Best National XI since you’ve started watching football

Redplane

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Van Der Sar
Koeman
-- Stam --------- Van Dijk
Rijkaard
Robben -- Seedorf -- Gullit -- Overmars
Bergkamp
Van Basten
Hot damn that's sexy.

Who would you have on the bench I wonder? Especially in the forward position the Dutch have had such a wealth of options over the years.. Which makes it weird they ve had such a drought in that area of the pitch recently.
 

The Brown Bull

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PP was the leader of the 2018 WC-winning NT, a team which dominated the final like no other team before - thanks to Paul's stellar performance, just like in those matches leading up to final as well. He's easily the second most iconic French NT player in history, only behind Zidane. And considering Paul's age, there's still plenty of time to become #1.

Platini? With all due respect to classic players, you can't compare them to modern footballers (from 90s onwards). The overall level of quality was laughable back in Platini's era, clueless defending and snail's pace.
Are you having a laugh?
Pogba isn't fit to lace Tigana's boots never mi d Platini, Giresse, Tresor,, Desailly, Cantona et Al.
 

KirkDuyt

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Hot damn that's sexy.

Who would you have on the bench I wonder? Especially in the forward position the Dutch have had such a wealth of options over the years.. Which makes it weird they ve had such a drought in that area of the pitch recently.
Crazy isn't it going from Van Basten, Gullit, Bergkamp, Kluivert, Ruud, Van Persie to Memphis Depay, Luuk de Jong and Ryan fecking Babel. I think if a prima Frenkie de Jong (if he makes good on his talent) played in most of our generations we would've won a world title. The 2010 squad with him instead of Nigel de Jong would've been so much better. Or with De Ligt and Van Dijk instead of Heitinga and Joris Matthijsen of course.

Somehow we never produce all the right pieces at the same time.
 

André Dominguez

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Why do I got the feeling that the thread went into a different direction from what the OP had in mind?
 

Charles Miller

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Yes, they were quite something. One fantastic goal after another.
Sadly the two best strikers Careca and Reinaldo were not fit to play. It would be fantastic with one of them instead of Serginho who looked out of depth in that team. Reinaldo was the best 9 i watched. Was like Zidane playing as CF.
 

SilentStrike

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I'm surprised by the amount of times Spain 2010 gets mentioned. For me they are the dullest and weakest World cup winners since I was born. The general opinion that Barcelona at the time had the reputation of playing attractive offensive football blew over to the Spain NT but truly they were horrible to watch. Underwhelming group stages, losing to Switzerland. Then in KO every game was such a boring 1-0, should have been knocked out by Paraguay had they not missed that penalty. Were matched by a young inexperienced German team missing Muller, again progressing due to a corner header. Then should've been defeated by Robben, who would score those 99 out of 100 times. In the end scoring in extra time from a goal kick which should have been a Dutch corner.

They're also the world cup winner with the least goals scored in the tournament since it hosts 32 teams. They're so far away from being a great exciting NT, never mind being part of the great NT of all time discussion.

For me the best NTs in my lifetime are:

Holland 1998
France 1998
Brazil 2002
Italy 2006
France 2006
Germany 2014
 

Mb194dc

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I'm surprised by the amount of times Spain 2010 gets mentioned. For me they are the dullest and weakest World cup winners since I was born. The general opinion that Barcelona at the time had the reputation of playing attractive offensive football blew over to the Spain NT but truly they were horrible to watch. Underwhelming group stages, losing to Switzerland. Then in KO every game was such a boring 1-0, should have been knocked out by Paraguay had they not missed that penalty. Were matched by a young inexperienced German team missing Muller, again progressing due to a corner header. Then should've been defeated by Robben, who would score those 99 out of 100 times. In the end scoring in extra time from a goal kick which should have been a Dutch corner.

They're also the world cup winner with the least goals scored in the tournament since it hosts 32 teams. They're so far away from being a great exciting NT, never mind being part of the great NT of all time discussion.

For me the best NTs in my lifetime are:

Holland 1998
France 1998
Brazil 2002
Italy 2006
France 2006
Germany 2014
They did win Euro 2008 & 12 as well. So hardly a fluke. Granted 2010 wasn't flowing football.

Spain had massive world cup choking reputation to overcome in 2010, difficult for the players to overcome that psychological barrier. Also with a more strict referee or VAR we now have, the final would have been easier game. Nearly got kicked off the pitch.
 

JPRouve

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Are you having a laugh?
Pogba isn't fit to lace Tigana's boots never mi d Platini, Giresse, Tresor,, Desailly, Cantona et Al.
At least someone has an idea about who are the actual legends of french football. I'm glad to see someone mention Trésor too.
 

Robbo*

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Spain: 4-4-2 Diamond

GK Casillas

LB Alba
CB Puyol
CB Pique
RB Ramos

DM Busquets
CM Iniesta
CM Xavi
AM D.Silva

FW Raul
FW Torres

Italy: 4-3-2-1

GK Buffon

LB Maldini
CB Nesta
CB Cannavaro
RB Panucci

DM De Rossi
CM Gattuso
CM Pirlo

AM Baggio
AM Totti
FW Del Pierro

France: 4-2-3-1

GK Lloris

LB Lizarazu
CB Desailly
CB Varane
RB Thuram

CM Kante
CM Vieira

AML Ribery
AMC Zidane
AMR Griezmann

FW Henry

England: 4-5-1

GK Seaman

LB Cole
CB Terry
CB Ferdinand
RB Neville

DM Scholes
CM Gerrard
CM Lampard

AML Rooney
AMR Beckham

FW Shearer

Holland:

GK Van Der Sar 4-4-2

LB V.Bronchorst
CB VVD
CB Stam
RB Reiziger

CM Davids
CM F.De Jong

AML Seedorf
AMR Robben

FW RvP
FW RvN
That England team was terrible
 

diarm

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Hot damn that's sexy.

Who would you have on the bench I wonder? Especially in the forward position the Dutch have had such a wealth of options over the years.. Which makes it weird they ve had such a drought in that area of the pitch recently.
Cillessen, De Boer, Van Bronckhorst, Davids, Sneijder, Van Persie, Kluivert
 

totaalvoetbal

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...........................Edwin van der Sar
Wim Suurbier ....Ronald Koeman.....Ruud Krol...
...........................Frank Rijkaard..........................
...............Johan Neeskens.....Willem van Hanegem.........
......Arjen Robben........Johan Cruijff...........Piet Keizer.............
...............................Marco van Basten....................


Bench: Stanley Menzo, Frank de Boer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Edgar Davids, Rob de Wit, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie
 

::sonny::

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Leighton

Dailly Weir Hendrie Robertson

Fletcher Lambert B.Ferguson

McCoist D.Ferguson K.Miller​
 

BlackShark_80

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...........................Edwin van der Sar
Wim Suurbier ....Ronald Koeman.....Ruud Krol...
...........................Frank Rijkaard..........................
...............Johan Neeskens.....Willem van Hanegem.........
......Arjen Robben........Johan Cruijff...........Piet Keizer.............
...............................Marco van Basten....................


Bench: Stanley Menzo, Frank de Boer, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Edgar Davids, Rob de Wit, Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie
Rensenbrink was better than Keizer at NT.
 

totaalvoetbal

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Rensenbrink was better than Keizer at NT.
Yes but the original post did not give any conditions. I would change a few players on there based on just National Team performance. Rob Rensenbrink was a great player, I just wish he had actually played for us instead of moving abroad.
 

Alemar

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And perhaps the best saved for last

........................Allison.......................
Cafu.......Silva............Lucio.....Carlos
...............crezo...........falcao.............
Ronaldiniho........zico...............neymar
..........................Ronaldo..................
There would never be Allison, Lucio or Neymar in that team, not even in the second team. With Carlos - is it Carlos Alberto or Roberto Carlos which you meant?
 

sun_tzu

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There would never be Allison, Lucio or Neymar in that team, not even in the second team. With Carlos - is it Carlos Alberto or Roberto Carlos which you meant?
Roberto ... I'm not that old...
And I can't think of a better Brazilian keeper I've seen since I started watching them
Certainly not taffarel
I think Allison is better than dida and Cesar
So who do you think was a better keeper since around 1980

As for neymar third highest goalscorer for Brazil 60 in 97
Second best is Ronaldo with 62 in 98
And neymar has scored that mostly playing wide
He will almost certainly this season become the 5th most capped player and 2nd highest scorer and he's only 27
Sure you could argue for rivaldo or perhaps it romario upfront but to say neymar should be nowhere close to there seems daft...

Equally Lucio... I mean give me let's say 5 better Brazilian centrebacks other than Silva since 1980

Remember this is the best team I've seen play since I've been watching them... I'd have thought with that level of subjectivity it would be down to me... But hey you know better so massively looking forward to this list of better keepers centrebacks and attackers of yours... Or just give me your 1st and 2nd xi that they apparently wouldn't get into
I think 1980/1981 would be the first I saw of Brazil in the warm up to the 1982 world cup
 
Last edited:

Alemar

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So who do you think was a better keeper since around 1980
Personally I would say Rogerio Ceni was the best of them all. Him aside... Alison needs at least several more consistent strong seasons to come under consideration
 

giorno

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Buffon-Tassotti-Baresi-Nesta-Maldini-Pirlo-Dino Baggio-Gattuso-Totti-Roberto Baggio-Vieri
 

Alemar

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Sure you could argue for rivaldo or perhaps it romario upfront but to say neymar should be nowhere close to there seems daft...
Certainly Garrincha is ahead of Neymar, I mean by far. Romario and Rivaldo likely ahead as well, actually.
 

Ban

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----------------------Ladić

Vrsaljko----Bilić-----R. Kovač-----Jarni

Asanović-----Modrić--------Prosinečki

---------------------Boban

------------Mandžukić-----------Šuker
 

paulscholes18

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Buffon
Zambrotta Cannavaro Nesta Maldini
Pirlo
Gatusso Veratti
Totti
Baggio Del Piero

Barthez
Thuram Varane Blanc Evra
Vieria Pogba
Mbappe Zidane Griezmann
Henry

VDS
Reiziger Stam VVD Van Bronckhorst
Robben Davids Riijkaard Overmars
Bergkamp RVN
 

giorno

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Van Der Sar
Koeman
-- Stam --------- Van Dijk
Rijkaard
Robben -- Seedorf -- Gullit -- Overmars
Bergkamp
Van Basten
Davids instead of Seedorf and it's gold