Footballs Mount Rushmore by Era

I agree, if their is no source that can be found it should be taken with a grain of salt. Although the specific claim that he was "voted best player" seems to carry more weight or at least reference something more specific than the often thrown around claim "he was the best player that season" (not specifically Charles but just this type of quote thrown around in general without citation.

 

Spanish wiki is the source for, "he made eight goals".

http://translate.google.com/transla...kipedia.org/wiki/Omar_S%C3%ADvori&prev=search

I know the South American Championship best player awards are retrospective.

I am not claiming we know Sivori was the best player at the 57 CAC, but I would contend we know enough to say he was a major important part.

http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/best-south-american-players-50s-60s.1383569/page-2

Contemporary ratings posted by msioux show him having an excellent tournament, although slightly less so than Maschio and Angelillo (4th rated player overall).

I don't know whether Sivori was more impressive with River than Charles was with Leeds, for both players you only find glowing things said about their times spent there. Overall I can't say for certain Sivori is a better candidate than Charles under the criteria I provided, I can't say much for certain about any of these older players. I think it is still fun to try to piece your way through this type of exercise use what knowledge is available and hope that posters with a larger knowledge base contribute.

Like I said before I chose Sivori because he ticked a number of boxes. Very important to the second machine, great River Plate teams of the 50s, very important to the young high flying 57 front line for Argentina, and very important to Juventus after a successful transfer to Europe. I can't say for certain he was the best or most important player on any of these teams, but I don't think anyone would contend that he was very important to all.

 

Top players from the 57 CA

Source: La Prensa (peruvian newspaper), march 1957. (Thanks to msioux)

Angelillo (Arg) 7,75
Maschio (Arg) 7,50
Ambrois (Uru) 7,40
Sivori (Arg) 7,33
Didi (Brz) 7,25
Corbatta (Arg) 7,25
Terry (Per) 7,00
Rossi (Arg) 7,00
Belangero (Brz) 7,00

 

I don't take the "created 8 goals" to seriously either, as you said we do not know if that means assisted or was part of the build up and there is not a good source. But I would also say that seeing something like this would lead me to believe he was one of the teams most creative players, in a historical goal scoring display.

Also we discussed the issues with the 1959 ratings, they were low for Argentina because taht edition of the paper came out before the final matches of the tournament, including Argentina's win over Brazil. I think it is in the same thread you quoted those Brazil/Argentina side by side ratings from.

 

This video is somewhat interesting. Shows a far amount of gameplay from Arg. vs Brazil in 1957 but none of the goals. there is also a lot of commentary. Anyone care to translate?

Also Argentina vs Uruguay, one excellent long range goal here, hard to tell who it was.

 

1960-1964

Important international competitions: 1962 World Cups, 1960 and 64 European Championship

Important trends: Brazil's golden age, Real Madrid unseated in Europe, Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup created

Pele: This is about as easy as it gets, despite missing most of the 1962 World Cup because of injury Pele is considered the best player in the world. He appeared 24 times for Brazil scoring 21 goals in this period. What elevated Pele to a status beyond other players was his exploits in Santos, dominating domestic, South American, and international club football. With Santos he dominated Brazilian football winning the Paulista four times (60, 61, 62, 64), the Rio-Sao Paulo tournament twice (63, 64) and the Brazilian Championship four times (61, 62, 63, 64). He was top scorer in nine of the thirteen domestic competitions he participated in. The Copa Libertadores was a new competition in South America that mirrored the European Cup, pitting champions from domestic South American leagues against one another. Pele and Santos won the competition twice (62, 63) beating legendary opponents like the Penarol of Spencer and Rocha, the Botafogo of Garrincha and Jairzinho, and the Boca Jr of Sanfilippo and Ratin. The two Libertadoes wins qualified Santos for two Intercontinental Cups, where they faced and defeated European Cup champions Benfica and AC Milan in 1962 and 63. Pele had countless signature moments in this amazing run: scoring a brace in the final playoff of the 1962 Libertadores to defeat two time defending champion Penarol, scoring a hat trick in Lisbon to dispatch of Benfica in the 1962 Intercontinental Cup, and scoring a hat trick in the Maracana to beat Botafogo 4-0 in the second leg of their 1962 Libertadores meeting are just a few.

Garrincha: The only player who could rival Pele for superiority during this period was his Brazilian teammate Garrincha. Garrincha was the player who became Brazil's star when Pele went down in the 1962 World Cup, leading Brazil to victory. The skillful winger took on a more direct role in Pele's absence finishing the tournament as joint top scorer with 4 goals. He assisted the winning goal in Brazil's final groups stage game vs Spain to send Brazil to the knockouts. In the quarterfinals Garrincha was dominating in a 3-1 victory over England, scoring the first goals on a headed, the second was scored after one of his shots rebounded off the post, and the third was a spectacular effort from outside the box from Garrincha. In the semifinal Garrincha again scored two goals, one from a header and one long range goal from outside the box in a 4-2 victory over hosts Chile. His final performance was more muted as Brazil won 3-1, but he was the outstanding player of the tournament. Overall he was capped 21 times scoring 9 goals in the early 60s. Garrincha led Botafogo to win spree of titles in the early 60s including the Carioca twice (61, 62), the Roberto Gomes Pedrosa (62), and the Rio-Sao Paulo tournament (62).

Luis Suarez: The Spanish international was central to a number of import club and international conquests across Europe. Suarez was capped 13 times for Spain in this period and helped them win the most important national title in their history for almost 50 years, the 1964 European Championship. Suarez had an excellent performance in the final vs the defending champion Soviet Union in a 2-1 victory. Suarez was the key player for two major clubs in Europe during this era. Suarez, at this time a play making and goal scoring inside forward, was the star player for Barcelona in the late 50s and early 60s, and the major rival to the dominant club in Europe, Real Madrid, who were led by the two biggest names in Europe Di Stefano and Puskas. In 1960 Suarez led Barcelona to their second consecutive La Liga title at the expense of Real, and added the Fairs Cup to give them a double. However they failed to defeat their rivals in the most important competition in the Europe, the European Cup, losing to Real in the semifinal 6-2 over two legs. Madrid went on to win their 5th consecutive European Cup having never lost in the competition. In 1961 the goal was clear for Barcelona, win the European Cup. They seceded the La Liga title to Real, but would finally overcome the biggest obstetrical to winning the European Cup, knocking out the previously unbeaten and five time defending champion Real Madrid. The two Spanish giants were paired in the first round. Suarez scored a critical brace in the away leg earning a 2-2 draw with Barca going on to win the second leg 2-1. Suarez would go on to score 4 goals in the tournament and guide Barcelona to the final, where they were shockingly upset by Benfica. The following season Suarez was bought by Inter Milan and became the key player for another one of Europe's all time great teams. At Inter he was converted into a deep lying play maker, launching Inter's counter attacks with his excellent long passing. Inter won Serie A in 1963 and then there first of two European Cups in 1964, comprehensively defeating Suarez's old rivals from Real Madrid. They also won the 1964 Intercontinental Cup, defeating Independiente.

Mario Coluna: Coluna, known as the Sacred Monster, was a powerful and skillful midfielder for Benfica who would win two European Cups in this era and establish themselves as one of the biggest clubs in Europe, despite Portugal's reputation as a second rate soccer country. Coluna and Benfica dominated the domestic league, winning all five Portuguese titles in this period, and added Cup wins in 62 and 64. Where Benfica and Coluna really made their name was in the European Cup. Little was expected of Benfica in 1961 European Cup, as Portuguese teams had only won a single tie in the competitions history, never advancing beyond the second round. Benfica shockingly cruised to the final beating Scottish, Hungarian, Danish, and Austrian opposition by a combined 23-8. The true test would come in the final, where Benfica would face Barcelona, who had earlier defeated Real Madrid for the first time, and attempt to end the Spanish stronghold on the European Cup. In the final Benfica won 3-2 with Coluna scoring a spectacular volley for Benfica's third goal and the one that would shockingly bring them the European title. Coluna scored 3 goals in the tournament. In 1962 they would successfully defend their title. They would cruise to the semifinal where they overcame a power Tottenham team 4-3, sending them to the final to face 5 time champion Real Madrid, who were eager to regain the crown. Benfica fell behind 2-0 before fighting back to tie the game at 2-2 only to lose the lead again with the game setting 3-2 at halftime. Coluna would score the equalizer with a powerful long range drive. Benfica would go on to win 5-3. They nearly made it a hat trick of European Cups in 1963 reaching the final where they lost to AC Milan 2-1. Coluna scored three goals driving them to the final match, including a brace vs Dukla Prague where he outduled Josef Masopust, the player considered to be the best midfielder in Europe by many after the 1962 World Cup. He was capped 22 times for Portugal although the team would experience little success until later in the decade.

Explanation/Honorable mentions: I feel like Coluna is clearly the most questionable inclusion, as the Balon D'or voting shows that the media did not think of him as one of the best players in the world at this time. I feel like Benfica had a very well rounded team in the early 60s, as oppose to in the late 60s when Eusebio began to dominate the teams play. A number of other players could have served as well to represent Benfica: Jose Aguas, Jose Augusto, or Germano. But Aguas and Germano were reach the latter part of their careers and Coluna was in his prime, and I feel slightly more important than his teammates, even Eusebio at this time, who will clearly be in the Rushmore for the late 60s. I felt like Benfica had to have a representative as they ended Spanish dominance in the Euopean Cup and won two of there own and nearly made it three.

Josef Masopust was excellent in the 1962 World Cup leading the Czechs to the final and with his club Dukla Prague. The Soviets had a very successful run in this period winning the 1960 European Championship and making to the final of the 1964 edition. Lev Yashin was the star of the team and Valentin Ivanov was their key attacking player. Danny Blanchflower led Tottenham to the first English double of the century and followed it up with another FA Cup and a win in the Cup Winners Cup, making Spurs the first English team to win a European trophy. Jimmy Greaves joined Blanchflower for the Cup Winners Cup title and was the dominant striker in England both domestically and for his country. Greaves was top scorer in the first division three times and was capped 37 times scoring 34 goals for England. Denis Law also made his mark in the England, driving Manchester United back to relevance in England after the Munich Air disaster. Dragoslav Šekularac was in peak form for Yugoslavia and was excellent in the 1960 European Championships and the 1962 World Cup. Omar Sívori, Ferenc Puskás, and Alfredo di Stefano were all still huge names and presences in this era and would have great chances to be ranked if they had not already. Uwe Seeler was also at his peak scoring goals with abandon in Germany, bet he fell short of major international success with both club and country.

Alberto Spencer was the other major star of South American football at this time, leading Penarol to two Copa Libertadores (60, 61) and one Intercontinental Cup (61). Penoral won all five Uruguay titles at this time, Spencer was top scorer in Uruguay in 61 and 62, and was top scorer of the Libertadores in 60 and 62. He was the closest to getting Coluna's spot, as in my eyes Benfica and Penarol had very similar levels of importance to world football. José Sanfilippo is another great striker from South America who should be mentioned at this time. Zito was also a vital part of Santos's and Brazil's success in the early 60s and played excellently in the 1962 World Cup as the glue in the midfield. He also scored a goal in the World Cup final.

 

Part of my criteria was to only use a player in the top 4 once. Puskas early 50s, Di Stefano late 50s, and Eusebio late 60s all have been or will be used in other eras.

 

Also I would disagree about Eusebio being over Suarez or even Coluna at this point. Late 60s is a different manner.