WC Position Power Ranks: Forwards
ESPN INSIDER
With so much emotion invested in World Cup success, the forward position is undoubtedly the most scrutinized among supporters of the 32 teams in the field. This is particularly true among those forwards who have shown particularly good form at the club level, as they now must prove they can remain lethal among a group of unfamiliar and, in some cases, lesser-quality teammates.
The best forwards at this summer's World Cup are all coming off impressive club seasons, and some have been equally impressive in World Cup qualifying, and this combined body of work certainly plays a part in assessing the power rankings at this position.
Based on each player's recent form (for both club and country), scoring ability and overall attention he commands from opposing defenders, here are my top 10 forwards heading into the 2014 World Cup.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (Club: Real Madrid)
Ronaldo's 31 goals for Real Madrid tied Liverpool forward Luis Suarez for the most across Europe's top five leagues this season, but the Portuguese striker needed three fewer appearances to reach that goal mark. Ronaldo also ranked second in Europe's top five leagues with 7.3 shots per 90 minutes, and second across Europe with 3.2 shots on target per 90 minutes. And given the location of his touches for both club and country over the last year, it is clear that the forward is poised to expand on his influence while playing with Portugal this summer.
ESPN Stats & InformationHeat map of Cristiano Ronaldo's touches in 2014 World Cup qualifying, left, and those in the 2013-14 La Liga season, right.
Just 58 percent of Ronaldo's touches with Portugal came from the left side of the field, as opposed to 73 percent during the La Liga season. This is an indication of how important Ronaldo is to Portugal, as he led the team with 29.1 touches per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, and his eight goals in 10 World Cup qualifying appearances signal that he will be a force to be reckoned with this summer.
2. Luis Suarez, Uruguay (Liverpool)
The 31 goals that Suarez scored tied Ronaldo for the most domestic goals across Europe's top five leagues, and the fact that his 12 assists ranked second in the Premier League to Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard illustrates that he is much more than a supply-dependent striker. Still, when it comes to being a predatory forward, Suarez has been even more prolific inside the penalty area than last season, and almost led Liverpool to its first Premier League title since 1989-90.
Suarez scored 24 goals in the opposing penalty area in 2013-14 compared to just 18 in 2012-13, and needed 15 fewer shot attempts to do so. Suarez also had just 15 of his shots blocked from inside the penalty area, as opposed to 28 shots blocked from inside the penalty area in 2012-13. Further, Suarez ranked second in the Premier League in attacking third take-ons with 6.1 per 90 minutes, and it's clear his top-end form over the last year will likely continue in Brazil.
3. Lionel Messi, Argentina (Barcelona)
Messi's "disappointing" 2013-14 season still saw the Argentine international finish second in La Liga with 28 goals this campaign, and sixth in La Liga with 74 total chances created. Messi remained heavily involved in Barcelona's attack, ranking fourth across Europe's top five leagues with 43.8 touches per 90 minutes, and fourth in La Liga with 8.8 take-ons per 90 minutes.
With Argentina, Messi scored 10 goals through 16 games of World Cup qualifying, and he put 54 percent of his shots on target in World Cup qualifying compared to just 45 percent of his shots on target throughout the 2013-14 La Liga campaign. The Barcelona star has just one goal in eight World Cup appearances over the last two World Cups, but that number should increase this summer in Brazil.
4. Diego Costa, Spain (Atletico Madrid)
Diego Costa ranked third in La Liga with 27 goals, accounting for 35 percent of Atletico Madrid's output throughout the 2013-14 La Liga season. The forward's eight goals in the Champions League are also the third most of all participants, and considering that all but one of those 35 combined goals came from inside the penalty area, the potential of being the primary target on both a domestic and European championship-winning team is enough to be considered one of the best forwards in the world.
ESPN Stats & InformationChart of Diego Costa's shots (blue dots) and goals (soccer balls) in 2013-14 La Liga season, left, and those from 2013-14 Champions League play, right.
At the same time, Costa did not declare his allegiance to Spain until the end of World Cup qualifying, and is not higher on this list because it is not clear how he will adjust to his teammates in the team's potent attack. Costa has improved his pass-completion rate in the attacking third from 64.8 percent in 2012-13 to 68.3 percent this season, so he should be able to assimilate from an Atletico team that averages 48.9 percent possession to a Spain team full of players from Barcelona (67.7 percent possession) and Real Madrid (58.8 percent possession). However, given his club success, the forward will have little time to get situated with his teammates before Spain's opening game against the Netherlands on the second day of competition.
5. Sergio Aguero, Argentina (Manchester City)
Aguero was arguably the Premier League's best player in the first half of the 2013-14 season, and as a forward there is little more one could ask for than a player who scored one goal per 90 minutes on a Premier League title team. The forward also ranked third across Europe's top five leagues with 2.0 shots on target from inside the penalty area in 2013-14, and aside from his scoring, Aguero led City with 6.4 take-ons per 90 minutes, while also ranking fourth on the team with 2.0 chances created per 90 minutes.
Aguero also provided five goals in just eight World Cup qualifying appearances with Argentina, and put 60 percent of his shots on target compared to just 49 percent with City, so combined with attacking players like Messi and Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, this could be a breakout summer for the soon-to-be 26-year-old forward.
6. Edin Dzeko, Bosnia (Manchester City)
Dzeko ranked third on Manchester City with 16 goals this season, but led the team with 103 shot attempts throughout City's 2013-14 domestic title campaign. And even though 15 of Dzeko's 16 goals came as a starter, it should be noted that eight of the forward's 31 appearances came as a substitute (more than any other player on this list), and his ability to produce at such a high level with little continuity in playing time suggests that Dzeko possesses a true scorer's attitude.
When Dzeko is the featured forward -- as he is for Bosnia-- he has carried the team through qualifying with 10 goals (second most in UEFA) and also provided four assists as the country qualified for its first-ever World Cup appearance.
7. Robin van Persie, Netherlands (Manchester United)
The Dutch forward had an injury-plagued season for Manchester United in 2013-14, but remained tied with Wayne Rooney for the team lead with 0.6 goals per 90 minutes. He also led UEFA World Cup qualifying with 11 goals this season, and his beautiful goal against Ecuador in the Netherlands' recent friendly is a sign that the team will rely heavily on van Persie throughout the World Cup.
Current Netherlands and future Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has also done a better job of keeping van Persie involved higher up the field, and his 7.8 touches per 90 minutes in the attacking penalty area for the Netherlands make him a significantly more dangerous forward than the team-high 5.7 touches per 90 minutes that he averaged for United this past season.
8. Mario Mandzukic, Croatia (Bayern Munich)
Mandzukic's tenure at Bayern Munich was essentially determined before the 2013-14 season when the team pledged its commitment to Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, yet the forward admirably finished second in the Bundesliga with 18 goals, and led Bayern with 2.0 shots on target per 90 minutes throughout the 2013-14 campaign.
The forward will have no shortage of suitors in the summer transfer window, but the four goals he recorded on a Croatia team that scored just 14 goals in World Cup qualifying (28th in UEFA) prevent him from being higher on this list.
9. Karim Benzema, France (Real Madrid)
Benzema ranked fifth in La Liga with 17 goals this season, and his 39 shots on target from inside the penalty area were the fourth most of any player in the league. The forward also provided nine assists for Real Madrid, and his 63 chances created rank third on a Real Madrid that outscored every club in Europe's top five leagues this season.
Benzema also led France with 3.5 shots per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, and the support he gets from fellow attackers like Bayern's Franck Ribery and Arsenal's Olivier Giroud should provide an environment in which the forward can find free space to finish off chances in the attack.
10. Alexis Sanchez, Chile (Barcelona)
Sanchez ranked fourth in La Liga with 19 goals in 2013-14, but should be rewarded for the fact that he needed just 66 shot attempts to do so. The forward's 28.8 percent conversion rate is the best of all players on this list, and individually Sanchez has improved significantly in goals, shots and shots on target per 90 minutes since the 2012-13 season.
Similar to Mandzukic, Sanchez scored just four goals in World Cup qualifying for Chile, but he is receptive to a more versatile, impactful role with his country, evidenced by his 6.8 take-ons per 90 minutes through CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying compared to just 4.6 take-ons per 90 minutes with Barcelona.
Honorable mention (in no particular order): Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina (Napoli); Edinson Cavani, Uruguay (Paris Saint-Germain); Daniel Sturridge, England (Liverpool); and, though he may not play in Brazil, Radamel Falcao, Colombia (Monaco)
ESPN INSIDER
With so much emotion invested in World Cup success, the forward position is undoubtedly the most scrutinized among supporters of the 32 teams in the field. This is particularly true among those forwards who have shown particularly good form at the club level, as they now must prove they can remain lethal among a group of unfamiliar and, in some cases, lesser-quality teammates.
The best forwards at this summer's World Cup are all coming off impressive club seasons, and some have been equally impressive in World Cup qualifying, and this combined body of work certainly plays a part in assessing the power rankings at this position.
Based on each player's recent form (for both club and country), scoring ability and overall attention he commands from opposing defenders, here are my top 10 forwards heading into the 2014 World Cup.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal (Club: Real Madrid)
Ronaldo's 31 goals for Real Madrid tied Liverpool forward Luis Suarez for the most across Europe's top five leagues this season, but the Portuguese striker needed three fewer appearances to reach that goal mark. Ronaldo also ranked second in Europe's top five leagues with 7.3 shots per 90 minutes, and second across Europe with 3.2 shots on target per 90 minutes. And given the location of his touches for both club and country over the last year, it is clear that the forward is poised to expand on his influence while playing with Portugal this summer.
Just 58 percent of Ronaldo's touches with Portugal came from the left side of the field, as opposed to 73 percent during the La Liga season. This is an indication of how important Ronaldo is to Portugal, as he led the team with 29.1 touches per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, and his eight goals in 10 World Cup qualifying appearances signal that he will be a force to be reckoned with this summer.
2. Luis Suarez, Uruguay (Liverpool)
The 31 goals that Suarez scored tied Ronaldo for the most domestic goals across Europe's top five leagues, and the fact that his 12 assists ranked second in the Premier League to Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard illustrates that he is much more than a supply-dependent striker. Still, when it comes to being a predatory forward, Suarez has been even more prolific inside the penalty area than last season, and almost led Liverpool to its first Premier League title since 1989-90.
Suarez scored 24 goals in the opposing penalty area in 2013-14 compared to just 18 in 2012-13, and needed 15 fewer shot attempts to do so. Suarez also had just 15 of his shots blocked from inside the penalty area, as opposed to 28 shots blocked from inside the penalty area in 2012-13. Further, Suarez ranked second in the Premier League in attacking third take-ons with 6.1 per 90 minutes, and it's clear his top-end form over the last year will likely continue in Brazil.
3. Lionel Messi, Argentina (Barcelona)
Messi's "disappointing" 2013-14 season still saw the Argentine international finish second in La Liga with 28 goals this campaign, and sixth in La Liga with 74 total chances created. Messi remained heavily involved in Barcelona's attack, ranking fourth across Europe's top five leagues with 43.8 touches per 90 minutes, and fourth in La Liga with 8.8 take-ons per 90 minutes.
With Argentina, Messi scored 10 goals through 16 games of World Cup qualifying, and he put 54 percent of his shots on target in World Cup qualifying compared to just 45 percent of his shots on target throughout the 2013-14 La Liga campaign. The Barcelona star has just one goal in eight World Cup appearances over the last two World Cups, but that number should increase this summer in Brazil.
4. Diego Costa, Spain (Atletico Madrid)
Diego Costa ranked third in La Liga with 27 goals, accounting for 35 percent of Atletico Madrid's output throughout the 2013-14 La Liga season. The forward's eight goals in the Champions League are also the third most of all participants, and considering that all but one of those 35 combined goals came from inside the penalty area, the potential of being the primary target on both a domestic and European championship-winning team is enough to be considered one of the best forwards in the world.
At the same time, Costa did not declare his allegiance to Spain until the end of World Cup qualifying, and is not higher on this list because it is not clear how he will adjust to his teammates in the team's potent attack. Costa has improved his pass-completion rate in the attacking third from 64.8 percent in 2012-13 to 68.3 percent this season, so he should be able to assimilate from an Atletico team that averages 48.9 percent possession to a Spain team full of players from Barcelona (67.7 percent possession) and Real Madrid (58.8 percent possession). However, given his club success, the forward will have little time to get situated with his teammates before Spain's opening game against the Netherlands on the second day of competition.
5. Sergio Aguero, Argentina (Manchester City)
Aguero was arguably the Premier League's best player in the first half of the 2013-14 season, and as a forward there is little more one could ask for than a player who scored one goal per 90 minutes on a Premier League title team. The forward also ranked third across Europe's top five leagues with 2.0 shots on target from inside the penalty area in 2013-14, and aside from his scoring, Aguero led City with 6.4 take-ons per 90 minutes, while also ranking fourth on the team with 2.0 chances created per 90 minutes.
Aguero also provided five goals in just eight World Cup qualifying appearances with Argentina, and put 60 percent of his shots on target compared to just 49 percent with City, so combined with attacking players like Messi and Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, this could be a breakout summer for the soon-to-be 26-year-old forward.
6. Edin Dzeko, Bosnia (Manchester City)
Dzeko ranked third on Manchester City with 16 goals this season, but led the team with 103 shot attempts throughout City's 2013-14 domestic title campaign. And even though 15 of Dzeko's 16 goals came as a starter, it should be noted that eight of the forward's 31 appearances came as a substitute (more than any other player on this list), and his ability to produce at such a high level with little continuity in playing time suggests that Dzeko possesses a true scorer's attitude.
When Dzeko is the featured forward -- as he is for Bosnia-- he has carried the team through qualifying with 10 goals (second most in UEFA) and also provided four assists as the country qualified for its first-ever World Cup appearance.
7. Robin van Persie, Netherlands (Manchester United)
The Dutch forward had an injury-plagued season for Manchester United in 2013-14, but remained tied with Wayne Rooney for the team lead with 0.6 goals per 90 minutes. He also led UEFA World Cup qualifying with 11 goals this season, and his beautiful goal against Ecuador in the Netherlands' recent friendly is a sign that the team will rely heavily on van Persie throughout the World Cup.
Current Netherlands and future Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has also done a better job of keeping van Persie involved higher up the field, and his 7.8 touches per 90 minutes in the attacking penalty area for the Netherlands make him a significantly more dangerous forward than the team-high 5.7 touches per 90 minutes that he averaged for United this past season.
8. Mario Mandzukic, Croatia (Bayern Munich)
Mandzukic's tenure at Bayern Munich was essentially determined before the 2013-14 season when the team pledged its commitment to Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski, yet the forward admirably finished second in the Bundesliga with 18 goals, and led Bayern with 2.0 shots on target per 90 minutes throughout the 2013-14 campaign.
The forward will have no shortage of suitors in the summer transfer window, but the four goals he recorded on a Croatia team that scored just 14 goals in World Cup qualifying (28th in UEFA) prevent him from being higher on this list.
9. Karim Benzema, France (Real Madrid)
Benzema ranked fifth in La Liga with 17 goals this season, and his 39 shots on target from inside the penalty area were the fourth most of any player in the league. The forward also provided nine assists for Real Madrid, and his 63 chances created rank third on a Real Madrid that outscored every club in Europe's top five leagues this season.
Benzema also led France with 3.5 shots per 90 minutes throughout World Cup qualifying, and the support he gets from fellow attackers like Bayern's Franck Ribery and Arsenal's Olivier Giroud should provide an environment in which the forward can find free space to finish off chances in the attack.
10. Alexis Sanchez, Chile (Barcelona)
Sanchez ranked fourth in La Liga with 19 goals in 2013-14, but should be rewarded for the fact that he needed just 66 shot attempts to do so. The forward's 28.8 percent conversion rate is the best of all players on this list, and individually Sanchez has improved significantly in goals, shots and shots on target per 90 minutes since the 2012-13 season.
Similar to Mandzukic, Sanchez scored just four goals in World Cup qualifying for Chile, but he is receptive to a more versatile, impactful role with his country, evidenced by his 6.8 take-ons per 90 minutes through CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying compared to just 4.6 take-ons per 90 minutes with Barcelona.
Honorable mention (in no particular order): Gonzalo Higuain, Argentina (Napoli); Edinson Cavani, Uruguay (Paris Saint-Germain); Daniel Sturridge, England (Liverpool); and, though he may not play in Brazil, Radamel Falcao, Colombia (Monaco)
