Opinion – Tostão: I would choose Benzema, Mbappé and De Bruyne as the best in the world

Manchester City, 13 points ahead of Chelsea in the Premier League, and Real Madrid, leader of Espanyol and champions of the Spanish Super Cup, are today, perhaps, the two teams with the best performance in world football. On the drawing board, they are the same, with four defenders, three in midfield, two players on the sides and a center forward. In the field, they are very different.

Real Madrid, when they lose the ball, retreat and protect the four defenders, with five players in midfield (a trio in the center and two athletes on the sides). When the team recovers the ball, they counterattack, usually with Vinicius Junior, or exchange precise passes to the other goal. Everyone advances, even Casemiro. The steering wheel and more Kroos and Modric are in great shape. The three complete each other.

City, on the other hand, when they lose the ball, press to recover it in the opponent’s field. When Agüero left the team, everyone thought Gabriel Jesus would be his replacement. The restless and inventive Guardiola doesn’t stop. He started to play, more often, without a striker. From midfield to forward, everyone is point guard and scores goals. There is no striker or false striker.

At a time when Guardiola innovates and shows the world that you can play without a striker, FIFA elects Lewandowski, a classic, typical and exceptional striker, top scorer of the year, as the best player in the world. Bayern, because they always have the ball close to the opponent’s goal, makes it a lot easier for Lewandowski.

My three picks this year would be different: Benzema, Mbappé and De Bruyne. I don’t know the order. Manchester City’s different way of playing and Lewandowski’s election are testaments to the richness and diversity of football.

weirdness

More than 20 years ago, when I stopped working as a doctor and became an analyst/columnist, I should have gone to journalism school. It would certainly help me in my current job. In addition, I would be more identified with the profession.

Information and explanations need to be more accurate and clearer. In football and in all professions, there is today an information epidemic and, at the same time, there is a lack of more observers, capable of seeing and understanding the details. There are too many people talking about football. Knowledge goes far beyond information.

When asked, the coordinator of the selection, Juninho Paulista, said that Renan Lodi could not be summoned because he had only taken one dose of the Covid vaccine and could not enter Ecuador. Neither he nor Tite said that Lodi would be called if he had taken the second dose.

Tite said he called up Gabigol and Everton Ribeiro because Flamengo was already training, but he didn’t say he would call Arana if Atlético were already in activity. At the moment, what are the coach’s two favorite left-backs?

Ronaldo did not say that he thought about giving up the purchase of 90% of Cruzeiro shares. He only said that the club’s situation is much more serious than he imagined and that, although it was allowed by the contract, he would not have the desire to go back.

The behavior and statements of the new owners of Botafogo and Cruzeiro were interesting. The American businessman John Textor looked like a former star, a former idol, optimistic, euphoric and moved by the reception of the fans. Ronaldo, on the other hand, looked like a cold, calculating, realistic, somber American investor who had never kicked a ball. I don’t know who is more right. I only report my strangeness.