The Greatest Individual Performers In a Single Competition

The Greatest Performers in a Single Domestic Season

(Domestic League + Cup)

1. Pele (1961)

Pele played in 3 domestic competitions in 1961, Campeonato Paulista, Torneo Rio Sao Paolo and Campeonato Brasileiro. In total, he scored 55 goals in 33 games. From overall 10 hat-tricks, Pele made 8 hat-tricks in Campeonato Paulista, scored one hat-trick in Torneo Rio Sao-Paolo against Flamengo. In the campeonato brseileiro final match, he scored hat-trick against Bahia. The most extraordinary goal is the scene he dribbed pass 3 opponents and score decisively. Pele scored 48 % of overall team scores.  

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td8_Zj_4he8
                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sim1Jcp8HF0

2. Lionel Messi (2011 - 2012)

Messi in this season is named in every ESM team of the month that no one could achieve and is one of the most prolific scorers in history of the global domestic football with 53 goals  (10 Penalty Kicks) and 18 assists or 1.61 (goal + assist per game). He scored 45 % of overall team goals and made 8 hat tricks in which is the highest hat-trick record in history of la liga. In attribute data, Dearman rates all of his 50 goals in La Liga and give average qualitative scores as 6.9. He obtains average seasonal rating at 7.72, one of the highest ratings. Messi established himself as a complete forward. His positional play in penalty box area to score had been developed allowing him to meet a ton of chances to score. He is also dangerous in his running with the ball in everywhere of the front line. However, he failed to score against Real Madrid in all 4 matches.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPnsvjmwhiM

3. Diego Maradona (1980)

At his only 20 years old, Maradona performed as the greatest young player ever, scoring 43 goals in 45 games in domestic football with Argentinos Juniors or around 50 % of total team goals and made 20 assists. Maradona was a pivot of the team and he was used as a forward. He was a top scorer in Argentine Nacional and Metropolitano.  Maradona in this season was very fast and remarkable in dribbling. Most of his goals were individually produced from his own actions. The average rating of his performance in 40 games is 7.10 is one of the highest ratings in history of Argentina Primera Division. 

4. Diego Maradona (1984 - 1985)

   Although Napoli was unsuccessful in Series A, finishing 8th place and lost 7 matches, Maradona's average seasonal rating in this season is 7.03, one of the highest ever in history of Italian Series A. Maradona in this season is very fast, unstoppable dribbling, He scored 40 % of overall team goals with 4 penalty kicks. He made a hat-trick in 20th match against Lazio, is arguably one of the best matches in his domestic career and he totally made 5 assists in this season. In match against Juventus, he get pass 5 Juventus players before being fouls in penalty box. Once he was fouled and lost balance fall to the ground but just a sec, he stand up very fast and continue running. He made a acrobatic style of passing with accurate overhead kicking. One of the incredible goals, he scored from corner-kick. In copa del rey, he scored 3 goals in 6 games when Napoli was eliminated at round of 16.

                                                Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0l88GURbK4 

5. Ronaldo (1996 - 1997)

Quantitatively, Ronaldo scored 40 goals in 41 games counted as 38 % of total team goals and totally made 20 assists. In attribute qualitative scoring rating, Dearman rate Ronaldo in La Liga at 6.8 in average. In the first half of the season, he scored most goals by awesome dribbling and his impeccable speed. The second half saw his decline in spectacular scoring style when he more scored by tapping and penalty kick. He did not play in Copa Del rey final which Barcelona win the title but his hat-trick against Atletico Madrid in semi-final second leg, is considered as a key performance of team achievement as a great come back after being led 0-3. 

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQwPlSFfFMk

6. George Best (1967 -1968)

George Best in this season scored 28 goals as the top scorer of the league and received FWA footballer of the year awards. As watched samplings of highlight in match Man Utd versus and Liverpool, Everton and Arsenal,  George Best is always dangerous and expectable in his dribbling that is unparalleled and help him to meet the chances to score by his own. Moreover, his shooting is 100 % accurate in direction. When he lost controlling the ball, his speed helps him to win the ball back at the moment.  

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k481ZaDlXfQ
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LA7P8jFjFSQ
                    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Be2wP2JCdQg

7. Zico (1982)

Zico scored 42 goals in total 45 domestic games or counted as 42 % of overall team goals. He led Flamengo to win Campeonato Barsileiro title. He obtained 8.16 rating in Bola De Ouro as the ninth place but the rating standard between positions saw very high variance. In attribute qualitative scoring rating, Dearman rate Zico in campeonato barsileiro at 6.8 in average. The best goal is the scene against Treze when he drib pass 5 players from the midfield area and finally scored by the chance of the overflowed ball. He also scored several goals by his heading thanks to his superb positional play and scored by free-kick only 2 goals. 

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L39fV-1xpIg

8. Johan Cruyff (1971 - 1972)

Cruyff was achieving his peak performance with the leadership role of total football strategy. Cruyff appeared in every where on the midfield and front-line. He scored 26 goals in total 31 domestic games. He was named as man of the match against Feyernoord in away match with scoring 2 goals and 1 assist. In the home match, Cruyff did not produce any score and assist but he was reported to play very well throughout the game, participating in the first goal and almost score the third goal after dribbling pass a keeper but the ball was finally cleared out. In the dutch cup final, he scored one goal and made one assist with creating a chance for his teammate to score by penalty kick. In matches against top five side, he scored 5 goals and made 4 assists in total 9 games.

Reference : http://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/johan-cruyff-matches-and-goals-scored.1865250/

9. Garrincha (1962)

In 1962, Garrincha was named as the best player of Campeonato Carioca, Torneo Rio-Sao Paolo and Campeonato Brasileiro. He led Botafogo win the Carioca and Rio-Sao Paolo tournament and lost Santos in Campeonato Brasileiro final tie breaker 0 - 5. Garrincha was a confident one-man-show wih his phenomenon dribbling ability. The Carioca final match is one of his best games, he scored one goal after getting pass a defender and assist one goal from crossing.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZavkOfX0Wc
                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKZV1FxDucE

10. Lionel Messi (2014 - 2015)

Messi in this season is named in 7 ESM team of the month from total 9 and won domestic double champion with Barcelona. is one of the most prolific scorers in history of the global domestic football with 48 goals (6 Penalty Kicks) and 22 assists or 1.6 (goal + assist per game).  He scored 37.5 % of overall team goals and made 6 hat tricks. In attribute data, Dearman rates all of his 47 goals in La Liga and Copa Del Rey and give average qualitative scores as 6.7. He obtains average seasonal rating at 7.82, the highest ratings in history of Spanish La Liga. Messi . He failed to score against Real Madrid in both home and away game. Messi withdraws himself deeper to attacking midfield and wing area and running across the deep-lying forward to penalty area to create many chances to his team or score by himself.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrLgxHRxD_U

Other potential candidates : Eusebio (1967 - 1968), Alfredo Di Stefano (1957), Michel Platini (1983 - 1984), Dixie Dean (1927 - 1928)



The Greatest Performers in a Single International Club Season

(Continental, Super Cup and World/Intercontinental Club Final)

1. Lionel Messi (2010 - 2011)

In total, Messi scored 15 Goals and made 3 Assists in total 15 Games. Messi was rated as man of the match in the final against Man Utd and most media rates him at 9 points. His spectacular goals against Real Madrid in semi-final second leg is regarded as one of the best goals in history when he dribbed pass 4 Real Madrid players before scoring the goal. In match against Arsenal, he scored an important goal just before the end of first half ิby flapping the ball across a keeper. In UEFA Super Cup, Messi made an incredible coincident assist aside from his scoring a goal. He is named as the man of the match in 2011 World Club Cup final against Santos.

2. Zico (1981)

Zico scored 11 goals and made 4 assists in total 14 games. He was a phenomenon scorer in Copa Libertadores Cup final against Cobreloa, scoring all 4 goals that the team made. He scored a wonderful goal by perfect curving free-kick and the other two goals are made after his great positional support from midfield to penalty area. In semi-final match against Deportivo Cali, he scored the first goal after his superb first touch and scored the second goal by free-kick. He also scored hat-trick against Cerro Porteno in group stage. He did score in intercontinental cup but he participated in all 3 goals, making two assists and the second goal was achieved credit to his free-kick.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osPY3m7RwRU
                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d59xjbkQ3KM

3. Pele (1962)

Pele scored 9 Goals in 6 Games. In Copa Libertadores cup, Pele played only a play-off game of final game and scored all two goals. He scored other two goals against Cerro Porteno in group stage as Santos beat the opponent 9-1. Pele's best performance came in 1962 intercontinental cup, scoring five goals and made an assist in two games, including hat-trick in the second leg. In related 7 goals in copa libertadores cup and intercontinental cup, dearman rates Pele's qualitative average scoring at 6.64.   

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXa9IkTWkh4

                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewwZacrQ1Zc

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (2016 - 2017)

Cristiano Ronaldo scored 13 Goals and made 6 Assist in 14 Games. He was rated by media at 9 points in four games against Atletico Madrid in semi-final that he made a hat-trick and Juventus in Final Match. In match against Bayern Munich in quarter-final, he obtained 10 points in both leg and achieved hat-trick in the first leg. He did not play well in match against Napoli in first leg but he returned to perform superbly in second leg. In knock out phase, his average rating is 8.5. He did not player in 2017 super cup and receive only 7 point in World Club cup final. He scored only 2 goals in UEFA Champion League Group stage.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXzpJYkIliI

5. Michel Platini (1984 - 1985)


Michel Platini scored 8 goals and made 4 assists in 11 Games. In attribute data, Dearman rates his average qualitative scoring point at 6.8. He scored 4 goals by penalty kicks. He made an incredible accurate long passing for the last two assists against Sparta Prague and Bordeaux. He played superbly in the European Cup final match which Dearman rate him as a man of the match at 8.5 point. In intercontinental cup, he scored a wonderful goal after bouncing the ball 3 tempos but it was mistakenly judged as offside by referee. However, he made a 1-tempo quick passing to M.Laudrup.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq_jvQWZV7A

6. Johan Cruyff (1972 - 1973)


Cruyff scored 5 goals and made 5 assists from total 7 matches including 1972 European Super Cup that is held in 1973. Dearman rates him in man of the match against Bayern in European Cup quarter-final first leg.

7. Pele (1963)

Pele scored 7 Goals in 5 Games. In Copa Libertadores cup, he only played in semi-final and final match as Santos qualified for semi-final round automatically. In intercontinental cup, he played only a game from total 3 and scored 2 goals. In Copa Liberadores Cup, Pele scored hat-trick against Botafogo in semi-final second leg. He also scored a winning goal in the final match. In attribute qualitative average data of Pele's related 6 goals, Dearman give 7.00 point.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hBdX52ktSY
                  

8. Marco Van Basten (1988 - 1989)

Van Basten scored  11 Goals in 12 games counted as 48 % of total team goal in this international club season. In attribute data, Dearman rates his qualitative goals at 6.8 points in average. Van Basten scored 4 goals against Votoshua from Bulgaria at the first round. In the first leg of second round, he made one great assist Red Star Belgrade and he eventually scored a decisive goal in 3rd match. In total, he scored by heading 4 goals, Penalty 2 goals and by left foot 2 goals. However, he failed to score a goal aside from penalty kick in super cup and intercontinental cup. 

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evm8KaNypic

9. Ference Puskas (1959 - 1960)

Puskas scored 14 goals in only 9 games. He scored two hat-trick, the first one against Jeunesse Esch and the second one against Frankfurt in European Cup final match. He also scored 2 goals in intercontinental cup. In total, he scored 44 % of total team goals.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-HyElkIytM

10. Cristiano Ronaldo (2013 - 2014)

Cristiano Ronaldo scored 19 Goals and made 5 Assist in 13 Games, counted as 45 % of overall team goals. In knockout stage, he is rated by media at 9 points in four games against Schalke (2 matches), Bayern Munich and Dortmund. Unfortunately, he did not play well in the final where he received only 6 point the same rate as his performance in World Club Cup final. Also, he scored only an important goal in knock-out stage. His 17 goals in UEFA Champion League is the record of highest goalscorer in a single season. He scored two goals in super cup against Sevilla. He made one hat-trick at UEFA Champion League group stage against Galatasaraay in the first match.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w2MJhK9alE




Other potential candidates : C.Ronaldo (2017 - 2018)

The Greatest Performers in a Single International Country Tournament

1. Diego Maradona (WC 1986)

Maradona scored 5 Goals and made 4 assists in 7 Games. Maradona scored the best goal ever in history of the game against England in quarter-final match when he dribb pass 5 English players from the central midfield area to score. In match against Belgium in semi-final, he drib pass 3 Belgian players and scored another wonderful goal. Maradona made an assist in final match that is the only game arguably if he is deserved man of the match while he is considered as the man of the match in the previous 6 games conveniently.  In Opta stats, he made 81.9 passing accuracy, 50 % shot accuracy, duels won 57 % chance creation 2,1 times per game.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV6hC9Fqb2k

2. Garrincha (WC 1962)

Garrincha scored 4 Goals and made 2 assists in 6 games. In Knockout stage, He is deserved as a man of the match in all 3 games including the final match. Garrincha was phenomenally quick in his footage and drib pass at least 2-3 players often. He is unexpectedly very good in heading and very effective in his left foot as well. In the group stage, he only an assist to Amarildo against. His best match is arguably the game against Chile in semi-final when he scored two goals and made an assist.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02Kh2lHZKEU

3. Michel Platini (Euro 1984)

Platini scored 9 Goals and made 2 Assists in only 5 games or scored 64 % of total team goals. Platini is a main creator of the magic square, is excellent in coordination and synchronization from midfield to penalty area as well as contribute accurate passing consistently. He scored by free-kick two goals and he proved to be very good in aerial scoring with 2 goals by heading and a goal by penalty. Platini are conveniently deserved as the man of the match in 4 games from total 5. The only one match against Denmark could be shared with Alain Giresse.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU9S9oaa-AU

4. Johan Cruyff (WC 1974)

Johan Cruyff scored 3 goals and made 3 assists in 7 games. He was a central role in total football strategy, operating the game in everywhere on the midfield and the front-line  and dominates in his speed and dribbling. His performance is rated in excellent level in two matches against Sweden and Argentina, is rated in very good level in 3 matches against Bulgaria, Uruguay and Brazil and is rated in fair level against East Germany and West Germany in final match although he made a magnificent scene and led to win penalty kick. In Opta stats, he made 81.3 % passing accuracy, 76.5 % shot accuracy, 56 % Duals won, chance creation 5.1 times per game.

Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTkMuxFRGbE
                   http://www.everyfourthyear.com/1974/

5. Marco Van Basten (Euro 1988)

Van Basten scored 5 goals, 4 games. He scored many wonderful goals in this tournament including the most fantastic goal against Soviet Union in the final match when he made a spectacular volley from acute angle. In overall qualitative goal average rating, Dearman give him at 7.9 point. He scored hat-trick in match versus England and scored winning goal against West Germany. He is regarded as man of the match in all of these 3 games.

6. Roberto Baggio (WC 1994)

Baggio scored 5 memorable goals and made an assist in 6 games. He scored 62.5 % of total team goals. In the group stage, his performance is under his standard due to Italy's defensive tactic that is very difficult for attackers to get significant participation. In knock-out stage, he is an absolutely indispensable player of the team, carrying the team by turning from bad situation to win the match by his scoring that is mostly created the chance by himself. He is considered a man of the match in round of 16 against Nigeria, quarter-final against Spain and semi-final against Bulgaria. In the final match, he is not fit but still make some good performance,

7. Didi (WC 1958)

Didi scored only one goal but made 6 assist. He was a main orchestra of Brazil with excellent ball controlling and consistently contributing accurate long passing with a drive curve trajectory. His performance is deserved to be rated as man of the match in final match against Sweden and semi-final against France, is considered as the best match in his career when he scored a goal and made 2 assists.

8. Matthias Sammer (Euro 1996)

Sammer played in offensive libero role in 5-3-2 system. During the tournament, he performed superbly in going support from defensive line throughout  the front-line with incredible synchronization with his teammates. He is also excellent in vision to pass from the back-line and performed sweeping effectively. He scored opening goal in match against Russia.He is named as Man of the match against Czech Republic in group stage and against Croatia in quarter-final, scoring a winning goal.  

9. Franz Beckenbauer (WC 1974)

Beckenbauer made an assist, 87.6 % passing accuracy, Duel won 64.4 %, tackle won 68.8 %, shooting accuracy 66.7 % and creates chances 9 times.  He performs as an offensive libero as a director of team from the back-line with notable accurate long passing.

10. Raymond Kopa (WC 1958)

Kopa scored 3 Goals and made 9 Assists in only 6 Games as the record of highest assists in a single world cup tournament. He is a main creator of French game, playing as an inside forward position and is highly credit to support Just Fontaine's a record of goalscoring in history of world cup with 4 assists to him. In the group stage against Paraguay, he scored a goal and made 3 assists.








Other potential candidates : Paolo Rossi (1982)