Best XI past 20 years

[Theonas]

I was discussing today the best 11 made of players that were playing at a high level from around 1997 to this day. I am assuming that a lot of posters on here are familiar with the time period. What is your best 11 then?

Here is mine:

Gianluigi Buffon
Philipp Lahm
Fabio Cannavaro
Rio Ferdinand
Roberto Carlos
Claude Makelele
Xavi Hernandez
Andres Iniesta
Zinedine Zidane
Lionel Messi
Ronaldo

Sir Alex Ferguson

 

[tentan]

-------------------Neuer
Lahm---Ferdinand---Vidic---Carlos
C.Ronaldo--Xavi----Iniesta---Ronaldinho
------------Messi----Ronaldo

 

[Infordin]

Gianluigi Buffon (2003)

Lillian Thuram (2000)
Alessandro Nesta (2003)
Fabio Cannavaro (2006)
Javier Zanetti (2007)

Fernando Redondo (2000)
Xavi Hernandez (2009)
Andres Iniesta (2012)

Lionel Messi (2012)
Ronaldo (1998)
Cristiano Ronaldo (2012)

If I had to make my team less Barcelona-centric, I'd replace Xavi and Iniesta with Pirlo (2006) and Zidane (2002).

 

[UnrelatedPsuedo]

Schmeichel

Thuram-----Nesta-----Stam-----Cole

Ronaldo-----Keane-----Vieira-----Nedved

Del Piero------------
Ronaldo​

No I didn't forget Messi. If you want a reason I'll make it a petty one. His tattoo or his hair. You can pick.

 

[freeurmind]

Oliver Kahn

Dani Alves
Alessandro Nesta
Nemanja Vidic
Roberto Carlos

Xavi Hernandez
Xabi Alonso
Andres Iniesta

Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldinho

Subs: Buffon, Patrice Evra, Gerard Pique, Andrea Pirlo, Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, Thierry Henry

 

[Deleted member 101472]

GK schmeichel

RB Cafu
CB Nesta
CB Ferdinand
LB Maldini

DM Keane

RW Messi
AM Zidane
LW Ronaldinho

ST Ronaldo
ST Batistuta

4-1-3-2 formation, very attacking

 

[P-Nut]

GK schmeichel

RB Cafu
CB Nesta
CB Ferdinand
LB Maldini

DM Keane

RW Messi
AM Zidane
LW Ronaldinho

ST Ronaldo
ST Batistuta

4-1-3-2 formation, very attacking

No Cristiano?

 

[P-Nut]

Buffon

Lahm
Ferdinand
Nesta
Maldini

Pirlo
Keane

Messi
Iniesta
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

 

[Deleted member 101472]

No Cristiano?

60th minute sub for batigol

 

[P-Nut]

60th minute sub for batigol

Interesting

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Interesting

It's just my top 11 and every one of those players is a personal favourite. CR7 doesn't qualify in that regard.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

..Ronaldo.....Suarez.......Messi..
.....Iniesta..........Xavi...........
.............Schweini................
Maldini...Nesta...Thuram...Lahm
.................Buffon.................

Alternate XI

...........Shevchenko...............
Ronaldinho.....Kaka......Nedved
.....Cambiasso.....Redondo..........
Cole...Cannavaro...Stam....Zanetti


Sad, none from EPL far less United. I so wanted Scholes in there.

 

[Goochy]

Buffon

Lahm
Ferdinand
Nesta
Maldini

Pirlo
Keane

Messi
Iniesta
Ronaldo

Ronaldo

Yep this is close. Zidane in for Pirlo perhaps. Brazilian Ronaldo should be in every team for me.

 

[2cents]

Buffon

Cafu
Maldini
Nesta
Lahm

Busquets
Xavi
Iniesta

Messi
C. Ronaldo
Ronaldinho

 

[carvajal]

Buffon,Alves, Puyol,Cannavaro,Roberto Carlos, Redondo,Xavi,Iniesta, Zidane,Ronaldo, Messi

 

[P-Nut]

Yep this is close. Zidane in for Pirlo perhaps. Brazilian Ronaldo should be in every team for me.

I went for balance really. Keane was never a true holding midfielder so having Pirlo next to him works.

Put Zidane and Iniesta next to Keane and the balance becomes all wrong.

 

[montpelier]

I can get 4 Utd players in too, .

de Gea

Cafu
Stam
Desailly
Lizarazu

Veron
Matthaus
Iniesta

Cristiano Ronaldo
Henry
Messi

 

[Mike09]

Gianluigi Buffon

Cafu
Rio Ferdinand
Nemanja Vidic
Roberto Carlos

Patrick Viera
Roy Keane
Paul Scholes

Lionel Messi
Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo

May be not Vidic since his pace is his weakness but Rio-Vidic partnership are the best CB partnership in the past 15 years in my opinion.

 

[Sky1981]

I'd go a bit retro:

Buffon

Cafu - baresi - costacurta - maldini

Beckham - keane - zidane - messi

Batistuta - baggio

 

[Jaybomb]

Casillas
Cafu - Ramos - Maldini - R.Carlos
C. Ronaldo - Iniesta - Zidane - Ronaldinho
Messi - Ronaldo

Alternative XI

Buffon
Alves - Nesta - Cannavaro - Marcelo
Figo - Xavi - Pirlo - Nedved
Henry - Ibrahimovic

 

[giorno]

Gianluigi Buffon

Cafú
Alessandro Nesta
Jaap Stam
Roberto Carlos

Fernando Redondo
Xavi Hernandez
Zinedine Zidane

Lionel Messi
Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo

This for me. Redondo is a romantic choice

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Not many teams with ball-winners in midfield. I don't think you can have balance without the Makelele or Viera in midfield.

 

[Invictus]

Don't think this is the best XI per se, but most of these players can play in the most dominant possession oriented setup of the last 20-ish years, plus there's a slight preference for proven pairings in certain situations, and whatnot.

Spoiler

Defense is loosely based on Milan - fairly compact and all players were decent to good in possession:

Van der Sar over Buffon is controversial, but there's no other keeper I'd rather have for this scheme given the time-frame.
Maldini for the Abidal type role - where he was more reserved than Alves, and combination of LB + LCB.
Late '90s Stam has the highest peak of any stopper in those 20 years, IMO.
Nesta has to be there - best centerback of the last 20 years - and knows how to cover for Cafú on the right.
Cafú for Messi, plus he wasn't exactly half bad in standalone terms.

Midfield is based on Barcelona/Spain - which was the most dominant one over the given time-frame, and can rival any midfield ever:

Redondo for Busquets in the holding role - he'll have to be a bit more reserved, but is the perfect player for this scheme.
Xaviesta needs no explanation - Zidane might not work with too many stars - but these two can and are synonymous with the style as a symbiotic pairing - from passing to movement to pressing to telepathic understanding.

Attack also loosely based on Barcelona - decent mix of individual and collective brilliance:

Fenómeno + Messi is fairly straightforward.
Ronaldinho over Cristiano - just think Ronaldinho's absolute peak was a bit higher, he's proven in Barcelona's setup (kinda like Rivaldo), and has played with both Messi and Fenómeno (also like Rivaldo).

The second and third XI will feature more Germany/Bayern, French, Italian and United players (among others).

 

[11101]

Schmeichel

Cafu - Nesta - Stam - Maldini

Xavi - Keane - Iniesta

Messi - Ronaldo - Ronaldinho


Defence speaks for itself.
Midfield features two of the Barcelona three, with Keane as an upgrade on Busquets.
Attack would be unstoppable.

I'd be tempted to put Cristiano ahead of Ronaldinho for his productivity, but when he could be bothered the latter was the better player.

 

[Clas Sified]

Buffon
Lahm Ferdinand Vidic Maldini
Xavi
Scholes Zidane
Messi................Ronaldo
Ronaldo 9​

Sir Alex Ferguson

 

[pacifictheme]

Schmeichel

Cafu Ferdinand Cannavaro Maldini

Scholes Zidane Nedved

Del Piero Ronaldo Ronaldinho

Mine is more a pre messi and c ronaldo as they obviously should be in everyones team.

 

[Raees]

Buffon
Cafu Nesta Maldini Carlos
Xavi Schweinsteiger
Zidane
Messi Ronaldo C.Ronaldo​

 

[kafta]

Buffon

Alves
Rio
Nesta
Maldini

Xavi
Pirlo
Scholes

Ronaldo
Messi
Orignal Ronaldo

 

[Devil81]

Schmeichel (Best ever in my opinion)
Cafu (Engine, never stopped running)
Ferdinand (The Ferrari CB)
Puyol (Blood and guts defenders)
Maldini (Just oozed class)
Pirlo (Most graceful player ever)
Zidane (Controlled the ball like a matador)
Nedved (Amazing engine to get up and down the pitch and contribute goals)
Ronaldo (Machine)
Messi (Genuis)
Ronaldo (Best finisher of all time)

What a team!

Who's the captain?

 

[Chaky_Best]

--------------------------------------Buffon----------------------------------------
Cafu-------------------------Nesta------------Maldini-------------Roberto Carlos
------------------------------Xavi--------------Iniesta-----------------------------
C.Ronaldo---------------------------Zidane---------------------------------Messi
--------------------------------------Ronaldo--------------------------------------

 

[Gio]

Don't think this is the best XI per se, but most of these players can play in the most dominant possession oriented setup of the last 20-ish years, plus there's a slight preference for proven pairings in certain situations, and whatnot.

Spoiler

Defense is loosely based on Milan - fairly compact and all players were decent to good in possession:

Van der Sar over Buffon is controversial, but there's no other keeper I'd rather have for this scheme given the time-frame.
Maldini for the Abidal type role - where he was more reserved than Alves, and combination of LB + LCB.
Late '90s Stam has the highest peak of any stopper in those 20 years, IMO.
Nesta has to be there - best centerback of the last 20 years - and knows how to cover for Cafú on the right.
Cafú for Messi, plus he wasn't exactly half bad in standalone terms.

Midfield is based on Barcelona/Spain - which was the most dominant one over the given time-frame, and can rival any midfield ever:

Redondo for Busquets in the holding role - he'll have to be a bit more reserved, but is the perfect player for this scheme.
Xaviesta needs no explanation - Zidane might not work with too many stars - but these two can and are synonymous with the style as a symbiotic pairing - from passing to movement to pressing to telepathic understanding.

Attack also loosely based on Barcelona - decent mix of individual and collective brilliance:

Fenómeno + Messi is fairly straightforward.
Ronaldinho over Cristiano - just think Ronaldinho's absolute peak was a bit higher, he's proven in Barcelona's setup (kinda like Rivaldo), and has played with both Messi and Fenómeno (also like Rivaldo).

The second and third XI will feature more Germany/Bayern, French, Italian and United players (among others).

Yeah I agree with this. If you're building a team around the Xavi/Iniesta/Messi hub, that's the way to do it. I'd probably go Neuer to help execute a high line. Now if you're picking a team from the last 20 years to play against it, I'd set up in a 4-2-3-1 (best formation to take on Barcelona):

Buffon
Thuram-Cannavaro-Godin-Carlos
Keane-Davids
C. Ronaldo-Rivaldo-Zidane
Henry​

3 of the back 4 and the keeper are expert at defending against the cosh, while Carlos complements Thuram and renews his Real partnership down the left with Zidane. Midfield duo again excel at gaining control against the odds, and have the energy and tenacity to squeeze the space. The front four all excel in counter-attacking set-ups, Zidane's presence more important for gaining some ball control of the midfield and combined with Rivaldo's directness is something the Barca-esque trio won't relish. Henry replicating what he did for Arsenal in their 2005/06 CL run, line leading and exposing better teams.

 

[Cantona'sCollar]

-----------------------------------Schmeichel-----------------------------------
Cafu--------------------Nesta-------------------Rio---------------------Maldini
--------------------------Keane-----------------Xavi----------------------------
-----------------------------------Ronaldinho-----------------------------------
Messi------------------------------------------------------------------Cristiano
------------------------------------Ronaldo-------------------------------------

Hard to exclude Zidane, but I chose Xavi over him because as an XI, you need the team to function as a unit. Keane, Ronaldinho and Zidane in a midfield three does not have enough defending in it.

Bench: Buffon, Alves, Zidane, R Carlos, Scholes, Cannavaro, Henry

Vidic, Pirlo, Gerrard , Iniesta, Thuram, Modric, Stam, Terry, Zlatan, Puyol, Ashley Cole, Kaka (surprised no one has mentioned him), Lampard, Crespo, Schweinsteiger and Evra would all be worthy inclusions, though. In a few years we will see more of Sergio Ramos and Marcelo on these lists as well, I think.

@Gio Davids & Rivaldo, good choices.

 

[DanClancy]

I was discussing today the best 11 made of players that were playing at a high level from around 1997 to this day. I am assuming that a lot of posters on here are familiar with the time period. What is your best 11 then?

Here is mine:

Gianluigi Buffon
Philipp Lahm
Fabio Cannavaro
Rio Ferdinand
Roberto Carlos
Claude Makelele
Xavi Hernandez
Andres Iniesta
Zinedine Zidane
Lionel Messi
Ronaldo

Sir Alex Ferguson

You've 10 great players who all make a valid claim to be in that team but Makelele? He's becoming more overrated as every goes by, he was half the player Keane and is a long way from been in a team of this calibre.

 

[Ballache]

--------- Kahn----------
Cafu-Nesta-Rio-Maldini
---------Keane----------
---Xavi---------Iniesta--
Messi-----------------Ronaldo
---------Ronaldo--------

Subs: Buffon, Vidic, Lahm, Ronaldinho, Vieira, Zidane and Henry

This was too difficult, i'm sure i have left some very obvious names out.

 

[red4ever 79]

Buffon
Cafu Nesta Ferdinand Maldini
Keane
Xavi Iniesta
Messi Zidane
Ronaldo (BZ)

 

[Infordin]

This for me. Redondo is a romantic choice

He's a Madrid player so not a romantic choice for me.

Objectively speaking, he was simply better than anyone else in his position in the past 20 years. The best defensive mid since Rijkaard.

 

[diarm]

Buffon
Cafu Stam Rio Maldini
Pirlo
Keane Iniesta
Messi ------------ Ronaldo
Ronaldo​

 

[Blind]

Neuer​

Cafu- Ferdinand- Pique- Cole

Alonso​

Iniesta-Modric​

Messi- C.Ronaldo- Kaka
​

I can't really justify the inclusion of players that I didn't get the chance to see, Cafu was near retirement but still makes it.

 

[giorno]

He's a Madrid player so not a romantic choice for me.

Objectively speaking, he was simply better than anyone else in his position in the past 20 years. The best defensive mid since Rijkaard.

It was romantic for me. If i have to go with the best player for the position for that team, i'd go with davids. Even though Redondo is among the 4 best CM to have played since 1997 for me(the other are xavi, pirlo and iniesta)

 

[Enigma_87]

He's a Madrid player so not a romantic choice for me.

Objectively speaking, he was simply better than anyone else in his position in the past 20 years. The best defensive mid since Rijkaard.

This.

Mine:

----------------Schmeichel--------------
Zanetti-----Nesta----Godin------Maldini(even >30)
---------------Redondo------------------
----------Xavi------------Iniesta---------
---Messi--------Fenomeno------Ronaldinho