Ballon d'Or

[Baleforce]

And Cruyff would have been fitter and more athletic, his skills would have transferred magnificently into the modern game.

Would Modric have shone on crappy surfaces with less/zero protection from 'proper' tackling?

The game does evolve, players are as you say, more athletic and fitter, but they aren't more skillful. Just the playing surfaces and technology improvements alone (balls and boots alone come to mind), let alone the levels of professionalism and training knowledge, mean you can do more.

All fair points.

But I choose to judge by modern standards. And woe betide anyone who doesn’t track back.

 

[Lilbaz]

Totally but even there the standard of reffing and protection is miles ahead of what happened globally in the 60s and 70s.

I'm not downgrading Modric, absolutely a world class player, but think there are those who dismiss the 'legends' because the game has moved on and 'improved' without attributing a significant proportion of that improvement to the external factors rather than just pure ability.

This idea that fotball was brick pre-1992 is BS. It was different but there was massive amounts of skill and the game had much more about it than many of today's artistic or 'tactical' borefests.

I never said modric was better than cruyff or even as good as. Just that in 20 years he'd be in the conversation.

The trophies he's won. The longevity. Ballon d'or.

 

[johnola]

Defoe scored almost twice as many goals as cantona in his career. Would you say that made him a better player?

I would say he was was better than Peter Schmeichel.

 

[Lost Mango]

I never said modric was better than cruyff or even as good as. Just that in 20 years he'd be in the conversation.

The trophies he's won. The longevity. Ballon d'or.

Didn't say you did, I don't think, and he is certainly up there.