1960-1965: Centre-Backs Hilderaldo Bellini (Brazil) Germano (Portugal) Charlie Hurley (Ireland) Åke Johansson (Sweden) Cesare Maldini (Italy) Mauro Ramos (Brazil) Kalman Meszoly (Hungary) Bobby Moore (England) Maurice Norman (England) Ferran Olivella (Spain) Orlando (Brazil) Armando Picchi (Italy) Jan Popluhar (Czechoslovakia) Sandro Salvadore (Italy) Jose Santamaria (Uruguay) Albert Shesternev (USSR) Willi Schulz (Germany) Ian Ure (Scotland) Velibor Vasovic (Yugoslavia) Laurent Verbiest (Belgium) (Ivan Dimitrov, Billy McNeill, Peter Swan, Zozimo) -I took four spots from the half-backs to give here.Some of these played as a HB, at least nominally, but I think they're all best remembered as defenders.
1960-1965: Half-Backs Jim Baxter (Scotland) Danny Blanchflower (Northern Ireland) Giacomo Bulgarelli (Italy) Mario Coluna (Portugal) Pat Crerand (Scotland) Luis Del Sol (Spain) Ron Flowers (England) Nestor Goncalves (Uruguay) Robert Herbin (France) Jef Jurion (Belgium) Karl Koller (Austria) Dave Mackay (Scotland) Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia) Lucien Muller (France) Igor Netto (USSR) Zeljko Perusic (Yugoslavia) Svatopluk Pluskal (Czechoslovakia) Antonio Rattin (Argentina) Federico Sacchi (Argentina) Dino Sani (Brazil) Ferenc Sipos (Hungary) Erno Solymosi (Hungary) Luis Suarez (Spain) Horst Szymaniak (Germany) Giovanni Trapattoni (Italy) Valeri Voronin (USSR) Zequinha (Brazil) Zito (Brazil) (Mengalvio, Jose Varacka) -Anyone who played in the middle in a 4-2-4 counts as a halfback, so I can get in everybody. -Not a lot of reserves here, cuz I threw them all in elsewhere.
1960-1965: Attacking Midfielders Albert Brulls (Germany) Gerson (Brazil) Janos Gorocs (Hungary) Helmut Haller (Germany) Johnny Haynes (England) Valentin Ivanov (USSR) Andrej Kvasnak (Czechoslovakia) Humberto Maschio (Argentina) Sandro Mazzola (Italy) Jimmy McIlroy (Northern Ireland) Jesus Pereda (Spain) Gianni Rivera (Italy) Pedro Rocha (Uruguay) Dragoslav Sekularac (Yugoslavia) Omar Sivori (Argentina) John White (Scotland) (Johnny Byrne, Yvon Douis, George Eastham)
1960-1965: Wingers RW: Amancio Amaro (Spain) Ferenc Bene (Hungary) Igor Chislenko (USSR) Enrique Collar (Spain) Garrincha (Brazil) Kurt Hamrin (Sweden) Willie Henderson (Scotland) Jair (Brazil) Jose Augusto (Portugal) Julinho (Brazil) Raymond Kopa (France) Slava Metreveli (USSR) Horst Nemec (Austria) Ermindo Onega (Argentina) Joaquin Peiro (Spain) Karoly Sandor (Hungary) (Luis Cubilla, Dorval, Bryan Douglas, Bruno Mora, Tomas Pospichal) LW: Bobby Charlton (England) Mario Corso (Italy) Laszlo Fenyvesi (Hungary) Francisco Gento (Spain) Cliff Jones (Wales) Juan Joya (Peru) Ivan Kolev (Bulgaria) Mikhail Meskhi (USSR) Coen Moulijn (Netherlands) Pepe (Brazil) Leonel Sanchez (Chile) Juan Seminario (Peru) Antonio Simoes (Portugal) Josip Skoblar (Yugoslavia) Davie Wilson (Scotland) Mario Zagallo (Brazil) (Ezio Pascutti) -If Willie Henderson can still make it in for late-60s, I'll probably replace him with Dorval here.
1960-1965: Forwards Florian Albert (Hungary) Jose Altafini (Brazil) Amarildo (Brazil) Antonio Angelillo (Argentina) Luis Artime (Argentina) Coutinho (Brazil) Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina) Eusebio (Portugal) Milan Galic (Yugoslavia) Alan Gilzean (Scotland) Jimmy Greaves (England) Bora Kostic (Yugoslavia) Rudolf Kucera (Czechoslovakia) Denis Law (Scotland) Ole Madsen (Denmark) Harald Nielsen (Denmark) Pele (Brazil) Ernest Pohl (Poland) Viktor Ponedelnik (USSR) Ferenc Puskas (Hungary) Quarentinha (Brazil) Jose Sanfilippo (Argentina) Adolf Scherer (Czechoslovakia) Uwe Seeler (Germany) Agne Simonsson (Sweden) Bobby Smith (England) Angelo Sormani (Brazil) Alberto Spencer (Ecuador) Lajos Tichy (Hungary) Jose Torres (Portugal) Paul Van Himst (Belgium) Vava (Brazil) (Peter Ducke, Gerry Hitchens, Erich Hof, Marcelino, Jose Sasia) -Not sure if the non-Ballon winning members of the Trio de la Muerte are here on merit or past achievements, but here they are. -Ole Madsen is the 60s Kezman. Great at destroying Finland and Norway, but useless against tight defences. Well, since I included the 00s Kezman, too... -Bobby Smith is a weird case. His prime seems to be in the era where he scored less league goals? -Erich Hof and Agne Simonsson had a massive battle for the last available spot. I'm seriously switching them around between typing this message. Simonsson had 2.5 seasons of flopping in Spain, but he was the much more high-profile player. I assume Hof would make it for late 50s. If not, I'd switch them (back) around. -Peter Ducke is an interesting case. He was name-dropped once as the most dangerous striker in Europe, but that's it. No online presence to speak of. Hidden legend or flash in the pan? -Anyway, that's it for this era. Thoughts? Did I forget to include some obvious player or include someone undeserving? Moving on to late-60s next.
Very good work partner. Only a small correction. It's not Ignacio Calleja. He was actually called Isacio Calleja, player and captain of Atlético de Madrid for many years and sadly died less than a month ago.
Ramos Delgado played as a CB for sure. The #2 was the RCB for argentine football lingo. The same for uruguayan William Martínez - CB. For Víctor Benítez his main role this era was DM and second would be 4th Back. So, Half Back role, he fits well.
Del Sol, Luisito Suárez, Dino Sani, Mengalvio were Offensive Mid in a 4-2-4 formation. I'd place them in the AM category, Sacchi and Varacka were 4th backs in a 4-2-4 formation. So, I'd placed them in the CB category.
Thanks. I wrote all the first names from memory, so there may be some glitches. Thanks. All the positions are sorted to make the posts the same size, though. There weren't enough proper FBs or right-wingers in this era.
1965-1970 Ok, I've finally finished the late 60s and am ready to unveil the next installment. By now everything is following the same formula. I was wondering if having two WCs within the timeframe would change the number of notable players, but there was no effect. A lot of 66 WC stars didn't stay at the top for the required 3 years, so they're not included. Actually, there's more room here than there has been in other eras, which is good, because a couple challengers always appear after I've finished up my lists. Now there are players in almost every department I wouldn't be afraid to drop in an instant. Mostly players whose peaks were in other eras. Some players have been thrown in based on online reputation alone. By now I'm using the 4-2-4 as my system, and CB is actually one of the most stacked departments, along with the usual AMFs. DMFs seem to be the most barren area. FBs are always a problem, this time the right being a bigger problem than the left. Wingers are also getting rarer, so I've had to throw in a bunch of wingless wonders to make up the numbers.
1965-1970: Goalkeepers Albertosi, Enrico (Italy) Banks, Gordon (England) Bonetti, Peter (Italy) Cudicini, Carlo (Italy) Iribar, Jose Angel (Spain) Jennings, Pat (Northern Ireland) Kavazashvili, Anzor (USSR) Maier, Sepp (Germany) Mazurkiewicz, Ladislao (Uruguay) Pantelic, Ilija (Yugoslavia) Radenkovic, Petar (Yugoslavia) Sarti, Giuliano (Italy) Simeonov, Simeon (Bulgaria) Viktor, Ivo (Czechoslovakia) Yashin, Lev (USSR) Zoff, Dino (Italy) -Slow era for goalkeepers, and there aren't any notable reserves. -Italy makes a big return with 4 representatives, after 0 last time. Sarti is difficult to place. Maybe more of an early-60s guy, but there's more room here. -Simeonov is an interesting case. He was highly ranked after the game against England. Most sources would rank Naydenov as the top Bulgie keeper, but he didn't make my pick last time. Maybe for the late-50s? English bias or is Simeonov a hidden gem? -Yashin could make way for younger players.
1965-1970: Fullbacks RBs: Ancheta, Atilio (Uruguay) Anquilletti, Angelo (Italy) Burgnich, Tarcisio (Italy) Carlos Alberto (Brazil) Djorkaeff, Jean (France) Durkovic, Vladimir (Yugoslavia) Fazlagic, Mirsad (Yugoslavia) Heylens, Georges (Belgium) Höttges, Horst-Dieter (Germany) Kaposzta, Beno (Hungary) Malbernat, Oscar (Argentina) Newton, Keith (England) Sanchis, Manuel (Spain) Shalamanov, Alexander (Bulgaria) Vogts, Berti (Germany) Wright, Tommy (England) LBs: Cooper, Terry (England) Dunne, Tony (Ireland) Facchetti, Giacinto (Italy) Gemmell, Tommy (Scotland) Greig, John (Scotland) Hilario (Portugal) Ihasz, Kalman (Hungary) Jusufi, Fahrudin (Yugoslavia) Marzolini, Silvio (Argentina) McCreadie, Eddie (Scotland) Patzke, Bernd (Germany) Pavoni, Ricardo (Uruguay) Rildo (Brazil) Schnellinger, Karl-Heinz (Germany) Szucs, Lajos (Hungary) Wilson, Ray (England) (Gaganelov) -So tough coming up with guys to fill all these spots. -Not sure if Gaganelov is good enough to earn a place. Ihasz or McCreadie could make room.
1965-1970: Centre-Backs Albrecht, Rafael (Argentina) Axelsson, Kurt (Sweden) Beckenbauer, Franz (Germany) Bosquier, Bernard (France) Cera, Pierluigi (Italy) Charlton, Jack (England) Chumpitaz, Hector (Peru) Dimitrov, Ivan (Bulgaria) England, Mike (Wales) Figueroa, Elias (Chile) Gallego (Spain) Holcer, Dragan (Yugoslavia) Horvath, Alexander (Czechoslovakia) Hunter, Norman (England) Israel, Rinus (Netherlands) Khurtsilava, Murtaz (USSR) Labone, Brian (England) Matosas, Roberto (Uruguay) McNeill, Billy (Scotland) Meszoly, Kalman (Hungary) Melendez, Julio (Peru) Moore, Bobby (England) Oslizlo, Stanislaw (Poland) Pancsics, Miklos (Hungary) Perfumo, Roberto (Argentina) Quintano, Alberto (Chile) Rosato, Roberto (Italy) Salvadore, Sandro (Italy) Schulz, Willi (Germany) Shesternev, Albert (USSR) Vasovic, Velibor (Yugoslavia) Weber, Wolfgang (Germany) (Brito, Piazza, Coe) -The Brazilians are an interesting case. They drop from a ton of guys in the early 60s to zero this time. But the defence in the NT was a cluster for most of this era, so it's hard to include anybody. Brito and Piazza seem to be big names only because of the WC.
1965-1970: Central Midfielders Ademir Da Guia (Brazil) Bell, Colin (England) Bonev, Hristo (Bulgaria) Bremner, Billy (Scotland) Charlton, Bobby (England) Coluna, Mario (Portugal) De Sisti, Giancarlo (Italy) Dobrin, Nicolae (Romania) Gerson (Brazil) Giles, Johnny (Ireland) Göröcs, Janos (Hungary) Haller, Helmut (Germany) Juliano, Antonio (Italy) Kuna, Ladislav (Czechoslovakia) Muntyan, Vladimir (USSR) Murdoch, Bobby (Scotland) Mullery, Alan (England) Netzer, Gunter (Germany) Nöldner, Jurgen (DDR) Osim, Ivica (Yugoslavia) Overath, Wolfgang (Germany) Peters, Martin (England) Pilot, Louis (Luxembourg) Pirri (Spain) Rivera, Gianni (Italy) Sabo, Jozsef (USSR) Stiles, Nobby (England) Szoltysik, Zygfryd (Poland) Suarez, Luis (Spain) Van Moer, Wilfried (Belgium) Yakimov, Dimitar (Bulgaria) Zoco, Ignacio (Spain) (Dudu, Mifflin, Reinoso, Domazos) -Stiles was a tough case. I don't think hatchet men have a good case for this listing, but if they're effective enough in their role... he ended up making in because there's a real dearth of more defensive midfielders.
1965-1970: Wingers RWs: Amancio (Spain) Ball, Alan (England) Banishevski, Anatoli (USSR) Baylon, Julio (Peru) Best, George (Northern Ireland) Bene, Ferenc (Hungary) Cooke, Charlie (Scotland) Cubilla, Luis (Uruguay) Domenghini, Angelo (Italy) Held, Siegfried (Germany) Jairzinho (Brazil) Johnstone, Jimmy (Scotland) Jose Augusto (Portugal) Magnusson, Roger (Sweden) Parcalab, Ion (Romania) Petkovic, Ilija (Yugoslavia) (Ufarte) LWs: Corso, Mario (Italy) Dzajic, Dragan (Yugoslavia) Edu (Brazil) Gento, Francisco (Spain) Joya, Juan (Peru) Keizer, Piet (Netherlands) Lennox, Bobby (Scotland) Mas, Oscar (Argentina) Paulo Cesar (Brazil) Prati, Pierino (Italy) Rakosi, Gyula (Hungary) Riva, Luigi (Italy) Rivelino, Roberto (Brazil) Simoes, Antonio (Portugal) Skoblar, Josip (Yugoslavia) Vogel, Eberhard (DDR)
1965-1970: Forwards Adamec, Jozef (Czechoslovakia) Albert, Florian (Hungary) Anastasi, Pietro (Italy) Artime, Luis (Argentina) Asparuhov, Georgi (Bulgaria) Byshovets, Anatoli (USSR) Cruyff, Johan (Netherlands) Dirceu Lopes (Brazil) Dumitrache, Florea (Romania) Dunai, Antal (Hungary) Eusebio (Portugal) Farkas, Janos (Hungary) Greaves, Jimmy (England) Hurst, Geoff (England) Kindvall, Ove (Sweden) Law, Denis (Scotland) Lee, Francis (England) Leon, Pedro (Peru) Lubanski, Wlodzimierz (Poland) Mazzola, Sandro (Italy) Muller, Gerd (Germany) Pele (Brazil) Rocha, Pedro (Uruguay) Seeler, Uwe (Germany) Sormani, Angelo (Brazil) Spencer, Alberto (Ecuador) Streltsov, Eduard (USSR) Torres, Jose (Portugal) Tostao (Brazil) Van Himst, Paul (Belgium) Varga, Zoltan (Hungary) Zhekov, Petar (Bulgaria) (Sideris) -Also not sure about the Greek pair of Domazos and Sideris. Good enough for this ranking, or just the best in a Greek context? I've left them out of the final list. -Open to suggestions if anybody has any. Like I said, there's room in most positions. -I'll probably take a break from reading WS, or at least slow down, so it may be a while before I'll get to the 70s.
Ancheta is a CB, for RB were Forlán and Ubiñas. For LB, good options are uruguayans Mujica/Caetano and peruvian Fuentes
Strange that I focus on centre-backs at first glance maybe, but I'm wondering about Matrai of Hungary, based on visual evidence (largely the game against Brazil in the 1966 World Cup) as well as the fact he seems to be picked out as feasible, or probable, all-time Hungarian XI material (eg by David Brooks who wrote 'the All-Time World Cup' but also Hungarian sources - I think he featured in the list of top players in a list compiled by Hungarians that has been discussed before). It could be he'd fit 1960-1965 better though, I'm not sure. The 1966 WC is obviously in this period, but maybe he had better years collectively in the first half of the decade. He was Hungarian Player of the Year in 1965, and played in the national team until 1967. EDIT - Sorry, looks like his whole career ended in 1967 too so definitely more for 1960-1965.
For Perú, Chalé > Mifflin For Chile, R.Marcos, I.Prieto > Reinoso The latter, both, considered them better for next period, imho
Thanks for all the suggestions. I checked your SA-players thread before finishing off my final list. Ancheta isn't the only CB in the FB-list. He's the only one who would only make it in as a FB, though. He didn't emerge internationally until 1969, so he's more early 70s. I threw him in because there honestly wasn't anyone else for the RBs. Interestingly, WS World Cup coverage really makes him sound like a FB: "Ancheta patrolled the right flank - capable of whirling through like a medieval winger if he had no one to mark". Maybe they confused him with Ubinas, in which case he could take the spot. Otherwise Dobias would be next. But if anyone can spot a player in the CB-section who has played as a FB, LMK.