All-Time South American and European XIs

[Enigma_87]

Actually Christmas tree doesn't look too bad too:

for SA team I tried to cram all of Diego/Messi/Di Stefano. On paper it should work if we put egos aside. In reality however...

 

[Jim Beam]

Not bad, but you could use a playmaker in that SA team enigma.

 

[Enigma_87]

Not bad, but you could use a playmaker in that SA team enigma.

Yeah I reckon there were 2 too many in that team. Can put in Messi instead of Maradona but I doubt that will make a significant difference

 

[Physiocrat]

Wingerless but no back 5 SA

---------------Romario---------------
--=Pele------------------------Messi (MSN)
-----------Cerezo----Falcao-----------------
----------------Redondo------------------------
R.Carlos--T.Silva-Figueroa-Cafu
------------------Chilavert-----------------

 

[Gio]

I'm not as purist about keeping Messi and Maradona apart. Messi played hugely successfully with Neymar for instance despite both being dominant ball-carriers.

 

[Physiocrat]

I'm not as purist about keeping Messi and Maradona apart. Messi played hugely successfully with Neymar for instance despite both being dominant ball-carriers.

How would you set them up and which version of Messi would you use?

 

[Gio]

How would you set them up and which version of Messi would you use?

Pele - Romario - Messi
Maradona
Redondo-Falcao
Carlos - Passarella - Figueroa - Cafu
Mazurkiewicz​

• Attack-minded team, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Better than that IMO than throwing in a few guys who don't meet the technical requirements just to balance things up. The Redondo-Falcao base looks solid to me, more impressed with Redondo's physicality now in light of Joga's match compilations from earlier in his career. Both team-orientated enough to complement Diego in that midfield unit.​
• Anto will screech in horror, but I really don't see the need for Passarella to be bombing on all the time in such a stacked set-up. But his combative defensive quality, use of the ball, proactive anticipation and set-piece threat are all invaluable.​
• Left flank of Carlos overlapping and Pele attacking the inside-left channel where he struck gold for Santos in the early 1960s. Cafu/Messi on the other side is simply Alves/Messi notched up.​
• Romario is arguably the best partner for Maradona and for Messi - stretches the play and focuses on efficiently burying the chances everyone else creates.​

 

[harms]

By the way, I really dislike how deep people often put Di Stéfano in their teams. He was, first of all, an attacker. Probably an attacking midfielder in today's terms — but don't shove him as a center mid, however good his workrate was!

 

[Physiocrat]

By the way, I really dislike how deep people often put Di Stéfano in their teams. He was, first of all, an attacker. Probably an attacking midfielder in today's terms — but don't shove him as a center mid, however good his workrate was!

The thing is at Real he generally had four players ahead of him so I can understand that impulse depending on the system. Ideally I'd have him in a side like this -

---------------Pele---------MVB------------
Giggs----Voronin------ADS-------Figo
Maldini---Kohler----Der Kaiser---Vogts
---------------------Buffon----------------------------

In possession -

-------------Pele------MVB-------------
Giggs----------ADS-----------FIgo
--------Voronin-----Der Kaiser-------
------Maldini--Kohler---Vogts
-------------------Buffon------------------

 

[Jim Beam]

By the way, I really dislike how deep people often put Di Stéfano in their teams. He was, first of all, an attacker. Probably an attacking midfielder in today's terms — but don't shove him as a center mid, however good his workrate was!

Yeah, reckon an attacking 8 in 4-3-3 would be as far as I would go with him.

 

[Gio]

By the way, I really dislike how deep people often put Di Stéfano in their teams. He was, first of all, an attacker. Probably an attacking midfielder in today's terms — but don't shove him as a center mid, however good his workrate was!

It would have been great to see what he was like in his early 20s if he played more conventionally as a centre-forward or was always a roamer.

 

[Physiocrat]

Pele - Romario - Messi
Maradona
Redondo-Falcao
Carlos - Passarella - Figueroa - Cafu
Mazurkiewicz​

• Attack-minded team, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Better than that IMO than throwing in a few guys who don't meet the technical requirements just to balance things up. The Redondo-Falcao base looks solid to me, more impressed with Redondo's physicality now in light of Joga's match compilations from earlier in his career. Both team-orientated enough to complement Diego in that midfield unit.​
• Anto will screech in horror, but I really don't see the need for Passarella to be bombing on all the time in such a stacked set-up. But his combative defensive quality, use of the ball, proactive anticipation and set-piece threat are all invaluable.​
• Left flank of Carlos overlapping and Pele attacking the inside-left channel where he struck gold for Santos in the early 1960s. Cafu/Messi on the other side is simply Alves/Messi notched up.​
• Romario is arguably the best partner for Maradona and for Messi - stretches the play and focuses on efficiently burying the chances everyone else creates.​

That's an uber attacking line-up. It certainly has pretty much the best XI players. You are also right they do miss another elite player to balance things out. I mean if SA had Luis Figo for example you could have a much more balanced side and keep the technical level up.

 

[Synco]

That's an uber attacking line-up. It certainly has pretty much the best XI players. You are also right they do miss another elite player to balance things out. I mean if SA had Luis Figo for example you could have a much more balanced side and keep the technical level up.

I guess Falcao could be exchanged for a runner at CM/DM. The whole backline is great on the ball, then there's Redondo and three all time great playmakers in front.

Seeing all these S.A. teams, my favourite all star attacking combination would be Diego at AM and Pele as (wide-ranging) CF. The dynamic when they meet up halfway would be fun. Would probably gel with young Messi at RW as well.

 

[Jim Beam]

Pele - Romario - Messi
Maradona
Redondo-Falcao
Carlos - Passarella - Figueroa - Cafu
Mazurkiewicz​

• Attack-minded team, but in for a penny, in for a pound. Better than that IMO than throwing in a few guys who don't meet the technical requirements just to balance things up. The Redondo-Falcao base looks solid to me, more impressed with Redondo's physicality now in light of Joga's match compilations from earlier in his career. Both team-orientated enough to complement Diego in that midfield unit.​
• Anto will screech in horror, but I really don't see the need for Passarella to be bombing on all the time in such a stacked set-up. But his combative defensive quality, use of the ball, proactive anticipation and set-piece threat are all invaluable.​
• Left flank of Carlos overlapping and Pele attacking the inside-left channel where he struck gold for Santos in the early 1960s. Cafu/Messi on the other side is simply Alves/Messi notched up.​
• Romario is arguably the best partner for Maradona and for Messi - stretches the play and focuses on efficiently burying the chances everyone else creates.​

Best so far if you try to go for a GOAT level team.