CASTROL EDGE RANKINGS ARCHIVE

Castrol has applied the same expertise they apply to the development of their oils to create the Castrol Rankings – using objective analysis and highly advanced technology to measure every pass, every tackle and every single move of over 2,000 players and games from Europe’s top five leagues over the last 12 months.

That analysis shows that Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has retained his place at the head of the Castrol Rankings for the third successive month and extended his lead over Cristiano Ronaldo who sits in second place.

Wayne Rooney, though, has been in brilliant form with his performances this season prompting club manager Sir Alex Ferguson to declare that his player is now ready to be compared alongside Messi and Ronaldo as one of the world's top players.

Castrol Performance Analysis supports Ferguson’s view and shows that Rooney was the outstanding player overall in March, earning an average of 1525 Castrol Rankings points per game, which explains the forward’s rise from eighth to third in the rankings.

Rooney scored six goals in four games during March, including his strike after just 63 seconds against Bayern Munich, the fastest goal in the Champions League this season. He has been involved in 37% of United’s league and Champions League goals during the same period,, scoring 35 and providing nine assists.


Castrol Ambassador and 1998 FIFA World Cup™ winner Marcel Desailly said: “Rooney is 24 now and while he is not yet at his peak, his game has matured rapidly over the last the 12 months and he is now a genuine world class player.

“It’s wrong to say Manchester United are a one-man team, but Rooney has been so dominant this season that the other attacking players have inevitably played a more supporting role.

“Rooney may not have the trickery of Ronaldo and Messi – although he is extremely skilful with the ball at his feet – but in terms of his all round game, it’s hard to pick out a single weakness. The biggest difference this season has been his goalscoring, particularly with his head, and he is close to becoming the complete centre forward.

“With some players, you always wonder whether they will fulfil their potential. That has never been an issue with Rooney who has great mental strength and determination and is committed to improving his game.”

Messi, though, remains the man to catch. Last month the Argentine scored 10 goals in seven games, including back-to-back hat-tricks in La Liga. In the 12 months to 31st March 2010, he has scored 29 goals in 32 league games, while also firing in 76 shots on target, a league-high. His 131 successful dribbles is also a La Liga record over the last year.
Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o continues to fall down the Castrol Rankings, this month dropping 80 places to 146th.


Real Madrid winger Ronaldo remains close on the heels of his Barcelona rival and has the best minutes-to-goal ratio in the Champions League over the last 12 months, scoring, on average, every 90 minutes.

The biggest mover into the top ten is Ronaldo’s club-mate Gonzalo Higuain, who has risen 10 places, from 14th to 4th. The striker is the top scorer in La Liga over the last 12 months with 30 goals in only 33 appearances and is the most clinical finisher in Europe, scoring with 34% of his shots.

Higuain is expected to lead Argentina’s attack in South Africa at the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ and another South American, Lucas Barrios, has also made a big move, this time into the top 50. The Borussia Dortmund striker has risen 215 places to 34th after impressing during his first season in the Bundesliga with 15 goals.

Edwin van der Sar remains the top ranked goalkeeper in 15th position. The Manchester United man kept four clean sheets in March and has saved 79% of shots over the last 12 months in the Premier League, a league-high.