Meanwhile, in 1984 Platini was the landslide winner. Maradona slips to third place thanks to Argentine bloc voting. What was that for kind of statement, then?
The 1986 all-star team has a pretty nice balance to it to be fair! I could imagine a coach picking that line-up (and I'm often one who likes to go towards the creative/attacking side as much as feasible). I'm sure it's part coincidence but having Maradona as the free AM backed up by Burruchaga, Matthaus and Fernandez seems like it'd be very functional. Perhaps slightly on the surprising side that Matthaus did do so well with inclusions as opposed to for the Ballon d'Or but maybe for this year he's more likely to get picked in an XI as opposed to a top 5 player list anyway to be fair.
Lerby did get a second and a third place vote in the Ballon d'Or though, as opposed to Matthaus getting two fifth places.
Biggest win by a player for a single season! Do you know why Guerin discontinued the poll after this season?
Part of it is the higher level of competition for that particular year and that the midfield has four spots and the forwards only two. Picking more than two forwards becomes unlikely if also Maradona is picked. In a way some more forwards besides Careca match the "good WC + club season" criteria. The six forwards above Careca are all in the top 10 Ballon d'Or while midfielders Matthaus, Fernandez, Lerby, Platini, Michel are not (Platini is btw doing better here as in the 1986 Ballon d'Or list). Zavarov and Ceulemans do better in the Ballon d'Or list though. Let's also not under-appreciate Burruchaga his overall contribution (both direct and indirect) but I don't want to ignite that sensitive debate here. Maybe Careca and Valdano should have been picked more often if also others with a 'good WC + club season' are picked, but there are fewer spots and somewhat better competition.
Gazzetta dello Sport, another Italian publication ofc, had a poll among eight European national team coaches for the 1986 year. They choose for Belanov + Elkjaer Larsen as the partnering forwards.
I think you will almost always find seemingly whimsical and/or localist choices. That goes for this and likely any other award of the sort and in any of its editions. I am not sure I would call that a statement necessarily. But the one I was pointing at is drastically more evident and provocative imo.
If 70 journalists voted, shouldn't it be 70 points? Because by my counting all journalists had him in the team of the year?
So, according to Guerin, Platini won the WPotY award three times in a row, being the first one, his most tight won. Superb thread
No. Platini won the Guerin award in 1984 and 1985. Falcao won the Guerin award in 1983 (Platini won the one organized by El Grafico).
No, I don't know why, mate. They never clarified anything. Yeah, I just noticed that. Guerin tends to make errors in their lists. But I noticed that Altobelli received 3 first place votes, not 2, with Rush not obtaining any as you mentioned. You and Onze are right, Puck. Thanks for pointing out any mistakes. I will make a final overview summary rectifying any errors.
Ok, I see what happened. I posted up page 28 twice and that's why some of my confusion with Altobelli. But you are right, Ian Rush never received a first place vote, but the rest that you mentioned did. This means that Maradona obtained 91 first place votes out of 96. As always, thanks for spotting any errors. I will post a final summary rectifying this. Stay tuned....
First, we'll start off with the final summary of each winner. 1979 Maradona 1980 Rummenigge 1981 Zico 1982 Rossi 1983 Falcao 1984 Platini 1985 Platini 1986 Maradona
Now the top 3 of each year. 1979 Maradona (No poll was conducted this year; only the winner was announced.) 1980 1.) Rummenigge 23 points 2.) Kaltz 20 points 3.) Maradona 18 points 1981 1.) Zico 26 points 2.) Maradona 26 points 3.) Rummenigge 26 points (Tiebreaker went to Zico for obtaining more honours this year) 1982 1.) Rossi 31 points 2.) Scirea 29 points 3.) K.H. Foerster 25 points Falcao 25 points 1983 1.) Falcao 23 points 2.) Zico 16 points 3.) Platini 12 points 1984 1.) Platini 63 points 2.) Ian Rush 3 points 3.) Maradona 2 points 1985 1.) Platini 77 points 2.) Maradona 20 points 3.) Francescoli 4 points 1986 1.) Maradona 91 points 2.) Altobelli 2 points 3.) Lineker 1 point Burruchaga 1 point Butragueno 1 point Note: Up until 1982 the top 3 were chosen based on how many times a player was picked in the all-star team. From 1983 to 1986 journalists were then asked to pick the best player. Up next the best XI of each year. To be continued...
The best XI of each year. 1979: No team was selected. 1980 Arconada; Kaltz, Pezzey, Krol, Gentile; Schuster, Maradona, Antognoni; Rummenigge, Hrubesch, Zico. 1981 Arconada; Kaltz, Krol, Pezzey, Junior; Schuster, Breitner, Zico; Rummenigge, Maradona, Blochine. 1982 Dasaev; Gentile, Gerets, K.H. Foerster, Scirea; Falcao, Tardelli, Maradona; Conti, Rossi, Rummenigge. 1983 Dasaev; Gerets, K.H. Foerster, Hysen, Cabrini; Falcao, Robson, Platini, Maradona; Zico, Rummenigge. 1984 Schumacher; Briegel, K.H. Foerster, Bossis, Cabrini; Tigana, Souness, Platini, Robson, Rush, Rummenigge. 1985: No team was selected. 1986 Dasaev; Josimar, Julio Cesar, M. Olsen, Amoros; Burruchaga, Matthaeus, Maradona; Fernandez, Belanov, Butragueno.
Will follow up later with the top 3 most picked players of each year that made the all-star teams. To be continued...
Top 3 most voted players each year based on best XI selections: 1979: No team was selected 1980 (25 voters involved) 1.) Rummenigge 23 points 2.) Kaltz 20 points 3.) Maradona 18 points 1981 (33 voters involved) 1.) Zico 26 points 2.) Maradona 26 points 3.) Rummenigge 26 points 1982 (39 voters involved) 1.) Rossi 31 points 2.) Scirea 29 points 3.) K.H. Foerster 25 points Falcao 25 points 1983 (64 voters involved; originally there were 65 but Brian Glanville refused to vote) 1.) Falcao 56 points 2.) Rummenigge 51 points 3.) Zico 50 points 1984 (70 voters involved) 1.) Platini 70 points (100% included in every team) 2.) Rummenigge 48 points 3.) Ian Rush 47 points 1985: No team was selected 1986 (96 voters involved) 1.) Maradona 95 votes (missed out on 1 vote from being 100% perfect) 2.) Amoros 61 votes 3.) Burruchaga 48 votes
So according the the votes of these journalists (which as discussed could be different from others), these could be the early-80's and mid 80's all-star XI's I suppose.... Early 80's Arconada; Kaltz, Krol, Pezzey***, Gentile*; Schuster, Falcao; Maradona; Rummenigge, Rossi**, Zico * I guess Gentile is playing as in the Zona Mista but on the other side, with Kaltz the attacking right back; otherwise Junior at left back could be the choice ** Despite missing part of the early 80's with his (disputed) ban, he was the winner of the award for 1982. *** Could be Scirea due to volume of votes for 1982; otherwise he's a bit unlucky to miss being in this side or the mid 80's one despite quite a lot of votes overall. Mid 80's Dasaev; M.Olsen*; Amoros**, K.H Forster, Cabrini; Tigana, Platini, Robson; Maradona; Rummenigge, Rush * Bossis would be close and unlucky to miss out overall ** Gerets's inclusions are borderline early/mid 80's (also an option the way the votes went to be in the early 80's team as a 'left-back' I guess) so Amoros probably gets in as he often played right back as well as left back (including in 1986) and had the second most votes to be in the XI for 1986. Perhaps the missing 1985 team could be the best in theory? Both Platini and Maradona were generally in top form, even if Zico might not make the XI and there could be a doubt over Rummenigge (but looking at the votes for 1984 and the Ballon d'Or results, he probably would be in but unlike for Platini/Maradona it would seem a stretch to say he was as good in 1985 as in 80/81). Elkjaer might well have made that team and could then take Rush's place in the mid-80's XI I'd say. I did open a thread quite a while ago with the title 'Would 1985 have the best Select XI of all-time?' or suchlike. My proposed XI was Dasaev; Amoros, Scirea, Vierchowod, Junior; Schuster, Platini; Maradona; Rummenigge, Laudrup; Elkjaer. There are probably some doubts over that choice and certainly whether they'd all make the Guerin Sportivo poll XI - particularly Scirea and Vierchowod, and although outright left-backs are not always selected and I'm sure he'd still be good in that role Junior might be considered more in midfield. I wondered whether Zico or Van Basten should be in such a choice, but with the former getting old and the latter only just emerging I doubt they'd make the Guerin Sportivo poll XI even if they were good enough and playing well enough. Francescoli was suggested on the thread, and I suppose he'd be behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 if he took Rummenigge's place - looking at the 1985 votes for best player he could be in the XI but I guess judging by 1984's poll he might have struggled to get European votes still. We also discussed the possibility of Tigana rather than Schuster on the thread I remember, and I guess Eric Batty at least would make that choice since he had Tigana down as the top player of 1985.
Sort of strange that it was in each year difficult for them to count. Didn't check but I know that sometimes journalists even send teams with 10 or 12 names, lol ( as with placar or world soccer all-time team )
Yes, I've not counted all chosen XI's but maybe/probably Vegan has. I remember the English were voting with one too many/little names in that Placar poll of 1981 you posted I think (well two of the English voters)! Perhaps they were in the Pub when they voted! With so many names I think using a spreadsheet or the old fashioned pen and paper to tally them up team by team would be the best way. Maybe Guerin Sportivo tried to count them up for each player instead? Sometimes with these polls we get a name which isn't 100% clear. In Placar's I remember there was a vote for simply Mazzola (following one for V.Mazzola) so did that mean it was for Sandro, or another for Valentino, or even one for Altafini!? I think you assumed it would be Sandro, but I guess they could have decided they'd already listed Valentino with a V so listed him again without it?! I think I noticed a vote in Guerin Sportivo's poll for J (Jesper) Olsen with the name listed seemingly in among defenders (maybe in 1984). So whether that vote was for Morten Olsen actually is possible/probable, although sometimes midfielders are allocated a shirt number/position that seems like that of a defender (Falcao, Whelan for example I think I noticed and one for Gudelj although IIRC he did play a bit in defence).
Well in 1985 there is the odd guy voting for Boniek or Tigana ( Batty in this case, who was also contrary in 1986 )
It looks to me as if in this year they used 1-5 numbering for defense but probably not midfield and definitely not for the forwards. 1 Dasaev - 2 Gentile (Right Back), 3 Gerets (Left back), 4 Förster (Stopper), 5 Scirea (Libero) In actual tactical formation the defenders should then look like: Dasaev - Gentile, Scirea, Förster, Gerets - ....
Yes, he was sceptical about the tournament as a whole, but so was to a lesser extent Glanville (also in his 1968 book, which I liked). McDonald was the most positive of the three. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwL4ev1QI1K6S2g2TkxDUERhVHc/edit?pli=1 (interestingly, his selection for 1964 year is the same as the one of Denis Law himself; maybe Law copied it one-on-one a month later? )