PremierKJ's List of World Class Footballers: Class of 2011

World class means that a player is in the top two in the world in his position. This means that at any one time there are 22 world class players in the world, as many as can play on a football pitch at any one time.

The selection process will be based on a number of categories, including form and fitness over the last twelve months, the potential of individual players when at peak form, how often they reach peak form, and finally (and most importantly) whether they produce their best in the biggest games.

Iker Casillas (Spain and Real Madrid): Spain's World Cup winning goalkeeper has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world for a decade and with the experience and confidence that comes with winning, Casillas has cemented his place at the top of his trade. He is a composed and intelligent leader and has made a habit of denying goals at crucial moments. The more big games a player is involved in, the greater his influence becomes on such occasions. This is the case for Casillas who played in his first Champions League final at the age of 19 and the big games have never stopped since. In 49 appearances for Real Madrid this season, Casillas has conceded just 31 goals and in Mourinho's first season in charge, it isn't surprising that he is heading for his most economical performance to date.

Edwin Van Der Sar (Netherlands and Manchester United): The former Dutch international epitomises the theory that goalkeepers get better with age. He organises his defence so well that he rarely needs to intervene in an attacking move himself, but when his defenders are breached Van Der Sar normally pounces to save the day. His distribution of the ball is so quick and accurate that it has led to numerous goals at the other end of pitch. At 40 years of age, the dependency Manchester United still have on the Dutch man is evident in their campaign to make him postpone retirement for at least another year.

Daniel Alves (Brazil and Barcelona): The Brazilian right-back may be questionable in terms of defensive awareness but his attacking threat far outweighs any vulnerabilities. Maicon was arguably a better player this time last year but Alves has since reaffirmed his place as Brazil's best full back. He is a very influential player for Barcelona and is always available on the right hand side if required. He makes many incisive runs beyond the opposition defence. Daniel Alves enjoys taking responsibility and tirelessly works up and down the pitch until victory is secure. In 46 games so far this season, Alves has 4 goals and 20 assists for Barcelona. Despite being praised for his offensive efforts, Alves is also more than capable of defending when required. He has gazelle-like recovery pace.

Ashley Cole (England and Chelsea): Despite many criticisms for off the field antics (for which I couldn't care less) Ashley Cole is an indomitable defender. While many modern full-backs are suspect in defence, it is clear that Cole is from the old school of defending. He is strong, fast and intelligent. Unlike Patrice Evra for example, Cole is embarrassed when he is rounded by an opponent and for that reason he is rarely rounded. His attitude on the pitch is admirable and it's probably why rivals focus on his personality off the field. Cole is not as effective as Alves in attacking areas, but with 4 assists in 21 league games this season he can be a danger. He prefers to support the attack, rather that be central to it.

Philipp Lahm (Germany and Bayern Munich): The Bayern lynchpin has been around forever and is still only 27. He has a wise head and never gets flustered (reminiscent of Denis Irwin). He is as reliable as they come and contributes constantly in both attack and defence. While he seems to only come to prominence at international tournaments, his performances in the Bundesliga are equally as impressive and he played his part in the double of 2010 that was almost a treble. Even when Bayern are in chaos, Lahm is as steady as ever. In a difficult 2011 for Bayern, Lahm has scored 3 goals in 44 games and he has continued to be one the best full backs in the world.

Maicon (Brazil and Internazionale): Although not as magical as last year, Maicon still possesses all the ability that makes him a thoroughbred full back. He has boundless energy and impressive physical strength. Defensively he surpasses his international team-mate Daniel Alves and is also an integral part in the attacking fortunes of Internazionale. Maicon has 1 goal and 8 assists in 30 games this season despite suffering injuries and despite Inter's poor form after the lord mayor's show of last year.

Carles Puyol (Spain and Barcelona): A Jamie Carragher with pace, Puyol is the heartbeat of Barcelona and his effervescent nature is loved by all Catalans. Many experts say that Puyol's influence is most evident in his absence. I say it's most evident in his presence. His strength and determination are without equal amongst his team-mates and therefore his participation is crucial. At times he can look rather primitive in comparison to his fleet footed colleagues but he is as capable as most centre backs in possession. Puyol has yet to reach 30 appearances for the season due to a lengthy injury but his return at the end will be significant for Barcelona's chances in the Champions League. He is a warrior of a defender and statistics can't define his importance.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia and Manchester United): The perfect foil to Ferdinand, Vidic has become known as a courageous, no-nonsense centre back. His aerial ability and fortitude is the best in the game at this moment. His timing and positional sense are only outdone by his partner in crime at Manchester United. With 42 goals in his career he can be labelled as a goal scoring centre back. This season he has been honoured with the captaincy of his club and with 42 appearances so far he has led the team to the verge of both domestic and European success. 

Giorgio Chiellini (Italy and Juventus): Many pundits tell us today that there are two types of central defender. One is a tough tackling no-nonsense sort with limited ability and the other is the footballing centre-half who reads the game and makes more interceptions than tackles. In Giorgio Chiellini we have found a blend of the two. He is athletic, durable, courageous and foresighted. He can be a last ditch defender when under pressure and a composed orchestrator of attacks when on the front foot. At the moment, the only thing missing from his game is players of similar stature around him. Juventus are not the force they were and Chiellini has tragically arrived, much like Steven Gerrard, a generation too late. The Italian mentality is one of loyalty, and admirably so. Players do not tend to leave the big clubs unless they're told to do so. Giorgio doesn't have to look too far, for examples of this are with him every day in Buffon and Del Piero. In all probability Chiellini will fight through the tough times and hope that Juventus can unearth a few more gems and become firstly a force in Italy and then in Europe, because this defender deserves to be competing for trophies.

Ricardo Carvalho (Portugal and Real Madrid): If anyone knows a good defender it's Jose Mourinho and having employed Carvalho at three clubs and having signed him twice, it's no surprise that he makes the list. The Portuguese organiser has similar qualities to Pique and Ferdinand but has had a better year than the latter and is a better reader of the game than the former. He does a lot more defending than Pique as well (granted that's not Pique's fault). Carvalho is as intelligent a defender as they come. He even knows when to commit a cynical foul and when not to. He has good pace but rarely has to use it as his positioning sense is uncanny and despite being small for a modern defender, his aerial strength and judgement is undeniable.

Xabi Alonso (Spain and Real Madrid): Alonso has been an integral part of every team he has played in. To label him as simply a ball-winner would be an insult. He is also one of the finest long range passers in the game today. He can orchestrate how his team attack and shows awareness when defending to block space and gaps through which otherwise the opponent might seek a weakness. He can tackle when he deems it necessary but rarely commits himself and instead prefers to use his positioning to frustrate the opposition. He is a tactician on the pitch and studies the opponent to find where the spaces are. His influence on the Spanish World Cup winning team last year was very significant. It is testimony to his ability that he kept Cesc Fabregas out of the team. This season he has played 47 games (scoring 1 goal) for Real Madrid and helped them to win the Copa Del Rey and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Michael Essien (Ghana and Chelsea): Despite his injury problems Essien has managed 38 games and 4 goals for Chelsea so far this season. He is a rock in the middle of the pitch. Opponents normally just pass the ball around him these days rather than taking on more than they can chew. Essien is undoubtedly the best defensive midfielder at protecting the back four and is more than capable of passing and initiating attacks. He has a great understanding of the game. His selfless contribution often goes unnoticed by opposing fans but he is held in high regard at Stamford Bridge and by his fellow professionals.

Xavi Hernandez (Spain and Barcelona): As consistent and brilliant as ever, Xavi has played 44 games, scored 5 goals and created countless others in another exceptional year for Barcelona. He is the midfield general in one of the greatest club teams of all. He is known for his patience in building attacks and waiting for an opening no matter how long it takes. Xavi rarely loses possession or his nerve. His way of playing the game has been a source of inspiration to his deputies at Barcelona and in the national side. He is a humble genius and every sight of the man on a football field is a privilege for those watching. Although occasionally Xavi confronts the officials, thankfully he does not possess the same prolific and unsavoury characteristics as some of his team mates in terms of cheating or exaggerating situations.

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany and Bayern Munich): I must admit I had my doubts about Schweinsteiger as a winger and if last summer's World Cup is anything to go by I was proved right. Deployed in a central role, I can't recall when I saw such an all-round flawless display by any box-to-box midfielder. He led Germany like a man possessed. He did what any world class midfielder does. He won the ball from the opposition and he set up attack after attack. His range of passing was sensational as was his decision making. He was a significant player for Bayern on their run to last year's Champions League final but not to the extent at which he excelled for Germany, but then, why shouldn't we expect Germans to surprise us? They've done it for years at international tournaments. Like Internazionale, Bayern too have struggled to repeat the success of last year but Bayern were performing well in Europe until a few minutes of madness saw them eliminated yet again to the Italian champions. If you asked me who I would want in my midfield for a must win game I'd still want Schweinsteiger because he has it all. This season he has 7 goals and 10 assists in 42 games for his club. At 26 years of age, he has collected 87 caps and 21 goals for his country and is heading for iconic status in a realm somewhere between Michael Ballack and Lothar Matthaus. 

Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona): Messi is unquestionably the best in the world right now and probably the most gifted footballer ever. His dazzling footwork and mesmeric dribbling skills are more often than not the key that unlocks stubborn defences for Barcelona. He has great pace and blistering acceleration that often lulls defenders into a false sense of security. The ball is completely under Messi's control, even when an opponent is lucky enough to get a touch on it, Messi quickly whisks it away in a flash and he is gone. When they try to foul the Argentine, his strength and body balance normally enables him to stay on his feet with the ball still in close proximity. Messi can make his team-mates appear better than they really are. If they slightly misplace a pass he can reach it with ease. If they over-hit a through ball he can catch it and put it in the net. He also has great vision and awareness and when a colleague is better placed for a shot he will pass. Messi's genius is such that it is unprecedented in football history. Only George Best and Maradona can bare comparison to Lionel. This season Messi has amassed 52 goals and 24 assists in 52 games which is meteoric. He has scored 52 goals in a season and he is as selfless and modest as any player in the game. His talent is so amazing that it's almost an insult to label him 'World Class' and not pioneer some newfangled category into which we can put him.

I have heard countless critics talk about the fact that Messi has yet to win or really perform in a World Cup as though on some bitter crusade to discredit the genius and the character of the man. The motivation of such criticism is disconcerting but the consistency of Messi makes their argument futile. Their exclusive, intransigent definition of greatness belies and contradicts everything they see in front of their very eyes when they watch Messi play. It's as though these critics tune into football every four years to see the spectacle that is the World Cup and disregard the rest. In these people's eyes, I imagine Geoff Hurst must be the best player to have graced a football pitch.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal and Real Madrid): Unfortunately for Ronaldo, he will be remembered as the guy who wasn't as good as Messi (then again we could all be remembered as that guy!). Ronaldo is the second best player in the world and he owes that tag to his incredible work-rate, speed, physique and timing. He is always in the right place at the right time. For a winger he has an incredible knack of scoring the goals that centre forwards like to score. He has immense aerial ability and has scored headers in the F.A. Cup final, the Champions League final and the Copa Del Rey final. The bigger the game the greater his desire to be central to success. He is rightfully labelled as a greedy player but all great players take individual responsibility. It's his reactions when things don't go his way that make him appear selfish and not likeable. His main flaw is not demanding perfection from himself, his team-mates or the referees, but rather the spoilt, tempestuous way he reacts when his demands go unmet.

I get the sense that statistics and records and trophies mean more to Ronaldo than they mean to Messi. Messi just enjoys playing the game and that sense of freedom can be seen on the pitch. Goals and individual targets seem to be the focus for Ronaldo. He seems more concerned about his legacy in the future than what he is right now. This season in 50 games Ronaldo has scored 42 goals and created 13 others. It is a remarkable tally.

Andres Iniesta (Spain and Barcelona): With so many options, it was a more difficult choice than anticipated to pick Iniesta. While statistics don't go in his favour against the likes of Nani, Nasri, Muller, Pato, or Bale, the Spaniard has something special that the others don't possess. He knows what it takes to win the biggest games and his impact is increased dramatically as the opposition becomes tougher. If there was a blend of Messi and Xavi, perhaps Iniesta is exactly that. He has vision, imagination and glorious execution. He is brilliant in tight areas and can either dribble or pass his way out of them. While many wingers depend on pace, Iniesta mostly uses intelligence and shows composure to make things simple. Iniesta is often deployed as a more central attacking midfielder but his versatility means that he performs just as well out wide. Since scoring the winner in last year's World Cup final, Iniesta has played 48 games and scored 8 goals with plenty of assists. He has helped guide Barcelona to the final of the Champions League and to the verge of a third successive Spanish league title.

Mesut Ozil (Germany and Real Madrid): Undeniably one of the stars of last year's World Cup, Ozil has responded wonderfully to the expectation and pressure that comes with a transfer to Real Madrid. His style of play is easy on the eye and with 19 assists and 10 goals in 49 games this season, his productivity can hardly be questioned either. At just 22 years of age Ozil will be the youngest player on the list. His passing and movement is delightful and his awareness and unselfish play is typical of all special players. He creates bundles of chances and although scoring is not his strength, he adds his fair share it has to be said, including a cracking winner against Ghana in the quarter-finals last summer. He has been dubbed 'the German Zidane' for obvious reasons. Not only is he world class now, but it looks like he'll only get better as he develops physically.

Wayne Rooney (England and Manchester United): The English press were building this season up as a big failure for Rooney having played ineptly in South Africa (after injury in a team of wannabes I might add) and having failed to recapture the goalscoring form of last season. However, given the furore of his apparent decline, it will probably surprise many that Rooney has amassed 14 goals and 14 assists, most of which have come at the crucial end of the season. While players built up as potential stars of the Premier League have wilted under the pressure of the run-in Rooney has been in his element. His range of passing is amazing and it's almost taken for granted how he crisply floats 50 yard passes around the pitch. He is the most valuable player for Manchester United and their decline last season after his injury helps to highlight his ever increasing importance to a team not overloaded with creative talent.

Wesley Sneijder (Holland and Internazionale): The Dutch maestro has been around for a while but only came to prominence in last year's treble season for Inter. Since then he has excelled at the World Cup, scoring five goals as equal top scorer and he has been his creative self for Internazionale this season. At 26 he has amassed an amazing 76 caps and 21 goals for his country. This season he has played 38 games and has scored 7 goals but that hardly skims the surface of his importance to Inter's attacking dimension. Sneijder is not just another Dutch artist but can also throw his weight about and regularly gets involved in the physical side of the game.The form and fitness of Diego Milito has made the Argentine almost redundant this season and Inter have relied heavily on Eto'o and Sneijder. Inter have not performed with the same commitment or desire this year but to say they have performed poorly would take away from Milan's consistency. Sneijder is a truly special player with a great imagination and has otherworldly vision.

Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon and Internazionale): Eto'o has been one of the best goalscorers for years and why Barcelona decided to swap him plus a wheelbarrow full of their money I'll never figure out. Eto'o has great instincts and was born to score goals. He also has a great winning mentality and a tendency to perform when it counts. For Inter this season he has scored 33 goals in 48 games. He has also scored 52 goals in 101 internationals for Cameroon. In the last few seasons Eto'o has become more of an all round player and contributes a lot more to the build up that before his Barcelona days. His main attributes are his blistering pace, clinical finishing, intelligent run making and strong character. He has won four Champions Leagues, scored in two finals and is the only player in the history of the game to play in two successive treble winning sides (Barcelona 2009, Internazionale 2010). 

Carlos Tevez (Argentina and Manchester City): A second striker was a difficult choice considering so many have been off form this season including Fernando Torres, Didier Drogba and David Villa and some have been plagued by injury such as Diego Milito and Gonzalo Higuain. For others like Neymar, Pato and Chicharito I feel it is a little too soon. The term 'world class' however is more than just form and fitness, it is a belief one has in a player that on most days when fit, he will be the most important player and will be a driving force to success. For that reason I have chosen Carlos Tevez. He is not only a goalscorer but an inspiration. His club have trusted him to be their central figure and they have been rewarded. This season he has contributed 22 goals in 38 games and multiple assists.

Had one or two of the strikers I previously mentioned scored 10 more goals, then they might have got my vote, but in a post World Cup season where many have carried a hangover, Tevez has come out fighting and working and has proved that hard work can prevail over technical quality.

Petr Cech (Czech Republic and Chelsea), Sergio Ramos (Spain and Real Madrid), Javier Zanetti (Argentina and Internazionale), Gerard Pique (Spain and Barcelona), Thiago Silva (Brazil and A.C. Milan), Nani (Portugal and Manchester United), Samir Nasri (France and Arsenal), Nigel De Jong (Holland and Manchester City), Luka Modric (Croatia and Tottenham Hotspur), Rafael Van Der Vaart (Holland and Tottenham Hotspur), Edison Cavani (Uruguay and Napoli)