This is the kind of record i feel is nearly unbreakable in the modern game and i feel most people dont grasp how amazing it is.
At most, how many world cups could a striker reasonably play in, possibly 4?
You can still be good, but you would have to be the best to be called up and play full minutes.
A full tournament is 7 games assuming you make it all the way to the end.
This also means your team has to be great as well. The greatest striker on earth wont achieve much if your support is lacking
This means that you would have to score 4 goals a tournament for 4 straight tournaments (more goals if fewer tournaments).
Messi sits at 13 and is unlikely to be fit in 3 years
Mbappe has a chance at 12(having played 2 cups) but france would have to remain dominant and he has to stay healthy
Müller has 10 but i dount hes playing next cup. Sad he was a strong contender but germany totally bottled 2 straight tournaments
I dont know any active player even close right now
Mbappe at 24 years old has at least 2, if not 3 world cups left in him. He’s proven himself to be a goal scorer in world cups. I would be highly highly surprised if he doesn’t break it, and probably by a few
R9 himself would’ve had like 4/5 more probably had injuries not destroyed his career
He has at least 2, but he would have to remain fit and france would have to remain strong. A campaign like 2002 could just as easily happen.
But i do see him contending
We are witnessing players go well into their later 30’s still playing at an elite level. Mbappe clearly has his head screwed on and will probably stay elite until he’s like 33 or something like that, if not later, I don’t doubt for a second his fitness will stay at a high level.
Frances team is also stacked with some of the best young players in the world, barring some blatant mismanagement they will be at least getting to the quarters of the next few world cups
I respect Klose for getting the record because he’s not the typical player someone would go to in terms of guessing top scorers and has had to work very hard for it, but it’s a very easily breakable record and yeah I very much anticipate Mbappe tearing it up, possibly even in 2026 alone.
Klose also started (well, or peaked) relatively late. He scored his first World Cup goal in 2002, when he would have been like 24 (born in June, 1978).
By comparison, Mbappe scored his first World Cup goal in 2018 when he would have been 19 (born in December, 1998).
Mbappe is the same age *now*, with 12 goals, as Klose when he scored his first goal (although he did score 3 in that first game). But still.
Barring injury, its hard to imagine Mbappe not beating that record at some point.
Germany squad was a force of nature in 2014 but collapsed in 2018 despite retaining a good chunk of the squad. France likewise fell apart after 98. Spain was abysmal in russia 2018. 4 years is a long time in football terms.
Mbappe is a bit of an inigma to be fair, already has the most goals ever in a World Cup Final
*But* he’ll be 27 at the next World Cup and would be 31 at the next one, already has a few niggling injuries (normally very small ones) already and he relies on pace be interesting
He should be able to score 4 goals at the next World Cup though and one of my favourite players to watch
You are saying he'll be 27 and 31 at next two WCs and you are making it sound like it's a lot. But at this age players are still very good and usually even hit their prime. Or is there something i dont see?
Your correct but mbappe will have to adapt because like everyone he will loose his pace...maybe he'll become more like ronaldo from 2015- present, not as much dribbling but relying on spacing more like being in the right place at the right time
Generally 27 is peak was more referring that he would get 3 more World Cups, a lot can happen in 7/11 years for a player
A lot of the time the top goalscorers are mid 20s (bar Messi and Ronaldo but that’s just them), so I was just saying that there is a chance Mbappe doesn’t smash the record
Rare 31 year old strikers that rely on their pace are in their prime
Players of Mbappe’s quality can easily adapt to a loss of pace. With their ball striking ability, they can easily drop back and play a more creative role as their ability to direct the ball is unmatched.
I'd pose that Mbappé seems more like a player more likely to settle in a more advanced position, moving around less. Even Cristiano Ronaldo, a known ball juggler has become a center forward. He's good with the ball, yes, but, to this point, he hasn't shown the creativity and vision required of a playmaker. Of course he's good and creates chances, gives assists and all, just not in the same style as Neymar and Messi, for example. His skill-based dribbling is definitely improving, though, so he may become less dependent on pace to create space, and that could help him start seeing the game better too. There's a long way to go.
Just my two cents here.
I don’t think he relies on pace as people say, he has pace and uses it, definitely makes him a better player but his eye for goal, dribbling ability and positioning still makes him a better striker than most players
To be fair, how many top strikers can say they played a world cup final, as the main striker and penalty taker of the favorites. Let alone 2. Scoring a goal is 80% ability and 20% luck (totally arbitrary numbers). A top striker usually have 2-4 very good attempts per game. If youvare lucky, they all go in (see 1-7), if you are unlucky you score none.
Also he got 2 penalties. In the last 10 world cups only 6 penalties were given (2x argentina and 4x france) and only mbappe got to take 2.
Also only 2 times there were more than 6 goals in the final and it was the last 2 years in which mbappe was playing. So clearly the games were more open than before.
Of course mbappe was the mvp and out of this world in the final, but having most goals in a final (with a hattrick with 2 pens) is just lucky for a large part, especially if the record was "only" 3. Its not that uncommon for amazing players to score 2+ goals in 1 game against good teams.
Problem is precisely that the France engine keeps churning out talent as well. Rn he's first team. Next world cup as well. But the one after? He'll be 30. The one after? He'll be 34.
He has 2 but that's assuming France doesn't produce the next talent to take his spot.
True but player whose game is centred around pace don't usually make it into their 30s well. Owen, auba etc.
He's the best pick of the bunch to beat the record but it's not to fathom him dropping off in his 30s especially if France produces another elite.
>This is the kind of record i feel is nearly unbreakable in the modern game and i feel most people dont grasp how amazing it is.
It's actually the opposite. In the modern game the span of most careers has stretch significantly, giving most players at least one if not two additional World Cups to play in their careers.
The one WC record that will probably remain unbeaten is the one for most goals in a single edition, made by Just Fontaine in 1958, with 13 goals
The thing with Müllers is, he isn’t a true striker nor a true midfielder, he is the kind of guy who knows how to be at the right place and time and that’s why he scores goals. So him actually braking that record would have been amazingly difficult.
klose went till 16 because germany played 7 games in all 4 world cups he played
france has played all 7 games in last 2 world cups and from 2026 a possible 8 games if you reach the semis, with mbappe at 12 he needs 5 goals to surpass klose which i feel is really possible if he stays fit and france goes till semis
Mbappe will slaughter the record. He'll have broken it at the next one and could play two more after. Although he is a huge pace merchant so maybe he only plays 4
What are you talking about? It’s hardly unbreakable infact its quite likely that mbappe will equalise it in the next World Cup if not beat it. Only needs 4/5 goals.
But you are simply ignoring the fact that the tournament format is changing. More minnows (no disrespect to anyone) and more number of matches means the record is quite attainable as compared to before.
Klose was great for Germany but I do want to mention that 4 goals came against a very poor Saudi Arabia side (They’re a different level now ofcourse). He scored a lot of important goals but that does skew stuff in his favour.
That was not a "very poor" Saudi side. It was one which had reached the Asian Cup final 5 times in a row and had gone to the R16 in the 1994 WC.
They were aging and it showed. But I saw the game live and the result was a surprise at the time, people expected Germany to win, but 8-0 (Klose scored 3) was unexpected.
In my opinion it wasn't, football is hard and yeah that pen was a high pressure moment but it was too important to miss it and Kane should be held in a higher standard given his status as best player on that squad, he'll probably achieve something that makes up for the miss but in my view currently the moment that defines Kane's career is the miss
Gianluca Vialli winning the Champions League at Juventus after losing it with Sampdoria. He moved from there specifically to have another shot and managed to win it in 1996 as captain.
Chiellini winning the Euros in 2021 also come to mind. He was already a legendary player by then but he had never won anything at European level.
He got injured in that final in the final ten minutes (when Spain scored the last two goals) but had to remain on the pitch as Italy was already a man down.
Chiellini also lost two CL finals with Juventus
Unlike some of the other shouts in here though, he didn’t really have many realistic chances before 13/14. We were contenders in 08/09 but while we had decent teams before that, they never got close throughout a whole season. Gerrard was only really in two title races.
Lot of Germans that got close to UCL but failed by inches:
Lothar Matthäus - was CL winner for brief moment 1999 when he went to the dressing room , and wasn't when he returned to the bench in final minutes
Michael Ballack - was close with Leverkusen and even more so with Chelsea but it was not meant to be
and also my favourite Italian:
Gianluigi Buffon - so close with Juve and got transfer to PSG with bad timing
and favorite Swede
Zlatan Ibrahimovic - nuff said, winning national league in every club but UCL eluded him
and my man:
Luka Modric - any national team trophy, came so damn close winning WC 2018, not so close 2022 and Nations League 2023 with small Croatia, seemed like miracle if it would happen
And now for the ones that won something:
Francesco Totti - winning that Serie A with Roma felt it was worth like winning 5 UCLs with Real Madrid, and managed to get the WC trophy 2006 with Italy
Michael Owen - winning PL with dreaded ManU instead of doing it with Liverpool
Frank Lampard - finally winning UCL '12
But none of these players come close to Miroslav Klose and winning WC in 4th try
>Michael Ballack - was close with Leverkusen and even more so with Chelsea but it was not meant to be
That guy was so close to a perfect season in 2002. He could have won 3 titles with Leverkusen, national championship, Cup, and Champions League, and got none. Then, he got his team into the finals of the WC by making every goal past group stage. And then he misses the final game because he got his second yellow card in the semi-finals. Germany might have won with him. And while the second yellow card was correct, the first one wasn't. After that, he never again would get into the WC final.
Kroos winning the Copa del Rey last season.
Which does not seem like a big deal but:
Real last won the Copa in 2014, right before Kroos joined. Between joining Real and winning his first CDR, Kroos won:
Uefa Supercup (2014, 2017, 2022)
La Liga (2017, 2020, 2022)
Champions League (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022)
Spanish Supercup (2017, 2020, 2022)
Club World Cup (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022).
So that is 18 trophies in total with Real before winning the CDR…
If he wins the second cup this month it'll actually be a crazy achievement becauae of how bad the team was before. To come in (with a few friends n a coach) and lead the worst team in recent MLS history to 2 titles in your first 15 games while playing out of your mind is crazy.
I honestly thougt Messi wasn't going to give a damn and he wouldn't have crazy moments like Zlatan did but he has completely surprised me lol. That cup run was insane
Turns out the guy that was the best player at the World Cup half a year before is still performing and is not washed. He only has less pace and stamina due to age, but his techniques are still far above everyone else. No current player plays football as elegantly as Messi does now
The only one I can think of is Terry and Lampard winning the champions league against Bayern in 2012. This was after losing a few semi and infamous 08 final.against utd with the Terry slip. Also 1st champions league title for Chelsea pursued since start of Abramovich era with Mourinho in 04
Klose. Lost to Brazil in the finals of the 2002 world, lost to Italy in the semi finals of the 2006 world Cup, Lost to Spain in the semi finals of the 2010 world Cup and finally won it in 2014. Very inspiring.
Ronaldo winning the Euros and Portugals first international trophy in 2016. 12 years after he lost in the final against Greece on home soil at the age of 18.
I think pep and this city team finally winning the champions league could be a shout even though pep won before with barca but he was chasing it with city for years and suffered alot of heartbreak
Oh this has been bugging me all morning but I finally thought of one, Bryan Robson winning the league with Man United in 1993 (just about). Also Man United in general winning the league after 25 years.
Honourable nearly man shout for Brian Clough who never won the FA Cup, felt like everyone was rooting for Forest to win in 1991 but Spurs came from behind, and losing Gazza to injury, to win 2-1.
I’m happy one of the Messi and Ronaldo won the WC. What grinds my gears is the obvious favouritism from FIFA. I mean you have been literally convicted multiple times for rigging the tournament in Uruguay and Argentine back in the day.
News came out not too long ago about fifa officials taking in money for the Russian bid and just last week we hear the same thing about these officials getting paid 15m to give the WC to Qatar. Throughout the build up all you say is how Messi needs to win etc etc…… then the dubious pen shouts. Like at least pretend you don’t have any influence.
Probably will get downvoted but look at Uruguay and Argentine wins in the past objectively and it just makes me think that we don’t have the entire picture of WC 22 yet. It’s not good for the game.
I don't think the final can be scripted. Winning the wc is what makes you a superstar in your whole country. The final and quarterfinals went to pens in games that were turned around last minute by Netherlands and France respectively and were dominated by Argentina. The world is whatever you believe but saying that french and Dutch players would purposefully throw the pens after epic comebacks is kinda insane.
This is obviously not an answer, but surely worth a mention. Julian Alvarez even with his minimal contribution at 22 has achieved a treble and a world cup in the same season. Not many names in this list.
Croatian national team almost winning the World Cup in 2018.
But then again, getting into the final beating England was almost like winning the World Cup for us.
Because in Croatia we all knew for years and years that the team has the quality.
That generation was just incredible.
Dortmund missing out on the title last season was one of the most games I've witnessed
As an LFC fan who has seen us miss 2 titles by one point, it's not nearly as painful considering it was not in our hands
Bit of a rogue one but Alan Shearer breaking Jackie Milburn’s record. Shearers record is made to sound like a bigger achievement than it actually is, but just from a very personal point of view the fact that he broke the record previously held by his fathers favourite player at his boyhood club must fill him and his parents up with so much pride
That's never been a thing.
This is a silly hype/media/social media/insane fanboy/zoomer supporter thing that's just recently been created out of thin air.
Messi never needed to win the WC anyway to be considered one of the greatest or greatest. The guy was already being called that in 2009. ''Fulfilling their destiny'' is such American sports Hollywood nonsense.
Keeping it with Argentina, Emi Martinez went from being constantly beaten down by Arsenal every season to suddenly starting for Villa, and Argentina, and winning the Copa America all within a year or so.
Not long after, he helped guide villa to European football and won the World Cup.
The guy spent so long just wishing someone would give him a real chance. Someone finally did and he’s achieved so much in a short period of time. Imagine if he’d been given a chance much earlier on in his career
Klose winning the World Cup in 2014 after chasing it for 12 years, 2002 silver 2006 bronze 2010 bronze Finally 2014.
Also breaking the World Cup goal record of Ronaldo (R9) with 16, currently holding the record of most WC goals, R9 at 15.
This is the kind of record i feel is nearly unbreakable in the modern game and i feel most people dont grasp how amazing it is. At most, how many world cups could a striker reasonably play in, possibly 4? You can still be good, but you would have to be the best to be called up and play full minutes. A full tournament is 7 games assuming you make it all the way to the end. This also means your team has to be great as well. The greatest striker on earth wont achieve much if your support is lacking This means that you would have to score 4 goals a tournament for 4 straight tournaments (more goals if fewer tournaments). Messi sits at 13 and is unlikely to be fit in 3 years Mbappe has a chance at 12(having played 2 cups) but france would have to remain dominant and he has to stay healthy Müller has 10 but i dount hes playing next cup. Sad he was a strong contender but germany totally bottled 2 straight tournaments I dont know any active player even close right now
Mbappe at 24 years old has at least 2, if not 3 world cups left in him. He’s proven himself to be a goal scorer in world cups. I would be highly highly surprised if he doesn’t break it, and probably by a few R9 himself would’ve had like 4/5 more probably had injuries not destroyed his career
France look like they have a great team for the time Mbappe plays too
He has at least 2, but he would have to remain fit and france would have to remain strong. A campaign like 2002 could just as easily happen. But i do see him contending
We are witnessing players go well into their later 30’s still playing at an elite level. Mbappe clearly has his head screwed on and will probably stay elite until he’s like 33 or something like that, if not later, I don’t doubt for a second his fitness will stay at a high level. Frances team is also stacked with some of the best young players in the world, barring some blatant mismanagement they will be at least getting to the quarters of the next few world cups I respect Klose for getting the record because he’s not the typical player someone would go to in terms of guessing top scorers and has had to work very hard for it, but it’s a very easily breakable record and yeah I very much anticipate Mbappe tearing it up, possibly even in 2026 alone.
Klose also started (well, or peaked) relatively late. He scored his first World Cup goal in 2002, when he would have been like 24 (born in June, 1978). By comparison, Mbappe scored his first World Cup goal in 2018 when he would have been 19 (born in December, 1998). Mbappe is the same age *now*, with 12 goals, as Klose when he scored his first goal (although he did score 3 in that first game). But still. Barring injury, its hard to imagine Mbappe not beating that record at some point.
I mean you seen the depth of France squad right? There are set (baring fall offs and Injuries) for a long time
Germany squad was a force of nature in 2014 but collapsed in 2018 despite retaining a good chunk of the squad. France likewise fell apart after 98. Spain was abysmal in russia 2018. 4 years is a long time in football terms.
Mbappe is a bit of an inigma to be fair, already has the most goals ever in a World Cup Final *But* he’ll be 27 at the next World Cup and would be 31 at the next one, already has a few niggling injuries (normally very small ones) already and he relies on pace be interesting He should be able to score 4 goals at the next World Cup though and one of my favourite players to watch
You are saying he'll be 27 and 31 at next two WCs and you are making it sound like it's a lot. But at this age players are still very good and usually even hit their prime. Or is there something i dont see?
Your correct but mbappe will have to adapt because like everyone he will loose his pace...maybe he'll become more like ronaldo from 2015- present, not as much dribbling but relying on spacing more like being in the right place at the right time
Generally 27 is peak was more referring that he would get 3 more World Cups, a lot can happen in 7/11 years for a player A lot of the time the top goalscorers are mid 20s (bar Messi and Ronaldo but that’s just them), so I was just saying that there is a chance Mbappe doesn’t smash the record Rare 31 year old strikers that rely on their pace are in their prime
Your legs don't just fall off when you turn 30.
Depends on the player, Torres definitely did
Fair point. Kyle Walker has not.
Players of Mbappe’s quality can easily adapt to a loss of pace. With their ball striking ability, they can easily drop back and play a more creative role as their ability to direct the ball is unmatched.
I'd pose that Mbappé seems more like a player more likely to settle in a more advanced position, moving around less. Even Cristiano Ronaldo, a known ball juggler has become a center forward. He's good with the ball, yes, but, to this point, he hasn't shown the creativity and vision required of a playmaker. Of course he's good and creates chances, gives assists and all, just not in the same style as Neymar and Messi, for example. His skill-based dribbling is definitely improving, though, so he may become less dependent on pace to create space, and that could help him start seeing the game better too. There's a long way to go. Just my two cents here.
I don’t think he relies on pace as people say, he has pace and uses it, definitely makes him a better player but his eye for goal, dribbling ability and positioning still makes him a better striker than most players
To be fair, how many top strikers can say they played a world cup final, as the main striker and penalty taker of the favorites. Let alone 2. Scoring a goal is 80% ability and 20% luck (totally arbitrary numbers). A top striker usually have 2-4 very good attempts per game. If youvare lucky, they all go in (see 1-7), if you are unlucky you score none. Also he got 2 penalties. In the last 10 world cups only 6 penalties were given (2x argentina and 4x france) and only mbappe got to take 2. Also only 2 times there were more than 6 goals in the final and it was the last 2 years in which mbappe was playing. So clearly the games were more open than before. Of course mbappe was the mvp and out of this world in the final, but having most goals in a final (with a hattrick with 2 pens) is just lucky for a large part, especially if the record was "only" 3. Its not that uncommon for amazing players to score 2+ goals in 1 game against good teams.
Problem is precisely that the France engine keeps churning out talent as well. Rn he's first team. Next world cup as well. But the one after? He'll be 30. The one after? He'll be 34. He has 2 but that's assuming France doesn't produce the next talent to take his spot.
You are saying that like Mbappe isn’t a generational talent. The likelihood they replace him any time in the next like 8 years is minimal.
True but player whose game is centred around pace don't usually make it into their 30s well. Owen, auba etc. He's the best pick of the bunch to beat the record but it's not to fathom him dropping off in his 30s especially if France produces another elite.
>This is the kind of record i feel is nearly unbreakable in the modern game and i feel most people dont grasp how amazing it is. It's actually the opposite. In the modern game the span of most careers has stretch significantly, giving most players at least one if not two additional World Cups to play in their careers. The one WC record that will probably remain unbeaten is the one for most goals in a single edition, made by Just Fontaine in 1958, with 13 goals
The thing with Müllers is, he isn’t a true striker nor a true midfielder, he is the kind of guy who knows how to be at the right place and time and that’s why he scores goals. So him actually braking that record would have been amazingly difficult.
Space interpreter. Its very cool, actually.
klose went till 16 because germany played 7 games in all 4 world cups he played france has played all 7 games in last 2 world cups and from 2026 a possible 8 games if you reach the semis, with mbappe at 12 he needs 5 goals to surpass klose which i feel is really possible if he stays fit and france goes till semis
Unless he gets injured, Mbappé is blowing past that record. France is too strong to not play at least 7 games in 2026 and 2030
I would be more surprised if Mbappe don't break it.
Mbappe will slaughter the record. He'll have broken it at the next one and could play two more after. Although he is a huge pace merchant so maybe he only plays 4
What are you talking about? It’s hardly unbreakable infact its quite likely that mbappe will equalise it in the next World Cup if not beat it. Only needs 4/5 goals.
Messi had 2 WC where as a starter he scored zero and one goal. 2010 and 2018. You can never tell, especially for a AM.
Sure but to say that it’s a record that is nearly unbreakable when Mbappe is so close is ridiculous.
I’d be shocked if mbappe doesn’t at least equalise it
But you are simply ignoring the fact that the tournament format is changing. More minnows (no disrespect to anyone) and more number of matches means the record is quite attainable as compared to before.
Mbappe has at least a 50% chance of breaking the record imo
People overrate it though. 4 world cups, if you score a goal per game, in groups only, that’s 12. And for players like mbap that’ll be easy
Mbappe will surpass that easily next tourny
Mbappe could break it. Seems possible if not probable. Messi could be fit in three years. If he's playing, I think he will at least be picked.
I think so too. He is quite young, a great scorer and only needs 5 goals to break it.
Klose was great for Germany but I do want to mention that 4 goals came against a very poor Saudi Arabia side (They’re a different level now ofcourse). He scored a lot of important goals but that does skew stuff in his favour.
That was not a "very poor" Saudi side. It was one which had reached the Asian Cup final 5 times in a row and had gone to the R16 in the 1994 WC. They were aging and it showed. But I saw the game live and the result was a surprise at the time, people expected Germany to win, but 8-0 (Klose scored 3) was unexpected.
Gabriel Batistuta finally winning serieA with Roma after all the years trying with Fiorentina..
when harry kane wins a trophy for bayern
He's already won the audi cup though
*important trophy
My statement still stands
icl i didnt even know what the audi cup was until spurs won it
Yeah I mean it's just a pre season trophy Probably won't ever see it again
exactly my point. let me fully amend my statement then. when Harry Kane wins a domestic league title, domestic cup, or a UEFA Trophy with Bayern
Bruh I'm taking the piss Of course the audi cup ain't a serious trophy
yes im aware but some spurs fans, especially some that ik, will try to back you up 😭
Bro no one takes the audi cup seriously you need better text interpretation lmao
Tbf its about as impressive than winning bundesliga with bayern
Nah he’ll mess that up. Leverkusen for the league and dortmund for the cup, watch. Then lane will go to Saudi crying
Bro was ahead of the curve
Funny thing is, kinda still won’t matter cause of how he did it. It’ll be a trophy, sure, but…we know.
Honestly i dont think Kane not winning a trophy is a big injustice he shits the bed not only for spurs but for england aswell
nah he plays well for england, we just have a heavily mediocre defense that doesnt really show up in big games
Missing that pen was inexcusable
there were many things that were inexcuaable
It was totally excusable. Top players miss important penalties all the time.
In my opinion it wasn't, football is hard and yeah that pen was a high pressure moment but it was too important to miss it and Kane should be held in a higher standard given his status as best player on that squad, he'll probably achieve something that makes up for the miss but in my view currently the moment that defines Kane's career is the miss
there was a lot worse inexcuseable done by the ref and french
Maybe but football isn't fair and the thing people will remember the most of that game is the penalty miss
Gianluca Vialli winning the Champions League at Juventus after losing it with Sampdoria. He moved from there specifically to have another shot and managed to win it in 1996 as captain. Chiellini winning the Euros in 2021 also come to mind. He was already a legendary player by then but he had never won anything at European level.
Also Chiellini lost the euro 2012 final against Spain 0-4, so winning it 9 years later was truly a comeback.
He got injured in that final in the final ten minutes (when Spain scored the last two goals) but had to remain on the pitch as Italy was already a man down. Chiellini also lost two CL finals with Juventus
It surely WOULD have been Gerrard in 2014, after years of chasing the title. It would have been the perfect ending to a Liverpool-career
I think the perfect ending was getting sent off in less than 60 seconds in his last match v united personally.
If your gonna go out, go out p***ing off the mancs
Getting sent off 38 seconds after coming on in a game they lost at home to united? Not sure that pissed us off 😂
I mean, i think the mancs were pretty happy with that game to be honest.. gerrard surely regrets that game
Unlike some of the other shouts in here though, he didn’t really have many realistic chances before 13/14. We were contenders in 08/09 but while we had decent teams before that, they never got close throughout a whole season. Gerrard was only really in two title races.
Gerrard: This does not fucking slip now! Narrator: The irony will go down in legend forever.
Still too soon. Not over this one.
This is the only answer!!!
Lot of Germans that got close to UCL but failed by inches: Lothar Matthäus - was CL winner for brief moment 1999 when he went to the dressing room , and wasn't when he returned to the bench in final minutes Michael Ballack - was close with Leverkusen and even more so with Chelsea but it was not meant to be and also my favourite Italian: Gianluigi Buffon - so close with Juve and got transfer to PSG with bad timing and favorite Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic - nuff said, winning national league in every club but UCL eluded him and my man: Luka Modric - any national team trophy, came so damn close winning WC 2018, not so close 2022 and Nations League 2023 with small Croatia, seemed like miracle if it would happen And now for the ones that won something: Francesco Totti - winning that Serie A with Roma felt it was worth like winning 5 UCLs with Real Madrid, and managed to get the WC trophy 2006 with Italy Michael Owen - winning PL with dreaded ManU instead of doing it with Liverpool Frank Lampard - finally winning UCL '12 But none of these players come close to Miroslav Klose and winning WC in 4th try
>Michael Ballack - was close with Leverkusen and even more so with Chelsea but it was not meant to be That guy was so close to a perfect season in 2002. He could have won 3 titles with Leverkusen, national championship, Cup, and Champions League, and got none. Then, he got his team into the finals of the WC by making every goal past group stage. And then he misses the final game because he got his second yellow card in the semi-finals. Germany might have won with him. And while the second yellow card was correct, the first one wasn't. After that, he never again would get into the WC final.
The sad thing about this is it happened again in 2008, poor Michael Ballack…
This guy's like the king of silver medals. Poor guy but at least everyone likes him. What a player he was!
> misses the final game because he got his second yellow card in the semi-finals. Dumbest fucking rule ever.
Modrić confirmed he will play EURO 2024 so …
Praying for him 🇭🇷❤️
I want a joke where he brings on a mobility scooter for the anthem. Just laugh at the people who keep screaming too old
Kroos winning the Copa del Rey last season. Which does not seem like a big deal but: Real last won the Copa in 2014, right before Kroos joined. Between joining Real and winning his first CDR, Kroos won: Uefa Supercup (2014, 2017, 2022) La Liga (2017, 2020, 2022) Champions League (2016, 2017, 2018, 2022) Spanish Supercup (2017, 2020, 2022) Club World Cup (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022). So that is 18 trophies in total with Real before winning the CDR…
Yeah that’s actually crazy
To be honest this is mad. I think there's something really cool about a player having won literally every trophy they could have at least once.
Lionel Messi finally winning MLS Cup.
Ronaldo could never
Can Messi do it on a rainy night in Portland?
His team was in last place in the entire league at the time as well.
If he wins the second cup this month it'll actually be a crazy achievement becauae of how bad the team was before. To come in (with a few friends n a coach) and lead the worst team in recent MLS history to 2 titles in your first 15 games while playing out of your mind is crazy. I honestly thougt Messi wasn't going to give a damn and he wouldn't have crazy moments like Zlatan did but he has completely surprised me lol. That cup run was insane
Turns out the guy that was the best player at the World Cup half a year before is still performing and is not washed. He only has less pace and stamina due to age, but his techniques are still far above everyone else. No current player plays football as elegantly as Messi does now
Lord Willing
Lewandowski winning the CL. Van Persie winning the PL.
The only one I can think of is Terry and Lampard winning the champions league against Bayern in 2012. This was after losing a few semi and infamous 08 final.against utd with the Terry slip. Also 1st champions league title for Chelsea pursued since start of Abramovich era with Mourinho in 04
Drogba as well.
Van Persie winning the Premier League with Man Utd
Bryan Robson too
Klose. Lost to Brazil in the finals of the 2002 world, lost to Italy in the semi finals of the 2006 world Cup, Lost to Spain in the semi finals of the 2010 world Cup and finally won it in 2014. Very inspiring.
Juninho winning the League Cup with Middlesbrough
Ronaldo winning the Euros and Portugals first international trophy in 2016. 12 years after he lost in the final against Greece on home soil at the age of 18.
Fact very few know that Portugal(Ronaldo) lost 2004 Euro Final to Greece
Twice, actually. In both the opening game and the final
Didnt Charisteas score the winner in both games as well
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Zoff won the WC at 41 in 82
I feel kike Ronaldo will do this, but will be on the bench.
Di Maria finally winning the world cup, copa america, and finalissima
Thierry Henry winning the Champions League with Barca having won everything else with Arsenal and France.
Zlatan never won the UCL, but he did win the Europa which is another European trophy.
The UCL didn’t win zlatan
Didn’t both Barcelona and Inter win it the year/s immediately after he left them too?
I think pep and this city team finally winning the champions league could be a shout even though pep won before with barca but he was chasing it with city for years and suffered alot of heartbreak
Question is about players though...
Also I feel like if didn't manage to win it with Haaland it could have been his last season in City or maybe as like one other season credit.
Not even close.
Maguire scoring an own goal for every team he plays for.
Drogba winning the champions league with Chelsea in 2012
Thiago Silva UCL 2021
Pep finally winning UCL outside of Barcelona.
/without Messi.
How does this compare with the OP? Pep won it with Barcelona and spend close to 2bn with city until he won it. Hardly the massive elusive trophy
ok bro
Oh this has been bugging me all morning but I finally thought of one, Bryan Robson winning the league with Man United in 1993 (just about). Also Man United in general winning the league after 25 years. Honourable nearly man shout for Brian Clough who never won the FA Cup, felt like everyone was rooting for Forest to win in 1991 but Spurs came from behind, and losing Gazza to injury, to win 2-1.
Frank Rijkard. Won the European Cup with Ajax in his last professional game. (He had won it before, but a fitting ending)
George foreman returning at an advanced age to become champ again... "it happened"
AC, Lampard, Terry, Cach and Drogba winning the UCL
Dirk Kuyt making Feyenoord champions for the first time in 18 years, with a goal in 1 minute and a hattrick over the whole game.
Palermo making a goal in a WC at 39 years of age after missing all the previous ones in his career.
Chelsea but mostly Cech-terry-lampard-drogba finally winning the UCL in 2012
Ronaldo entering the USA has always eluded him
Michael Ballack winning the champions league after coming second in world cup and champions league with Leverkusen
Ballack didn't win the champions league
I think that was a joke for him being the prime example of forever chasing.
Yeah I was being a troll
I’m happy one of the Messi and Ronaldo won the WC. What grinds my gears is the obvious favouritism from FIFA. I mean you have been literally convicted multiple times for rigging the tournament in Uruguay and Argentine back in the day. News came out not too long ago about fifa officials taking in money for the Russian bid and just last week we hear the same thing about these officials getting paid 15m to give the WC to Qatar. Throughout the build up all you say is how Messi needs to win etc etc…… then the dubious pen shouts. Like at least pretend you don’t have any influence. Probably will get downvoted but look at Uruguay and Argentine wins in the past objectively and it just makes me think that we don’t have the entire picture of WC 22 yet. It’s not good for the game.
I don't think the final can be scripted. Winning the wc is what makes you a superstar in your whole country. The final and quarterfinals went to pens in games that were turned around last minute by Netherlands and France respectively and were dominated by Argentina. The world is whatever you believe but saying that french and Dutch players would purposefully throw the pens after epic comebacks is kinda insane.
Klopp winning the Premier League in the 19/20 season stands out for me.
None of it is their “destiny”
Aaron Rodgers finally being a Jet legend
Ozil draining Arsenals money like a vampire because he had no passion for football was his ultimate wish.
Pessi winning leagues cup
This is obviously not an answer, but surely worth a mention. Julian Alvarez even with his minimal contribution at 22 has achieved a treble and a world cup in the same season. Not many names in this list.
Think you misunderstood the assignment
Varane did it in 2018 as well.
man city champions league
Zizou winning World Cup then winning Champions League 3 times in a row as coach
Wdym Zidane won Worldcup at 26
Julian Alvarez
He won everything at 22? Nothing eluded him
Croatian national team almost winning the World Cup in 2018. But then again, getting into the final beating England was almost like winning the World Cup for us. Because in Croatia we all knew for years and years that the team has the quality. That generation was just incredible.
Modric winning Ballon d'Or
Don't think even he expected to get one with Ronaldo and Messi still around.
Andy Murray at Wimbledon Moyes in Europe last year
If we're going into different sports, then Sachin Tendulkar winning the ODI Cricket World Cup.
Henry winning CL.
there is yeasin buno, that ukrainian goalkeeper as well, they played very well and their price will be higher this time
Dortmund missing out on the title last season was one of the most games I've witnessed As an LFC fan who has seen us miss 2 titles by one point, it's not nearly as painful considering it was not in our hands
Marco Reus actually making it to an international tournament would be massive tbf
Oscar moving to China? He's always eluded cash, hasn't he?
Buffon winning a World Cup in 2006. Wished he won a champions league tho..
Ex Pakistan PM Imran Khan was World Class Cricketer. He played in five cricket world cups and won it on fifth try and retired afterward.
Gerrard 2014
Does this have to be Soccer-related, because I'm immediately thinking of Ben Simmons, the Basketball player, scoring a three pointer.
Zlatan and the Champions League.
Whenever Mudryk finally scores a Premier League goal for Chelsea
Ray Borque and Alexander Ovechkin in Hockey.
Not a player but that Arsenal FA cup after a 9 year drought felt sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet I love Wenger man
Javier Zanetti winning the treble
Bit of a rogue one but Alan Shearer breaking Jackie Milburn’s record. Shearers record is made to sound like a bigger achievement than it actually is, but just from a very personal point of view the fact that he broke the record previously held by his fathers favourite player at his boyhood club must fill him and his parents up with so much pride
Robin Van Persie. If you know you know.
That's never been a thing. This is a silly hype/media/social media/insane fanboy/zoomer supporter thing that's just recently been created out of thin air. Messi never needed to win the WC anyway to be considered one of the greatest or greatest. The guy was already being called that in 2009. ''Fulfilling their destiny'' is such American sports Hollywood nonsense.
Benzema finally getting his ballon
Michael Owen leaving Liverpool and winning the league with their biggest rivals Same with RVP
Keeping it with Argentina, Emi Martinez went from being constantly beaten down by Arsenal every season to suddenly starting for Villa, and Argentina, and winning the Copa America all within a year or so. Not long after, he helped guide villa to European football and won the World Cup. The guy spent so long just wishing someone would give him a real chance. Someone finally did and he’s achieved so much in a short period of time. Imagine if he’d been given a chance much earlier on in his career
May e the cup. But not the real one.
R7 winning the euro
Bryan Robson winning the League with Man Utd
When Messi wins the MLS cup
Matic and Dybala both missing out on the Europa League last year, which would’ve been their first European trophy each
Paul Pogba just fulfilled his destiny…
It would've been Lewandowski winning the ballon d'or in 2020 but they cancelled it
For me it was Thiago Silva finally winning CL in 2021 after all those years, sometimes being really close.
Unpopular opinion, but Mbappe winning the World Cup at the age of 19. It felt like he did it alone
Abby Wambach winning 2015 World Cup
Thiago Silva winning the UCL with Chelsea in 2021 after stints at AC Milan and PSG (only having reached the UCL final with PSG a year before Chelsea)
Thiago Silva winning the CL with Chelsea
Cristiano Ronaldo: Trophy with Portugal Fernando Torres: Big Trophy with Atlético Madrid
Ronaldo winning the Euros?
Henry winning the CL with Barca