My Euro xi:
-------------------------Schmeichel
---------------------Nesta--------Baresi
Vogts-------------------------------------------Maldini
-------------------Rijkaard-----Beckenbauer
---------------------------Platini
---Best-------------------Eusebio-------------Cruyff
South American xi:
-------------------------Ronaldo
------------------------------Pele
----------Maradona---------------------Messi
----------------------------Falcao
-------------------Varela
N.Santos---------------------------------D.Santos
---------------Da Guia-------Figueroa
-----------------------Julio Cesar
Euro:
- Schmeichel. Goalkeeper is the position that has constantly improved throughout the history of the game and has a linearity to it that I don't think the outfield positions have; for me the choice was between Buffon, Kahn and Schmeichel for goalie, and if I did this exercise again in a few years' time, probably also De Gea, too. I chose Schmeichel with Ronaldo in mind as I don't think a keeper who stays on their line and allows Ronaldo to run further and further into the danger area does themselves any favours whatsoever. Ronaldo was a master at rounding keepers whether they came out or not, but, with Schmeichel, I'd hope the seed of doubt that this guy is going to press high more often than not could create an element of doubt or a need to make decisions earlier than he'd [Ronaldo] like, this is with it in mind that Nesta is bearing down on him, too.
- Nesta. For me, the best pure CB Europe has ever had. I take him over Kohler for his abilities to better match Ronaldo stride for stride and give the Brazilian much less time to think or react whilst on the ball. In turn, that gives Barsei more time to read the play and marshall his troops regarding everything else going on around them.
- Vogts in because, verses these tiny, hyper technical attackers, you need someone with a low center of gravity who, even if duped, can recover quickly and doggedly tracks his man. Normally, I'd put Thuram in at RB, but I think Messi is a bad match for him because of the standing starts and his ability to rapidly turn out with the ball - it only takes a slip or wrong-footing of a taller man for them to be taken out of the game.
- Beckenbauer in midfield. I feel he's better utilised harming the opposition than containing them and playing out from the back. Beckenbauer can easily stake a claim to be in the running as the greatest midfielder Europe has ever seen. To put him in there, I had to take out one of my favourite players of all-time in Neeskens and also removed Matthaeus from the running, too. None of them had the utter control, grace and ability to implement an idea, pass or run or link play at Beckenbauer's level, and it's that overall control and ability to draw the opposition in that I want from that position.
- For my money Platini has no equal for passing in Europe (Schuster, and especially Netzer being the closest), nor for his free kicks. He's a devastating opportunist when the situation asks that of him too, and, when he drops back, the South American defence have to cover space because he can find any exploit and hit the pass to an onrushing Eusebio or Cruyff in an instant.
South America:
- Di Stefano out. This is probably the most dominant personality ever seen on a football pitch. To make him work in a side, all must yield and be his pieces to do with as he pleases. I see that causing more problems than it solves. I also think it delimits the talent of the rest of the side, furthermore, Maradona and he are just a timebomb waiting to go off during the game. Others may see it differently and say that intelligence and synergy could overcome ego, but we're talking about two of the biggest egos ever seen in the game, too, with different ideas of how the game should be played and little to no reason to make the necessary concessions you'd want for a side like S.A to play the dream football we'd all envisage of them.
- Passerella out. You can't have Maradona and Passarella in the same team... it's one or the other, and Diego is the superior talent.
- Maradona, Pele & Messi in the same side. I still think this is a big risk. I agree with those who say Pele and Messi, and their maleable styles, both familiar with playing in star-studded sides and making it work, are an easier and functioning duo, but Maradona is the elephant in the room on whether he would 'play ball' as it were as well as get on with others who can take his limelight away or outshine him in a given moment. Maradona is being made to sound like an arsehole, but it's not a case of that, but rather, his style demands a lot of the ball and a lot of TLC: I don't know if he'd slot in, but I have far more belief that he could than Di Stefano, so would be willing to give him a go rather than take him out.
- Pele. His position isn't set in stone. Not sure what to call the formation with him in it.
- Da Guia. A blast from the past. If not him, I'd have either Luis Periera or Thiago Silva next to Figueroa.
- D.Santos. I feel he frees Messi to do what he does best. He doesn't provide the endless overlapping of Cafu, but he does mean Messi can conserve energy and focus more on harming the opposition with forward actions rather than tracking back. I have Falcao on that side for the same reason.
- Julio Cesar. I will always take the modern keeper over the older ones. It's the only position on the pitch that has a lineal evolution, imo, so Cesar's short peak is enough for me over Fillol or Mazurkiewicz.
Credit to @Joga Bonito