by TOP RANKING UPTOWN
There is a semi-famous clip from 2018 of Rio Ferdinand talking about the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. “They seem to have a bit of a crush on each other, they don’t really mention each other, but it’s great to watch. People try to make comparisons about who is better, etc. Enjoy them, man!” The internet began immediately to apply the Rio quota to far more important matters. Aldi v Lidl (seems to have a bit of respect between them). Mayo v Ketchup (both great to watch). This funny little exercise saved the day, mainly because it was incredibly gracious and incredibly boring punditry. No one likes a fence sitter. Rio commitment!
Ferdinand’s ancient ties to the team he shared with Ronaldo at Old Trafford should not stop him from speaking his mind. The worst answer to the question: “What kind of music do you like best?” it: “A little bit of everything.” Bored off! That’s because ranking things is fun. Messi is better than Ronaldo. Gary Lineker > Mark Chapman > Alex Scott > Dan Walker > Jake Humphrey. Everyone has a favorite grandparent at Christmas, we just have to be brave enough to come clean.
It’s not easy to categorize things, but Big Website is so good at it, they even have a section dedicated to it. Where else can you enjoy the 15 best tennis scenes on film and all 69 Eurovision winners – ranked! (Poor Alexis Petridis). The football pages, of course, include NextGen (on the game’s best future prospects), Football Daily’s Christmas gongs (to be released in the coming days) and the top 100, a list of the best male and female footballers of all time year. The male list was launched on Tuesday, starting (naturally) with numbers 100-71. We have Darwin Núñez at 78, Granit Xhaka at 93 and Warren Zaïre-Emery at 99, in case you’re wondering.
Undoubtedly, there will be some consternation but it is important to remember that it is not just our opinion, but the opinion of a distinguished collection of 218 judges from the world of football, from Fatih Terim to Karen Carney to Philippe Auclair to Fabrizio Romano to World. Trophy winners Philipp Lahm and Lucio. So read on, make your own list, stay on the list of women’s players in January or ignore everything we just told you. We know most of you usually do. And in the coming days even your humble Football Daily will be bringing out its Christmas gongs.
CHANGE NEWS
Nuno Espírito Santo has agreed to bring his exciting brand of attacking football as Nottingham Forest manager after the club finally managed to sack Steve Cooper. This is the latest of all.
LIVE ON A BIG WEBSITE
Join Luke McLaughlin from 6pm GMT for hot MBM Club World Cup coverage of Manchester City 2-0 Urawa Red Diamonds, before Scott Murray guides you through Chelsea 2-1 Newcastle in the Milk Cup at 8pm. Barry Glendenning will also be on deck for Spoty Mary Earps from 7pm as well.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY
“I was there when they were doing the Nobody likes a fence sitter – ranking things in football is fun! parade around Ewood Park. My brother was on the field with my dad and I think I was fast asleep in my mom’s arms. It can’t be that exciting…” – if you weren’t feeling old already, here’s Port Vale keeper Connor Ripley on having a Premier League-winning dad, why some stoppers are better than outfield players as they face their beloved Boro in the Rumbelows Cup quarter finals.
DAILY FOOTBALL LETTERS
After Ian Potter suggested VAR Video Assistant (Football Daily letters yesterday), can I be the first of 1,057 Renault Clio ad fans to suggest that Thierry Henry and Bobby Pires lead the Va-Var- Room?” – James Maltby (and 1,056 others).
As Howard Webb is so confident of VAR’s ability to correct ‘glaringly obvious errors’, perhaps his remit should be extended to ridiculous haircuts, pastel colored boots and socks worn at high buttock levels? Did I miss anything?” – Mick Beeby.
As a veteran of 45 years of rock and roll touring, I was very encouraged by your use of ‘liggers’ (Football in the past), seeing as the term ‘free access’ was available for all levels in the live music sector. in the 1970s and 80s (if you knew the right people or phone number) it’s so hard to use on a casual basis now. I used to walk backstage at Hammersmith Odeon or Wembley on ‘Lig’ because I worked there so often; my face was famous, the fact that I did not have a passport was not questioned. It’s a thousand times harder now because of the corporate structures and the security paranoia. So happy to see that the term is not dead, and enlightening to learn that it even exists outside of the music industry” – Steve.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. The winner of our letter without prize today is… Stephen.
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