Sure. And attacking is rightly valued more than defending because sport is entertainment. But also, you could be the best defender in history and it would be hard to show that conclusively because you can't measure goal chances that don't happen and a great defender can break down attacks just by standing in the right place. So I think, when you do get someone who really stands out, they maybe deserve a bit more of the benefit of the doubt than attackers, who can more easily be measured with goal and assist stats. Which isn't to say that I am outright saying VVD played better than Messi did relative to their positions.
