Is Aguero, Ibrahimovic or Suarez the 3rd-Best Player in the World?

Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Who is the best player in the world?

Oh hang on, haven’t you heard? It doesn't matter anymore. The battle for the best in the world is old news. It’s about the battle for bronze nowadays, that’s what’s got everybody talking.

By now, we all know that Ronaldo and Messi are the top two. It’s pointless to keep debating it.

Actually, according to his boss, Carlo Ancelotti, Cristiano is “out of this world.” So technically he can’t even be the best player in the world, because he isn't even here.

So if we assume that Messi is somewhere alongside Ronaldo, orbiting the stratosphere, then neither can be the best there is on the planet. We don't need to talk about them anymore.

So that means third is the new first, and who would that be? A couple of years ago it would have been a slightly easier question to answer—Xavi or Andres Iniesta.

But the diminutive Spaniard is not the player he once was, and the even more diminutive Spaniard seems to be struggling to maintain the high standards of performance that he once set for himself. I'll leave it to you to decide which is which.

Surely then, it must be someone from Bayern Munich? Undoubtedly the best club side currently plying their trade in Europe.

But it probably isn't. The brilliance of the German giants at the moment is that pretty much every single one of their players is replaceable and interchangeable, and no one man is bigger than the team.

They are like one of those aliens in videos games with so many tentacles that, even if you manage to chop one off, it will just continue to hit you with every single other.

What about Franck Ribery, I hear you cry? Does anyone honestly think that the Bayern Munich winger is anywhere near the best in the world at the moment. I'm genuinely interested to know. 

He has been soaking up the individual plaudits on behalf of his fantastic team, but that is mainly because the governing bodies of world football can’t physically comprehend the concept of a team without a superstar to laud over.

If the Frenchman wins the Ballon D’or this year, it’ll be a total travesty. He’s not even the best player in his own team, let alone in the world.

If it isn't Ribery then, who is the third-best player in the world? Hard to say, but here are my three contenders for the crown.

Aguero

Manuel Pellegrini, the Manchester City manager, shockingly thinks that the third-best player in the world is a Manchester City player—Sergio Aguero. He even said so himself:"I think Kun [Aguero], after Messi and Ronaldo, is [in] the top three players in the world." See?

The Argentine certainly possesses the credentials to be considered. He is simply a brilliant footballer, who has begun this season in the form of his life, managing 15 goals in as many games so far.

But form is the keyword here. The most important component of being considered one of the best players in the world is to sustain that form and be superb over a longer period of time than just half a season. And quite frankly, whilst he started his City career well, last season was hugely disappointing for Kun.

The thing that elevates Messi and Ronaldo above the rest has been their brilliance over several years. I call it the "Papiss Cisse Law."

If you only followed football between January and May of 2012, you’d have every right to believe that Newcastle United’s Senegalese striker was one of the best strikers in the Premier League, if not on the planet. You’d be wrong. Hopelessly, hopelessly wrong.

Does a player need to be consistently brilliant over a number of years to be considered one of the best? Yes. 


Zlatan

Then there is Zlatan Ibrahimovic. We all think he’s pretty darn good. But if you want to know about how good Zlatan is, then you need only ask Zlatan himself.

After his Sweden side were deprived a place at the World Cup by Ronaldo’s Portugal last week, he declared that: “A World Cup without me is nothing to watch so it is not worthwhile to wait for the World Cup.”

To be fair, he does put up a pretty convincing argument. But I think I’m still going to watch it, if only for the sake of it.

Much like Aguero, the Swede is also in the form of his life. But he has also sustained that form over a number of years.

Since the start of the 2006/07 season, he has 193 goals in 309 games across all competitions. That’s for four teams across three different countries. It’s not bad. If consistency is what you’re after, then Zlatan is certainly your man for No. 3.


Suarez

And then there’s Luis Suarez. He may not be quite as popular as the other two across the spectrum of world football fans, but, however much you hate him, you cannot deny his brilliance.

Whereas Aguero and Zlatan are exceptional figureheads of teams that possess luxury throughout their ranks, Suarez has spent his entire time at Liverpool outside the Champions League dealing with a blandly average supporting cast.

Does this make him a better player than the others? No. But it does make his recent achievements all the more impressive. I do not mean to discredit Liverpool; they have had an excellent start to the season and look more than capable of carrying it on. But in terms of raw quality throughout their squad, they’re still light-years behind what Manchester City and PSG possess.

If Liverpool are going to force their way back onto Europe’s main table, then Suarez is the most important player in the world for his club behind Messi for Barcelona and Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid. 

Other contenders

I admit this whole argument is extremely biased towards forwards, but it has to be accepted that the most important thing in football is scoring goals. Therefore your best and most-important players will be those who provide you with that. It is why they demand the highest wages and command the heftiest price tags.

In terms of other contenders, Radamel Falcao may have something to say, and so might any number of Bayern players. In all honesty, it changes all the time. A year ago Robin van Persie would have been right up there based on current form. Two years ago it would've probably been Xavi or Iniesta.

For me, it is either Aguero, Ibrahimovic or Suarez. I honestly can’t make up my mind.

It basically comes down to what you consider to be the most vital component for a great player. Whether it is form, consistency or the ability to carry a team.

The Messi-Ronaldo argument has become stale and boring because it has been going on for way too long. They are so clearly the top two.

The debate for who gets bronze is far more interesting because there is no obvious answer.

As for the coveted third spot, the man who would stand lowest on the proverbial podium, that is for everyone to debate and anyone to decide.