I know you americans mostly won't care, but....

You people stop shitting up my thread!

Agreed. Stop pointless debating which soccer player is best when the reality is that soccer players are overall mediocre professional athletes.

Imagine if FIFA, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and even the PGA held some kind of insanely awesome round robin where all star teams played each other in their respective sports (like FIFA and NFL teams would play a game of soccer then a game of gridiron)* after some time to prepare. Even with the whole world to draw talent from FIFA would be firmly in the "might lose their own game" category with MLB. Hockey and Golf are specialized enough that they're probably safe from such humiliation, but not much chance for pulling off an upset either. Meanwhile the NFL and NBA could field a competitive team in just about any sport if they hide Barkley's clubs.

Soccer has mass appeal because it is so accessible both in terms of equipment (ball + field = go) and talent (can run + basic human kicking motor skills = ok). That isn't to say everyone can be good, but the vast majority of people can at least attempt to play which isn't necessarily true of other major sports, either for financial (Golf, Hockey, Gridiron) or talent/specialized skill set reasons.

*nobody gets to be called "football", to be fair
 
can't tell if this dude is trolling, blindly jingoistic, or just plain dumb. Congrats to the Germans though, clearly superior to everyone else at the tournament. Kind of makes our 1-0 loss to them look not so bad after all.
 
can't tell if this dude is trolling, blindly jingoistic, or just plain dumb. Congrats to the Germans though, clearly superior to everyone else at the tournament. Kind of makes our 1-0 loss to them look not so bad after all.

US played a great game against the Germans. I really enjoyed that match.
 
Agreed. Stop pointless debating which soccer player is best when the reality is that soccer players are overall mediocre professional athletes.

Imagine if FIFA, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and even the PGA held some kind of insanely awesome round robin where all star teams played each other in their respective sports (like FIFA and NFL teams would play a game of soccer then a game of gridiron)* after some time to prepare. Even with the whole world to draw talent from FIFA would be firmly in the "might lose their own game" category with MLB. Hockey and Golf are specialized enough that they're probably safe from such humiliation, but not much chance for pulling off an upset either. Meanwhile the NFL and NBA could field a competitive team in just about any sport if they hide Barkley's clubs.

Soccer has mass appeal because it is so accessible both in terms of equipment (ball + field = go) and talent (can run + basic human kicking motor skills = ok). That isn't to say everyone can be good, but the vast majority of people can at least attempt to play which isn't necessarily true of other major sports, either for financial (Golf, Hockey, Gridiron) or talent/specialized skill set reasons.

*nobody gets to be called "football", to be fair
Further derail: hockey is high stamina, high toughness, huge fine motor skill, and mental planning intensive. I think some of them could maybe take on pro golfers, soccer, and maybe baseball (if they could find pitchers.)

What about Olympic curlers!
 
Agreed. Stop pointless debating which soccer player is best when the reality is that soccer players are overall mediocre professional athletes.

Imagine if FIFA, NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and even the PGA held some kind of insanely awesome round robin where all star teams played each other in their respective sports (like FIFA and NFL teams would play a game of soccer then a game of gridiron)* after some time to prepare. Even with the whole world to draw talent from FIFA would be firmly in the "might lose their own game" category with MLB. Hockey and Golf are specialized enough that they're probably safe from such humiliation, but not much chance for pulling off an upset either. Meanwhile the NFL and NBA could field a competitive team in just about any sport if they hide Barkley's clubs.

Soccer has mass appeal because it is so accessible both in terms of equipment (ball + field = go) and talent (can run + basic human kicking motor skills = ok). That isn't to say everyone can be good, but the vast majority of people can at least attempt to play which isn't necessarily true of other major sports, either for financial (Golf, Hockey, Gridiron) or talent/specialized skill set reasons.

*nobody gets to be called "football", to be fair
If you are trying to say that a group of NFL players could take a year to prepare and then WIN an international soccer match you are out of your mind. The idea that athleticism transcends a lifetime of training is laughable. Ohocinco, a guy that grew up playing soccer and an NFL athlete, tried and failed hard to make an MLS team. An MLS team whose big star player is only a very mediocre US international. There is no chance that with 5 years of training that non soccer athletes could compete at a professional level. Ronaldo is a physical specimen to rival pretty much any NFL player and has played the game his entire life. There is no chance that a couple years of training would suddenly allow non soccer athletes to compete at that level.

I will never understand how for some people athleticism is the be all/end all of sports. The fact that guys that aren't elite athletes can develop elite skill and compete at elite levels is amazing.
 
Last edited:
I'd pay great money to watch Prince Fielder or Albert Haynesworth bumble around a soccer pitch for 90 minutes.
 
Just FYI, American Footbal actual play time is 11 minutes according to the Wall Street Journal. Sounds about right....plus that isn't flat out running, jogging....some of that is just standing there with your hands up, strafing side to side or the occational push/pull.

1 minute break in between 15 or so seconds of play......ya....

I'd like to say this too. Without going back and reading I recall a post that said something about it taking 'ok' skill to pass a ball and what not. LMAO! I played soccer when I was a kid for 4 years. Not until my last year, when I was 13 could I actually control that ball decent and send it off where I wanted it to go in order to make a play.

It is very difficult to control your legs, angle your feet (I don't have feet, I have A foot on a personal note) and boot the ball where you want it to go. You see these guys like Messi out there taking a freekick and slightly curving a ball and nailing the upper left/right part of the box. That skill is an amazing feat to achieve in life!
 
Hacky sack....

It's actually popular here in the US. Think of that too....it takes a lot of coordination to bounce that sack behind, put it back in the front and pass it off successfully to a friend. I'm trying to give comparisons.
 
I will never understand how for some people athleticism is the be all/end all of sports. The fact that guys that aren't elite athletes can develop elite skill and compete at elite levels is amazing.
Here are two names you might know:
Bo Jackson
Dion Sanders
and others:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...gue_Baseball_and_the_National_Football_League
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_multi-sport_athletes
I'm just saying...


I still think hockey (maybe basket ball but I think the player size is a stretch for endurance) is has best chance to dominate cross sport in soccer. Not to mention, many of them kick soccer balls around for fun... Soccer guys are generally giant pussies (like basketball players) so they wouldn't do well in real contact sports.

I'd add to Hesyous post about football players standing around: Most pro football players on the field are giving 100% all the time. There are exceptions by position, but especially in the last few minutes of the game or under QBs that play no huddle this is true. (There are game pauses, but 100% effort even over short duration is a lot. Soccer players don't give close to 100% all the time, though there are fewer breaks.)
 
First off six sports was a poor number of sports. We have to add Boxers and Tennis players to the mix for a nice bracketable 8.

If you are trying to say that a group of NFL players could take a year to prepare and then WIN an international soccer match you are out of your mind. The idea that athleticism transcends a lifetime of training is laughable. Ohocinco, a guy that grew up playing soccer and an NFL athlete, tried and failed hard to make an MLS team. An MLS team whose big star player is only a very mediocre US international. There is no chance that with 5 years of training that non soccer athletes could compete at a professional level. Ronaldo is a physical specimen to rival pretty much any NFL player and has played the game his entire life. There is no chance that a couple years of training would suddenly allow non soccer athletes to compete at that level.

I will never understand how for some people athleticism is the be all/end all of sports. The fact that guys that aren't elite athletes can develop elite skill and compete at elite levels is amazing.

You make a pretty bad case citing one idiot NFL player who didn't make a soccer team and pointing out that arguably the best soccer player of all time rivals your average NFL player's athleticism. Yes, knowing the game and developing the required skills is a huge part of any game, but varies from game to game. Your passive jab at me makes zero sense when you go back and read where I acknowledged that specialization makes Golf and Hockey all but immune to losing their own game.

I am saying the NFL or hockey or non-pussy (lol Daffie) NBA players would stand a chance in the soccer game whereas the soccer players would be completely and utterly destroyed within the first few minutes playing the other game. I can even use my cat beard powers to divine exactly how each game would go:

FIFA v. NFL (soccer)
After what feels like an eternity of edge of your seat excitement the final score 0-0 as the NFL team played defense and relied on superior strength and conditioning to carry the day. Record set for most fair charges in a game.

NFL v. FIFA (gridiron)
Sack, sack, sack, punt.
Run up the middle for 80 yard TD.
Sack, sack, sack, punt.
Run up the middle for 80 yard TD.
Sack, sack, ...
FIFA runs out of non injured players and has to forfeit

The NHL games are nearly identical, but the NBA games feature a lot more crotch in the face slam dunks.
 
Last edited:
To think that an NFL (or any other sport) team could hold a professional football team a 0-0 draw is laughable. You might not like soccer, but thinking NFL players can compete with footballers on athleticism alone is obtuse.

Bring your best NFL team (the Seattle Seahawks) and play them against the best club football team in the world (Real Madrid CF) and they wouldn't stand a chance. None.
 
I am in no way saying that soccer players would have a chance in any cross sport endeavor. Of course there's also no chance that NFL guys are gonna win cross sport either, although the prevalence of multi sport athletes in the US would make it easier for NFL guys to compete in other American sports. The only chance NFL/NBA guys would have against international quality soccer players would be to stand 11 seven foot tall players on the goal line and hope for a tie. There is no level of athleticism that can compensate for the skill advantage players like Messi have. You clearly have no concept of what it takes to be successful in soccer. As for Ronaldo, he is one of the most athletic soccer players I have ever seen. He's trained exclusively at soccer his entire life. He's also finished behind Leo Messi 4 of the last 5 years for World Player of the Year. I will say it again, there is no level of athleticism than can compensate for a lifetime of training when dealing with world class athletes.

And about Jackson, Sanders, etc. They played those sports their entire lives. They didn't decide to pick up baseball at 20 and play at the level they did.
 
Truly there is no finer place to discuss sports than on MMORPG forums.

Bring your best NFL team (the Seattle Seahawks)

What part of "all star teams" was confusing? You soccer guys must be too busy thinking up ways to justify the awful offsides rule to read since each and every one of you has put words in my mouth in this thread. In this particular case the NFL all star team would be quizzically loaded with CBs who can spend all day running step for step with some of the fastest guys in the world magically knocking them off their routes and deflecting balls without drawing interference flags. That skill set would translate terribly onto the soccer field, right?

I will say it again, there is no level of athleticism than can compensate for a lifetime of training when dealing with world class athletes.

I will say it again since apparently repetition is substitute for truth, your sentiment is somewhat accurate but varies greatly sport to sport. Take two people with no sports experience but reasonably bright and in good shape then teach one how to play soccer and the other how to play hockey. I will bet all the tea in China that the soccer guy will be a dribbling and passing and taking shots that the goalie has to acknowledge while the hockey player is still hitting the puck the wrong way before falling over. This goes back to one of the reasons soccer is so popular- talent accessibility.
 
Truly there is no finer place to discuss sports than on MMORPG forums.



What part of "all star teams" was confusing? You soccer guys must be too busy thinking up ways to justify the awful offsides rule to read since each and every one of you has put words in my mouth in this thread. In this particular case the NFL all star team would be quizzically loaded with CBs who can spend all day running step for step with some of the fastest guys in the world magically knocking them off their routes and deflecting balls without drawing interference flags. That skill set would translate terribly onto the soccer field, right?



I will say it again since apparently repetition is substitute for truth, your sentiment is somewhat accurate but varies greatly sport to sport. Take two people with no sports experience but reasonably bright and in good shape then teach one how to play soccer and the other how to play hockey. I will bet all the tea in China that the soccer guy will be a dribbling and passing and taking shots that the goalie has to acknowledge while the hockey player is still hitting the puck the wrong way before falling over. This goes back to one of the reasons soccer is so popular- talent accessibility.
I love the direction this thread has gone. More please!
 
This really is a trite argument. But yes, take all the best CB's, WR's, RB's, whatever in the NFL and put them up against Real Madrid and they still wouldn't stop them from scoring goals at will.
 
This really is a trite argument. But yes, take all the best CB's, WR's, RB's, whatever in the NFL and put them up against Real Madrid and they still wouldn't stop them from scoring goals at will.

ahahahahaAHAHAaHAHAHaHAaaha If you think anyone is going to do anything "at will" with Sherman or Amukamara (or Woodson/Sanders if we're going all time) breathing down their neck you just lost being worth bantering with.

Well, since we've covered gridiron and hockey lets discuss how tennis players are better athletes than soccer players: vastly superior hand eye coordination and upper body strength since they, you know, use their hands; faster paced game means better reflexes and dexterity; while soccer players travel further in a game (10k ish, big whoop in 90 minutes) tennis players cover insane distances like 5k in a a tiny little court, agility and stamina; significantly lower chance of getting kicked in the balls while playing tennis = wisdom; backspin takes intelligence; Agassi wore jean shorts, what charisma! Apparently tennis players have better character stats too.
 
Only just saw this thread,

Messi may or may not be the best player in the world but he is a very very good player.

Sergio Aguero has had some injury issues this year but again is a top class player.

is the goal Aguero scored in extra time with seconds to play on the final day to win the Premier League. Just about every top club in the world would want him if he became available.

Anyway you all miss the point about the German team: they are not generally a squad of super-stars but they are all very good players with a great work ethic that were marshalled incredibly well. In the game against Argentina the issue was whether the individual brilliance of the best Argentine players would score goals or whether the dogged persistence of the Germans would triumph. On the day Argentina lacked cutting edge and the Germans were only occasionally troubled. On the day Germany played superbly as a team.
 
Back
Top Bottom