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Football Manager 'Proves' That Ruud Gullit Is The Most Complete Footballer Ever

Football Manager 'Proves' That Ruud Gullit Is The Most Complete Footballer Ever

The Dutchman topped the league table of teams made completely out of one player teams, beating some of the best ever...and Gary Breen

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

A team made up of just Ruud Gullit would batter a team made completely out of 11 Cristiano Ronaldos or Lionel Messis, that's according to a simulation on Football Manager.

A Reddit thread about who the most 'complete footballer' of all time and how well a team of Yaya Toures would do in the Premier League inspired one fan to find out what management sim Football Manager made of the conundrum.

Blog Theory of Football created 26 one man teams, cloning players and placed them in one league to see how they'd do.

Using stats from previous Championship Manager, Football Manager and FIFA games, the players were added from their peak career seasons so they're all at their best.

Simulating the 2018/19 season 10 times they were able to come up with the most consistent one man team, with Ruud Gullit beating fellow Dutch legend Ronald Koeman into second, with Toure back in third.

How the league table looked after 10 seasons. Image: Theory of Football
How the league table looked after 10 seasons. Image: Theory of Football
Gullitt's winning attributes. Image: Theory of Football
Gullitt's winning attributes. Image: Theory of Football

Generally speaking those players at the top of the table are those that could play in multiple positions, or at very least multiple roles within a team.

Gullit played in both midfield and as an attacker during his time in the game, whilst Koeman could play in midfield or defence.

Toure made his name in midfield but could cover several different roles in the centre of the park and even played in defence in a Champions League final, as Barcelona beat Manchester United in Rome in 2009.

Dirk Kuyt's appearance in sixth place on the league table, even winning the title in season nine, is probably the biggest surprise on the table.

The former Liverpool man may have ended up playing left wing back for Louis van Gaal's Netherlands side but played most of his career as a forward, though his work rate does stand him in good stead.

One of 20 Dirk Kuyt's celebrating winning the ninth 2018/19 title. Image: PA Images
One of 20 Dirk Kuyt's celebrating winning the ninth 2018/19 title. Image: PA Images

Ronaldo fan boys will be happy to see that the five time Ballon d'Or winner is ahead of his biggest rival Messi, by quite some way.

Neither the Juventus man's physical attributes nor the technical ones of the Barca player have taken them into the top five, proving they aren't as good as everyone initially thought.

It won't cone as a great surprise to anyone to see former QPR centre back Gary Breen holding up the table in last place but what is John O'Shea doing in 25th?

Did Football Manager forget that the Irishman has played in goal for Manchester United, every position in defence and midfield and even upfront, scoring the fourth goal in a 4-2 win for United against Arsenal, in the game where Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira famously fought in the tunnel before the game.

Who do you think is the most complete player of all time?

Featured Image Credit:

Topics: video games, FM 19, Football News, Football Manager, Lionel Messi, Yaya Toure, Virgil Van Dijk, Football games, Steven Gerrard, Cristiano Ronaldo