Djalma Santos without any doubt. I don't think there's another position on the pitch where there is clearly a player so far ahead of the rest than this. Comme, how does Carlos Alberto manage to get on this list? I thought you would be able to see past the myth.
There are some people you cannot leave out. I myself can see past the myth, but there would have been uproar if I had not included him.
comme, Battiston rather than his compatriot Maxime Bosis (sp)? No love for Amoros at either at RB or LB? Surely more deserving than Battiston. You voluntarily signed up for that friend. These things are never easy I can't wait to see how you are going to present the 4 midfield spots...those positions aren't as easy to define as the back four! Yep. He and Amoros are my favorite bookends for the 80s.
It's so difficult to get the right blend especially when you get on to the "lesser" players. The more players you introduce, the more people will suggest other names. That is all part of the fun of it though. The midfield and attacking options will be very difficult, especially with the tactical evolutions that have occurred in the last 50 years. How do you define a player like Cruyff or Di Stefano?
You are right. They both mostly lined-up as strikers, though their functions were substantially more. In your chosen 4-4-2 formation, that midfield could be a diamond, or 2-DM & 2-AMs, or 3 versatile CMs with 1 outright attacker for the fourth midfielder (my view of France '82), etc, etc. I can't wait to see how you navigate that one!
From the goalkeeper thread: Going by that it has to be a diamond of sorts, with one DM, one AM and two wingers/wide midfielders. That said I guarantee that the best DM will not get many votes.
Where's the Inter fans? Burgnich should get at least one vote. Now I've changed my mind. Gentile is still first but Burgnich is now second and Thuram third. Carlos Alberto is fourth but I can't understand why two Brazilians are dominating the poll.
I'd rather vote for Berti Vogts than Djalma Santos. Santos was great but I usually prefer the more conventional kind.
Djalma Santos was more of an attacking right back. He was a great player, no doubt about it though I prefer to vote for defenders who are known for their great defending ability and not for the way they go into the midfield or attack.
Kaltz was a very good right back and he was one of West Germany's best at Espana 82. He had a great ability to cross the ball too.