Official Ballon D'Or Dream Team (best team of all time)

[GameOn]

Since there is no thread about it yet, I though it would be worth creating one.

France Football, who are also the guys responsible for the Ballon D'Or, are currently revealing their Ballon D'Or Dream Team.

140 football journalists from all around the world have elected the players.

So far the goalkeeper, defenders and midfielders have been revealed:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: ?

 

[Stack]

Since there is no thread about it yet, I though it would be worth creating one.

France Football, who are also the guys responsible for the Ballon D'Or, are currently revealing their Ballon D'Or Dream Team.

140 football journalists from all around the world have elected the players.

So far the goalkeeper, defenders and midfielders have been revealed:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: ?

Pele as an OM? Surely he would be a FW?

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Seeing as it's Ballon D'or we can expect Cristiano ROnaldo and Lionel Messi to be two of the three forward players, meaning there's one spot left.

Will it be Gerd Muller, Eusebio, Bestie, Cruyff?

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I kind of understand going for the 3-4-3 - but you'd never pick Cafu for a role in a 3 at the back over multiple defenders who were clearly better suited for that role in an actually functioning team. Maldini is a shoe-in, as he fits the bill both in terms of pure quality and actual suitability for the role.

 

[harms]

Seeing as it's Ballon D'or we can expect Cristiano ROnaldo and Lionel Messi to be two of the three forward players, meaning there's one spot left.

Will it be Gerd Muller, Eusebio, Bestie, Cruyff?

Probably Cruyff, at least he was an option for the striker’s spot in the fans vote. Otherwise I think they would’ve gone with Ronaldo or van Basten (3 Ballon d’Ors, right?).

edit: Di Stefano wouldn't be half bad either.

 

[harms]

I kind of understand going for the 3-4-3 - but you'd never pick Cafu for a role in a 3 at the back over multiple defenders who were clearly better suited for that role in an actually functioning team. Maldini is a shoe-in, as he fits the bill both in terms of pure quality and actual suitability for the role.

All logic went out of the window when they've decided to fit all 4 of Maradona, Pelé, Messi and Cristiano in (and even put another forward next to them).

 

[SilentStrike]

Team is shaping up nicely so far but it bothers me to see them trade a defenser just to fit in 5 offensive players.

Curious to see who will take the striker position. Muller? Van Basten? R9?

 

[Bobski]

The thing that stands out to me when lists like these are made is the simple depth of great players we have enjoyed in football. Always makes me think that the GOAT lists are pointless, this isn't US sports with a much smaller pool of talent to compare.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Otherwise I think they would’ve gone with Ronaldo or van Basten (3 Ballon d’Ors, right?).

Yes, but they're not going with actual Ballon winners (or winners of that FIFA thing) exclusively.

 

[Invictus]

Weird, kinda-sorta understandable but weird all the same, if Di Stéfano doesn't make the selection, considering he is the only “Super Ballon d'Or” winner and this is being prepared a Ballon D'Or committee (correct me if I'm mistaken by the way)?

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Also, dunno what they are trying to accomplish with that defense...surely Cafú cannot be expected to repeatedly go on his trademark lung-bursting runs out of a Back 3 (especially one that also contains Kaiser)? Good job nullifying what was probably his greatest characteristic, and for Brazilians alone you have superior options for the scheme in Carlos Alberto and Djalma Santos.

 

[DoomSlayer]

Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and... Stoichkov? I know, I know...

 

[harms]

Weird, kinda-sorta understandable but weird all the same, if Di Stéfano doesn't make the selection, considering he is the only “Super Ballon d'Or” winner and this is being prepared a Ballon D'Or committee (correct me if I'm mistaken by the way)?

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Also, dunno what they are trying to accomplish with that defense...surely Cafú cannot be expected to repeatedly go on his trademark lung-bursting runs out of a Back 3 (especially one that also contains Kaiser)? Good job nullifying what was probably his greatest characteristic, and for Brazilians alone you have superior options for the scheme in Carlos Alberto and Djalma Santos.

Di Stefano seems to be in the offensive midfielders list next to Pelé and Maradona. Messi at RW, Cristiano on the left.

Tactically it’s a complete mess.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

All logic went out of the window when they've decided to fit all 4 of Maradona, Pelé, Messi and Cristiano in (and even put another forward next to them).

True - and, of course, these things are never about selecting players for a realistically functional team.

Don't know why that is, mind - why not ask football writers to assemble a functional team with potential GOATs in every position and have them explain their selections. Would be far more interesting than something like this if you ask me.

 

[hasanejaz88]

I would've liked to see Neuer instead of Yashin (although ofcourse we don't know how Neuer will end up by the time he ends his career). The type of year he just had was extraordinary, and accompanied with what he's already achieved I think he has a geniune shout as being one of the best of all time.

Ronaldo Cruyff Messi would seem the obvious choice for forwards.

 

[Austrodoriano]

Maradona and Pele as OMs it’s a joke

 

[pascell]

Give it to Giggsy till the end of the season!

 

[GameOn]

Top 11 are complete:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: Messi, Ronaldo, CR7

 

[Jonno]

Top 11 are complete:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: Messi, Ronaldo, CR7

What a team

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Where's Eder?... Ruler of Worlds, scorer of goal...

 

[Invictus]

True - and, of course, these things are never about selecting players for a realistically functional team.

Don't know why that is, mind - why not ask football writers to assemble a functional team with potential GOATs in every position and have them explain their selections. Would be far more interesting than something like this if you ask me.

Considering that these lists are fantastical by nature and mostly exercises in positive PR from FIFA, UEFA, France Football and so forth, I'm guessing that they feel internally compelled to include the GOATest of offensive GOATs in a deliberate attempt to appease the muppety masses...the wide majority of whom don't care for fine-tuned but less attention-grabby and pragmatic approaches, if we're being honest. I mean, imagine the furor if they drop a Maradona or a Cristiano, especially with their unending mobs of fanatical followers — vis-à-vis a Baresi or a Rijkaard, who would provide greater balance to the structure, yes — but don't quite possess the same sort of star-quality (at least in terms of the wider scope of football viewership).

 

[Acquire Me]

A midfield without Paul Scholes is just ridiculous.

 

[duffer]

Current Chelsea would beat that lot in that formation.

 

[JJ12]

Would’ve put Pele up there with Messi and CR7.

Cruyff Zidane or Iniesta attacking midfielder.

 

[Panther]

Not sure why Pele wasn't nominated as a striker but the team is very solid and not much to argue with.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

Considering that these lists are fantastical by nature and mostly exercises in positive PR from FIFA, UEFA, France Football and so forth, I'm guessing that they feel internally compelled to include the GOATest of offensive GOATs in a deliberate attempt to appease the muppety masses...the wide majority of whom don't care for fine-tuned but less attention-grabby and pragmatic approaches, if we're being honest. I mean, imagine the furor if they drop a Maradona or a Cristiano, especially with their unending mobs of fanatical followers — vis-à-vis a Baresi or a Rijkaard, who would provide greater balance to the structure, yes — but don't quite possess the same sort of star-quality (at least in terms of the wider scope of football viewership).

Yep - sure.

But I'd genuinely like to see some "functional GOAT ridden team" suggestions from football writers - that'd be interesting (to see who they'd drop, not least, in the name of functionality - and their arguments for it).

I remember we had a decent discussion on here about an all-time South-American XI a few years ago - with focus on functionality. You have to drop someone huge - but who exactly do you drop? And why?

 

[RUCK4444]

Top 11 are complete:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: Messi, Ronaldo, CR7

What a team...

 

[el3mel]

Great team. Can't complain about anyone.

 

[GameOn]

It's a hypothetical team of course, since it would never work in that setup.

I still think that including Cristiano, despite all his stats, is recency bias.

I'm 100% convinced that he won't be included in those lists 50 years down the road, just like they left out arguably the most lethal striker of all time, Gerd Müller. He had even better numbers than Cristiano, but he also lacked that kind of "extra magic/flair" that Cristiano doesn't possess either.

 

[brzez]

I keep getting shocked that Iniesta rarely gets a look in these "dream teams." Sure, I've watched football for 15 years, but feck me, he was unplayable at his peak and the best midfielder I've seen play IMHO.

 

[OleBoiii]

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: ?

Is the lineup so weird because there haven't been that many defenders that have won it, or are they just trying to shoehorn in the best players, regardless of how odd the lineup becomes?

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Top 11 are complete:

GK: Yashin
DEF: Beckenbauer, Maldini, Cafu
DM: Matthäus, Xavi
OM: Maradona, Pele
FW: Messi, Ronaldo, CR7

Don’t care how good anyone thinks Matthaus was, he’s not good enough to lace Sir Bobby Charlton’s boots

 

[dal]

I would exclude Pele for Zidane but other than that it’s brilliant.

 

[el3mel]

These lineups aren't really supposed to work on real life. You're just trying to put the best possible names and I think this lineup is great. It's bound to miss on several other legends if you're restricted by only 11 players in one lineup.

 

[dal]

We need to have those s once a year Europe Vs the rest of the world.

Would be brilliant for the world and for charity.

 

[slored1]

Where is Amad Diallo? A shame that such a legendary player isn't recognised enough.

 

[Gio]

Tactically it's obviously complete lunacy, but it's hard to argue with any of the 11 selections who are all fully credible at the apex of the game.

Here are the second and third choice sides where the are a couple more eyebrow-raising selections.

 

[RedDevil@84]

It's a hypothetical team of course, since it would never work in that setup.

I still think that including Cristiano, despite all his stats, is recency bias.

I'm 100% convinced that he won't be included in those lists 50 years down the road, just like they left out arguably the most lethal striker of all time, Gerd Müller. He had even better numbers than Cristiano, but he also lacked that kind of "extra magic/flair" that Cristiano doesn't possess either.

Well, how can they ignore a 5 time Ballon D'Or winner. Wouldn't it be ridiculous to do so?

 

[RedDevil@84]

Don’t care how good anyone thinks Matthaus was, he’s not good enough to lace Sir Bobby Charlton’s boots

Sir Bobby Charlton was in the Attacking Midfielders list and Matthaus was in DM list

 

[GameOn]

Tactically it's obviously complete lunacy, but it's hard to argue with any of the 11 selections who are all fully credible at the apex of the game.

Here are the second and third choice sides where the are a couple more eyebrow-raising selections.

The fact that G.Müller didn't even make the third team, while guys like Henry or van Basten made it, is an absolute joke.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

Sir Bobby Charlton was in the Attacking Midfielders list and Matthaus was in DM list

He’d be in my team. For a player who’s main job was to make goals and set up play, his goal scoring was phenomenal