I'm gonna vote for players I've seen. The first major tournament I can remember was WC 1998. I remember watching Michael Owen and Alan Shearer
Best player, for me, is David Beckham by a country mile. His free kick vs Greece was collosal, his penalty against Argentina in 2002 was a brilliant occasion and his commitment is second to none.
What sets him above the rest is the fact he
wants to play. I doubt there is another player going to South Africa this year who would spend two years playing football for the whole 24 months, moving across continents just for a chance to play in the World Cup, and you can't knock him for that. I think commitment is a large part of football, and when I go to the Albion matches, I always prefer to watch the players whoo look like they actually want to play.
Give it a few years and Wayne Rooney will definitely be up there. Another player who want to represent his country, is proud to do so and even gets upset if he's not picked evem when he's injured.