Bayern Kane, Manchester City Haaland, and Real Madrid Mbappe are the three most popular top forwards in Europe today. Who is the best forward in the world today? Opinions vary. A few days ago, former German international and former Bayern defender Marcus Babel gave his answer in the column of "Kicker".
Marcus Babel said: "If I were asked to choose the one I least want to defend, Kane, Haaland or Mbappe? The answer is clear: Kane!"
■Why Kane?
Marcus Babel said: "He is the most difficult one to guard. He is neither particularly fast nor has exaggerated physical confrontation ability, and his header is not top-notch. But he has amazing football intelligence, and with his excellent running position and ability to read the game, he can make the defender completely lose reference."
■Marcus Babel pointed out that in today's football system, Kane can hardly be restricted.
Marcus Babel said: "It was much easier in the past. At that time, the central defenders were man-to-man defense, or even forward-marking. They would be required to follow the opponent to any position."
Among today's defensive players, Babel believes that almost no one still knows how to perform man-to-man defense. Since the change to 'modern zone defense', no one knows when and who should respond to the defense.
Babel also gave an example. In the German Cup this week, Cologne lost 1 to 4 to Bayern. Cologne tried to closely mark Kane.
Babel said: "In the end, they still conceded four goals, and Kane scored two of them."
In Babel's heart, Haaland ranked second.
Babel said: "When Haaland started the physical confrontation, I didn't know where I would be hit. His heading ability is shocking, it is simply on another level."
■Babel believes that Real Madrid's Mbappe is relatively easier to defend.
Babel said: "As long as the defensive player is fast enough and well-positioned, he can deal with him."
Finally, Babel concluded: "If I choose a teammate from these three, I will still choose Kane. He has raised the forward's defensive awareness to a new level. Height."
Babel had direct confrontation with the world's top forwards as a player. He successfully restricted Alan Shearer in the 1996 European Cup. He later won the European championship with the German team and also won the Bundesliga once with Stuttgart and three times with Bayern. Now, he believes the best striker in the world is playing for his old club Bayern Munich.
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