How can you judge greatness in football?

How do you judge greatness? By goals perhaps, or by trophies, or individual honours? Is an exceptionally talented but trophy-less footballer not a great player? Is an average player with an exceptional haul of medals then great? This was what Rio Ferdinand had been implying recently on Twitter. As the debate between Gareth Bale and his fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs fell into Ferdinand’s lap the United defender claimed that Bale could never be considered a great player because he hasn’t won any trophies yet. A fair point perhaps, but a little harsh on a twenty-two year old. Yes, Giggs had won trophies by the time he was Bale’s age, but he was also playing during United’s golden years.

Trophies are important, everyone knows that. Great players should win medals, however there are various problems with overplaying the importance of such concrete successes. For example, you might suggest that having a Champions League medal in your collection would make you a great, but Djimi Traore has one with Liverpool from 2005. And, no offence Djimi, I wouldn’t consider the former Charlton man one of the greats. Similarly Phil Neville, Nick Butt, John O’Shea and Wes Brown all have impressive medal collections, yet they are far from being great. Then if you look at someone like Carles Puyol: he didn’t win a single medal until he was 26, now he has won literally every competition he has entered.

I can definitely understand the argument that to be one of the best you have to won the best competitions. To win a major trophy is clearly going to provide a player with experience and confidence that could take them, mentally, to the next level. People spoke about Arsenal’s problems in the last six years stemming from having a lack of players whose experience included winning trophies. An overly simplistic explanation perhaps but a fair point nonetheless.

However it is possible to be great without winning trophies, after all isn’t greatness subjective? I think you would find that most Southampton fans would say that Matt Le Tissier was a great player, and the only thing he won was a handful of caps for England. His lack of trophies was perhaps hindered by his loyalty to Southampton, the club where he spent his entire career, but should his loyalty not count as a ‘great’ attribute?

Similarly you could look at van Persie. Imagine a scenario where he signed a new contract, stayed until he was in his mid thirties and broke the Arsenal scoring record. Even if he didn’t win any trophies would he not constitute a great player for being the top goal scorer of one of England’s most successful teams ever?

Yes, clearly trophies make a great player better still. After all, to test yourself at the highest level should be the ambition of all top players. However, to condemn those medal-less players like Bale to a rung below five time Premier League winner and winner of the 2008 Champions League John O’Shea would be farcical. Frankly it is perfectly conceivable that a player such as Gareth Bale might never win as many impressive medals. But that certainly wouldn’t make him a lesser player. The same statement can be applied to van Persie or any other extremely talented but trophy impoverished player.

It is easy to see why a player such as Rio Ferdinand, who has arguably been carried along by the performances of those around him at United during his career, would champion trophies over exceptional individual talent. However to do so would be too one-dimensional, even for a player of Ferdinand’s intellect. There is not a criteria for greatness, players are not always remembered who perhaps should be, and less successful players are sometimes put on pedestals to big for the lack of trophies. Just look at a player like Socrates. One of the few great Brazilians never to win a World Cup, but it doesn’t stop him being regarded with the highest esteem. As Ferdinand’s career winds down, along with his Twitter following, perhaps we are seeing the first signs of the insecurities of a man who would rather be remembered for the exceptional feats of his manager and team mates as opposed to his own questionable talents.

Follow me on Twitter @H_Mackay

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