Let's get the rules clear: are we talking about the best player based on their whole career, or player with best PL career?

E.g. (if Suarez hadn't come along) Diego Forlan could have been a contender for Uruguay based on his overall career, but definitely not for his time at United.

...Zlatan is maybe a better example of that dilemma.

...and Henrik Larsson better still!

Sorry, need to think through one post properly, rather than posting multiple afterthoughts.

Wales - Bale
Scot Goram
Norn - Healy
R Ireland - Keane
France - Viera
Spain - Silva
Portugal - R7
Italy - Zola
Germany - Ballack
Netherlands - Bergkamp
Sweden - Zlatan
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - Laudrup
Australia - Cahill
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Okocha
Brazil - Thiago Silva
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Dempsey

Hmmm, the best players who had best PL career

comment by Robben Amorim (U22716)
posted 9 seconds ago
Hmmm, the best players who had best PL career
----------------------------------------------------------------------
too late I based it on the question of best players for their nation to play in the PL. So I took it as the best players from that nation who have played at least 1 game in PL.

comment by whodunnit (U22710)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Robben Amorim (U22716)
posted 9 seconds ago
Hmmm, the best players who had best PL career
----------------------------------------------------------------------
too late I based it on the question of best players for their nation to play in the PL. So I took it as the best players from that nation who have played at least 1 game in PL.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fair enough, though I would have gone with Ozil or Klinsmann for German

Ireland. Irwin
France. Cantona
Wales.Giggs
England, Scholes

ROI- McGrath

Wales - Bale
Scotland - Robbo
Norn - Gillespie
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Henry
Spain - Rodri
Portugal - CR7
Italy - Zola
Germany - Ozil
Netherlands - VVD
Sweden - Ljungberg
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Kewell
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Jay-Jay Okocha
Brazil - Allisson
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Dempsey

comment by Robben Amorim (U22716)
posted 9 minutes ago
Hmmm, the best players who had best PL career
----------------------------------------------------------------------

In that case:

Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - Brian McClair*
Norn - Johnny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Thierry Henry
Spain - David Silva
Portugal - Cristiano Ronaldo
Italy - Gianfranco Zola
Germany - Michael Ballack
Netherlands - Dennis Bergkamp
Sweden - Freddie Ljungberg
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer**
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Tim Cahill
South Korea - Hueng Min Son
Nigeria - Jay-Jay Okocha
Brazil - Fernandinho
Argentina - Sergio Aguero
Uruguay - Luis Suarez
USA - Brad Friedel

*tricky - it's surely between McClair, Darren Fletcher & Andy Robertson. McClair played more games for United than Fletcher did for us and Robertson has for Liverpool (albeit 5 of those seasons were prior to the PL's formation), and both McClair & Fletcher have won significantly more big trophies than Robertson (though the latter could easily be considered one of the best around in his position whereas the former two could not). You could pick any of them really.

**No doubt this will be Haaland in time, but you can't look past 11 PL seasons, 6 PL titles, a CL title (including that legendary goal) a couple of FA Cups plus the fact that he'd have been a starting striker for almost any other team in world football other than us at the time. Haaland simply hasn't had the time in the PL to *yet* be considered to have been the best Norwegian player who had the best PL career.

Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - DarrenFletcher
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Eric Cantona
Spain - Juan Mata
Portugal - Cristiana Ronaldo
Italy - Federico Macheda
Germany - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Netherlands - Jaap Stam
Sweden - Jesper Blomqvist
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Mark Bosnich
South Korea - Ji Sung Park
Nigeria - Jon Obi Mikel
Brazil - Anderson
Argentina - Carlos Tevez
Uruguay - Diego Forlan
USA - Tim Howard

I realise I'd totally forgotten about Kewell & Viduka for Australia.

On the basis of talent and trophies I suppose Kewell had the best career. In terms of being an excellent and very consistent striker then Viduka. I'd have either one of those ahead of Cahill on reflection.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 1 minute ago
Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - DarrenFletcher
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Eric Cantona
Spain - Juan Mata
Portugal - Cristiana Ronaldo
Italy - Federico Macheda
Germany - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Netherlands - Jaap Stam
Sweden - Jesper Blomqvist
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Mark Bosnich
South Korea - Ji Sung Park
Nigeria - Jon Obi Mikel
Brazil - Anderson
Argentina - Carlos Tevez
Uruguay - Diego Forlan
USA - Tim Howard
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Absolutely ridiculous. Surely it should be Ruud ahead of Stam and Kleberson over Anderson?

Ridiculous.

Wales - Bale
Scotland - Robertson
Norn - Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Henry
Spain - Silva
Portugal - Ronaldo
Italy - Zola
Germany - Klinsmann
Netherlands - Bergkamp
Sweden - Ibrahimovic
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - Schmeichel
Australia - Viduka
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Kanu
Brazil - Firmino
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Dempsey

comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 1 minute ago
Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - DarrenFletcher
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Eric Cantona
Spain - Juan Mata
Portugal - Cristiana Ronaldo
Italy - Federico Macheda
Germany - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Netherlands - Jaap Stam
Sweden - Jesper Blomqvist
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Mark Bosnich
South Korea - Ji Sung Park
Nigeria - Jon Obi Mikel
Brazil - Anderson
Argentina - Carlos Tevez
Uruguay - Diego Forlan
USA - Tim Howard
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Absolutely ridiculous. Surely it should be Ruud ahead of Stam and Kleberson over Anderson?

Ridiculous.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Apologies.

Wales - Giggs
Scotland - Robertson
Norn - Gillespie
R O Ireland - Keane
France - Henry
Spain - Torres
Portugal - Ronaldo
Italy - Zola
Germany - Gundogan
Netherlands - Van Dijk
Sweden - Ljungberg
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - P. Schmeichel
Australia - Kewell
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Kanu
Brazil - Alisson
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Friedel

Actually I would have Evans over Gillespie. Forgot about him.

comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 29 minutes ago
I realise I'd totally forgotten about Kewell & Viduka for Australia.

On the basis of talent and trophies I suppose Kewell had the best career. In terms of being an excellent and very consistent striker then Viduka. I'd have either one of those ahead of Cahill on reflection.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s easily Viduka. Was the much better player and also inspired this legendary song:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OzaM9tyOZCY

Off the top of my head

Wales - Bale
Scotland
Norn
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Henry
Spain - D Silva
Portugal - Ronaldo
Italy - Zola
Germany - Klinsmann
Netherlands - RVN
Sweden - Ljungberg
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - P Svhmeichel
Australia - Viduka
South Korea - Son
Nigeria
Brazil - Allison
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA

comment by Spurtle (U1608)
posted 1 hour, 10 minutes ago
Wales - Bale
Scotland - Robertson
Norn - Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Henry
Spain - Silva
Portugal - Ronaldo
Italy - Zola
Germany - Klinsmann
Netherlands - Bergkamp
Sweden - Ibrahimovic
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - Schmeichel
Australia - Viduka
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Kanu
Brazil - Firmino
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Dempsey
----------------------------------------------------------------------
👆

Wales - Giggs
Scotland - Robertson
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Henry
Spain - D.Silva
Portugal - Ronaldo
Italy - Zola
Germany - Gundogan
Netherlands - Ruud
Sweden - Ljunberg (given Zlatan only has 1 season here)
Norway - Haaland
Denmark - Pete
Australia - Viduka
South Korea - Son
Nigeria - Okocha
Brazil - Alison
Argentina - Aguero
Uruguay - Suarez
USA - Dempsey

Surprisingly not that difficult for most tbh. Brazil took me the longest.

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 1 hour, 22 minutes ago
comment by BerbaKing11 (U6256)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 1 minute ago
Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - DarrenFletcher
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Eric Cantona
Spain - Juan Mata
Portugal - Cristiana Ronaldo
Italy - Federico Macheda
Germany - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Netherlands - Jaap Stam
Sweden - Jesper Blomqvist
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Mark Bosnich
South Korea - Ji Sung Park
Nigeria - Jon Obi Mikel
Brazil - Anderson
Argentina - Carlos Tevez
Uruguay - Diego Forlan
USA - Tim Howard
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Absolutely ridiculous. Surely it should be Ruud ahead of Stam and Kleberson over Anderson?

Ridiculous.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Apologies.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Keane ahead of Liam Miller as well. Shambles.

What about England?

comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 JA606 Class Act (U2462)
posted 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
Wales - Ryan Giggs
Scotland - DarrenFletcher
Norn - Jonny Evans
R O Ireland - Roy Keane
France - Eric Cantona
Spain - Juan Mata
Portugal - Cristiana Ronaldo
Italy - Federico Macheda
Germany - Bastian Schweinsteiger
Netherlands - Jaap Stam
Sweden - Jesper Blomqvist
Norway - Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Denmark - Peter Schmeichel
Australia - Mark Bosnich
South Korea - Ji Sung Park
Nigeria - Jon Obi Mikel
Brazil - Anderson
Argentina - Carlos Tevez
Uruguay - Diego Forlan
USA - Tim Howard
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Agree with almost all of those. But Irwin should be in