With Messi winning the Copa America, in terms of national team honors, he finally struggled to play 1:1 with Ronaldo. Although the gold content of the Copa America is widely questioned, it is, after all, the highest level of football in South America. In this way, Messi can finally fight back against fans who questioned that he had achieved nothing in the national team.
There is no other meaning in saying this, mainly to lead to today's theme. For a player, it is not enough to shine at the club, and honor at the national team level is also very important, even more important. Messi has won the European Footballer of the Year 6 times, but he is still criticized and ridiculed for the pale honor of the national team, which shows how cruel this criterion is. Messi is still lucky, after all, Argentina is also a traditional team in the world. But those superstars who come from small football countries are not so lucky.
Take the European Footballer of the Year for example, such as Platini, Ronaldo and other players, who were born in the world football powerhouse, they can all be yellow robes in the national team, but some players, subject to the lack of national team strength, can only play their talents in the club, which is very regrettable. Let's take a look at the players of the past European Footballers of the Year, who are from small football countries, and who is the weakest in the national team.
VII. Modric
Croatia is not weak, I admit. But compared with teams like Germany, Italy and Brazil, Croatia has no bottom line and no top honors. Everything is afraid of comparison, put Croatia in European football, no one wants to meet them in the big game, but put Croatia into the national team group of the previous European Footballers of the Year, they are immediately compared, because the other national teams are too shining, all Spain, Argentina, Germany such a name.
Croatia's runner-up in the last World Cup touched everyone, but it also proved from the side that they were insufficient. Modric's award is certainly fair, but it must be admitted that this is almost his limit.
Six, DennisLaw
Dennis Law is a legend of Manchester United, no less than Cantona and C Ronaldo in terms of historical status.
But Dennislaw is also limited by his national team, Scotland. Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, but in football they are distinct from England. Scotland has had glorious moments in its history, but it is not yet a first-class team. And Dennis Law's brilliance can only be limited to Manchester United.
V. Stoichkov
In the 1994 World Cup, Bulgaria became the biggest dark horse and reached the final four. Stoichkov shined and became the top scorer.
But Bulgaria is not a strong team, in the qualifiers they eliminated France to enter the World Cup, has made people unexpected, and the World Cup eliminated Germany, victory over Argentina, even more jaw-dropping. In fact, the positioning of the dark horse has proved what grade of Bulgaria's strength is. 94 can be said to be the pinnacle of Bulgarian football, before and after, they failed to create a greater miracle. So Stoichkov is at least lucky, because he has made people remember himself with a big competition.
IV. Alan Simonson
Dane Alan Simundsen is the only European footballer of the Year in the Nordic countries.
In the 1970s and 1980s, when the stars were gathered, it was not easy for Alan Simundsen to grab a European footballer of the year, but his glory was basically done at the club, in Borussia Mönchengladbach, as well as Barcelona, he had excellent performances, and won the UEFA Cup and the European Cup Winners' Cup.
Although Denmark has a fairy tale of winning the European Championship in 1992, historically, they are not a super team, and Denmark in the era of Alan Simonsen, although it has a certain strength, is still far from the strong team. In Denmark, Alan Simonsen received little honor.
III. Shevchenko
Ukrainian nuclear warhead Shevchenko reached the pinnacle of his career at AC Milan. In 2004, he became the European Footballer of the Year.
But Ukraine's power limits Shevchenko's greater possibilities. At that time, Ukraine had participated in the World Cup and the European Championship, but the results could only be said to be unsatisfactory, after all, there was only one Shevchenko, which was not enough to make this midstream team fly.
Second, George Best
George Best is arguably the most talented player in United's history and a mainstay when United won the Champions League for the first time.
But like Dennislaw, George Best is from a small football country. Of course, Northern Ireland is also affiliated with the United Kingdom, not a country, but in football, they are also competing with England. Sadly, Northern Ireland has never been a super team, not even a strong team. George Best's talent can only be dedicated to Manchester United, and some things that have nothing to do with football.
First, Giorgio Weah
Giorgio Weah is the only African to date to have won the European Footballer of the Year.
In fact, Georgio Wea's award has something to do with the reform of the European Footballer of the Year selection at that time, and it can be said that he caught up with the first wave of dividends. But there is no denying that at AC Milan, Giorgio Wea showed his abilities very well and he deserves this award.
But when it comes to Giorgio Weah's national team, it's really not worth mentioning. Speaking of African teams, many people's first reaction is Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana... In short, when it comes to the tenth name, it may not be Liberia's turn. This is still the case in African football, and it is even more conceivable in the world.
Therefore, Giorgio Weah's national team is the weakest among the European footballers of the year. What do you think?