This is a theme that i liked a lot. Which players were the best, when they met each others in the highest competition? In the modern era this question had multiple answers, with many mags, TV programs, internet polls and FIFA awards voting for the best XI in each WC. But, what experts think about, when Internet doesn't exist, much more when the Media wasn't so powerful and massive? In this thread, i'll be focusing only in the Pre War era - the 30s. The teams listed in each World Cups will be only these: * Teams elected by contemporaries. * Teams elected by magazines/newspapers/experts in a post-WC year, supporting by huge research.
WC 1930 ----------------------------------- PARDÓN --------------------------------------------------------(Per) --------------------- NASAZZI ----------- PATERNOSTER -------------------------------------(Uru)---------------------------------(Arg) -------- ANDRADE ------------ MONTI ---------------- GESTIDO --------------------(Uru)-----------------------------(Arg)---------------------------------(Uru) KOVACS ------- SCARONE ------- STABILE ------- CEA ------- EVARISTO -----(Rom) --------------------(Uru)------------------------(Arg)-----------------(Uru)------------------(Arg) Source: Los Mundiales de Futbol y la Copa 82, by Crustel SA, 1981, Spain.
In the first WC, 13 squads participated, all of them with wild cards. Some of the greats NTs by then rejected the invitation, among them: British (England and Scotland), Europe Central (Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria) and others euro NT (Italy and Spain). The system used by all teams was the Pyramid formation (2-3-5)
WC 1934 ---------------------------------- ZAMORA -------------------------------------------------------(Spa) ----------------- MONZEGLIO ----------- QUINCOCES -----------------------------------(Ita)-----------------------------------(Spa) ------ DELFOUR ------------ SZUCS ------------------- BENDER ----------------(Fra)----------------------------(Hun)------------------------------------(Ger) ORSI ------- MEAZZA ------- SINDELAR ------- NEJEDLY ------- VIERTL --(Ita) -------------------(Ita)-------------------------(Aut)------------------------(Cze)----------------------(Aut) Source: Los Mundiales de Futbol y la Copa 82, by Crustel SA, 1981, Spain EDIT: Orsi played all tournament as LW, but in the course of matches he could switch positions with Guaita or Schiavio.
In the second WC, 16 squads participated, some of them with a free pass. http://rsssf.com/tables/34q.html Some of the greats NTs that refused the invitation or send a diminished squad were: British (England and Scotland) and South Americans (Uruguay and Argentina) Most teams used the classical Pyramid formation, with an Attacking centrehalf and two orthodox Inside Forwards. Italy used a 2-3-5 variant (Il Mettodo o WW), with the attacking CH playing as a defacto DM, and the two Inside forwards assuming clearly the playmaking role acting in a deeper position than the usual orthodox IFs. The central europe countries used the Danubian School, basically the 2-3-5 formation, in which the CF assumed more clearly than in the Pyramid formation, the leading of the FW's line, withdrawing his usual position on the pitch in a role mixed between a modern AM and SS. These teams had the two IFs as the most advanced forwards. Their style was based in a combination passing game and ball control. The other innovation was the WM system, used by Germany, in which the CH played as a CB forming a back-three with the Fullbacks who were placed wider to cover the wings. The two IFs dropped back (like in Il Mettodo) to do the playmaking forming with the remaining two halves, the famous magycal square.
I hope the comunity can post teams if you've publications about it. I also wish to post articles from newspapers on line, like * Mundo deportivo: http://hemeroteca.mundodeportivo.com/edition.html?bd=01&bm=06&by=1930&x=28&y=15 * Il Littorale: http://dlib.coninet.it/?q=node/1&col=1 among others sources
WC 1938 -------------------------------- PLANICKA -------------------------------------------------------(Cze) ----------------- DA GUIA -------------------- BIRO -------------------------------(Bra)-------------------------------------(Hun) ------ SZALAY ------------------ BRANDAO ------------ SVANSTRÖM --------------(Hun)-------------------------------------(Bra)------------------------------------(Swe) SAS ------- MEAZZA ------- LEONIDAS ------- FERRARI ------- COLAUSSI (Hun) -----------------(Ita)-------------------------(Bra)-------------------------(Ita)------------------------(Ita) Source: Los Mundiales de Futbol y la Copa 82, by Crustel SA, 1981, Spain
In the third WC, 16 squads participated, some of them qualified with a WO. http://rsssf.com/tables/38q.html Some of the great missing NTs were: British (England and Scotland) and South Americans (Uruguay and Argentina), due to war (Spain and Austria) Most teams used the classical Pyramid formation, with an Attacking centrehalf and two orthodox Inside Forwards. Italy used Il Mettodo. Central european countries used the "Danubian school system. And Germany used the WM.
This is a great post by Gregoriak about German tactics in WC 1934 in another thread (the underlines are mine)
WC All-Star teams made by the brazilian journalist Paulo Vinícius Coelho (one of the best in Brazil imo, and he is a master in formations and tactics), taken from the book "Todas as Copas de 1930 a 1998" (All the world cups from 1930 to 1998) published by the sports jornal "Lance!". 1930 -------------------------- Thepot -------------------------- --------------------------- (FRA) --------------------------- ------------------ Nasazzi ----- Mascheroni ------------- ------------------- (URU) --------- (URU) --------------- J.L. Andrade ----------- Fausto ------------------ Monti ---- (URU) -------------- (BRA) ------------------ (ARG) -------------- H. Scarone ---------- H. Castro ----------- ---------------- (URU) --------------- (URU) ------------ --------------------------- M. Ferreyra --------------------- ------------ G. Stabile ------ (ARG) ------------- P. Cea -- -------------- (ARG) ----------------------------- (URU) -- 1934 -------------------------- Zamora -------------------------- --------------------------- (SPA) --------------------------- ---------------- Quincoces ----- Allemandi -------------- ------------------- (SPA) ----------- (ITA) ---------------- Urbanek --------------- Monti ----------------- Ferraris - (AUS) ----------------- (ITA) ------------------ (ITA) - ---------------- Meazza ---------- Sindelar -------------- ---------------- (ITA) ------------- (AUS) --------------- ------- Guaita -------- Nejedly ----------- Viertl ------ ------- (ITA) ---------- (CZE) ------------ (AUS) ------ 1938 -------------------------- Planicka -------------------------- ---------------------------- (CZE) --------------------------- ---------------- Domingos ------- Foni -------------------- ------------------ (BRA) ---------- (ITA) ------------------- Szalay --------------- Andreolo ----------------- Locatelli (HUN) ----------------- (ITA) --------------------- (ITA) - ---------------- Meazza ---------- Nyberg ----------------- ---------------- (ITA) ------------ (SWE) ------------------ ------- Biavati --------- Sarosi ----------- Colaussi ------ ------- (ITA) ---------- (HUN) ------------ (ITA) -------
Interesting. No Piola in the 1938 team and, even more so since it is the proposed best xi by a Brazilian, no Leónidas..
Here they also made one about 1938 but not 1934. They state that it takes the whole year into account though. They only mention Europeans. Goalkeepers: Olivieri, Planicka Defenders right: Minelli, Janes Defenders left: Rava, Caldenhove Right wing-half: Kupfer, Kostalek Center-half: Andreola, Boucek, Vernati Left wing-half: no one Right-wing: Aston, Riha, Bikkel Inside trio: Meazza, Piola, Szengeller, Ferrari, Braine, Sarosi Left-wing: Brustad I also discovered some lists regarding 1935 and 1937 (non WC years). https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/all-time-spain.1981614/#post-27123222
Sorry, I linked to that post because it was another 1938WC team. Those other lists don't fit in this thread. There was also a comparison of 'greatest athlete' lists by American and the European press for the 1936 year. Sindelar was the highest placed footballer, ahead of Bastin, Drake and the others.
Here the source on internet but it seems that a part of the page isn't scanned properly http://tijdschriften.kb.nl/nl/view/...1:0016/page/1/maxperpage/10/sortfield/dateasc
Here some extracts from "Los mundiales de Futbol y la Copa 82" for WC 1930. I translated it, the best i could
Juan Evaristo (argentinian Right Halfback) with a beret, getting late at crossing the goal line as last defender. I see another picture in the edition above mentioned, in which Andrade is taking care the goal line close to right goal post (just like Evaristo). Arguably a defensive move for wing halves, since i see some videos of Rodriguez Andrade doing the same. Also Yacono (River RHB) was highly rated for his last action saves crossing over the goal line.
Here's the link for the 50s https://www.bigsoccer.com/community/threads/wcs-stars-team-by-contemporaries-50s.1987530/
Since Msioux indicated me this thread to post it here, I post it here. It is from Eurosport's website. Author: ? Eventual sources used by Eurosport: ?/ nothing mentionned. As it was, positionning and all (if Eurosport used any source and did not make/ ceate it themselves, what I'd tend to think, probably they had the teams presented like this: player a, b, c , d...on one line and did not respected the positions that had been chosen for each player even if already placed in an unusual position for some of them , what can have especially misleaded them/ Eurosport, what could have had add some difficulty to the project of presenting the 11 in the following schema/ 3 lines...??... anyway here we go). 1930 ----------------------------Thépot---------------------- -------------------Nasazzi--------Paternoster----------- --------------Cea----------Monti--------Andrade-------- Anselmo---Patenaude---Stabile---Peucelle---Preguinho 1934 ---------------------------Zamora------------------------ -----------------Monzeglio-------Quincoces------------- ----------Wagner---------Monti--------Cillauren------- Guaita-----Regueiro----Meazza----Nejedly---Orsi---- 1938 ------------------------Planicka------------------------- ---------------Domingos----------Rava---------------- ---------Zeze----------Andreolo-------Locatelli-------- Nyberg-------Sarosi---Leonidas---Meazza----Titkos- This 1938 team is the official one published by FIFA. In a previous post I made a typo/ error: I wanted to say that Nyberg was the right winger and Titkos on the left and said the contrary. Nyberg was an occasional winger (don't know if he even play at this position during a single match of this World Cup) and Titkos as been putted on the left while he was a right winger = no "true" left winger in this team. Eurosport respected well who had been chosen on each side of the pitch i nthis case at least. Maybe they made no error at all on this point for all the teams...?? Sometimes I have the feeling that the souce is French for 1930 and 1934 but can't be sure since it was posted on their website just like that without any text or not really and that no source was mentionned. That was Europort-France. Don't know if the article existed for other languages. (I saved the original pictures, pitch/ names written in white but post it like this) Now I follow the link for the 50s. There was also 1962-2006. Well not exactly, there was no 11 presented for 1994.