World Football

Kylian Mbappé Is Still Not on Neymar’s Level

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Many observers and pundits have argued that Kylian Mbappé has already surpassed Neymar, but with all due respect to Mbappé’s phenomenal talent and speed, Neymar is still the far superior player. Here’s why:

First Touch: Neymar vs. Mbappé

Neymar’s first touch is second to none, and only Lionel Messi has a comparable first touch. The Brazilian’s first touch is essentially on par with Ronaldinho’s, and Ronaldinho had the best touch of any player ever. As good as Mbappé is, he doesn’t have the same velvet-soft first touch of Neymar.

Dribbling: Neymar vs. Mbappé

You could argue that Messi is the world’s best dribbler because he easily ghosts through crowds of players, but Neymar certainly has way more tricks in his trick bag. The reality is that Messi never displays the tricks that Neymar uses to blow past defenders. The Argentine uses small changes of direction and speed to beat defenders, and Mbappé doesn’t have the repertoire of tricks that Neymar executes effortlessly. Neymar’s tricks aren’t just flashy with no result; he uses his tricks to blow past defenders and charge the penalty area. Neymar leaves defenders for dead, which is why he is so savagely hacked by defenders who can’t keep up with him.

Passing: Neymar vs. Mbappé

Mbappé can certainly deliver a good pass, but Neymar utilizes both feet interchangeably to deploy short passes, long passes, chips in the air, final balls through the defense, and service off corner kicks and dead balls. Neymar is arguably the best passer in all of European football, and he showcased this with Barcelona when he led Europe in assists one year when Messi was injured. When the PSG Number 10 plays with Brazil, the entire passing goes through Neymar where he receives the ball and releases it and it’s immediately played back to him again as he leads his team toward goal. For all the talk of Neymar being a selfish player, there isn’t much proof of that in his passing statistics for PSG or Brazil.

Shooting: Neymar vs. Mbappé

Mbappé’s shooting is nowhere close to that of Neymar. The Brazilian is just a much better striker of the ball than the Frenchman, and he’s also more accurate and ruthless in his finishing. Mbappé hasn’t really shown an ability to take free kicks well yet, but maybe he simply is down the pecking order on both of his teams. Nevertheless, based on their play with PSG, one would have to say that Neymar is a much more dangerous striker of the ball with both feet. You wouldn’t be wrong in saying that any kind of goal that the Brazilian can score with his right foot he can also score with his left.

Conclusion: Neymar vs. Mbappé

Mbappé is a true prodigy, and he’s a joy to watch with speed that’s God given. But that doesn’t make him better than Neymar. Being the best Brazilian player since Ronaldinho is really saying something, and Neymar is on track to eclipse Pelé’s goal-scoring record for Brazil. Don’t forget that Neymar is also lightning fast, and no defender can really catch him except maybe Rafael Varane, who could have been an Olympic sprinter.

Neymar has some qualities that seem to annoy some people, but calling Mbappé better is disrespectful and just not accurate.

 

 

Neymar Needs a Big 2019

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The Brazilian superstar Neymar needs a big 2019 as Kylian Mbappe has taken some of the spotlight off him, and he was once again unsuccessful at winning the Ballon d’Or. There can be no denying his talent and consistently great performances for club and country, and the Brazilian is perhaps the most skilled player in world football. Any close analysis of how he plays reveals a two-footed mastery of dribbling, passing, and scoring within a team concept. To deny him of this is to have an agenda.

Nevertheless, Neymar has been under attack and the object of ridicule somewhat unfairly since the 2018 World Cup. Some criticism of Neymar at the World Cup was deserved as Neymar frequently did 10 rolls too many when only one was needed when avoiding injury from hackers. The Brazil Number 10 is an expert at avoiding ankle and knee injuries from the frequent dirty tackles that he receives where only his jumping and pulling up his feet and knees saves him from serious injury. For Neymar to simply allow people to take out his legs without jumping out of the way and tucking would be madness. But, at the 2018 World Cup Neymar rolled too much, and he made a spectacle of himself. He cut a ridiculous figure where his sensationalized rolls took away from his brilliance with the ball, and it appears that he has eliminated the excessive rolling.

As simplistic as it sounds, Neymar’s combination of electric speed and quickness combined with his skill makes him unique. A close comparison of Neymar to Cristiano Ronaldo displays how much better the Brazilian is at individual tricks and dribbling. Cristiano Ronaldo as good as he is lifts his feet too high off the ground for his stepovers and doesn’t really go anywhere after doing them whereas the Brazilian’s are smooth and low to the ground, plus he explodes past his defender after executing one. This type of skill makes Neymar the world’s best dribbler even though Lionel Messi also dribbles through seas of defenders. Neymar has the skill needed to win the next Ballon d’Or, but it will be an extremely difficult task, as he must defeat Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mbappe.

The Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil 10 will need a dominant showing in the Champions League, and he will need to win the Champions League while playing better than Mbappe. This last part will be the hardest because trying to outplay Mbappe will negatively affect PSG’s play. Continuing to look to win and combine with the France World Cup winner is the best recipe for Neymar to win the Ballon d’Or.

Neymar has garnered some hatred and annoyance from many football fans, and he’ll have to be less odious in 2019 if he wants to win the 2019 Ballon d’Or. Losing to Luka Modric this year has to have bothered Neymar as Modric didn’t win the World Cup, and it’s proof that you don’t have to be Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to win it. Of all the players in world football, Neymar has the most tools at his disposal to win the Ballon d’Or, and it’s hard to believe that it along with winning the Champions League isn’t his top priority this year.

 

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Who Should Start for the USMNT Against England and Italy?

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The United States Men’s National Teams (USMNT) takes on England and Italy in the wake of taking on two strong South American sides in Colombia and Peru. Here is the lineup that this site believes should start.

USMNT Goalkeeper

With Zack Steffen having to withdrawal from this U.S. camp with an injury, Brad Guzan is the first-choice goalkeeper, but it’s possible Jonathan Klinsmann gets to start. It’s in the best interest of the U.S. to give Guzan plenty of minutes as he is an experienced and talented goalkeeper that isn’t very old. The U.S. will need him down the road, and they should keep him sharp.

USMNT Defense

There are some lineup dilemmas in the defense, but Reggie Cannon has really proven that he’s the best right back in the player pool. He’s even better than DeAndre Yedlin, Eric Lichaj, and Shaq Moore. Cannon looked very smooth and very good and very comfortable in his first cap with the U.S. Some players are just good, and Cannon definitely showed that’s he’s an impressive player who quickly locked down his starting spot. As fast as Yedlin is, he simply doesn’t have Cannon’s ability. Cannon’s fast too. Really fast.

Matt Miazga has looked like the best American center back for several months now, and John Brooks is likely his best center back partner. There’s still a battle going on in between Cameron Carter-Vickers, Brooks, Nate Parker, Aaron Long, and Erik Palmer-Brown, and we honestly don’t know who’s better.

At left back, Jorge Villafaña has always played well for the U.S. He’s great going forward and he defends well. He also uses both feet well, so when he cuts inside, he can actually pass, dribble, and shoot well with his weaker right foot. Nevertheless, Antonee Robinson has shown similar qualities. He did get burned by some elite Colombian attackers, but does that really make him not good and not deserving of the starting spot?

USMNT Midfield

Without Michael Bradley on this roster, the real battle is a three-way one between Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Kellyn Acosta for two of the three midfield spots. The third midfield spot needs to be given to Sebastian Lletget due to his overall quality and playmaking ability. In addition to covering plenty of ground defensively and facilitating possession, Lletget is a special attacking talent who creates goals and scores goals. After Christian Pulisic, Lletget is the best U.S. player. The team needs that transition between the midfield and attack, and both McKennie and Adams lack that next level of creativity and attacking skill that Lletget provides. Lletget should be playing his soccer in Europe in Serie A, La Liga, Ligue 1, or the Bundesliga. His skill-level is at that level. With Lletget playing, Pulisic, Timothy Weah, and Bobby Wood or Josh Sargent should be getting more goals.

USMNT Forwards/Attack

There’s no question that Christian Pulisic will be starting, but who else will start? Timothy Weah has looked too dangerous and too fast and quick not to start. His style of playing combined with his speed and skill create a lot of scoring chances for the U.S. Either Bobby Wood or Josh Sargent at the center forward is a good option. People still seem to downplay Wood’s abilities, but he’s an exciting and effective Number 9. He finishes well, plus he has great off the ball movement and excellent speed. Wood is also a Bundesliga striker. Compared to say Jozy Altidore, Wood is better at getting behind defenders and going straight to goal. Sargent is also good at these things, and we still don’t know who’s better. Maybe playing both of them would make the U.S. much more dangerous against top national teams, but playing both would take away a midfielder from the lineup.

Final USMNT Lineup:

GK: Brad Guzan

RB: Reggie Cannon

CB: Matt Miazga

CB: John Brooks

LB: Jorge Villafaña

CM: Weston McKennie

CM: Tyler Adams

RW: Timothy Weah

AM: Sebastian Lletget

LW: Christian Pulisic

CF: Bobby Wood

 

Arturo Vidal Is an Outstanding Signing for Barcelona

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Arturo Vidal was an excellent signing for Barcelona, despite criticism to the contrary, and the Chilean is a world-class midfielder who fits Barcelona’s style of play. Vidal is a technical center midfielder who defends and attacks well, and this why Barcelona signed him when they had the chance.

Arturo Vidal is easily one of the very best two-way center midfielders in the world

Many pundits and journalists questioned the signing of the Chilean Number 8 claiming that he didn’t fit the profile of a Barcelona player, but the profile of a Barcelona player is one with outstanding technical ability who plays one-to-two touch soccer. This is exactly how Vidal plays. Any descriptions of Vidal as primarily a toughness player or an athletic player are inaccurate.

Anyone who has seen Vidal play for Chile with Alexis Sanchez and the rest of the squad for the last five years would never doubt Vidal’s ability to play Barcelona’s style of play. The reality is that Barcelona have a history of signing the top South American players, and Vidal is arguably the best box-to-box midfielder in the world, and he even scores a lot of goals for a midfielder.

There’s a myth that only players exactly like Xavi Hernandez or Andrés Iniesta or Sergio Busquerts are Barcelona players, but this isn’t the case. For example, Lionel Messi doesn’t play like those players. Despite being a world-class passer, Messi’s game is primarly based on dribbling past defenders and going straight to goal. Messi doesn’t pass you to death. He attacks the goal relentlessly.

Vidal is exactly the player Barcelona needs to win the Champions League again. He helps Barcelona both in its defending in the midfield and in its passing and attacking play. As good as Ivan Rakitic is, he’s nothing close to Vidal who possesses a level of skill on the ball and athleticism that Rakitic lacks. Vidal’s shooting, scoring, and dead balls bear witness to the Vidal difference. Ever as a penalty taker, the Chilean is known for crushing unstoppable penalties into the upper corner.

There has been a lot of criticism of off the field issues for Vidal, but there’s really no evidence that these have affected his play or that his playing level has dropped from his Juventus days. As a Bayern Munich player, Vidal wasn’t used enough due to Bayern’s tendency to rotate players and even change those same player’s positions.

For all the criticism of Vidal’s character, it’s important to remember that people criticized Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho too. Ronaldinho was essentially run out of Barcelona and tossed overboard for supposedly being fat, but even today several years into retirement Ronaldinho looks trim and his weight appears essentially the same as when he played.

As well as Paulinho played last season, Vidal should play even better as he is a level above Paulinho in his technical skill and defending. Vidal should prove to be not only a Barcelona style player but also a standout and reference point for the Catalan giants.

France Is Now the 2018 World Cup Favorite

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With only four teams left in the 2018 World Cup, France is now the clear favorite to win the tournament. From the goalkeeper to the center forward, France has the most talented squad in the tournament, and several scuffles against Uruguay in the quarterfinals likely strengthened team unity and resolve.

Kylian Mbappe is easily France’s best play. The 19-year-old forward can beat anyone off the dribble with speed or skill, and he can score with either foot. Against Argentina in the first round of the knockout rounds, Mbappe not only scored two goals, but he also made unstoppable runs behind the defense for his teammates to simply chip the ball to him on the run. On two occasions, his teammates hit him 50 yard passes in the air that he softly brought down only to get hacked by Argentina. This ability to blow past defenders and instantly control passes out of the air made him impossible to defend without fouling. The French forward is also excellent 1v1 in tight spaces from a standstill, and this combined with his passing makes him the best player left in the tournament and arguably the best player for the entire tournament.

France also boasts a world-class midfield anchored by N’Golo Kante as the defensive midfielder who is widely regarded as the best in the world at that position, and the midfield also includes Paul Pogba and either Corentin Tolisso or Blaise Matuidi. Pogba is something of a hybrid midfielder as he is center midfielder with a playmaker and Number 10 skillset. Pogba is next to impossible to push off the ball, and his individual skill level with the ball is world-class. Matuidi has been a very consistent performer for France who always provides non-stop running and defending for France, but his technical skill is a level below Tolisso’s. Tolisso is smoother technically and uses both feet whereas Matuidi is primarily left-footed. Nevertheless, Matuidi always performs, and he does occasionally score. Deschamps might have a difficult decision picking between the two.

France’s defense is also world-class. The two French center backs, Raphael Varane and Samuel Umtiti, both start for Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively, and how many national teams can say that their two center backs start for those two clubs? The fullbacks or outside backs for France have been excellent despite being considered the back-ups by most people. Djibril Sidibe and Benjamin Mendy were supposed to be the starters, but Benjamin Pavard and Lucas Hernandez have been excellent. One starts for Stuttgart and one starts for Atletico de Madrid, so neither were unknowns playing for small clubs.

France is the second best talent producer in the world after Brazil, so it’s no surprise that France has a stacked squad again who are performing well in the World Cup. France had deep runs in 1998, 2006, and 2014, so France often perform well in the tournament.

This World Cup is France’s to lose, and not winning the 2018 World Cup at this point would have to be viewed as a choke or at least a failure. The tournament is cleared of all the killer shark teams like Germany, Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, so France should win.

Kylian Mbappe Is the Fourth Best Player in the World

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The French phenomenon Kylian Mbappe improves every game for France and Paris Saint-Germain, and he is already the fourth best player in world football.

Recently, Mbappe has greatly improved his passing and left foot. Both skills were likely already high, but Mbappe has been showcasing both recently. The French forward has been making a habit of threading through balls through crowds of defenders recently, whereas in the past he mostly just showcased his 1v1 dribbling ability and electric speed. Earlier in the season, Mbappe was providing plenty of assists, but now he has been executing incisive through balls through the defense. This added feature of his game just makes him even better.

The French attacker has also increased the use of his left foot for shooting, passing, and dribbling, which makes him much harder to defend and contain. While claims that Mbappe could be better than Neymar are premature, there aren’t totally crazy as Mbappe is good enough to make such a comparison. Even compared to Isco, Paulo Dybala, Coutinho, and Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe is a cut above. His breathtaking speed and world-class technical ability make him above everyone in world football with the exception of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

While Mbappe has displayed his ability to finish in the box with both feet at the near post and at the far post, he hasn’t of yet been scoring goals from outside the box or off free kicks. This will probably be the next area where Mbappe raises his game, and the only reason he hasn’t been scoring these types of goals is probably because his speed allows him to get really close to goal.

Of all the players in the world, Mbappe is one of only three players who can simply just dribble past defenders and go straight to goal. It’s a wonder that he simply doesn’t just dribble past defenders from half field and go all the way to the goal more often. Mbappe isn’t just a speed merchant, and thinking of him that way would be a mistake.

 

Coutinho Has Already Impressed at Barcelona

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Philippe Coutinho has stood out and impressed in all of his games for Barcelona so far, and this last weekend he proved once again along with Ousmane Dembele to be a worthy partner for Lionel Messi.

Coutinho received rave reviews while playing for Liverpool in the English Premier League, but it’s fair to say that he was still wildly underrated on a global scale. One could argue that Brazil really began to see a resurgence under its coach Tite when Coutinho began starting for the Seleção. This last thing was the real indicator of just how good Coutinho was. Anyone who can stand out for Brazil when Neymar is also playing is really a special player.

The individual skill and dribbling of Philippe Coutinho stood out when he was just a teenager with Inter Milan, and now with Barcelona, it’s clear that Coutinho was exactly the caliber and type of attacking player that Barcelona needed. Barcelona needed another player like Andrés Iniesta, and don’t believe any of the rumors that Iniesta is really close to retiring at only 33 years old. El Ilusionista will be playing at a magical and world-class level for at least two more seasons.

With Barcelona, Coutinho has shown that he not only has the individual skill for a club like Barcelona, but he also has the passing ability to fit in instantly with Barcelona. Coutinho excels at quick one-to-two touch passing, long distance passing, and incisive passes to open up the defense and create goals. The Brazilian also knows how to score.

Even before the Brazilian was sold to Barcelona, Coutinho was one of the top five players in the world, but that fifth place spot was a tie between Coutinho, Isco, and Paulo Dybala. Now, Coutinho has to be considered by himself in that fifth place spot below Lionel Messi, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé. You could argue that Coutinho is better than Mbappé because of the combination of the Brazilian’s passing, dribbling, scoring, and free kick ability, but Mbappé’s combination of skill and speed are even more impressive than Coutinho’s. Known mostly for his speed, Mbappé has already shown that he can leave defenders for dead with inventive and magical trickery. The French winger and forward also scores with both feet and provides plenty of assists.

Ray Hudson provided the commentary for beIN Sports for the Barcelona-Athletic match, and Hudson noted how he had underrated Coutinho’s ability to turn away from defenders and navigate tight spaces. The Brazilian’s ability to elude defenders is probably his best quality, and if Neymar is still injured when the 2018 World Cup arrives, then Brazil will need Coutinho even more.

 

Player Profile: Mario Balotelli

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Mario Balotelli was widely hailed as a prodigy from when he first began playing for Inter Milan at age 17, and since then he has played for Manchester City, AC Milan, Liverpool, and now Nice. Say what you want about Balotelli, but that list of clubs shows that time and time again top clubs rated the Italian very highly.

Balotelli’s career statistics and exploits haven’t matched his talent and athletic ability yet, but he has been on a good run of form for over a year now with Nice in Ligue 1. This season the Italian has eight goals in 12 games.

Here is a look at Balotelli’s qualities and weaknesses:

Mario Balotelli is world-class technically.

Technically, Mario Balotelli is an amazing footballer, and without a doubt world-class. Whether you look at his individual dribbling ability or his ability to use both feet or his passing or his finishing or his ball-striking ability, the Italian’s technique is textbook. Not only is his technique textbook, but it’s also graceful and effortless. His ability is so impressive compared to his career statistics that it infuriates people who expected so much more by now. Nevertheless, Balotelli boasts a velvet soft first touch that makes him like Velcro with his ball control. The Italian is also able to easily executes advanced dribbling tricks that few professionals would even dare to attempt in matches. As a center forward, Balotelli is a clinical finisher with ice-cold nerves in front of goal. Despite being a striker, the Italian is an elite passer who can dissect any defense.

Mario Balotelli is a world-class athlete.

No one in world football can compete with Mario Balotelli physically in terms of speed and power. Kylian Mbappe is possibly slightly faster, but if he is, it’s not by much. The Italian is a human rubber band in terms of flexibility, and this has allowed him to pull off some very impressive controls, volleys, and half volleys. Balotelli is impossible to push off the ball or outmuscle, and this makes his shielding second to none. All of this athleticism would mean nothing without good technique and skill, but Balotelli has world-class technique as well.

Mario Balotelli plays big in big games.

Balotelli has a reputation as a big game player. His two goals in the semifinal against Germany in the 2012 Euro Cup come to mind. In that game, Balotelli destroyed Mats Hummels and Manuel Neuer on an unstoppable solo goal where he took Hummels of f the dribble and blasted an outside of the foot shot past the German goalkeeper. Balotelli also scored in Italy’s opening game of the 2014 World Cup in Manaus in extreme heat and humidity.  The Italian became an easy scapegoat for Italian fans and their football federation after failing to go deep into the tournament.

Mario Balotelli easily loses focus during games and starts walking around the field.

The one real flaw with Mario Balotelli’s play is that he easily loses focus during games when he begins complaining to the referees about missed calls. His playing ability and athleticism are so world-class that he should be instantly refocusing on the game after making a comment to a referee. Time and time again, the Italian striker will simply stop making runs and stop being involved in the game after getting annoyed with a referee. He must learn to refocus on the game and keep playing. This one thing has stopped him from being consistently world-class every season since his debut with Inter Milan at 17. Anyone who saw Balotelli fill in for the injured Zlatan Ibrahimovic that season can attest to the fact that Balotelli was an elite striker from almost his first Inter game. Balotelli must be active and direct for all 90 minutes instead of checking out of games and walking around the pitch doing nothing.

 

Neymar: A Football Grandmaster at 25

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At 25 years old, Neymar is already a footballing grandmaster, and he’s not even at the height of his powers. Here is a look at several of the magisterial qualities of the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain Number 10.

Neymar is the most technically-skilled player in world football.

Neymar’s dribbling, passing, and shooting are all world-class with both feet. Lionel Messi basically doesn’t use his right foot, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s dribbling and passing is nowhere near as good as Neymar’s. The Brazilian’s technique is perfect with his dribbling tricks, passing, and ball-striking techniques. Even more so than Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, the Paris Saint-Germain Number 10 displays more skill on the ball. It might be controversial to say that Neymar has better technical ability than Messi, but Neymar’s totally mastery of the ball with both feet gives him the edge over the Argentine, who is widely regarded as the best footballer of all time.

Neymar performs equally well for club and country.

Not all players play equally well for club and country, but Neymar does. This itself is impressive because it means Neymar isn’t dependent on certain players to perform. Neymar is a team player, and he thrives whether he is playing with club teammates or Brazilian teammates on the Seleção. The Brazil Number 10 already has a track record of performing well in the World Cup, in the Champions League, and two top European club leagues.

Neymar is a showman who plays with magic.

Like Ronaldinho and Ronaldo before him, Neymar is a Brazilian attacker who plays with magic and is worth the price of admission. Neymar is a player who is always deserving of watching. No matter who the Brazilian is playing against, Neymar is a joy to watch. When you watch Neymar, you are guaranteed magically dribbling, passing, and attacking play. Plus, the Brazilian is always highly-likely to score.

Neymar has world-class statistics

In both goals and assists, Neymar puts up huge numbers. Recently, Neymar was the top assist provider in all of Europe. For all the talk of Neymar’s dribbling and individual play, Neymar is a world-class passer and assist provider. If you play with Neymar, he will pass you the ball and set you up to score. Neymar’s scoring is well-known and well-documented. The Brazilian basically scores a goal per game, and the goals come in the big games as well.

Despite popular opinion, Neymar takes a beating from defenders and is tough.

Neymar has long been portrayed as a diver who fakes contact and rolls around on the ground. The reality is much different. Neymar knows how to avoid horror tackles and hackers by lifting up his knees and throwing his legs up to avoid awkward twists to his ankles and knees. Anyone who watches Neymar play sees the constant body checks, kicks to the shins, and stepping on the toes that he endures. Neymar would be stupid to not avoid these fouls and just let himself get injured.