Let's come up with some interesting and fun best XI. Bext XI for the 100 Caps Club -------------Zoff---------------- Cafu --- Beckenbauer ---Moore---- Maldini M.laudrup----Bozsik--Hagi---Blokin------ ----------Charlton---Dalglish---------- Bench Klinsmann Matthaeus For your reference Best "Italian" XI ------------Zoff------------------ Foni------Barsei---Passarella---Maldini Platini----Rivera----Meazza---Maradona Di Stefano--------Omar Sivori----
The list contains all the player who are Italian by hertiage. Maradona's ancesters are Italians. You might have noticed Di Stefano and Platini are on my list.
But Maradona is not of 100% Italian heritage, is he? Unlike di Stéfano and Platini, if I remember correctly.
Yes, but a best Azzurri XI might be different: --Riva-------Meazza-- --------Rivera-------- --Tardelli----Conti---- ------S. Mazzola------- -Maldini (wing-back)- -Baresi--Scirea--Bergomi-- (3 CBs) ---------Combi----------- subs: Baggio; Vieri; Rossi; Antognoni; Ferri ..........
I think it is okay to include him. meanwhile, my best Judas XI. I need some help here. GK: Pat Jennings(Spur to Arsenal) RB: CB: Sol Campbell (Spur to Arsenal) CB: LB: RW: Lus Figo(Barcelona to Real Madrid) CM CM LM: Luis Enrique(Real Madrid to Barcelona) FW: Johan Cruyff(Ajax to Feyenoord) FW: Mo Johnston(betraying his church).
The Best Roberto/Robert XI GK Roberto Abbondanzieri RB Roberto Sensini CB Robert Moore CB Roberto Ayala LB Roberto Carlos RM Robert Pires AM Roberto Baggio CM Bryan Robson LM Paulo Roberto FALCÃO FW Robert Charlton FW Roberto Rivelino bench Robbie Kean MÁRCIO Roberto dos SANTOS
Ronald Koeman (Ajax to PSV) for CB and Ruud Gullit (Feyenoord to PSV) in midfield (edit) and how about Eusebio as a fwd. He was on his way to Portugal to sign for Sporting, got picked up by a Benfica delegation at the airport and signed for them instead.
Maybe Koeman twice? He also went to Feyenoord. Micheal Laudrup, from Barca to Real. John Rep also played for Feyenoord.
All-Time South American XI without players from Brazil or Argentina: -------L.Sanchez (Chi)----Spencer (Uru)------Cubilla (Uru) -----Cubillas (Per)--------Schiaffino (Uru)-----Francescoli (Uru) ----Mujica (Uru)------Figueroa (Chi)------Chumpitaz (Per)-----Ubinas (Uru) ----------------------------Mazurkiewicz (Uru) All-Time European XI without players from Germany and Italy: ---------Gento (Esp)----------Cruijff (Hol)-------Best (N.Irl) --------Puskas (Hun)--------Charlton (Eng)-------Platini (Fra) ------Krol (Hol)------Rijkaard (Hol)----Moore (Eng)-----Thuram (Fra) -------------------------------Banks (Eng)
I don't have time to think of teams today, but a few challenges (I'll post my teams later this week): 1) Best XI from countries that have never won a World Cup, which means excluding Uruguay, Italy, (West) Germany, Brazil, England, Argentina, and France 2) Best XI who never played in a World Cup 3) Best XI from countries that have never played in a World Cup 4) Best XI who played for more than one country 5) Best XI "immigrant" players (who never represented their country of birth)
Excellent idea. I'll start off with the easiest one, Best XI from countries that have never won the World Cup: -----------Cubillas-------Cruijff--------Best -----------Puskas-------Deyna--------Bozsik -----Krol---------Rijkaard-----Hansen------Szymanowski -----------------------Grosics
FW: Ferenc Puskas (Hungary/Spain) FW: Alfredo di Stefano (Argentina/Spain) LM: Omar Sivori (Argentina/Italy) CM: Laszlo Kubala (Hungary/Czechoslovakia/Spain) CM: Luis Monti (Argentina/Italy) RM: Raimundo Orsi (Argentina/Italy) LB: Robert Jarni (Yugoslavia/Croatia) CB: Jose Santamaria (Uruguay/Spain) CB: Mattias Sammer (East Germany/Germany) RB: Karl Sesta (Austria/Germany) GK: Drazen Ladic (Yugoslavia/Croatia) This was actually a pretty tough one - some of them are out of position.
FW: David Trezeguet (Born in Argentina, played for France) FW: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Born in Surinam, played for the Netherlands) LM: Alex Santos (Born in Brazil, played for Japan) CM: Edgar Davids (Born in Surinam, played for the Netherlands) CM: Patrick Vieira (Born in Senegal, played for France) RM: Clarence Seedorf (Born in Surinam, played for the Netherlands) LB: CB: Marcel Desailly (Born in Ghana, played for France) CB: Donato Silva (Born in Brazil, played for Spain) RB: Lilian Thuram (Born in Guadeloupe, played for France) GK: I'm drawing a blank on a left-back and a goalkeeper, and I didn't include Eusebio cause I'm not sure whether or not Mozambique had its own national team at the time.
The best I could do for left back would be Tony Dorigo (England international born in Australia). You could have John Barnes (born Jamaica) on the left wing and Christian Vieri up front. Keepers are a struggle - Costa Pereira was a team mate of Eusebio's and also from Mozambique, but as they never had a recognised national team until the 70's then it's a big stretch.
Trezeguet's born in France, his father's an argie and his mother is french. And, for Thuram, Guadeloupe's part of France constitutionally. It's not a country. But it's OK for the other 2.
I will play Seedorf on the left midfield and then add Camoranesi on the right. I will put Deco as AM in place of Davids for better offensive. Joey Didulica who is a backup keeper fopr croatia was born in Australia. I also put Kovac in place of Donato so that everyone is an active player. i do not want to go into historical players since I would have to put Eusebio on the list. Robert Prosinečki was also born in West Germany. FW: David Trezeguet (Born in Argentina, played for France) FW: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (Born in Surinam, played for the Netherlands) LM: Seedorf (Born in Surinaml, played for Holland) CM: Edgar Davids (Born in Surinam, played for the Netherlands) CM: Patrick Vieira (Born in Senegal, played for France) RM: Camoranesi (Bornm in Argentina, played for italy) LB: CB: Marcel Desailly (Born in Ghana, played for France) CB: Robetrt Kovac(Born in Germany, played for Croatia) RB: Lilian Thuram (Born in Guadeloupe, played for France) GK: Joey Didulica (Born in Australia, played for Croatia) I still could not get a leftback. I knew a few Croatian player born uin Australia and a few Turks born in Germany. I have no luck so far.
Anybody can come up with a best Ronald/Ronaldo XI? I have this so far. Ronald Koeman C.Ronaldo Ronaldo Ronaldinho Ronnie Whelan
Best XI that have never played in a World Cup (as of today's date) here's my poor attempt: GK- DL- DC- Bernd Schuster (Germany) DC- DR- MR- Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina/Spain) MC- George Best (Northern Ireland) MC- Pavel Nedved (Czech Rep.) ML- Ryan Giggs (Wales) FC- George Weah (Liberia) FC- Eric Cantona (France) need a little help
Best Short XI Some of data are probably incorrect. They list D'Alessandro as 174 cm. I only went over the Europe-based players and the players from big clubs or NT members. GK: Canizares -- 181 RB Cicinho -- 171 cm CN Cannavaro --176 cm CB Cordoba -- 173 cm LB Roberto Carlos -- 168 cm RM Wright-Philips -- 168 cm CM Aimar -- 170 cm DM Makelele -- 170 cm LM Robinho -- ??? FW Saviola -- 168 cm FW Owen -- 170 cm Others considered Rightback Cafu -- 176 Belletti 175 Salgado -- 173 Puyol -- 178 Keepers Canizares -- 181 Julio Cear -- 186 Valdes -- 183 Casillas -- 185 Hilderand -- 185 Coupet -- 181 FW/MF D.Beasley -- 170 Sneijder -- 170 Simao -- 170 Love -- 171 Davids -- 169 Forlan -- 172 De la Pena -- 169 Scholas -- 170 Kevin Philips -- 170 Emre -- 171 Lahm -- 170 D'Alessandro -- 174(right?)