Yes, I see what you mean - Ayala's ESM inclusions likely had plenty to do with the CL games. Maybe a retrospective compromise would be to say "well Hyypia can go in 01/02 instead" but that would not be realistic as a real-time idea (if we are meant to imagine we are doing this exercise in 2001).
My first attempt for 2002: BALLACK, Michael (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) BARAJA, Rubén (Spain & Valencia) BECKHAM, David (England & Manchester United) CAFU (Brazil & AS Roma) GIGGS, Ryan (Wales & Manchester United) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) JOAQUÍN (Spain & Real Betis) KAHN, Oliver (Germany & Bayern Munich) LJUNGBERG, Fredrik (Sweden & Arsenal) LÚCIO (Brazil & Bayer Leverkusen) PIRES, Robert (France & Arsenal) RAÚL (Spain & Real Madrid) RIVALDO (Brazil & Barcelona) ROBERTO CARLOS (Brazil & Real Madrid) RONALDINHO (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain) RONALDO (Brazil & Inter Milan) TREZEGUET, David (France & Juventus) TRISTÁN, Diego (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) VALERÓN, Juan Carlos (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) VAN NISTELROOY, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) VIEIRA, Patrick (France & Arsenal) VIERI, Christian (Italy & Inter Milan) ZIDANE, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) Honorable mentions: AIMAR, Pablo (Argentina & Valencia) ALBELDA, David (Spain & Valencia) AYALA, Roberto (Argentina & Valencia) BASTÜRK, Yildiray (Turkey & Bayer Leverkusen) BERGKAMP, Dennis (Netherlands & Arsenal) BUFFON, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) CISSÉ, Djibril (France & Auxerre) CORINI, Eugenio (Italy & Chievo Verona) DESAILLY, Marcel (France & Chelsea) DI VAIO, Marco (Italy & Parma) DONI, Cristiano (Italy & Atalanta) DUFF, Damien (Ireland & Blackburn Rovers) EDMÍLSON (Brazil & Olympique Lyon) ÉLBER, Giovane (Brazil & Bayern Munich) FERDINAND, Rio (England & Leeds United) FERRARA, Ciro (Italy & Juventus) FRINGS, Torsten (Germany & Werder Bremen) GERRARD, Steven (England & Liverpool) HASSELBAINK, Jimmy Floyd (Netherlands & Chelsea) HENCHOZ, Stéphane (Switzerland & Liverpool) HÜBNER, Dario (Italy & Piacenza) HYYPIÄ, Sami (Finland & Liverpool) JARDEL, Mário (Brazil & Sporting CP) KEANE, Roy (Ireland & Manchester United) KLUIVERT, Patrick (Netherlands & Barcelona) MAKÉLÉLÉ, Claude (France & Real Madrid) MALBRANQUE, Steed (France & Fulham) MANFREDINI, Christian (Ivory Coast & Chievo Verona) MORIENTES, Fernando (Spain & Real Madrid) NEDVED, Pavel (Czech Republic & Juventus) NESTA, Alessandro (Italy & Lazio) NEUVILLE, Oliver (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) NOWOTNY, Jens (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) OWEN, Michael (England & Liverpool) PANUCCI, Christian (Italy & AS Roma) PAULETA (Portugal & Girondins de Bordeaux) PUYOL, Carles (Spain & Barcelona) RAMELOW, Carsten (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) RIISE, John Arne (Norway & Liverpool) ROSICKY, Tomás (Czech Republic & Borussia Dortmund) SAMUEL, Walter (Argentina & AS Roma) SAVIOLA, Javier (Argentina & Barcelona) SCHNEIDER, Bernd (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) SCHOLES, Paul (England & Manchester United) SEEDORF, Clarence (Netherlands & Inter Milan) SHEARER, Alan (England & Newcastle United) SOUTHGATE, Gareth (England & Middlesbrough) THURAM, Lilian (France & Juventus) TOLDO, Francesco (Italy & Inter Milan) TOMASSON, Jon Dahl (Denmark & Feyenoord) TOTTI, Francesco (Italy & AS Roma) VAN HOOIJDONK, Pierre (Netherlands & Feyenoord) ZANETTI, Javier (Argentina & Inter Milan) ZÉ ROBERTO (Brazil & Bayer Leverkusen) I reduced my potential candidates to the top 3 to 5 players: Kahn, Ballack, Roberto Carlos and Zidane. I previously discarded Ronaldo due the few games he played, then I'm doubtful. Ballack and Roberto Carlos are the most consistent, but Kahn added to his good club season a major role in the World Cup, while I think Zidane had the brightest moments spread during the season. Any thoughts?
Nice work Peru, and looks a very thorough attempt to me! You already saw my attempt at top 3 to 5 of course, but firstly my ideas were the more 'alternative' than yours I think, and secondly it's not a year where I'd be very clear on my choices apart from Zidane and probably Pires (but in his case I think my overall appreciation in that period even extends well into 2000/01 which was a mixed season due to having to integrate into the PL I suppose; but statistically the whole of 01/02 until he got injured was also impressive to be fair, considering assists too). Totti I was not very sure on, although maybe it's a worthy debate to decide whether he can at least make the 23. Van Nistelrooy seems very reasonable for top 10 range but the case for much higher might not be clear vs those you selected. It's hard to really gauge just how well Ronaldinho did at PSG that season for me. By the way, you might like to give input (although Peterhrt already saw many of your views and lists I guess) on the Best Players of All Time thread in the Players and Legends section, since Peter is going for a historical top 100 and it seems like your kind of thing....(maybe you already saw that but thought I'd mention in case not).
Yes, Totti would be a borderline option in my opinion, but I fear I perceive he had a slight decline with respect to his previous seasons. Maybe that contrast makes I displace him unfairly, especially being still axis of a team that was very close to winning Serie A and was not bad at all in the UEFA Champions League, being just eliminated in the second round in a very complicated group. For some reason, however, I don't remember him so stellar at times. That season he was "only" chosen once in the ESM Team of the Month (in October 2001, when he had a great game against Lecce in Serie A and his best performance in UEFA Champions League, as far as I remember, in the draw against Real Madrid in Spain) and I remember that he almost couldn't be in the final and defining line of the Italian championship, which took him away from the protagonism at a crucial stage. I might not be very precise with him, any other perspective would be welcome. I agree. Ronaldinho also looks as a borderline option and the World Cup has to catapult him to get some narrow advantage, so I spent a lot of time watching matches and summaries of him in France. Started slow, only as a substitute, but during the second half of the season (the first half of 2002) seems to chain a series of sparkling performances and demonstrating some world-class skills. That Pauleta won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year could increase my doubt. What seems to me more surprising is that for the next season (2002-03) Ronaldinho was not even included in the Ligue 1 Team of the Year, despite his still numerous brilliant sparkles, his famous goal against EA Guingamp and his very growing reputation which preceded to be the stellar signing of Barcelona. The mediocre campaign of Paris Saint-Germain must have influence and it's difficult to separate his individual performance from his group success, especially not being a top league in Europe. I just read the thread (I took a couple of days translating some things). It's quite interesting what you're trying to do and I'll follow its development. Based on a predefined structure with precise numbers by region, age and role has to be difficult, but seems a much more interesting exercise than any commercial list.
Unchanged for now (at least until the final review of the decade): 2002 BALLACK, Michael (Germany & Bayer Leverkusen) BARAJA, Rubén (Spain & Valencia) BECKHAM, David (England & Manchester United) CAFU (Brazil & AS Roma) GIGGS, Ryan (Wales & Manchester United) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) JOAQUÍN (Spain & Real Betis) KAHN, Oliver (Germany & Bayern Munich) LJUNGBERG, Fredrik (Sweden & Arsenal) LÚCIO (Brazil & Bayer Leverkusen) PIRES, Robert (France & Arsenal) RAÚL (Spain & Real Madrid) RIVALDO (Brazil & Barcelona) ROBERTO CARLOS (Brazil & Real Madrid) RONALDINHO (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain) RONALDO (Brazil & Inter Milan) TREZEGUET, David (France & Juventus) TRISTÁN, Diego (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) VALERÓN, Juan Carlos (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) VAN NISTELROOY, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) VIEIRA, Patrick (France & Arsenal) VIERI, Christian (Italy & Inter Milan) ZIDANE, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) 1) ZIDANE, Zinedine 2) ROBERTO CARLOS 3) KAHN, Oliver All lists Strange feelings about the podium. Before starting I wouldn't have believed choosing Zidane as the top choice, I had in mind a slow start in Spain and his frustrating World Cup injury, but I ended up convinced by a very good distribution of very striking performances throughout the season.
My List 2003 : Ballack, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) Beckham, David (England & Real Madrid) Buffon, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) Best Goalkeeper Carlos, Roberto (Brazil & Real Madrid) Best Defender Deco (Portugal & Porto) Del Piero, Alessandro (Italy & Juventus) Dida, Nilson (Brazil & AC Milan) Eto’o, Samuel (Cameroon & Real Mallorca) Henry, Thierry (France & Arsenal) Kahveci, Nihat (Turkey & Real Sociedad) Larsson, Henrik (Sweden & Celtic) Makelele, Claude (France & Chelsea) Makaay, Roy (Netherlands & Bayern Munich) Nedved, Pavel (Czech Republic & Juventus) Best Midfielder Nesta, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) Okocha, Jay-Jay (Nigeria & Bolton Wanderers) Raul Gonzalis (Sain & Real Madrid) Ronaldinho (Brazil & Barcelona) Ronaldo de Lima (Brazil & Real Madrid) Best Forward Shevchenko, Andriy (Ukraine & AC Milan) Totti, Francesco (Italy & A.S. Roma) van Nistelrooy, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) Zidane, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) Honorable mentions: Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina & Villarreal) Jan Koller (Czech Republic & Borussia Dortmund) Filippo Inzaghi (Italy & AC Milan) Adrian Mutu (Romania & Chelsea) Francesco Toldo (Italy & Inter Milan) Patrick Vieira (France & Arsenal) Roy Keane (Republic of Ireland & Manchester United) Michael Owen (Cote d’Ivoire & Marseille) Pauleta (Portugal & Paris Saint Germain) Christian Vieri (Italy & Inter Milan) Robert Pires (France & Arsenal) David Trezeguet (France & Juventus) Michel Salgado (Spain & Real Madrid) Lilian Thuram (France & Juventus) Hatem Trabelsi (Tunisia & Ajax Amsterdam) Paul Scholes (England & Manchester United) Sylvain Wiltord (France & Arsenal) Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy & Juventus) Ashley Cole (England & Arsenal) Alvaro Recoba (Uruguay & Inter Milan) Pablo Aimar (Argentina & Valencia) Sol Campbell (England & Arsenal) Iker Casillas (Spain & Real Madrid) Cristian Chivu (Romania & Ajax Amsterdam) Javier Zanetti (Argentina & Inter Milan) Patrick Kluivert (Netherlands & Barcelona)
Interesting list mate. What I have to point out is that I notice that you refers to the chronological year (2003) and the main subject refers to the period of the season (2002-03). That could make some differences.
Making the 2003 list has been particularly difficult for me because my memories and sensations on several players don't look so much like what reflected some several awards. I also have some great doubts about how to value the performances of some, for example, Makélélé, who is more recognized retrospectively of what he was at that moment, and Davids, who although I remember him in great episodes seems to have had no greater recognition. My first attempt for 2003 (2002-03 season): Ballack, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) Buffon, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) Davids, Edgar (Netherlands & Juventus) Del Piero, Alessandro (Italy & Juventus) Henry, Thierry (France & Arsenal) Makaay, Roy (Netherlands & Deportivo La Coruña) Maldini, Paolo (Italy & AC Milan) Mutu, Adrian (Romania & Parma) Nedved, Pavel (Czech Republic & Juventus) Nesta, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) Nihat Kahveci (Turkey & Real Sociedad) Pires, Robert (France & Arsenal) Raúl (Spain & Real Madrid) Roberto Carlos (Brazil & Real Madrid) Ronaldinho (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain) Ronaldo (Brazil & Real Madrid) Scholes, Paul (England & Manchester United) Thuram, Lilian (France & Juventus) van Nistelrooy, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) Vieira, Patrick (France & Arsenal) Vieri, Christian (Italy & Inter Milan) Zanetti, Javier (Argentina & Inter Milan) Zidane, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) Honorable Mentions: Adriano (Brazil & Parma) Aimar, Pablo (Argentina & Valencia) Alonso, Xabi (Spain & Real Sociedad) Appiah, Stephen (Ghana & Brescia) Ayala, Roberto (Argentina & Valencia) Beattie, James (England & Southampton) Camoranesi, Mauro (Italy & Juventus) Campbell, Sol (England & Arsenal) Casillas, Íker (Spain & Real Madrid) Chivu, Cristian (Romania & Ajax) Cole, Ashley (England & Arsenal) Deco (Portugal & Porto) Dyer, Kieron (England & Newcastle United) Élber, Giovane (Brazil & Bayern Munich) Inzaghi, Filippo (Italy & AC Milan) Joaquín (Spain & Real Betis) Karpin, Valeri (Russia & Real Sociedad) Kezman, Mateja (Serbia & PSV Eindhoven) Kovacevic, Darko (Serbia & Real Sociedad) López, Claudio (Argentina & Lazio) Makélélé, Claude (France & Real Madrid) Okocha, Augustine (Nigeria & Bolton Wanderers) Owen, Michael (England & Liverpool) Pauleta (Portugal & Girondins de Bordeaux) Puyol, Carles (Spain & Barcelona) Recoba, Álvaro (Uruguay & Inter Milan) Rui Costa (Portugal & AC Milan) Seedorf, Clarence (Netherlands & AC Milan) Shearer, Alan (England & Newcastle United) Stankovic, Dejan (Serbia & Lazio) Tévez, Carlos (Argentina & Boca Juniors) Totti, Francesco (Italy & AS Roma) Van Buyten, Daniel (Belgium & Olympique de Marseille) Zambrotta, Gianluca (Italy & Juventus) My main candidates for the top 3 are: Henry, Nedved, van Nistelrooy and Zidane. Nedved received the most attention in the top world stage that year with Juventus winning Serie A and reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League, but I've always felt that Henry showed some more spectacular skills. Meanwhile, choose between van Nistelrooy and Zidane is complicated for me, but I think the Dutch was on a bit more dizzying peak. Top 3 1) Henry, Thierry 2) Nedved, Pavel 3) van Nistelrooy, Ruud Thoughts would be appreciated.
This will be my most limited contribution yet for these lists after Tom handed over to Peru in effect, but probably I'd be fairly settled on a top 3 of Henry, Nedved and Zidane. I'd tend to think of Van Nistelrooy as being on a similar level to the previous year, while Ronaldo did come into his own for Real Madrid during 2003 rather than 2002 I think didn't he....?
Sorry PDG1978, as I'm not English speaker I think I didn't quite understand what this extract means. Could you explain it to me in other words, perhaps?
Yes, apologies, I meant that he started to really excel more during the second half of 2002/03 and generally had a good 2003 I think didn't he? I think initially he struggled a bit more in the first part of 02/03 and some Real Madrid fans even seemed a bit dissatisfied with him?
Unchanged for now (at least until the final review of the decade): 2003 BALLACK, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) BUFFON, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) DAVIDS, Edgar (Netherlands & Juventus) DEL PIERO, Alessandro (Italy & Juventus) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) MAKAAY, Roy (Netherlands & Deportivo La Coruña) MALDINI, Paolo (Italy & AC Milan) MUTU, Adrian (Romania & Parma) NEDVED, Pavel (Czech Republic & Juventus) NESTA, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) NIHAT Kahveci (Turkey & Real Sociedad) PIRES, Robert (France & Arsenal) RAÚL (Spain & Real Madrid) ROBERTO CARLOS (Brazil & Real Madrid) RONALDINHO (Brazil & Paris Saint-Germain) RONALDO (Brazil & Real Madrid) SCHOLES, Paul (England & Manchester United) THURAM, Lilian (France & Juventus) VAN NISTELROOY, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) VIEIRA, Patrick (France & Arsenal) VIERI, Christian (Italy & Inter Milan) ZANETTI, Javier (Argentina & Inter Milan) ZIDANE, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) 1) HENRY, Thierry 2) NEDVED, Pavel 3) ZIDANE, Zinedine All lists
Oh!, ok. I'm not so sure and/or I don't remember the feelings of the fans at overall, but it's true that he didn't start immediately at a high level (although I think here could be a problem of over expectations because they hoped to see again the phenomenal version of Ronaldo (1996-1998), especially after his epic return to the World Cup). The truth is that he was not physically 100% from the beginning, he didn't play during the first month and debuted on the 5th matchday against Deportivo Alavés (he played the last 25 minutes and scored twice), had a slow start the next 2 months and didn't play the first classic match against Barcelona in November, but since the match against Real Mallorca in early December (when he scored twice again) I think he took off to a world-class level.
My first attempt for 2004 (2003-04 season): Adriano (Brazil & Parma | Inter Milan) Ayala, Roberto (Argentina & Valencia) Cafu (Brazil & AC Milan) Carvalho, Ricardo (Portugal & Porto) Davids, Edgar (Netherlands & Juventus | Barcelona) Deco (Portugal & Porto) Giuly, Ludovic (France & AS Monaco) Henry, Thierry (France & Arsenal) Kaká (Brazil & AC Milan) Lampard, Frank (England & Chelsea) Maldini, Paolo (Italy & AC Milan) Nesta, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) Pires, Robert (France & Arsenal) Ronaldinho (Brazil & Barcelona) Ronaldo (Brazil & Real Madrid) Shevchenko, Andriy (Ukraine & AC Milan) Terry, John (England & Chelsea) Totti, Francesco (Italy & AS Roma) Valerón, Juan Carlos (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) van Nistelrooy, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) Vicente (Spain & Valencia) Vieira, Patrick (France & Arsenal) Zidane, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) Honorable Mentions: Aílton (Brazil & Werder Bremen) Albelda, David (Spain & Valencia) Ballack, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) Baptista, Júlio (Brazil & Sevilla) Baraja, Rubén (Spain & Valencia) Baros, Milan (Czech Republic & Liverpool) Berbatov, Dimitar (Bulgaria & Bayer Leverkusen) Bergkamp, Dennis (Netherlands & Arsenal) Bordon, Marcelo (Brazil & Stuttgart) Buffon, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) Campbell, Sol (England & Arsenal) Cassano, Antonio (Italy & AS Roma) Cech, Petr (Czech Republic & Rennes) Chevantón, Javier (Uruguay & Lecce) Cissé, Djibril (France & Auxerre) Cole, Ashley (England & Arsenal) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Manchester United) Dida (Brazil & AC Milan) Drogba, Didier (Ivory Coast & Olympique de Marseille) Évra, Patrice (France & AS Monaco) Ferreira, Paulo (Portugal & Porto) Figo, Luís (Portugal & Real Madrid) Gallas, William (France & Chelsea) Gerrard, Steven (England & Liverpool) Gilardino, Alberto (Italy & Parma) Hildebrand, Timo (Germany & Stuttgart) Howard, Tim (United States & Manchester United) Juninho Pernambucano (Brazil & Olympique Lyon) Kezman, Mateja (Serbia & PSV Eindhoven) Larsson, Henrik (Sweden & Celtic) Makaay, Roy (Netherlands & Bayern Munich) Maniche (Portugal & Porto) Manuel Pablo (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) Mellberg, Olof (Sweden & Aston Villa) Micoud, Johan (France & Werder Bremen) Mista (Spain & Valencia) Morientes, Fernando (Spain & AS Monaco) Nedved, Pavel (Czech Republic & Juventus) Okocha, Augustine (Nigeria & Bolton Wanderers) Pirlo, Andrea (Italy & AC Milan) Puyol, Carles (Spain & Barcelona) Reyes, José Antonio (Spain & Sevilla | Arsenal) Roberto Carlos (Brasil & Real Madrid) Robinho (Brazil & Santos) Rooney, Wayne (England & Everton) Rothen, Jérome (France & AS Monaco) Saha, Louis (France & Fulham) Samuel, Walter (Argentina & AS Roma) Scholes, Paul (England & Manchester United) Seedorf, Clarence (Netherlands & AC Milan) Shearer, Alan (England & Newcastle United) Sorín, Juan Pablo (Argentina & Paris Saint-Germain) Tévez, Carlos (Argentina & Boca Juniors) Zagorakis, Theodoros (Greece & AEK Athens) Zambrotta, Gianluca (Italy & Juventus) Top 3: 1) Henry, Thierry 2) Ronaldinho 3) Shevchenko, Andriy or Deco Thoughts will be appreciated.
I also thought probably Henry for number 1, although actually for Intl games maybe 2004 was not so great and less good than 2003. I would consider Kaka as a top 3 possibility maybe.
Unchanged for now (at least until the final review of the decade): 2004 ADRIANO (Brazil & Parma | Inter Milan) AYALA, Roberto (Argentina & Valencia) CAFU (Brazil & AC Milan) CARVALHO, Ricardo (Portugal & Porto) DAVIDS, Edgar (Netherlands & Juventus | Barcelona) DECO (Portugal & Porto) GIULY, Ludovic (France & AS Monaco) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) KAKÁ (Brazil & AC Milan) LAMPARD, Frank (England & Chelsea) MALDINI, Paolo (Italy & AC Milan) NESTA, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) PIRES, Robert (France & Arsenal) RONALDINHO (Brazil & Barcelona) RONALDO (Brazil & Real Madrid) SHEVCHENKO, Andriy (Ukraine & AC Milan) TERRY, John (England & Chelsea) TOTTI, Francesco (Italy & AS Roma) VALERÓN, Juan Carlos (Spain & Deportivo La Coruña) VAN NISTELROOY, Ruud (Netherlands & Manchester United) VICENTE (Spain & Valencia) VIEIRA, Patrick (France & Arsenal) ZIDANE, Zinedine (France & Real Madrid) 1) HENRY, Thierry 2) RONALDINHO 3) SHEVCHENKO, Andriy All lists
He was simply seen as inconsistent while at PSG. The recognitions and grades also show this. I can see the idea for 2002 (with the tournament) but 2003 not really. Individually he played poorly in Europe with his club, in both seasons, and he had not double digits in goals or assists in either of the two seasons. He had 7 league assists in both seasons. Of course he had a tremendous impact at Barcelona but he wasn't their first choice, as we know. After the Beckham move failed and other attempts thwarted in the start-up phase, other clubs knew Barcelona had money to spend and therefore Ronaldinho moved for a considerable sum (about 36% of the world record). Logically it is at hindsight forgotten that some saw him as an overpriced signing for essentially the 2nd or 3rd choice star. edit: Ah, I see someone agrees I happened to live in Paris at that time too and saw him a few times. Like Okocha, great cameos rather than consistent influence.— Beyond The Last Man (@BeyondTLM) August 17, 2017
Hmm, both views from two PSG watchers then! Yeah, Barca wanted Beckham and Man Utd wanted Ronaldinho of course (perhaps instead of CR7 but not sure - maybe they'd have tried to sign both - Arsenal had wanted CR7 I think).
At his best he was fantastic for PSG, perhaps better than Neymar thus far, but he was inconsistent. Less than 10 goals and 7 assists in both league seasons gives at least some space for scepticism (and individually he wasn't good in Europe). Especially with his playing style and role. It isn't better than what old aged Zola and Baggio were doing in Italy at around the same time (esp. Zola was a bit more of a team player with regard for positioning and movement). For Barcelona he had obviously a big impact (esp. after Davids came) and if anything he exceeded expectations there. Exceeding the bandwagon and self fulfilling prophecy.
Zico is indeed not included in El Gráfico's ideal team and not highly valued in 1982 in GS. He's also not a part of Mundo Deportivo's all-star squad. He is however on the best side of L' Equipe. He was ranked #5 in the WC Golden Ball voting. But there's just a lot of mixed views on him at that World Cup. I think as time passed his performance grew stronger restrospectively by fans of the internet age. But the reality was he wasn't highly spoken of as much at the time. Inclusively, the inability to get past the second phase, once Brazil faced an organized defense, was seen by some as a failure and underachievement. Ultimately, Zico did himself no favors by bowing out early and never quite having strong effects against the best defensive sides he faced (USSR and Italy). It was his weakest performances at the event.
This is my first attempt for 2005 (2004-05): ADRIANO Leite Ribeiro (Brazil & Inter Milan) BALLACK, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) BUFFON, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) CANNAVARO, Fabio (Italy & Juventus) CECH, Petr (Czech Republic & Chelsea) DECO (Anderson Luís de Souza) (Portugal & Barcelona) ESSIEN, Michael (Ghana & Olympique Lyon) ETO'O, Samuel (Cameroon & Barcelona) FORLÁN, Diego (Uruguay & Villarreal) GERRARD, Steven (England & Liverpool) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) IBRAHIMOVIC, Zlatan (Sweden & Juventus) KAKÁ (Brazil & AC Milan) LAMPARD, Frank (England & Chelsea) MAKAAY, Roy (Netherlands & Bayern Munich) MAKÉLÉLÉ, Claude (France & Chelsea) PUYOL, Carles (Spain & Barcelona) RIQUELME, Juan Román (Argentina & Villarreal) RONALDINHO (Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) (Brazil & Barcelona) RONALDO Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazil & Real Madrid) SHEVCHENKO, Andriy (Ukraine & AC Milan) TERRY, John (England & Chelsea) XAVI Hernández (Spain & Barcelona) Top 3 1) RONALDINHO (Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) 2) LAMPARD, Frank 3) ADRIANO Leite Ribeiro Honorable Mentions Alonso, Xabi (Spain & Liverpool) Baptista, Júlio (Brazil & Sevilla) Berbatov, Dimitar (Bulgaria & Bayer Leverkusen) Bergkamp, Dennis (Netherlands & Arsenal) Cafu (Brazil & AC Milan) Cahill, Tim (Australia & Everton) Camoranesi, Mauro (Italy & Juventus) Carragher, Jamie (England & Liverpool) Carvalho, Daniel (Brazil & CSKA Moscow) Carvalho, Ricardo (Portugal & Chelsea) Cicinho (Brazil & Sao Paulo) Cole, Ashley (England & Arsenal) Cole, Joe (England & Chelsea) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Manchester United) Dida (Brazil & AC Milan) Drogba, Didier (Ivory Coast & Chelsea) Duff, Damien (Ireland & Chelsea) Émerson (Brazil & Juventus) Ferdinand, Rio (England & Manchester United) García, Luis (Spain & Liverpool) Gilardino, Alberto (Italy & Parma) Heinze, Gabriel (Argentina & Manchester United) Joaquín (Spain & Real Betis) Johnson, Andy (England & Crystal Palace) Juninho Pernambucano (Brazil & Olympique Lyon) Kuyt, Dirk (Netherlands & Feyenoord) Liédson (Brazil & Sporting CP) Ljungberg, Fredrik (Sweden & Arsenal) Lucarelli, Cristiano (Italy & Livorno) Lúcio (Brazil & Bayern Munich) Lugano, Diego (Uruguay & Sao Paulo) Maldini, Paolo (Italy & AC Milan) Marcelinho Paraíba (Brazil & Hertha BSC) Mintál, Marek (Slovakia & Nürnberg) Montella, Vincenzo (Italy & AS Roma) Nesta, Alessandro (Italy & AC Milan) Oliveira, Ricardo (Brazil & Real Betis) Park Ji-sung (South Korea & PSV Eindhoven) Perea, Luis Amaranto (Colombia & Atlético de Madrid) Pirlo, Andrea (Italy & AC Milan) Ramos, Sergio (Spain & Sevilla) Riise, John Arne (Norway & Liverpool) Robben, Arjen (Netherlands & Chelsea) Rogério Ceni (Brazil & Sao Paulo) Rooney, Wayne (England & Manchester United) Tévez, Carlos (Argentina & Corinthians) Thuram, Lilian (France & Juventus) van Bommel, Mark (Netherlands & PSV Eindhoven) van Bronckhorst, Giovanni (Netherlands & Barcelona) Wright-Phillips, Shaun (England & Manchester City) Zambrotta, Gianluca (Italy & Juventus) Comments In general terms, I think this previous selection is pretty consistent, but I'm not without doubts. First, on the candidates from AC Milan. I only finally selected Kaká and Shevchenko, but perhaps I'm unfairly leaving Nesta and Maldini out, especially the latter, who was highly recognized in several awards and honors, although I've the feeling that partly because to devotion to his legendary figure at 36/37 and wasn't so brilliant in Serie A as in the UEFA Champions League. I've a similar feeling about Cafu and Pirlo. I remember a great and surprising season of Ibrahimovic, but in retrospect I'm not so sure I should stick him having highlighted very little at continental level. Nonetheless, he was elected as the Serie A Foreigner Footballer of the Year, the most loved player of the championship and at the end of the year was 8th in the voting of the Ballon d'Or. Robben had very high peaks and was voted in the PFA Team of the Year, but his known irregularity due to injuries subtracts him possibilities in my opinion. Then, I also have many doubts about Joaquín, who had a remarkable season with Real Betis and I'm not so sure that he wasn't the best Spanish player in La Liga in front of Xavi. Cristiano Ronaldo also generates me doubts. I anticipated including him for the first time between 2005 and 2006, but I'm not so sure when he definitely sits tightly. Retrospectively I find him in fascinating episodes, but at the end of the English season wasn't enough to be elected in the PFA Team of the Year being relegated by Wright-Phillips. For the podium Ronaldinho and Lampard are my safe options, although I feel that Adriano could be a clear choice half step ahead of Henry and Eto'o.
A single final change: Ashley Cole instead of Carles Puyol. 2005 ADRIANO Leite Ribeiro (Brazil & Inter Milan) BALLACK, Michael (Germany & Bayern Munich) BUFFON, Gianluigi (Italy & Juventus) CANNAVARO, Fabio (Italy & Juventus) CECH, Petr (Czech Republic & Chelsea) COLE, Ashley (England & Arsenal) DECO (Anderson Luís de Souza) (Portugal & Barcelona) ESSIEN, Michael (Ghana & Olympique Lyon) ETO'O, Samuel (Cameroon & Barcelona) FORLÁN, Diego (Uruguay & Villarreal) GERRARD, Steven (England & Liverpool) HENRY, Thierry (France & Arsenal) IBRAHIMOVIC, Zlatan (Sweden & Juventus) KAKÁ (Brazil & AC Milan) LAMPARD, Frank (England & Chelsea) MAKAAY, Roy (Netherlands & Bayern Munich) MAKÉLÉLÉ, Claude (France & Chelsea) RIQUELME, Juan Román (Argentina & Villarreal) RONALDINHO (Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) (Brazil & Barcelona) RONALDO Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazil & Real Madrid) SHEVCHENKO, Andriy (Ukraine & AC Milan) TERRY, John (England & Chelsea) XAVI Hernández (Spain & Barcelona) Top 3 1) RONALDINHO (Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) 2) LAMPARD, Frank 3) ADRIANO Leite Ribeiro All lists
I've never understood how Ronaldinho romped home so strongly this year. Personlly I think it should have gone to Lampard. He got more goals and assists this year and he was the dominant figure in Europe's best side. I would have placed Riquelme third.