All-Time XI EPL/Division 1 vs La Liga vs Serie A

Physiocrat

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The EPL thread got me thinking of the relative all-time strength of the top three European Leagues. The rule is a single player can only appear in one of the XIs and only their form from that particular league applies (I've tried to use a three year average peak) Note these sides aren't designed to play against the others, just a coherent great side.

EPL/ Division 1-

----------------Law------------
Best-------------------------Finney
------Charlton---Robson
-------------Scholes---------------
A Cole--Moore--Stam---Irwin
----------Schmeichel----------------

Serie A-

---------------Baggio---van Basten-----
--------------------Maradona------------
-----------------Tardelli--Matthaus--------
Facchetti--Kohler-Scriea-Baresi--Brehme
-------------------------Buffon----------------------

I know Brehme played mostly at LB but he was really two-footed and his style didn't really depend on playing on a particular side.

La Liga-

----------------------Di Stefano---------
C.Ronaldo--------------------------------Messi
---------Luis Suarez M.---Breitner---
-----------------------Redondo------------------
R.Carlos----Hierro-----Santamaria---D. Alves
-----------------------Casillas-----------------------

I dropped Xavi because it would have meant tiki taki for him to be at his best and that meant dropping Di Stefano and Messi.

Unsurprisingly La Liga vs Serie A is to some extent attack vs defence
 
Without even imagining teams, La Liga would win.
 
1. Sebastiano Rossi
2. Javier Zanetti
3. Paolo Maldini
4. Alessandro Nesta
5. Franco Baresi
6. Demetrio Albertini or Edgar Davids
7. Zinedine Zidane
8. Ruud Gullit
9. Marco Van Basten
10. Roberto Baggio
11. Ronaldo
 
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Seria A without shadow of a doubt.



Bench: Platini, Davids, Cafu, Scirea, Bergomi, Baggio, Zidane, Nesta...
 
Balu said:
He didn't even make your bench????
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There are so many to list really. Maradona, Luisito, Brehme, Facchetti, Falcao.

Wanted 4-4-2 and Maradona/Matthaus seemed a bit off to me.

Could sub van Basten and have Maradona in 4-2-3-1 of course.



with Maradona in it.
 
All-time-Serie-A-formation-tactics.png
 
Serie A

Buffon
Cafu Nesta Baresi Maldini
Pirlo Gullit
Totti
Maradona Baggio Del Piero

La Liga

Casillas
Alves Ramos Puyol Carlos
Zidane Xavi Iniesta
Messi Ronaldo CR7

Premier League

Schmeichel
Neville Vidic Stam Evra
Beckham Keane Scholes Giggs
CR7 Henry

La Liga would win.
 
Serie A wins on the strength of the difference between defenses.
 
duffer said:
Dutch league is not too shabby.

Der Sar
Krol Koeman Stam
Rijkaard Davids Seedorf
Gullit Cruyff
Van Basten Ronaldo

Formation be damned! Total football.
Click to expand...
Der Sar? :lol: you lost a Van :lol:

Also, if we're going dutch league...Neeskens and Van Hanegem have to make the team
 
duffer said:
Who would you drop?
Click to expand...
Seedorf for Neeskens for sure. Maybe Koeman for Van Hanegem, with Rijkaard moved back. Van Hanegem was the brain of the dutch NT of the 70s, and lead Feyenoord to a EC in '70

Ronaldo should make either the serie A or La liga team, too...
 
giorno said:
Seedorf for Neeskens for sure. Maybe Koeman for Van Hanegem, with Rijkaard moved back. Van Hanegem was the brain of the dutch NT of the 70s, and lead Feyenoord to a EC in '70

Ronaldo should make either the serie A or La liga team, too...
Click to expand...

Always difficult to pick players I've never seen. I'm too young to have seen Krol and Cruyff but they are just undeniable picks.

I love Seedorf so he is going nowhere.
 
EPL/ Div 1
(4-4-2)
-------------------Banks---------------
-Armfield----Wright-----Moore----Cole-
-Matthews---Edwards--Charlton--Best-
--------------Greaves----Henry-------------

Serie A
(4-2-3-1)
------------------Zoff--------------------
-Cafu-----Kohler----Baresi----Maldini-
-----------Matthaus----Monti-----------
-------Gullit----Maradona----Meazza----
------------------Ronaldo------------------

La Liga
(4-2-3-1)
------------------Zamora--------------------
-Camacho---Koeman----Santamaria----Carlos-
-------------Pirri-----------Redondo-----------
-------Messi-----Di Stefano-----Ronaldo----
--------------------Puskas------------------

Eredivisie
(4-3-3)
----------------Van Beveren--------------
-Suurbier------Israel------Van Der Hart------Krol-
--------Neeskens---Rijkaard---Van Hanegem---
--------Wilkes-----Van Basten-----Cruyff-------

Bundesliga
(4-3-3)
---------------------Maier--------------------
-Vogts-----Sammer-------Forster----Brehme-
-------Netzer----Beckenbauer-----Breitner-----
------Robben-------Muller-------Rummenigge----

Ligue 1
(4-2-3-1)
-------------------Barthez--------------------
-Amoros---Jonquet------Tresor----Lizarazu-
-------------Tigana-------Deschamps-----------
-------Kopa--------Platini-----Ronaldinho----
-------------------Fontaine------------------
 
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Okay, so I'm a bit bored

Schmeichel
Armfield--Moore--McGrath--Cole
Matthews--Robson--Charlton--Finney
Law--Greaves

Banks
Neville--Rio--Vidic--Evra
Beckham--Keane--Scholes--Giggs
Henry--Bergkamp

Shilton
Irwin--Stam--Wright--Hapgood
Souness--Vieira
Keegan--Dalglish--Barnes
Shearer

Jennings
Neal--Adams--Terry--Byrne
Gerrard--Blanchflower--Edwards
Gascoigne
Cantona--Dean

Buffon
Baresi
Cafu--Thuram----Maldini--Facchetti
Matthäus--Rijkaard
Maradona
van Basten--Ronaldo

Zoff
Scirea
Zanetti--Nesta----Cannavaro--Brehme
Tardelli--Falcão
Platini
Charles--Baggio

Zenga
Bergomi--Vierchowod--Schnellinger--Cabrini
Desailly--Pirlo
Rivera
Gullit--Shevchenko--Meazza

Toldo
Burgnich--Gentile--Picchi--Junior
Deschamps--Davids
Hamrin--S. Mazzola--Zidane
Piola

Zamora
D. Alves--Koeman--Santamaria--R. Carlos
Redondo
Xavi--Iniesta
Messi--Di Stefano--Cristiano

Casillas
Segarra--Hierro--Ruggeri--Camacho
Pirri--Luis Suarez
Figo---Kubala--Puskas--Ronaldinho

Zubizarreta
Chendo--Puyol--Sanchis--Gordillo
Stielike--Schuster
Laudrup--Rivaldo--Gento
Cruyff

Valdes
Salgado--Ramos--Pique--Marcelo
X. Alonso--Modric
Kopa--Raul--Zarra--Cruyff

Maier
Vogts--Beckenbauer--Kohler--Breitner
Schweinsteiger--Effenberg
Netzer
Seeler--Müller--Rummenigge
​
Okay, now I'm bored again.

​
 
BlackShark_80 said:
EPL/ Div 1
(4-4-2)
-----------------Banks---------------
-Armfield----Wright----Moore----Cole-
-Best------Edwards---Charlton---Ronaldo-
------------Greaves----Henry-------------

Serie A
(4-2-3-1)
------------------Zoff--------------------
-Cafu-----Kohler----Baresi----Maldini-
-----------Matthaus----Rijkaard-----------
-------Gullit----Maradona----Meazza----
------------------Ronaldo------------------

La Liga
(4-2-3-1)
------------------Zamora--------------------
-Camacho---Koeman----Santamaria----Carlos-
-------------Pirri-----------Redondo-----------
-------Messi-----Di Stefano-----Gento----
------------------Puskas------------------

Eredivisie
(4-3-3)
----------------Van Beveren--------------
-Suurbier------Israel------Van Der Hart------Krol-
--------Neeskens---Rijkaard---Van Hanegem---
--------Wilkes-----Van Basten-----Cruyff-------

Bundesliga
(4-3-3)
---------------------Maier--------------------
-Vogts-----Sammer-------Forster----Brehme-
-------Netzer----Beckenbauer-----Breitner-----
------Robben-------Muller-------Rummenigge----

Ligue 1
(4-2-3-1)
-------------------Barthez--------------------
-Amoros---Jonquet------Tresor----Lizarazu-
-------------Tigana-------Deschamps-----------
-------Kopa--------Platini-----Ronaldinho----
-------------------Fontaine------------------
Click to expand...
Excellent teams. Very little to disagree.

Do love the Gento-Puskas-Di Stefano core there but difficult to leave out Cristiano from a La Liga standpoint.
 
Hard to argue against anything other than Serie A really

Serie-A-formation-tactics.png
 
Italy takes the defence completely and probably compete with Spain up top.

Does the English midfield win though? A midfield three of Keane, Robson and Charlton is hard to beat.
 
Serie A easily

Could make 2 different quality teams from there of 4-2-3-1

Buffon
Cafu-Scirea-Baresi-Brehme
Pirlo- Deschamps
Boban- Maradona- Totti
MvB

Vs

Zoff
Zambrotta-Desailly-Cannavaro- Maldini
Riijkard- Mathaus
Gullit- Zidane- Nedved
Ronaldo
 
harms said:
Okay, so I'm a bit bored

Schmeichel
Armfield--Moore--McGrath--Cole
Matthews--Robson--Charlton--Finney
Law--Greaves

Banks
Neville--Rio--Vidic--Evra
Beckham--Keane--Scholes--Giggs
Henry--Bergkamp

Shilton
Irwin--Stam--Wright--Hapgood
Souness--Vieira
Keegan--Dalglish--Barnes
Shearer

Jennings
Neal--Adams--Terry--Byrne
Gerrard--Blanchflower--Edwards
Gascoigne
Cantona--Dean
Click to expand...

No room for Best in any of those teams? :eek:
 
VP said:
Italy takes the defence completely and probably compete with Spain up top.

Does the English midfield win though? A midfield three of Keane, Robson and Charlton is hard to beat.
Click to expand...

Objectively it's hard to look beyond the Serie A midfield of Rijkaard/Matthaus/Maradona but that all-Utd midfield you listed is fecking awesome and I'd fancy them to compete on pretty even terms with anyone.
 
prath92 said:
Serie A easily

Could make 2 different quality teams from there of 4-2-3-1

Buffon
Cafu-Scirea-Baresi-Brehme
Pirlo- Deschamps
Boban- Maradona- Totti
MvB

Vs

Zoff
Zambrotta-Desailly-Cannavaro- Maldini
Riijkard- Mathaus
Gullit- Zidane- Nedved
Ronaldo
Click to expand...
You should swap those CBs and Desailly shouldn't be a CB in a Serie A team anyway.

Even leaving Zanetti and co aside
 
harms said:
Feck sake! I probably forgot a few others as well, but Best is an unforgivable omission
Click to expand...

:lol: I couldn't resist pointing it out. The only other obvious omission I see is Ronaldo, but I'm guessing you're excluding him as he peaked in La Liga. Beyond that there's the inevitable bunch that could have made the cut like RVN, Franklin, Brady etc, but they can't all get in.
 
Serie A, no doubt about it. The Premier League (or First Division) is the weakest of the bunch, and short on top, top fullbacks - and La Liga on top, top centerbacks. Serie A can't quite compete with La Liga's embarrassment of riches in attack in terms of depth but it's well matched with starters, it boasts two incredible central midfielders - who also peaked in the league, and I think we can all agree that the other two don't even come close in terms of defensive prowess.

Would probably go with this slightly unorthodox selection (Maradona as SS à la '86, and no Baresi - purely because Scirea was a better organizer, more used to playing in staggered defenses, and more skillful at attacking from the deep as a libero):



Hard to contain Ronaldo + Maradona at full pelt with a central defensive duo, especially with Matthäus following suit.
 
harms said:
You should swap those CBs and Desailly shouldn't be a CB in a Serie A team anyway.

Even leaving Zanetti and co aside
Click to expand...

Yeah an embarrassment of riches. Vierchowood, Costacurta, Nesta, Montero etc. could all fill in there and make no change in quality.

I like desailly. No nonsense and technically excellent. Maybe an underrated option but I think he is right up there. Same with zambrotta.
 
Invictus said:
Serie A, no doubt about it. The Premier League (or First Division) is the weakest of the bunch, and short on top, top fullbacks - and La Liga on top, top centerbacks. Serie A can't quite compete with La Liga's embarrassment of riches in attack in terms of depth but it's well matched with starters, it boasts two incredible central midfielders - who also peaked in the league, and I think we can all agree that the other two don't even come close in terms of defensive prowess.

Would probably go with this slightly unorthodox selection (Maradona as SS à la '86, and no Baresi - purely because Scirea was a better organizer, more used to playing in staggered defenses, and more skillful at attacking from the deep as a libero):


Hard to contain Ronaldo + Maradona at full pelt with a central defensive duo, especially with Matthäus following suit.
Click to expand...
i like your team, although i prefer to replace Maldini with someone like Kohler, Vierchowood, and Cannavaro.
 
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Facchetti--------------Cafu
Maldini Scirea Thuram

Cabrini Nesta Baresi Zanetti

Brehme-------------Maicon
Kohler Picchi Bergomi
​
Insane defensive depth, their third line is stronger then first line of PL and LaLiga and you still leave out the likes of Vierchowod, Cannavaro, Burgnich etc. :nervous:
 
Šjor Bepo said:
Facchetti--------------Cafu
Maldini Scirea Thuram

Cabrini Nesta Baresi Zanetti

Brehme-------------Maicon
Kohler Picchi Bergomi
​
Insane defensive depth, their third line is stronger then first line of PL and LaLiga and you still leave out the likes of Vierchowod, Cannavaro, Burgnich etc. :nervous:
Click to expand...

It is frightening.
 
Serie A wins due to the huge difference in quality in defense.
 
Cristiano-----Ronaldo-------------
--------------------------Messi-------
----------DiStefano---Xavi----------
---------------Redondo---------------
RobertoCarlos------------Dani Alves
----------Hierro-----Puyol------------
--------------Casillas------------------

Or bench Ronaldo Gordo, play Di Stefano as a false 9 and throw in Iniesta to ensure incredible midfield control, draw the other team forward and still get more than a healthy number of goals with Messi and Cristiano in the side.
 
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