Presuming soccer and not American football is meant, the answer is Messi. The critical acclaim and global fan opinion would herald Barcelona and Argentina's Lionel Messi just ahead of such names as Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) and several of the Spanish national squad who also play with Messi at Barcelona. Xavi and Andres Iniesta, the latter of whom scored the World Cup-winning goal for Spain last year, form a creative partnership in the Barcelona midfield which encourages a free-flowing passing game, playing on the dynamism created by Dutch footballers in the 1970s and taught to coach Pep Guardiola by John Cruyff in the 1990s when the latter was manager. The pair play behind Messi who is able to keep the ball on his feet and ride the roughest challenge. As well as scoring over fifty goals in domestic competition this year, which helped his club secure the La Liga and Champions' League double (and they lost the Spanish Cup to Real Madrid in extra time), Messi is an ambassador for the sport. When he plays, people want to watch him to see him dribble around five players and dink it over the opposition goalkeeper. Sid Lowe, the Guardian's man for Spanish football, named him his player of the season, noting that Messi is "making the brilliant routine." According to Lowe, Ronaldo runs him a close second. For entertainment value (and Ronaldo and Rooney can be petulant when losing, and sometimes even when winning), Messi is the best player, as proven with his stunning shot in the Champions League final in May 2011.
Lionel messi is the best player on the planet and in the best team in the world.messi is pure class and a gem of a player. Ronaldo is not in his league, messi is in his own little world taking the world on with his messi dribbling.
That is always open to debate and subject to whoever is being asked. For example, a Barcelona fan is highly unlikely to say Raul or a Liverpool fan vote for Wayne Rooney!
Being a fan of Glasgow Rangers and well aware that none of ny "heroes" qualify for such an exalted title, my opinion can be taken as totally neutral.
At this point in time then, I would say Lionel Messi tops my list. But by the end of the season (or even next month!) that might change, as there is such a fine line between as many as ten world class players each and every season.
The best defender in the world is currently John Terry. We saw proof to this when how Chelsea struggled in his absence. But now they recently won 7 matches in a row without conceding a goal. This was when Terry returned. The best goalkeeper is Edwin Van Der Saar of ManUtd. He is a good golie who dives and stretches the maximum to save a goal. This season, he is the keeper who has kept the most number of clean-sheets. The best mid-fielder is Francesc Fabregas of Arsenal. He has a great vision and passes the ball to the perfect player. He is a talented kid who has a great future ahead of him. The best forward as all of them agree is my favourite player, Thierry Henry of Arsenal. He is the most dynamic finisher of this era and can score goals from literally anywhere. Thierry Henry is the best player the in the world. But taking into account his current form,no. The current best footballer is Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United. He is a great player and surely the Player of this season.
You don't say to which sport you're referring, so I'll take a gamble and assume you meant football!!
As with nearly every type of 'who's the best' question, any answer would be subjective and my opinion.
I believe though as an overall player, Arsenal's Thierry Henry is the current 'best' player, and I would place Barcelona's Ronaldinho as second and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard as third.
Admittedly Henry's form this season hasn't been great, but after a short spell out of the Arsenal side, he has returned to the side looking much sharper, the change of formation at the club has also helped.
I've based this opinion on two factors, firstly I believe the Premier league is a tough league and to reproduce such high levels of skill so consistently is harder here than anywhere else in the world, and also if I was offered any player in the world to come and play for my preferred club, Liverpool, I would want Henry.
I think that Thiery Henry of Arsenal is the best football player of the world at this time but the all time favourite is Barcelona's Ronaldinho and many more.
All people dropping comments so far are wrong, they possibly have not been following the trend of soccer. if you are really deep into football you will really know that the best player in the world at the moment are: No. 1 :Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite KAKA. No. 2: Christanio Ronaldo. No. 3: Didier Drogba.
