That’s an interesting one.
I will give that to Odegaard.
If you look at Madrid version of Ozil then it’s close, it’s probably Ozil.
If you look at the Arsenal Ozil, he was only close around Odegaard in his first year here, soon he got heavier and slower, especially after that injury in his second season and wasn’t really that special in one on one’s later on.
Ode has a pretty special ability on the ball. Mesut was faster and naturally a better sprinter, but Ode’s agility, twits and turns along with the control in tight areas are world class.
I’d say Ode brings more in those duels and dribbles (in his last season especially, and you’d expect him to carry on with that) than what Ozil used to for most of his Arsenal days, but Ode still has a lot of work to do on his passing and playmaking.
I’d say that his biggest weakness atm - if you look at him as an elite playmaker.
His passing and desision making is still superinconsistent and raw for an attacking midfielfer of that level. At times he pulls off Bergkamp level passes, but at times he’s a Walcott and just throws the ball away to no one in good situations.
Ozil, or Cesc, or Cazorla, simply never had that during their primes, and just had a certain standard of passing and never went below that. Ode hasn’t reached that level.
I think he is an intelligent and a talented passer but just lacks the composure and coolness atm. I think him being so active in pressing and other areas of the game takes away a bit of his focus on pure passing and that makes him do those errors at times. Along with him still not having the true world class confidence yet. He only truly settled as a player not so long ago, he will get there I believe.
If he really manages to improve and polish his passing and decision making, while maintaining the current intensity and work rate and keep that going for a while… he’s a serious Ballon d’Or contender.