutch player of his generation, let alone say top 10 player in the world.

 

[les Habs]

I mean, the topic is 'that could have been'; I don't think that this excludes players that have still had decent careers. Guys like Rafael van der Vaart and Hatem ben Arfa were talented enough and largely believed to be the next best players of their generations. That they had decent careers doesn't detract from what could have been for them. I mean when Rafael van der Vaart was coming up there was a large contingent that believed he was the best prospect since Cruyff and he didn't even end up being a top 3 Dutch player of his generation, let alone say top 10 player in the world.

Yeah, misplaced Cruyff comparisons aside, it's about "that could have been" and a lot of the names mentioned might have been more.

 

[Chimaera]

Sure, I agree, the title is vague in that sense, but there's a degree that can still be considered.

I do think some of the hype on some players, and then ending up having a decent career is a note worthy concern.

But I still think there's a massive gap between a guy who was pretty good in the EPL and Bundesliga (he even had stints were he wasn't trash in La Liga) and someone who never cut it anywhere.

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Oliver torres
Mario Balo
Alli?

 

[The Abusement Park]

Oliver torres
Mario Balo
Alli?

Dele Alli? I feel like he hasn't really disappointed that much.

 

[Ajacied]

I'm shocked

Aside from replying with the obvious sarcasm, enlighten us..

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

I think Kevin Prince Boateng had the talent to be one of the best in the world at his position. Messed it up though from the start. The fact he still put together a pretty solid career speaks for itself because the dude did enough dumb stuff that would have caused a less talented player to disappear pretty quickly from the scene.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Oliver torres
Mario Balo
Alli?

Balotelli is a typical one. Indeed what could have been

 

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

Dele Alli? I feel like he hasn't really disappointed that much.

Idk hes been pretty awful this year. A few seasons ago he looked awesome.

 

[SSF]

Duncan Ferguson without his injuries and being able to control that rage would have been an interesting striker in England and for Scotland.

2 footed, good with his head and 6'4

 

[YNWA14]

Andy Carroll?