Round 6 David Craig Mackay Born 14 November 1934 in Edinburgh Left Half/Centre Back Scotland 22 caps 4 goals Clubs 1953-59 - Heart of Midlothian - 135 games 25 goals 1959-68 - Tottenham Hotspur - 318 goals 51 goals 1968-71 - Derby County - 122 games 5 goals 1971-72 - Swindon Town - 26 games 1 goal Honours 1 Scottish Championship (1958) 1 Scottish Cup (1956) 1 English Championship (1961) 3 FA Cups (1961/62/67) 1 European Cup Winners Cup (1963 - did not play in final) From http://www.davemackayclubties.co.uk/history.htm The stature of Dave Mackay in Tottenham folklore is vast and indisputable; indeed, to imagine Spurs' great sixties side without the vibrant Scot is to picture the Huns without Attila or the Alamo without Davy Crockett. Yet while it is right that so much is made of Dave's dynamic, warrior-like qualities - many have written that if Blanchflower was the brains of the team, Mackay was its heart - there is a danger of under-selling his sheer, unadulterated all-round talent. In fact, his control was second to none, he was the cleanest striker of a ball at the club and he passed with the utmost precision. And how the mighty left-half reveled in his skill; in training he would astonish team-mates by volleying continuously against a wall from ten or even 15 yards - anyone who doubts the difficulty of this trick should attempt it for themselves - and later, as Spurs captain, he would run on to the pitch, kick the ball high in the air, then catch it infallibly on his instep, a subtle form of intimidation that demanded of his opponents. 'Can you do that?' All this is not to say, of course, that the traditional image of Dave Mackay is a myth. Despite standing just 5ft 8in, he exerted an awesome physical presence, muscular thighs and a barn-door of a chest topped by features that were positively piratical. The man tackled like a granite avalanche, exuding a passionate will to win and apparently consumed by a devilish, ruthless relish for his work. Colleagues leapt to do his bidding as he drove them on, invariably by stirring personal example, often by melodramatic gesture and abrasive Caledonian invective. Though lacking in outright pace, he bustled tirelessly between attack and defence, typically winning the ball, flicking a pass, then surging forward to receive the return. On reaching enemy territory, he could finish venomously - as he proved with a hat-trick against West Ham in 1962- and another potent weapon was a prodigiously long throw. Addicted as he was to winning at everything - Dave would pour his entire being into a casual game of snooker - it followed that he was devastated in defeat, a situation he strove so hard to avoid that in some 40 cup finals at all playing levels, he never finished on the losing side. Such unquenchable spirit was never more evident than in recovery from a twice-broken left leg -the first fracture came in a clash with Noel Cantwell in a European tie at Old Trafford in December 1963, the second nine months later on his comeback against Shrewsbury reserves. Such calamity would have ended the career of lesser men; in his case, it merely added to the aura of indestructibility that had enveloped him since his indomitable contribution to Tottenham's early-sixties triumphs. Yet, unthinkably now, the Scottish international might never have arrived at the Lane. In March 1959, Bill Nicholson had been making overtures to Swansea's Mel Charles, and had the Welshman not opted for Arsenal he would almost certainly have joined Tottenham instead of Dave. Later Bill maintained that it was Mackay he wanted all along, and was delighted to pay Hearts £32,000 for his signature. Come the mid-sixties, Dave had taken over as skipper and, his mastery over ball and men undimmed, led Spurs to FA Cup Final victory in 1967. By then, he was operating in a mainly defensive role but the earlier years of midfield effort had exacted a toll and injuries became more frequent. Perhaps, too, he needed a new challenge and he found it at Derby, whom he joined for £5,000 (a reduced fee in recognition of his services) in July 1968. Under Brian Clough he played masterfully alongside centre-half Roy McFarland and in his first season helped the Rams lift the Second Division title, as well as sharing the Footballer of the Year award with Manchester City's Tony Book. Success in management followed, including a Championship at Derby, but it is to his fabulous achievements as a Spur that Dave owes his undying reputation. Nicholson called him his best signing, and he has been compared to the great Duncan Edwards. Nothing more need be said.
Round: 6 Selection: 7 (102nd overall pick) VALENTINO MAZZOLA Born: Cassano D’Adda (Milan), 26/1/19. Died: 1949. Position: Attacking midfielder. Serie A debut: Lazio 1-0 Venezia, 31/3/40 Clubs: Venezia, Torino International debut: Italy 4-0 Croatia, 5/4/42 International caps: 12 International goals: 4 Valentino Mazzola was a robust figure as the game in the immediate years around World War 2 required. An inspirational character, he was also gifted with great skills and a scoring ability which was second to none in the era in which he played. Valentino’s footballing story began with the Alfa Romeo factory team in Milan, but it was only when military service took him to Venice in 1939 that he really started to break through. The lagoon team were starting to build an interesting side - which would take their one and only major honour in 1941 with the Coppa Italia. It was there that Mazzola teamed up with his ‘twin’ attacker Ezio Loik. Born on the same day, they both transferred to Torino in 1942 and would both die in the plane crash of 1949. Before that terrible day Valentino established himself as the greatest player of his generation. Five League championships, a couple of Italian Cups and over 100 Serie A goals, despite the disruption of the war, were the hallmark of his quality. He was killed at the age of 30 when there was still surely a lengthy international career ahead of him and his Grande Torino teammates. In his last interview before the crash he shared his view of the game with a local Portuguese reporter. "I have to say that I consider football to be a very simple game," he said. "You will win as long as you don’t always play in the same way. You have got to add some variations to make your game more dynamic. There has to be room for improvisation outside of classical tactics. But I am of the opinion that modern football must be above all a team game." His theories have been echoed in the sport throughout the rest of the century and beyond. Despite suffering from illness, Mazzola was determined to attend the match he had organised for Torino in Lisbon. On the return journey from the game, the aircraft carrying Mazzola and the rest of the team crashed, killing everyone on board and leaving only one first-team player at Torino alive.
With my 6th pick and after much deliberation (and discarding of 7 other picks) I take: Rob Rensenbrink This left-sided attacking player was instrumental as Holland reached two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978. Born in Amsterdam, Rensenbrink spent most of his career in Belgium with Anderlecht winning several trophies including two European Cup Winners's Cups. He was a good dribbler and like most other Dutch players at that time, he could easily adapt playing in another position if required. He made his international debut for Holland against Scotland in 1968 and by 1974 was established in the team that travelled to West Germany for the World Cup. He missed only one game in the tournament and was only half-fit for the final, but coach Michels gambled and played him from start. He was substituted at half-time in the match Holland lost 2-1 to the hosts. In the 1978 World Cup tournament in Argentina, Holland again reached the final, but this time without Cruyff (who decided to retire from international football) and under the guidance of Ernst Happel rather than Michels. Out of the shadow of Cruyff, Rensenbrink found more room to showcase his own considerable talent, playing on the left-hand side of a front three alongside Johnny Rep and René van de Kerkhof. He scored a hat-trick in the opening game against Iran, another against Scotland which was goal number 1000 in World Cup history and a penalty in the 5-1 hammering of Austria. In the final itself, Holland yet again met the hosts. In a tumultuous match, Holland fell behind to a first-half Mario Kempes strike. After Dirk Nanninga's equalizer 9 minutes from time, a long pass from Holland's captain Ruud Krol in the last 30 seconds of normal time put Rensenbrink in the clear with only Ubaldo Fillol, the Argentinian keeper, to beat but with Rensenbrink at a poor shooting angle. Nevertheless, he managed to put the shot in - however the shot was deflected onto the post and bounced clear. Argentina profited from the let-off and scored twice in extra-time for a 3-1 victory and Holland again had to settle for the runners-up spot. Rensenbrink played some of the qualifiers for Euro 80, but after earning his 46th cap in 1979 (a 2-0 defeat by Poland in a qualifier for Euro 80), he retired from international football at the age of 32 having scored 14 times for his country. In 1980, he left Anderlecht and wound down his career with a lucrative spell at Portland Timbers in the NASL, followed by a brief stay with Toulouse in France in 1981. Bio from planetworldcup and wikipedia
My sixth round selection: FERNANDO HIERRO http://www.fernandohierro.com/profile.htm Full Name Fernando Ruiz Hierro Date of Birth 23rd of March,1968 Hometown Vélez-Málaga,Spain Height 187cm Weight 84kg Family wife Sonia(Sofia?),children Álvaro and Claudia Nickname Fer,el jefe,the kaiser,bubu Record Time Team Matches Goals Position Honours 1987-1988 Real Valladolid 29 1 8th - 1988-1989 Real Valladolid 29 2 6th - 1989-1990 Real Madrid 37 7 1st La Liga 1990-1991 Real Madrid 35 6 3rd Spanish SuperCup 1991-1992 Real Madrid 37 21 2nd - 1992-1993 Real Madrid 33 13 2nd Copa del Rey 1993-1994 Real Madrid 34 10 4th - 1994-1995 Real Madrid 33 7 1st La Liga 1995-1996 Real Madrid 30 7 6th - 1996-1997 Real Madrid 39 6 1st La Liga 1997-1998 Real Madrid 28 3 4th Champion League/Spanish SuperCup 1998-1999 Real Madrid 28 6 2nd Intercontiental 1999-2000 Real Madrid 20 5 5th Champion League 2000-2001 Real Madrid 29 5 1st La Liga 2001-2002 Real Madrid 30 5 3rd Champion League/Spanish SuperCup 2002-2003 Real Madrid 25 0 1st LaLiga/Intercontienrtal/Euro SuperCup 2003-2004 Al-Rayyan ? ? ? Qatar Cup 2004-2005 Bolton 27 2 6th -
Full Name: Duncan Edwards Date of Birth: 1st Oct 1936 Place of Birth: Dudley, Worcestershire Position: Left Winghalf(CM) Left CB Height: 6ft 3 United debut 4/4/1953 vs Cardiff (H) Edwards's United Record 1952-1958 Appearances Goals League 151--- 20 FA Cup 12 -----1 League Cup n/a n/a Europe 12----- 0 Total 175---- 21 Edwards's International Record 1955-1958 18 Caps for England - 5 Goals Honours with United 1st Div League Championship 1957 1st Div League Championship 1956 Could he have been the greatest red ever? The prodigious talent of Duncan Edwards was cruelly snatched away from the footballing world in 1958 when he was killed in the Munich air crash. However, not before he had established a reputation as one of the greatest players of his generation. That he is rated above the likes of Charlton, Best and Law by many of the era is all the more amazing for he was just 21 years old when he died. Virtually anyone who saw him play rates him as their all-time number one. Edwards had immense physical strength coupled with superb ball control and touch. His passing and tackling was perfect and his shooting was awe inspiring, in both power and accuracy. Not only that, in when it came to aerial battles he was fantastic at winning headers both defending and attacking. In short, Duncan Edwards was the complete player. Not only did the big Midlander possess the physical skills but his mental attitude was first class as well. Duncan had a fanatical practice regime which gave he used to maintain mastery of his technique. He had great awareness, was brave, committed and determined, yet always composed and sportsmanlike. The great Bobby Charlton said "Duncan Edwards was the only player that made me feel inferior". Sir Matt Busby is once to have said that he believed Edwards was "the best player in the world", but he would never tell Edwards in case it unsettled him. He was world class when United had the ball and their best player when the opponents had it. At his favoured wing-half position Duncan lent steel to the defence and given half a chance would rampage into the attack with an unstoppable surging run. Matt Busby heard of the "man-boy" playing for Wolves in 1949 and brought him to Old Trafford. Edwards began his United career in 1952, playing in the first team at the unheard-of age of 16 and within two years was playing for England. At 18 he was the youngest ever to play for England (until 1998) and managed to win 18 caps in a short space of time. Duncan helped United win two consecutive League titles in 1956 and 1957, a great achievement in an era were teams were evenly balanced and champions rarely regained their crown. Leading United's charge into Europe they stood on the verge of being the first British team to lift the European Cup and surely would, have had it not been for the tragedy at Munich. In his home town of Dudley he is commemorated in the stained-glass window of St Francis's Church and in October 1999 a statue of Edwards, resplendent in his England kit, was unveiled in the town centre. The question will always remain, what would have happened had Edwards not lost his life at only 21? He probably would have went on to be the most capped England player ever. At times a team in himself, this ultimate all-round player would have no doubt been up there with greats such as Pele, Beckenbauer, Cruyff and Best. The fact that he never did, and the world was so cruelly robbed of such a talent remains the saddest legacy of Munich. Today, in a different world to the 1950s, *****, ****** and co are the glory boys, but anyone who saw Duncan Edwards play will tell you, he was better than them all, and that is saying something. Manutdzone.com
Drafter: Sempre Pick: Sixth Overall Pick: 107th Player: Tarcisio Burgnich Position: Right-back or central defense Nationality and Club: Italy and Internazionale Summary of Italy career from FIGC Web site: An insurmountable and steadfast right back, for many years he was paired with left back Giacinto Facchetti in both the great Inter of Helenio Herrena and on the National team. International Caps: 66 Goals: 2 Expulsions: 1 Azzurri record with Burgnich: 37-21-8 Brief bio from Wikpedia: Tarcisio Burgnich (born April 25, 1939 in Ruda, Italy) is a former Italian football defender. After short spells at Udinese, Juventus and Palermo, it was with Inter that this sweeper/right-back found his spiritual home in the 1960s. He played 467 times for the Nerazurri, scoring 6 goals, and his aggressive, determined style was ideally suited to the catenaccio system operated by Helenio Herrera throughout Inter's glory years. Five Italian championships, two European Cups and two World Club Championships tell the tale of how successful Burgnich was. He was also a pillar of the Italian national team for more than a decade and helped them pick up their one and only European Football Championship title in 1968. He played a total of 68 times for his country. He once was quoted of saying something regarding the famous Brazilian soccer star Pelé, at the 1970 World Cup Finals: "I told myself before the game, 'he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else' — but I was wrong". (Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarcisio_Burgnich") Summary of Honors: Italian Championship winner: 5 times European Cup winner: 2 times World Club Championship winner: 2 times European Championship winner: 1 time, 1968
Drafter: Ombak Pick: Sixth Player: Zbigniew Boniek Position: Forward Clubs: Zawisza Bydgoszcz, Widzew Lodz, Juventus, Roma Country: Poland Bio from soccerpulse: Zbigniew “Zibi” Boniek, born in Bydgoszcz, is one of the greatest Eastern European players ever. He started his career in his birthtown club Zawisza before moving to one of the great Polish clubs, Widzew Lodz. Boniek was included in Poland’s 1978 World Cup squad as a 22-year-old and impressed many with his tireless running and commitment. Poland reached the second phase before being knocked out by Brazil and eventual winners Argentina. Four years later in Spain, Poland had a better team and Boniek was excellent as his country won bronzemedals. Arguably his best performance of his career for Poland came in a second phase match against Belgium where he scored a magnificent hat-trick. One of the best hat-tricks in World Cup history. Unfortunately he was suspended in the semifinal against Italy, but he was back at his best when Poland beat France in the bronzematch. Zibi was definitely one of the greatest stars in the tournament and appeared on many “Dreamteams” in papers and magazines in the wake of the World Cup. Boniek took the big step to the Italian Serie A before the start of the 1982/83 season. Along with fellow newcomer Michel Platini and World Cup winning hero Paolo Rossi, Zibi formed a deadly attack in Juventus which would conquer Italian, European and world soccer. The team won the league and cup in Italy plus the Cupwinner’s Cup (1984), European Supercup (1984) and European Cup in the tragic Heysel final in 1985, all in the space of three seasons. President Agnelli nicknamed him “Bello di Notte” (Night Beauty) as he always seemed to play his best during evening matches. Zibi left Juve a year before the 1986 World Cup and joined AS Roma where he won another Italian Cup winner’s medal. He now operated deeper and played as a sweeper for the Polish team in the Mexico World Cup. Poland, not anywhere near the force they were in 82 or 74, reached the second round, but lost heavily to Brazil. Today Zbigniew Boniek works as a commentator for a TV channel in Poland.
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger DOB:March 31,1939 5' 10" /174 lbs. Position: Left Back Clubs 07/74 - 06/75 TeBe Berlin 07/65 - 06/74 AC Milan 07/64 - 06/65 AS Rome 07/63 - 06/64 Mantova 07/61 - 06/63 1. FC Cologne 07/57 - 06/58 SG Dueren 99 International: 47 caps, 1 goal One of Germany’s greatest defenders, this sleek and durable player hardly played in the Bundesliga, but was a superb player abroad. Schnellinger is one of the few to play in 4 World Cups: 58,62,66,70. After winning the title with Köln in 1962 (he would be voted German player of the year) and a fine World Cup, he transferred to Italy. Recognised as a defender of world class stature he would play nine seasons at AC Milan, with whom he would win the European Cup. He cut a distinctive figure: the actress Gina Lollobrigida is supposed to have called him "the most handsome man in the game". Going to Italy would become second nature for the best Gernan players 20 years later, but in the 1960s it was controversial, because of the quasi-amateur status of German football. He only scored once for the national team, but that was the dramatic last second goal in the 1970 World Cup semi-final...against Italy. He ended his career with Tennis Borussia.
Round: 6 (Week 6) Overall Pick: 110th HANS GEORG SCHWARZENBECK Born: 3 April 1948. Nick name: Katsche. Position: Center back. Caps: 44 (1971-1978) / 0 goals League Games: 416 (1966-1980) / 21 goals Trophies & Tournaments: World Cup Champion: 1974 World Cup participant: 1974, 1978 European Championship: 1972 European Championship participant: 1972, 1976 European Champions’ Cup winner: 1974, 1975, 1976 European Cup Winners’ Cup winner: 1967* Intercontinental Cup winner: 1976 German Champion: 1969, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1980 German Cup winner: 1967*, 1969, 1971 * = did not play in final Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck had exactly the same height as Franz Beckenbauer, but those were the only physical characteristics the two did share. While Beckenbauer stood for elegance and lightfootedness, Schwarzenbeck almost looked like Beckenbauer’s antipode – a tough tackling, physically imposing man-marker that managed to compensate his lack of subtlety with his determined and awe-inspiring physical appearance. These two so different football twins however complemented each other in a perfect manner, as both went on to win the biggest prizes in European and World football as Schwarzenbeck as traditional defensive center back provided the cover for Beckenbauer to develop his famous attacking libero style. The pair developed a perfect understanding of each other, as they played together for Bayern Munich for over 11 straight seasons. Despite winning the World Cup, the European Championship and the European Cup, “Katsche” Schwarzenbeck always remained a humble and straightforward man, reliability paired with ambition were his trademarks. Born in Munich, Schwarzenback chose to play football at the age of 12, he joined the Bayern youth team in 1962, after his school years he began an apprenticeship as typographer, he almost decided to quit playing football as the apprenticeship was so demanding that he found it hard to fulfill both duties. His first game for the West German youth national team did not show any signs that this player would be destined for greater things, as he caused a penalty and scored an own goal. In 1966, at the age of 18, Schwarzenbeck joined the Bayern seniors, in a team of technical players, Schwarzenbeck stood out as a square-edged, unadorned, no nonsense kind of player. In short, exactly the sort of player his coach Tchik Cajkovski was looking for to add to his team of "thoroughbreds". 14 years later, when Schwarzenbeck had to call it quits due to a severe harmstring injury, he could look back at an almost unrivalled trophy haul for a man-marker: once World Champion, once European Champion, four times European Cup winner, once Intercontinental Club Champion, five times domestic Champion and three times domestic Cup winner. In his first two years, Schwarzenbeck was used as a left full back, but in 1968, new manager Branko Zebec realized that Schwarzenbeck was much stronger as a center back and from then on, Schwarzenbeck never looked back. About his relationship with the great Franz Beckenbauer, Schwarzenbeck once said the following: “Franz reminds me of my old teacher in the printing office. He handled printing ink all day long but still his hands always were clean. I, however, only had to look at the printing machine and I already would get dirty!” Schwarzenbeck’s finest hour came on 15th May 1974, when he scored the last-minute equalizer in the first European Cup final vs. Atletico in extra-time with an untypical long-range shot. The game ended 1-1 and the repeat match two days later Bayern won convincingly 4-0. Without Schwarzenbeck’s unlikely goal, the great Bayern era of the mid-70s would not have happened. It was however typical for Schwarzenbeck after that game that he said “I wish Müller had scored that goal!”, as he did not like the attention towards him one bit. League Statistics per Season Season - Club - Games – Goals 1966/67 Bayern Munich.........21 / 00 1967/68 Bayern Munich.........33 / 00 1968/69 Bayern Munich ........34 / 00 1969/70 Bayern Munich ........32 / 01 1970/71 Bayern Munich ........29 / 02 1971/72 Bayern Munich ........32 / 01 1972/73 Bayern Munich ........34 / 01 1973/74 Bayern Munich ........33 / 07 1974/75 Bayern Munich ........34 / 03 1975/76 Bayern Munich ........33 / 01 1976/77 Bayern Munich ........31 / 01 1977/78 Bayern Munich ........34 / 01 1978/79 Bayern Munich ........34 / 03 1979/80 Bayern Munich ........02 / 00 European Cup games: 70 (1966-1978) / 2 goals Domestic Cup games: 56 (1966-1979) / 7 goals [Profile gracious provided by Gregoriak]
Hristo Stoichkov Position: forward, left winger Country: Bulgaria Date of birth: 8 February 1966 International Record Caps 86 Goals 37 Individual honors Golden Boot/Top Scorer in Europe 1989/90 Golden Boot/Top scorer in World Cup 1994 Onze d'Or” winner 1992 "Ballon d'Or" winner 1994 Bulgaian Player of the year 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994. Nicknames: Stoitchkov Christo or Cristo Itzo or Itso The Mad Bulgarian The Dagger El Pistolero Raging Bull The Modern Left Major titles won Champions League in 1992 5 Spanish League titles (90-93), 97/98 2 Spanish Cup titles 3 Bulgarian league titles 3 Bulgarian Cups Teams: DC United, MLS (2003) Chicago Fire, MLS (2000-03) Kashiwa Reysol, Japan (1998-1999) Al Nasar, Saudi Arabia (1998) CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria (1998, 1985-90) Barcelona, Spain (1996-98, 1990-1995) Parma, Italy (1995-96) Hebros, Harmanli Bulgaria (1982-84) Juri Gagarin, Plovdiv Bulgaria (1981-82) Maritsa, Plovdiv Bulgaria (1976-81) Taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hristo_Stoichkov Hristo Stoitchkov (Bulgarian: Христо Стоичков; born February 8, 1966, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria; sometimes spelled Khristo and/or Stoichkov) is one of the most renowned left-footed football (soccer) players. Stoitchkov has already cemented his status as a sports legend. He is considered among soccer's elite, arguably one of the top soccer players of the 20th Century. Stoitchkov's extraordinary talent, fiery temper and determination to succeed have led him to the heights of personal and professional triumph. At the 1994 World Cup, Stoitchkov was awarded the Golden Boot as the top goal scorer of the tournament as he miraculously led Bulgaria to the semi-finals. Apart from his numerous awards and trophies, Stoitchkov gained much popularity because of his aggressive on-pitch temper. He could often be seen mumbling Bulgarian profanities at the referee and/or his opposing team. His relentless attitude was known to irritate his opposition and enthrall his fans who preserve his image close to their hearts. Stoitchkov also played at Euro 96 and the 1998 World Cup and ended his international career with 37 goals in 83 appearances for his country. As a player, Stoitchkov played as a left attacker/winger. His specialties included free kicks, penalties and taking unpredictable shots on goal. Stoichkov was also known for his explosive acceleration and speed dribbling. Stoichkov began his career with Bulgarian football club Harmanli, but soon moved to CSKA Sofia, before moving on to the more prestigious Barcelona and Parma, and finally finishing his career in Japan with Kashiwa Reysol and America with the Chicago Fire and D.C. United. In the 2003-04 season, Stoichkov started a coaching career, serving as a forwards coach at Barça. After Bulgarian national team coach Plamen Markov resigned in the wake of the team's first-round exit from Euro 2004, the Bulgarian Football Union named him as the new national team coach on 15 July.
Jakob Stam Nickname: "De Rots van Kampen" Born: July 17, 1972 in Kampen, Netherlands Position: Central defender Career Span: 1992-Present Nationality: Dutch Caps/Goals: 67 / 3 Club Teams: 1992/1993 FC Zwolle 1993/1995 Cambuur Leeuwarden 1995/1996 Willem II 1995/1998 PSV 1998/2002 Manchester United 2001/2004 Lazio Roma 2004/2006 AC Milan Stats: Dutch Cup, PSV (1996) Dutch League, PSV (1997) Dutch Supercup, PSV (1997, 1998) Premier League, Manchester United (1999, 2000, 2001) FA Cup, Manchester United (1999) Inter-Continental Cup, Manchester United (1999) Coppa Italia, Lazio Roma (2004) Champion's League, Manchester United (1999) Bio(from Wikipedia): Jaap Stam (real name Jakob Stam, born July 17, 1972 in Kampen, Netherlands) is a Dutch football player. He is seen as one of the best defenders in the world. His nickname is 'de Rots van Kampen' (the rock of Kampen). Stam started his career with local amateur football club DOS Kampen. In 1992, Stam made his professional debut for FC Zwolle. Stam's breakthrough came in his first season at Willem II. A shock 1-0 home victory over Ajax Amsterdam led to Stam's transfer to PSV Eindhoven. Two and a half years later, Stam became the then most expensive Dutch football player in history, when Manchester United bought him for ƒ36m (about £10.5m). Stam spent 3 seasons at Manchester United and won the Premiership, FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League while with them. During the 2001-2002 season, Stam was controversially sold to S.S. Lazio in Italy for ƒ55m (£16.5m), after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was reportedly furious with allegations Stam had made in his autobiography 'Head to Head'. During his time with Lazio, Stam was found guilty of having the banned steroid nandrolone in his system following a Serie A game, and received a 5-month ban, which was eventually reduced by a month after appeals. Stam currently plays for Italian side A.C. Milan. On January 30, 2006, it was announced that he would return to the Dutch Eredivisie and play for Ajax, where he signed a two-year conract. This came as a surprise to many, as it was expected he would return to either his former club PSV, or SC Heereenveen. Stam made his debut for Dutch national team on April 24, 1996, in the 1-0 defeat to Germany. He has played 67 matches for the Netherlands, scoring three goals and was an important player in the Dutch team that finished fourth in the 1998 World Cup. At Euro 2000, Stam missed an important kick in the penalty shootout in the semi-finals, which led to the Dutch defeat against Italy. Stam retired from international football after the Euro 2004 tournament in Portugal, saying he wanted to focus on AC Milan and his family.
Charles, John William (“Il Buono Gigante”) *1931, +2004, Wales, centre forward and centre half 38 Caps (15 goals): 1955-1965 World Cup finals 1958 543 league appearances (260 goals) 1952-1957 Leeds United 1957-1962 Juventus 1962-1963 Leeds United 1962-1963 AS Roma 1963-1966 Cardiff City John Charles is considered by many to have been the greatest all-round footballer ever to come from Britain. It wasn't just that he was comfortable playing either centre-half or centre-forward. He was world class in both positions. He could also play full-back or midfield, if required, and such was his versatility that he managed to break the Leeds United club scoring record with 42 goals in a season at a time when he was appearing at centre-half in internationals for Wales. He started his career at 15 with Swansea City before joining a struggling Leeds United side in 1949. His reputation quickly grew and the 42-goals scored for Leeds in the 1953-54 season remains a club record. But when he joined Juventus for a record transfer fee of £65,000, his life began to resemble a storyline taken from a Boy’s Own comic. Between 1957 and 1962 Juve won three league titles as well as one Italian Cup competition. To this day, this illustrious club recognises the great contribution Charles made during his time there. He is still considered one of the best players to have represented Juventus. In 1958 Charles led a shambolically organised Wales team to their first and only ever World Cup finals. Wales drew all three of thir group games which resulted in a play off against Hungary, deprived of a number of their greats but still boasting a team including Bozsik, Grosics and Hidegkuti. Wales overcame the Hungarians but at a great cost, Charles like Puskas in 54 and Pele in 62 was subjected to a physical battering which meant that he missed the quarter final against Brazil. Wales lost that game 1-0, Pele scoring his first WC goal. Many believe that had Charles been present the scoreline would have been very different. Charles moved from Juve to Leeds and then back to Italy with Roma, but did not enjoy quite the success he had previously. He finished his career at Ninian Park with Cardiff City and took up management at Hereford United Perhaps his greatest attribute was his stunning versatility. Fellow Leeds player Tom Holley once wrote: "Nat Lofthouse was asked who was the best centre-half he had played against and without hesitation named John Charles. The same week Billy Wright was asked who was the greatest centre-forward he had faced, and he too answered “John Charles". John Charles was the ultimate footballing gentleman. Not only was he never booked or sent off in his entire career in the face of some appalling treatment, he always behaved with honour and sportsmanship. Adapted from http://www.ifhof.com/hof/charles.asp An incredible article on Charles is available here http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/charlesapp.htm
Round Six Name: Maxime Bossis Born: June 25, 1955 in Saint-André, France Position: right back Career Span: 1973-1991 Nationality: French Caps/Goals: 76 caps, 1 goal Club teams: FC Nantes Atlantique (1973-1985, 1990-1991) Racing Club Paris (1985-1989) Honors: 1 European Championship (1984) 4 French league titles (1973, 1977, 1980, 1983) 1 French Cup title (1979) 2 French Footballer of the Year (1979, 1981) The only as-of-yet unpicked member of the great French backline of the 1980s, Maxime Bossis had a lengthy career whose highlights were undoubtedly his distinguished service for both his beloved FC Nantes, whose youth system he was a product of, and the French national team. He is also extremely difficult to find biographical information on if you don't read French.
To begin round seven, I take what will most likely be our only North American: Name: Hugo Sánchez Márquez Born: July 11, 1958 in Mexico City, Mexico Position: striker Career span: 1975-1997 Nationality: Mexican Caps/goals: 60 caps, 29 goals Nicknames: Hugol, Pentapichichi Club teams: UNAM Pumas (1975-1981) Atlético de Madrid (1981-1985) Real Madrid (1985-1992) Club América (1992-1993) Rayo Vallecano (1993-1994) Atlante (1994-1995) Dallas Burn (1996) Atlético Celaya (1996-1997) Honors: 1 UEFA Cup (1986) 5 Liga Primera titles (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990) 2 Copas del Rey (1984, 1989) 5 Pichichi trophies (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990) 1 European Golden Boot (1990) Runner-up for all-time leading scorer in the Liga Primera Bio: (from Wikipedia) While still very young, Sanchez played for the Mexico national football team in the 1975 Pan-American Games and the next year in the 1976 Summer Olympics. At the age of 18 and having already played over 80 international games, Sanchez signed as a youth player for UNAM Pumas. That year, UNAM managed to get its first championship in the Mexican Football League, and just two years later, he became top-scorer in the league, with 26 goals. During this time, Sanchez competed in Mexico during the fall, winter, and spring, but played in the United States for the San Diego Sockers in the summer. Sanchez played five seasons that were the golden years of UNAM Pumas. In his last season with the team, Hugo again became the top-scorer in a tie with his teammate Cabinho and UNAM won not only its second championship, but also the CONCACAF Champions Cup. After five successful seasons in Mexico, with 99 goals to his name, Sanchez drew the attention of several Spanish sides, and signed with Atletico de Madrid in 1981. It took him a while to find his feet in La Liga, but by the 1984-85 season he was scoring regularly with a team that won the Copa del Rey, finished in second place in the Spanish League and won the Spanish Super Copa. That year Hugo also won his first Pichichi trophy for being the most prolific scorer in the league. At this point, he reached the high-point of his career, signing for Real Madrid in 1985 and playing with players such as (SEVERAL CENSORED PLAYERS from La Quinta del Buitre). This team won five consecutive league titles (from 1985-86 to 1989-90), the Copa del Rey in 1989, and the UEFA Cup in 1986. During these five years, Sánchez garnered four consecutive Pichichi trophies, scoring 207 goals in 283 games.
Manfred Kaltz Born: Januari 6, 1953 in Ludwigshafen am Rhein Position: Right fullback Career Span: 1971-1991 Nationality: German Caps/Goals: 69 / 9 Club Teams: 1971-1991 Hamburger SV Stats: Bundesliga, Hamburger SV (1979, 1982, 1983) German Cup, Hamburger SV (1976, 1887) German Supercup, Hamburger SV (1977) Europe Cup 1, Hamburger SV (1983) European Cup, Germany (1980) Bio: Manfred Kaltz started at HSV, played 581 Bundesliga matches for HSV and retired at HSV. Never playing for another club. This makes him the only player ever to have played in the Bundesliga with this amount of matches for Hamburg SV. While Manfred played at HSV they won the Europe Cup 1 and won the Bundeslga three times. As a player for Germany Kaltz won the European Championship in 1980. Manfred Kaltz was a great penalty taker, like so many other Germans are and were.
Sócrates Brasileiro Sampaio de Souza Vieira de Oliveira Position: midfielder Nationality: Brazil Born: February 19, 1954 Caps 60 Goals 22 for Brazil Club Teams: 1973-1978: Botafogo 1978-1984: Corinthians 1984-1985: Fiorentina - Italy 1986-1987: Flamengo 1988: Santos FC 1988: Botafogo 2004: Garforth Town Club titles: São Paulo State League: 1979, 1982, 1983 Rio de Janeiro State League: 1986 Individual titles: São Paulo state league's top scorer: 1976 Brazilian Bola de Prata (Placar): 1980 South American's top player (El Mundo-Venezuela): 1983 taken from: http://www.planetworldcup.com/LEGENDS/socrates.html One of the most elegant midfield generals in soccer history, Socrates, began his career in Botafogo. He was never a teenage star and didn’t make his debut in the Brazilian national team until he was 25. He was blessed with wonderful skills, vision and seemed to have so many options when he was on the ball. He was able to play the ball wherever and whenever he wanted. His heel-kicks became famous world wide. These rare skills combined with the fact that he was a medical student more than justified him being nicknamed “the doctor”. Socrates captained Brazil’s fantastic World Cup team of 1982 partnering Cerezo, Falcao and Zico in midfield. He scored twice in that tournament, one of them being a marvellous goal against the Soviet Union when he dribbled past two players before firing it home from long range. Brazil didn’t reach the semifinals in that tournament, but played some wonderful soccer. Socrates was not an ordinary athlete, infact he didn’t look at himself as an athlete. He smoked a pack of sigarettes every day, and that was one of the reasons to why he never settled in Italy when he arrived there in 1984 to play for Fiorentina. The lifestyle didn’t suit him and he went back to Brazil a year later. In 1986, Socrates again was instrumental for Brazil in their attempt of winning the World Cup, but France and Platini won on penalties in the quarterfinal after a wonderful match. Socrates missed one of the penalties in the shoot-out. He was the only player of the survivors of the 1982 team who really reached the same level, but it wasn’t enough to take them through. He scored more than a goal every third game in average for Brazil, which is excellent for a midfielder and added two more to his account in the Mexico World Cup. At clublevel he played most of his career for Botafogo and Corinthians for whom he won three Sao Paulo state championships. Socrates also played for Flamengo winning a Rio state championship before ending his career in 1990 playing for Santos.
Round: 7 (Week 7) Overall Pick: 119th FLORIAN ALBERT Position: Mid-fielder; Center Forward. Nationality: Hungarian. Born: September 15, 1941, Hercegszanto (HON). Statistics: 1.81m; 72 kg. CAPS : 75, 31 goals (1959-1974). Club : Ferencvaros (Hungary), 1952-1974. Palmarès : Fairs Cup 1965 (predecessor to EUFA Cup); Hungarian League 1963, 1964, 1967 et 1968 ; Hungarian Cup 1972. World Cups : 2 participations, 7 matches, 4 goals (1962-1966) WC 1962 co-leading scorer* (shared w/ five other players at 4 goals) Top Scorer Fairs Cup 1967 Top Scorer Hungary 1960, 1961, 1965 350 club games (258 goals) France Football Ballon d'Or: Winner 1967. Coaching Career: Benghazi (1975-1976) and Ferencvaros (jeunes, 1976-1977). The following excerpt is from a profile directly from FIFA website page:http://p7.fifa.ukl.yahoo.com/06/en/w/bypa/pastp_profile.html?commonname=falbert Florian Albert, elegance and efficiency Hungarian ace Florian Albert deserves to be considered as one of the greatest players of any era. His list of honours may be slight, but the medals he won are by no means an accurate measure of his talents, and to this day he is hailed as 'the most elegant player of all time'. In 1962, and still only 20 years of age, he helped Hungary reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup™ in Chile, where his four strikes saw him finish the tournament as joint top-scorer with Brazilian duo **** and Garrincha. The son of a blacksmith, Albert grew up in the little town of Hercegezante near the border with the former Yugoslavia, where he got his first taste of the game playing with his two brothers. When the family later moved to Budapest, he joined the country's most popular club, Ferencvaros, and though he cannot have known it at the time, he would go on to spend his entire career there, from schoolboy teams to retirement – an increasingly rare phenomenon in football. Consistently promoted to more senior sides by his coaches, he quickly climbed the ranks and, in 1957, was handed his first-team debut while still a youth player at the age of 16. Just two league games later, he crowned a meteoric rise by being selected by the national team. Hungarian officials were nostalgic for the 'Magic Magyar' days of Ferenc Puskas, Sandor Kocsis and Zoltan Czibor at the time, and they hoped Albert would form part of another great team by helping replace those stars, by now living and playing in Spain. A true artist with the ball at his feet, the wiry youngster (1.85 m, 75 kg) responded to the call with panache, proving himself just as capable of netting crucial goals as spreading long passes around with pinpoint accuracy. And in a team still shackled by the tactics employed at Switzerland 1954, Albert exploded a large number of received ideas, cleverly alternating between short passes and the long-ball game, and single-handedly switching the tempo of a game with his incredible technique..... .....[After the 1966 WC] At 25, Albert's best years looked ahead of him, but in 1969 he was struck down by a serious fracture to his right leg, a problem aggravated by multiple complications. He carried on playing for the next five years, but he never reached the same heights of old and, having scored 31 goals for his country, collected his 75th and final cap against Yugoslavia on 29 May 1974. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ROBERT VERGNE (France Football numéro 1 137, 26 décembre 1967) [http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/ballon_or/bo_1967.html]: « Rarement nous fut-il donné d'assister, au cours de vingt ans de carrière, à une exhibition aussi éclatante par sa plénitude que celle du Hongrois. Car ce n'est pas seulement par lui-même qu'Albert fut exceptionnel, mais plus encore peut-être par son action sur ses partenaires, qu'il transcenda véritablement. » [Rarely have we witnessed, along the course of our 20 year career, such an explosive exhibition for its plenitude as that of the Hungarian. Its not such just for his individuality that Albert was exceptional, but more so maybe for his affect on his partners, that he was truly transcendent.] --------------------------------------------------------------- Depending on your source Albert is classified as either a mid-field player or a center-forward! This phenomenon reflects his playmaking savvy from an advanced position. [Statistics at top from [http://www.francefootball.fr/FF/ballon_or/bo_1967.html, and Gregoriak’s https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287529]
Alessandro "Billy" Costacurta Position: Central Defender 5’ 10” 174lbs. Honors: 7 League Titles 4 European Champion Club's Cup 2 European/South American Cups 4 European Supercups 1 Italian Cup 5 League Supercups An AC Milan defensive legend, Alessandro Costacurta continues to offer experience to the Rossoneri back line and is as reliable as ever when called upon. Born in 1966, he was something of a latecomer to international football who only made his debut in late 1991 against Norway. Costacurta made 59 appearances for Italy prior to his retirement in 1998, having played in the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups, as well as Euro '96. Costacurta has collected a room full of major honours in his career, with the great Milan side of Arrigo Sacchi and its later incarnation under Fabio Capello, including seven Serie A titles, four European Champion Clubs' Cup and two UEFA Super Cups. His one season away from the club came in 1986/87, when he played 30 times for Monza Calcio in Serie C1. Otherwise, Costacurta has remained a Milan stalwart. Playing alongside Franco Baresi in the heart of the Milan defence for the majority of his career could only have had a positive effect on him as he learnt from arguably the best defender of the past 20 years. The major disappointments of his brilliant career were the suspensions that caused him to miss the finals of both the UEFA Champions League and World Cup in 1994, although he has played in more major showpieces than almost any other player. He is nicknamed Billy, due to his youthful excesses as a supporter of Olimpia Milano, a basketball team (his second favourite sport) who fifteen years ago had as their sponsors a popular brand of drink called Billy.
Leovegildo Lins da Gama Júnior Position: Left-back Clubs: Flamengo, Torino, Pescara Júnior is one of the many great left-backs in Brazilian football. He won four national titles with Flamengo (1980, 1982, 1983, 1992) as well as six titles. He was part of the great Flamengo team that won the Libertadores in 1981 as well as the inter-continental Toyota cup. Júnior also played two World Cups for Brazil (82 and 86) and was capped a total of 70 times between 1979 and 1992. When he returned to Flamengo in 1989 he migrated to midfield where he helped lead a completely different team than the one he had previously won with to another Brazilian title.
Drafter: Sempre Pick: Seventh Overall Pick: 122 Player: Laurent Blanc Position: Central defense Nationality: France International caps: 97 Goals: 16 Brief bio. from Wikipedia Laurent Blanc (born November 19, 1965 in Alès) is a French football defender, who scored the first golden goal in World Cup history in the 1998 World Cup. In his club career from 1983 to 2003, Blanc played for Montpellier, Napoli, Nimes, Saint Etienne, Auxerre, Barcelona, Olympique Marseille, Inter Milan, and Manchester United. For France, Blanc won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000. He was also well-known for kissing good friend and goalkeeper *********'s head before the start of every match, supposedly for good luck. Overall, he recorded 97 caps and scored 16 goals for his country, a very large number for a defender. The most important of those must be the first ever World Cup golden goal, in the second round against Paraguay on June 28, 1998. Blanc also played in Euro 92 and Euro 96. Profile from Soccernet after Euro 2000 How does he explain to so many Italians his commanding role in France's win? As well as his usual dominance at the back - one defensive header in particular stood out - he moved into attack in the final minutes and his presence helped confuse the Azzurri defence enough to concede two goals. Scored a goal against Denmark and showed his usual class. Was given a harder task when facing Jan Koller against the Czechs but looked as strong on the ball as usual. A veteran defender who has earned over 80 caps since his debut in 1989. His experience is second to none having played in the 92 and 96 European Championship finals and the French World Cup winning team of 98. He has played in eight Euro 2000 qualifiers and will be looking to make a big impact in the finals after his controversial sending of in France 98 meant he missed the World Cup final. Blanc currently plays in Italy with Inter Milan and has gained experience from playing around Europe for other big clubs such as Napoli, Barcelona and Marseille. Another quiet game in the middle in the quarter-finals as the Spanish looked to come from deep and wide and unsettle the French central defence. Was forced to make a couple of timely interceptions as Guardiola and Etxeberria peppered Barthez's goal with crosses in the second half. Held firm against Portugal and did well to hold Nuno Gomes after his blistering start
Name: Teofilo Cubillas Birth Date: 3/8/1949 Position: OM/Forward 81 Caps (26 goals): 1968-1982 World Cup finals 1970, 1978, 1982 Copa America 1975 Golden Ball South America 1972 Top Scorer Copa Libertadores 1972 Top Scorer Peru 1966, 1970, 1977 469 league appearances (268 goals) Teofilo Cubillas, the Peruvian Pele A veteran of three FIFA World CupTM campaigns spanning a period of 12 years, Teofilo Cubillas is widely heralded as the greatest forward Peru has ever produced. Supremely gifted, his career is steeped in highlights, but few will ever forget his famous duel with Pele at Mexico 1970, one of the most indelible contests of a magnificent tournament. The early days of Cubillas' career resemble many a story repeated in world football down the years. From the streets of Puente Piedra in the suburbs of Lima, the youngster rose to become a national hero thanks to the beautiful game and his devotion to popular Peruvian outfit Alianza Lima. He took his first steps with the Alianza youth teams at the age of 14, and his eye for goal and exceptional technique soon grabbed the attention of coaching staff from the senior side. So far so familiar perhaps, yet few would have dared imagine then that he would go on to score an incredible 259 goals for the club so close to his heart. Elegant and decisive though he undoubtedly was on the pitch, Cubillas first stood out because of his cherubic features. When he made his first-team debut two years later at the age of 16, his strike partner Perico Leon christened him 'el nene' (the baby). It took the youngster a matter of months before he had won over the Alianza Lima faithful with his thunderous shooting and instinctive finishing. By the end of the season, and still shy of his 17th birthday, he finished as the league's top scorer and was well on his way to becoming a legend. Cubillas’ talent quickly caught the eye of Peru's coach at the time, Waldir Pereira ‘Didi’, a former team-mate of Pele with the Brazil side at Sweden 1958. Young Teofilo was given his first international cap in a qualifier for the 1970 FIFA World Cup on 17 July 1968 and, over the next ten years, he would grace the famous white shirt with the diagonal red stripe as a permanent fixture in the national team. As the qualifying campaign wore on, South America was treated to the sight of a young footballer blossoming into a star, not least during the spectacular 2-2 draw with Argentina at the Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, where a certain Diego Maradona would burst onto the scene a few years later. Cubillas was the natural leader of Peru's golden generation alongside ******* ******, ******** ******* and ***** ******, players who were about to etch their names into the psyche of worldwide audiences during the final phase in Mexico. Creativity and Spontaneity Peru performed remarkably in Mexico, progressing as far as the quarter-finals. Cubillas, in particular, was in sparkling form, netting a total of five goals in four matches - two against Morocco and one in each game against Bulgaria, West Germany and Brazil. The revelation of the tournament and a symbol of his team’s free-flowing attacking football, Cubillas' creativity, spontaneity and innate gift for improvisation left European scouts drooling in the stands. When he and his colleagues were eventually eliminated after losing 4-2 to Brazil, they left Mexico with their heads held high, finally stopped by perhaps the greatest side ever assembled. The breathtaking semi-final between Italy and Germany stirs the most vivid memories from that competition, but most football insiders have a stronger attachment to the quarter-final played out by those two South American titans. Rare even at the time, that match remains one of the few occasions when all 22 protagonists were bent upon giving free range to their attacking instincts and playing for the pure joy of playing. With Pele and ****** weaving their magic at one end and Cubillas and **** matching them at the other, spectators were treated to a feast of one-twos, intricate moves and visionary passing in what became an ode to the sport itself, alternating between moments of individual genius and almost telepathic team play. At the end of it, Cubillas walked off the pitch cheered by the victorious Brazilians and with his reputation greatly enhanced. Voted best South American player in 1972 ahead of Pele, Jairzinho and *****, Cubillas was nonetheless powerless to prevent Peru from missing out on the 1974 FIFA World Cup, as they went down 2-1 to Chile in a play-off tie in Montevideo. That was the cue for him to try his luck in Europe, where he spent six months with Swiss club Basel and two seasons with FC Porto before heading home to a hero's welcome. There, he helped Peru win their second Copa America and was instrumental in Alianza picking up domestic titles in 1977 and 1978. Cubillas marked his return to the global stage with another five goals at Argentina 1978, when the Peruvians made it to the second phase before failing to emerge from a tough group alongside the hosts, Brazil and Poland. By the time Spain 1982 came around, however, the golden Peruvian generation were coming to the end of their careers and Cubillas called time on his international career straight after their first-round exit. His retirement from the professional game came at the age of 37 following a spell in the United States, where he scored 59 goals in 120 games for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and Miami-based outfit South Florida Sun. Initially, he moved to the east coast and set up a number of soccer schools, but he slipped his boots on again in 1987 and returned to Peru where he carried on playing until he was 40 to help out his beloved Alianza, whose first team had been decimated in an air disaster. http://p7.fifa.ukl.yahoo.com/06/en/w/bypa/pastp_profile.html?commonname=tcubillas *The article reports Cubillas as a striker when he was in fact an OM/S.S and could play WF as well. He rarely played as an outright #9 and was adorned with the #10 jersey for the majority of his career. Cubillas first division league stats: 1966........Alianza Lima.........23 / 19 1967........Alianza Lima.........25 / 9 1968........Alianza Lima.........25 / 19 1969........Alianza Lima.........11 / 5 1970........Alianza Lima.........27 / 22 1971........Alianza Lima.........29 / 22 1972........Alianza Lima.........29 / 14 1973........Alianza Lima...........0 / 0 1973-74....FC Basel (Swi).....10 / 3 1973-74....FC Porto.............12 / 4 1974-75....FC Porto.............30 / 9 1975-76....FC Porto.............29 / 28 1976-77....FC Porto.............14 / 7 1977........Alianza Lima.........32 / 23 1978........Alianza Lima.........15 / 12 1979........Ft. Lauderdale......32 / 16 1980........Ft. Lauderdale......34 / 18 1981........Ft. Lauderdale......34 / 19 1982........Ft. Lauderdale......18 / 4 1983........Ft. Lauderdale......23 / 8 1984........S. Florida Sun.......United Soccer League 1984........Alianza Lima.........4 / 4 1985........S. Florida Sun.......United Soccer League 1986........S. Florida Sun.......Amateurs 1987........Alianza Lima.........13 / 3 All statistics courtesy of Gregoriak. A Cubillas special. Scored with the outside of the right boot.
With the tenth pick in the seventh round of the all time draft, I select... JOSE MANUEL 'CHARRO' MORENO 'Charro' Moreno is still considered by many who saw him play to have been the greatest footballer of all time. He was a player with great technique, superior ball skills, creative in midfield, and lethal in the penalty area. He was equally adept with both legs and formidable heading the ball. In addition to his technical virtues, he played with great intelligence, and he also had that elusive instinct which is native to all superior goalscorers, as shown by his statistics which indicate he scored an average of half a goal per match throughout his career, Moreno was an inside right for most of his career, but was equally at home in midfield as inside the penalty area. In River’s famous ‘La Maquina’ he would often withdraw to midfield to organize the team, and to help with ball recovery. He was a natural athlete who could outrun most players on the field, even though he payed little attention to training. He smoked, drank, was famous for his nighttime escapades, and yet his career outlasted that of most of his contemporaries, as he played until the age of 44. Moreno was born August 3rd 1916, to a poor family in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of ‘La Boca’. He grew up playing football in the shadow of ‘La Bombonera’, Boca Juniors stadium, and was a huge fan of the club. At the age of 15 he tried out for Boca and scored two goals in a practice game, yet he was rejected. Moreno was crushed by this rejection by the club he loved, and he angrily told the trainer that he would live to regret that decision for the rest of his life. Shortly after he tried out and was signed by archrival River Plate. His debut at River with the first division club was in 1934, at the age of 18, during a tour of Brazil, in a match against Botafogo which River won 2-1. At the beginning he lined up on the left side, alongside legendary players like Peucelle, Renato Cesarini and Bernabe Ferreira. In his first two full seasons with River, Moreno was the top goalscorer in the league. After these players retired, Moreno moved to the right, and the famous team called ‘La Maquina’ (the Machine) was formed, with Pedernera as centerforward, Labruna and Lostau on the left, and Munoz as the outside right. At this time River Plate became the elite team in Argentina, and Moreno was its biggest star, displaying his great dribbling, his dominant air game, his strategic acumen, his ability with the ball, his power, his goals, and even his sacrifice in recovery. With River Plate, Moreno won the Argentine title in 1936, 1937, 1941, 1942 and 1947. The forward line of 'La Maquina' In 1944, he was lured to Mexico with a lucrative offer by Club Espana, and with this club he conquered Mexico and won the Mexican league title in 1945. He returned to River in 1946, scoring three goals in his return match, a 5-1 victory over Atlanta and one of his greatest exhibitions. After the match, the ecstatic crowd broke down the protective fence and invaded the pitch, to celebrate with their idol. During this time Moreno was joined at River by a new teammate who later became one of the great players of all time, Alfredo Di Stefano. Di Stefano recalls Moreno fondly as a mentor and tells many stories about how Moreno influenced him as a young player. One of these stories tells of a match against Tigre, when Moreno was hit in the head by a projectile from the stands and went down, bleeding profusely. Di Stefano recalls that he asked if he should call for assistance, and Moreno replied with an angry profanity. He got back up, called the young DiStefano and told him: ‘Kid, listen to me carefully. If a player goes down on the field and he doesn’t get back up on his own, it better be because he's dead.' Moreno continued playing as if nothing had happened. Di Stefano was impressed by that incident, and throughout his great career, no matter how hurt he was, he never asked for assistance from the bench. Di Stefano adds that he is glad that Moreno isn’t around to watch today’s players, as they shamefully fall down and stay down over the most minimal contact. In 1948 Argentine players went on strike, and Moreno was transferred to Universidad Catolica of Chile for the sum of 1.5 million argentine pesos, an outrageous amount at the time. He led the ‘U’ to the Chilean title in 1949, at the age of 34, and in the process became a legend in yet another country. In 1949 Boca Juniors had the worst season in its history, and needed a win in its final match of the season to avoid relegation. The club was depleted and saddled in debt. Moreno felt for Boca as much as the average fan, and so decided it was time to patch up with his first love, let bygones be bygones, and fulfil his childhood dream of wearing the blue and gold shirt. He joined Boca Juniors and brought his magic to ‘La Bombonera, but was unable to give them a title, leading them to a second place finish in 1950. After playing some time in Uruguay, he joined Deportivo Independiente Medellin of Colombia. Now playing primarily deeper in midfield, he served as Player/Coach for three years, winning two Colombian league titles. He retired in 1957, but in 1960 he was called back by DIM. Again, he served as player/coach. By this time he would primarily coach from the bench, but he would put himself in for a few minutes whenever he felt his team was in trouble and needed help, often bailing them out by scoring one or two goals. With this arrangement, they almost won another league title, finishing in second place. Moreno retired in 1961 at the age of 44. He played a final exhibition match for Independiente Medellin against Boca Juniors, scoring two goals. Throughout his career Moreno played 359 official first division matches, scoring 179 goals. For Argentina’s national team Moreno played 33 matches and scored 20 goals. With Argentina he won the South American title in 1941 and in 1947. After his retirement, Moreno coached several clubs, including both Boca Juniors and River Plate, as well as Argentina's national team. Moreno died August 26 1978. But he remains alive in memory to every fan who watched him play. On a persona note, I want to add that one of the people who still maintain that Moreno is the best Argentine player ever, happens to be my uncle, a man who is more of a football nut than I am, and who was instrumental in giving me a love for the game ever since I was old enough to listen to his stories about the golden age of Argentine football - the age of ‘Charro’ Moreno. Statistics: Official Matches: 321 (179 Goals) Caps: 33 (20 goals) Clubs: River Plate 1934 to 1944, 1946 to 1949 Espana (Mexico) 1944 to 1946 Universidad Catolica 1949 1950 Boca Juniors 1950 Defensor de Montevideo 1952 Ferrocarril Oeste 1953 Independiente Medellin (player/coach) 1954 to 1957, 1960 to 1962 Club Titles: Argentine Title with River Plate, 1936, 37, 41, 42, 47 Mexican League title with Espana 1945 Chilean title with Universidad Catolica 1949 Colombian title with Independiente Medellin, 1954, 55, 57 National team titles: Copa America 1941, 47