Chain Draft (Main Thread)

[Moby]

No! The word "drool" is to be avoided too. What you're hoping for is for the rest of the Caf to scientifically recognize his overall decent-ish status in this context. Anything beyond that is pornography.

Good player, mind. And a leftfield sort of pick - which is admirable. Not drool worthy. Admirable.

I'm sure old time Roma fans disagree. By all accounts he seems really underrated which I doubt willwill change here.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Final 2 rounds!

Let's finish this today and get on with the draw. Matches from next week!

 

[diarm]

I just really want to post @Pat_Mustard 's final two picks! I've been sitting on them for hours and they're outrageously good.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

I just really want to post @Pat_Mustard 's final two picks! I've been sitting on them for hours and they're outrageously good.

Skizzo is West coast. Doubt he'll be on next couple of hours. It must be 3 or 4 am there now.

 

[antohan]

Team Antohan​

Theme:

About a month ago I was reading about Gianni Brera and how he influenced the sport, in Italy in particular, as Editor in Chief for La Gazetta dello Sport. He always maintained that Uruguay’s 1954 side was the gold standard as far as a devastatingly effective combination of technique, tactical discipline and courage was concerned.

He raved about the superior logic of it: a rock solid defensive foundation (you can’t lose if you don’t concede), quick transitions and the requisite pace, power and invention upfront to dismember a defence: a genius like Schiaffino + pace, flair and good movement from dogged forwards. He argued the Italian side that had got closest was Rocco's AC Milan and la Grande Inter of the 60s, and lamented how merging the Milan sides for the NT hadn’t produced results better than the sum of parts.

That got me thinking and the philosophical similarities are indeed quite striking. There's a clear arch between how that Uruguay side influenced Europe's and South America's most succesful sides of the 60s: Peñarol and the Milan sides.

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Peñarol's 40s side had relied on an exceptional spine and forward line, a unique generation, uber-attacking and a joy to watch. Schiaffino orchestrated the attack, Varela orchestrated the recovery, two GOATs in perfect sync. Devoid of such once-in-a-lifetime riches, the 60s side had deployed a less expansive but hugely effective setup, resorting to foreign imports to shore up any quality gaps.

Uruguay’s pool is very rich in certain aspects (courage, determination, teamwork) but we’ve always struggled for ballplaying centrebacks, can’t remember a great leftback in my lifetime, and pace isn’t something we are usually blessed with, so the Italians will be providing these.

FOOTBALL THROUGH THE EYES OF GIANNI BRERA
(where I don’t use direct quotes I’m paraphrasing/summarising what is a bunch of very long articles written in 1954 and thereafter)
​

"The most beautiful game I've ever seen played, I learned more in those two hours than in twenty years of playing and being a football critic". That’s how Gianni Brera, the legendary Editor of La Gazetta dello Sport, referred to what he regarded as the greatest game in history: the 1954 World Cup Semifinal between Uruguay and Hungary.

"It was a drama full of competitiveness, full of epic moments in every nook and cranny. It wasn’t a football game... it was a planetary event, two empires clashing. In my eyes, the top technical and competitive game, the most beautiful in the world. It was a compendium of football played until then, and thereafter”.

On the one hand Hungary’s Aranycsapat (Golden Team), one of the greatest teams of all time, it’s spine straight out of Honved Budapest, the army team:
Bozsik, Czibor, Kocsis... gathered around a genuine star like Ferenc Puskas.

Hungary played a kind of total football ahead of its time, they adopted a 3-2-3-2 tactical formation which involved continuous movement to create consistently superior numbers. It was one of the first attempts in which players moved as one body in a compact game with everyone doing pretty much everything. Puskas’ Hungary is where the roots of Cruyff’s Netherlands, Sacchi’s Milan and Guardiola’s Barcelona can be traced back to.

The Magyars were the best Europe had to offer. Unbeaten in four years, they had reached a momentous peak when they beat England at Wembley 6-3. The game could easily have ended 14-3. It was like time stood still and the Hungarians had arrived from the future and invented, step by step, a football never seen before.

In front of them that afternoon, were the wonderful Uruguayans: the incumbent World Champions, unbeaten in international competitions since their first game at the 1924 Olympics. They were the heroes of the Maracanazo, the biggest collective shock in the history of sports. In 1950, they had won the World Cup against Brazil at the Maracanã, in front of two hundred thousand spectators, a capacity never again achieved at any stadium for a football match. The game left a trail of 34 suicides and 56 heart attacks in its wake.

If there had ever been until then a school of football that could blend fantasy and extreme concreteness, innate tactical wisdom and containment effort, this was the Uruguayan’s. The Brazilians were more eye-catching but tactically inferior, that’s why they lost 2-1. But the Maracanazo didn’t come out of nowhere like the Magyars. Uruguay’s style was developed in the twenties and thirties, when a small country of just over two million inhabitants had won two Olympics in a row and the first World Cup, which they organised. “These beautiful Uruguayans could claim to be the fathers of football, because everyone knows England is the mother”.

Abbadie scores the 7th vs. Scotland, assisted by Varela​

"The fulcrum of the team was none other than Juan Alberto Schiaffino, Il Pepe, who along with Ghiggia and Varela had silenced those two hundred thousand fans. Most important to us in Italy, he was the best player in the world and he had just signed for Milan. He would go on to revolutionise our calcio".

Hungary arrived at the meet having beaten South Korea 9-0, West Germany 8-3, and Brazil 4-2. Uruguay had lost several players to injury, including the captain Varela after the 4-2 quarter final against England. It didn’t bode well for them that their frontline, Schiaffino aside, had evaporated along with their captain. It was simple, they couldn’t possibly win.

At the beginning of the second half, Hungary is already 2-0, a result that would undermine anyone. Yet something strange happens: the Uruguayans defended the defeat. They do not throw themselves furiously to the attack; they do not change their patterns or their game. While other teams would open up and take risks that spell their inevitable doom, they continue to wait for the rival’s advances, even if time is running out... A remarkable winning choice, as thanks to their counter-attack, the Celeste can equalise with two goals from Hohberg and, in the final seconds, should have achieved a resounding victory when Schiaffino’s shot was stopped by nothing other than a muddy goalmouth.

___________

Hohberg's goals, assisted by Schiaffino​

"Over the years I would witness time and again that remarkable quality in Schiaffino: the power of synthesis. He would poke and probe, test every component of a defence, every combination of defensive players, observe their instinctive reactions, what made them uncomfortable, how they made decisions, and then he computed it all and drew conclusions. Once he did, he would know how to tear up any defence. In the course of his testing his team often scored, but if they didn’t, you knew Schiaffino was building up more knowledge on the rival defence than even they or their manager had. He would wait for half-time, and then after it he would unleash his learning upon his helpless victims. Both that Uruguay team and Milan could completely turn a game around in a second half thanks to the God of Football".

The game goes into extra time and the Uruguayans get within touching distance of victory. But they hit the post, twice. Then Andrade goes out injured and the gameplan falls apart: Kocsis scores twice and Hungary are in the final.


From his biographer:

Uruguay lost, but the next day Brera published on the "Gazzetta dello Sport" a nine-column tribute to the defeated team. He explained why, while seeing them play and within touching distance of victory twice, he had been able to reach "full maturity" on all things football.

Everything Brera wrote later on catenaccio, the defensiveness or the deep spirit of Italian football, derives largely from that game and the reflections that it prompted.

You could say that Italian football in the sixties, seventies and eighties - so deeply influenced by the pen of Brera – largely resulted directly or indirectly from the sublime Uruguayan school. It derives from that game. Not just the most beautiful game of all time, but also a clash between different worlds and cultures, between two different ways to adapt to history and its events.

It was all triggered by how the under-strength and exhausted Uruguayans continued to "defend the defeat", not giving up on a counter attack or deviating from their gameplan in the face of adversity. In that act of extreme heroism in front of an athletically superior juggernaut, Brera glimpsed everything there was to know about football and on adapting its endless combinations. While you may prefer other styles, it is difficult to deny that the greatest succeses of Italian football were achieved by playing like that all the way to the 2006 World Cup triumph.

 

[antohan]

BACK 5​

Lorenzo BUFFON​

Not the current one, but you don’t spend ten years being Milan’s first choice keeper without being a bit good, nor would Inter take you after. Buffon is widely acknowledged as one of if not the best keeper in Milan history.

Doesn’t have all that many internationals to his name (15) but that’s to a large extent to not being called up for the NT until 1958, i.e. towards the end of his Milan career, while he had been invited to feature for Rest of Europe against Team GB in 1954.

Clearly a solid keeper who will do just fine in my setup, and a brave one too. I like keepers willing to take a hit to get the ball off an onrushing forward: this from an international vs. England in 1961. I'll play his Milan peak so no sequels.

Gaetano SCIREA​

Cantenaccio was propelled into infamy by Helenio Herrera of Inter in the 1960’s, the Serie A squad that was making history at the time. By the time it had reached the 1970s, the tactic had evolved to include a libero. Franz Beckenbauer may have been the man to introduce the role of sweeper, or ‘libero’ in Italian but it was Scirea who transformed the position into an art form.

Scirea’s prime role was essentially a free one whereby he would roam at the back to recoup any loose balls, nullify the opponent’s striker, double-mark whenever necessary and most interestingly - initiate attacks. Notorious for his ability to redress the attack and to deliver valuable assists, he was simply a rare type of defender that was as much a threat in attack as he was in closing down opponents. His capability of delivering the perfect pass and his enjoyment at running down the wings allowed him to evolve the role so that it acted as the first line of offence. He had plenty of competition, but his vision and ability to dictate the tempo made him a complete footballer.

He was, in many ways, the opposite of his partner Claudio Gentile, he was a “gentleman sweeper” who rarely committed fouls due to his calm temperament and innate technical ability, never receiving a red-card in his entire career, despite often playing as the last man in defense.

He came to Turin when he was still very young while I was already much older. I can say I saw him grow: youngster, fiancé, husband, exemplary father. He was shy and a good man perhaps even too good. I often told him to react, to be a bit crueler with the opponents: his serenity made me angry. You know what his answer used to be? “I can’t”. He used to say so with a smile on his lips and it was disarming. I never saw him get angry. He used to say it was not worth it and in hind sight I must admit I think so too. We spent the best years of our lives together, won a lot and shared great joys. When I left Juve we still remained very close. It was impossible not to love him. It was impossible to speak badly of him. I loved him a lot.

He was one of the best players in the world but was too humble to say so or even to simply think so. His way of being quiet and reserved maybe took away his chance of being better known but it surely won him esteem, respect and the friendship of everyone, Juventus fans or not. This does not mean that he was weak or that he had nothing to say: on the contrary, he was very strong on the inside and knew how to speak through his silence… When it came to football he was very competent and knew how to be authoritarian. Let us say that personalities with his character, nowadays, do not exist any more.

Elías Ricardo FIGUEROA​

You will of course be familiar with him. He was excellent for Peñarol. It was a shame he caught the dying embers of the 60s side, but he arrived early enough to get a top class crash course in defending. Not just the technical side but the tricks, the mental toughness and no-nonsense approach. Peñarol exposed him to the very best the world had to offer, and he came up trumps every time.

At Peñarol I learned everything I know about defending. Reading the game, the tricks, how to use my body to shield the ball or shepherd a player and neutralise him. Uruguayans fight tooth and nail for every ball. When I first arrived, I had midgets 30cms shorter than me using their shoulders to imbalance me and leave me for dead.

Unsurprisingly, even when the leading lights faded he ploughed on and carried the team at times, including a lost Libertadores final which was the swansong for many. Once the defensive lynchpin and mentor was gone, it was time to move on but he didn’t go after the Madrid $$$. Instead, he moved to Internacional de Porto Alegre to stay close to home and remain in the Chilean setup. As with many others (Spencer and Joya choosing to play for their countries instead of Uruguay, Cubillas returning to Peruvian football, likewise with Morena…), that loyalty to the cause came at a price: not being as notorious as others playing out their careers in Europe or for top World Cup sides.

"The area is my home, and I decide who enters it"​

• 6 times Best Centre-half in the Americas (1972-77)
• 4 times Best Centre-Half in the World (1974-77)
• 3 times Best Player FROM the Americas (1974-76)
• 2 times World Player of the Year (1975-76)
• Best Centre-half at 1974 FIFA World Cup
• 3 Times Best Player in the Uruguayan League
• 2 Times Best Player in the Brazilian League (ahead of Falcao, Zico, Rivelino, etc.)
• Best Foreign Player in the history of Brazilian Football
• Pelé's nonsense 125 Living Legends
• IFFHS Best South American Defender ever
• IFFHS Best Chilean Player ever
• IFFHS 8th Best South American Player ever
• IFFHS 37th Best World Player ever (5th among defensive players, third among centre-halves)

I'm the European Figueroa

Beckenbauer and Figueroa have been the only defenders who were better than I

I do not hesitate when saying Elías Figueroa was the best defender ever in World Football

Amazing backs-against-the-the-wall display vs. Germany '74

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Giacinto FACCHETTI​

Let's make this simple, think Maldini or Zanetti on the left but much better going forward and clocking 0:11 in 100m. Played 634 games and scored 75 goals for Inter over 18 years, mostly as captain, winning four scuddeti, two European and International Cups and being runner-up twice. He was capped 94 times over 11 years, 74 of them as captain, and was runner-up at the 1970 World Cup.

Facchetti is remembered as one of the first truly great attacking-full backs. He would make marauding runs upfield using his wonderful dribbling and crossing. He could also play at centre-back where his tackling was used to great effect. He will be at home in this side and make an immense and irreplaceable contribution, which is why he got picked first!

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Víctor RODRÍGUEZ ANDRADE – “The Black Pearl”​

The best right halfback in the world in the early 50s, or halfback full stop, and the best in Peñarol’s history. He was a beast defensively and good going forward, while his uncle was the opposite. He has the pace and stamina to keep coming and going all game long, but his role here will largely revolve around keeping things tight at the back.

He was instrumental to Uruguay’s 1950 World Cup win, playing both RB and LB as players got injured or when the game at hand required it (e.g. shutting out a Zizinho in great form). Four years later, Rodríguez Andrade was one of the main stars in the side. Puskas watched the semifinal from the stands and concluded Rodríguez Andrade was the best he had ever seen in his position. Czibor had scored, yes, but he had done the best job on him he had ever seen. Unfortunately, late in the first half of ET Andrade suffers a muscle tear. That was the tipping point, and 2-2 quickly turned to 2-4.

Andrade vs. Tom Finney 1954​

DECADES - LINKS TO GIFS IN RED
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10s: Varela

20s: Buffon, Víctor Rodríguez Andrade, Hohberg, Schiaffino, Nordahl

30s: Gonçalves, Abbadie, Altafini

40s: Facchetti, Figueroa, Boninsegna, Cubillas

50s: Scirea​

 

[antohan]

MIDFIELD

Obdulio Jacinto VARELA – “El Negro Jefe”​

The man who silenced the Maracanã. Beastly midfielder, dominant, capable of executing the most influential and game-defining World Cup Final individual performance. He could sit and protect the defence, passing the ball short and long to good effect, or operate as a box-to-box midfielder with a thunderous long range cannon of a right peg.

He imposed respect -not fear- among his teammates. He imparted wisdom, never raised his voice or needed to speak out of turn. He kept quiet most of the time, listening, observing, and when he made the slightest motion indicating he was about to speak everyone would shut up and stay expectant to what would be no doubt a lesson worth learning.

He had the power of synthesis, the ability to dissect a game and occasion and home in on what was wrong, what was the root cause, with laser precision. And then he acted and directed on his insights, expertly.

Varela makes it 2:1 against England in '54, similar to his equaliser vs. Spain in 1950


Néstor "Tito" GONÇALVES​

He arrived from the countryside as a trainee in 1957 and within six months everyone could tell that the massive gap left in midfield by Varela’s retirement was destined for him. Upon hearing about this kid Varela visited the club, spent a few hours with him and left for good never to return again safe in the knowledge that his legacy would be in good hands.

A one-club man, Gonçálves was a tough as nails defensive midfielder with an exceptional passing range, exactly what a deep-sitting counter-attacking side needed. With him from centre-to-left and Abbadie on the right, there was always a nearby outlet.

His arrival was a big contributing factor in kickstarting Peñarol’s most glorious and decorated period. Considered one of the 15 greatest teams of all time, his Peñarol went toe-to-toe regularly with Santos, Real Madrid and Benfica and delivered 9 league titles between 1958 and 1968, three Copa Libertadores wins, two Intercontinental Cup wins and the Intercontinental Cup Winners Supercup. It's on the back of this decade that when the IFFHS tallied up the scores Peñarol came first and was recognised as the Most Successful South American Club of the Century ("Champion of the Century").

His performance in the 1966 final decider is the stuff of legend. His rearguard action (and two assists) kickstarted an epic comeback. To this day an unlikely comeback turned into an onslaught and beating up of the rival is referred to as "ganar a lo Peñarol" (winning the Peñarol way).

Julio César “El Pardo” ABBADIE​

A cracking right winger, Abbadie had the uneviable task of being groomed to eventually replace Ghiggia in one of the most feared frontlines ever: Vidal-Schiaffino-Míguez-Hohberg-Ghiggia aka as “The Death Squad” which terrorised Peñarol’s rivals in Uruguay and beyond. Four out of these were Uruguay's 1950 frontline (Hohberg was Argentinian).

It didn’t take too long for him to challenge for a first team spot. Ghiggia himself described him as “rapid, a great dribbler but, different from me, he liked getting kicked and kept coming back for more”. He played right wing for Uruguay at the next World Cup in Switzerland, where he scored two against Scotland and was part of what is believed to this day to be the best Uruguayan side ever.

His success at the World Cup attracted immediate attention from Juventus, Milan and Genoa. Abbadie’s heritage meant he chose Genoa, where he set the Serie A alight and became a legend, recognised to this day as the best player ever to have played for them (i.e. for the oldest club in Italy, no less!).

After five years, Genoa had financial difficulties, while Peñarol was doing well, had won two Libertadores, one Intercontinental against Eusebio’s Benfica… and Cubilla had left for Barcelona. No one had any doubt who was best suited to replace him other than El Pardo himself.

Of course, Peñarol had changed a lot. It was no longer the uber-attacking side of the 40s and 50s but, in his own words “a more cagey side that would switch to the counter like a panther thrusts its paws, Bam! Bam! Game Over”. He continues: “it doesn’t work any more, you can’t sit back and soak and win on the break, it rarely happens. But that’s not the tactic being flawed, the problem is we no longer see ‘manoeuverers, jugglers, dribblers and ball-steppers’ like we used to”. “We always had at least two if not three or four on the pitch who could do that at pace and rip a team apart, however good their defenders were. Where there is space the advantage is always on the attackers’ side so long as they know how to think on their feet and have the technique to resolve situations. Spencer and Joya stood on the halfway line and just waited for us to get the ball back and unleash them”. With that gameplan they won the Copa Libertadores in 1966, the Intercontinental against Madrid (beating them 2-0 in both legs) and the Intercontinental Cup Winners Cup in 1969.

Yes, in his second stint Abbadie turned into the experienced and cerebral cool head who worked hard at right midfield and was a major outlet to unleash those two with his diagonal balls, or just storm forward if there was space for him to attack.

Teófilo CUBILLAS – “El Nene”​

​

Perú’s best player ever and the top scoring midfielder in World Cup history, with ten goals. That’s some record! In 1970 he got the Best Young Player Award and in 1978 he also made the All-Star Team.

Cubillas’ claim to fame is the way he broke up the traditional dominance of the Big Three in South American football. Qualifiers consisted of three groups with Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay as seeds. If you were outside the Big Three all you could look forward to was being host (Chile ‘62) or a South American team winning and leaving your group seedless (Chile ’66 and ’74, courtesy of no Brazil).

Then this chaps from Peru come along and knock out Argentina to qualify for the 1970 World Cup. Not just that, they play some amazing football and are only eliminated by eventual champions Brazil.

Don’t worry, I already have a successor: Teófilo Cubillas

In the early 70s, the two top Peruvian teams combined forces to tour Europe, where they beat Benfica and Bayern. Bayern, in their pomp, lost 4-1.

I’ve never seen anyone play football like that

Heartache ensued as he was subbed when they went ahead in the WC74 qualifying decider against Chile. Peru collapsed, Chile got back into it and qualified instead.

He would still return to the World Cup with Peru two more times (1978 and 1982) -Peru never made it again- but his crowning glory was winning the 1975 Copa América, where he scored his famous “folha seca” (dry leaf) free kick against Brazil as they beat them 3-1 away in the semifinal.

​

When I saw that goal, I decided I also wanted to take free kicks

​

When the Alianza Lima team got wiped out after a plane crash in 1987, he came out of retirement and played for them for another three years.

"If I could live my life again I would play football, I would start at Alianza Lima again, and I would choose to be born in Peru".​

Playing style: Cubillas was a #10 of the AM sort. By this I mean he was more akin to a midfielder than a forward, more Valderrama than Baggio. He dictated from midfield and up, not as a DLP but as a ball carrying playmaker. Vertical in his play, generous and always looking for the one-two, akin to Platini starting moves from deep. His shots from range were unstoppable.

Let’s not assume he carried his Peruvian side, that was a golden generation and all of Cueto, Oblitas, Velásquez and Chumpitaz would walk into their All-Time side. In fact, the striking thing was how expansive they were, they didn’t beat the Big Three to the World Cup (eliminating Argentina once and Uruguay twice) or win the Copa by shutting up shop. Nope, they took the game to all of them, and beat them fair and square. My earliest memories of watching Uruguay involve Peru rodgering us at home and knocking us out of two World Cups in a row.

Still, there was a marked difference between Perú with or without Cubillas. He was the fulcrum and, like Maradona and Pelé, was the catalyst that made everything around him work and raised everyone’s level to their very top level.

Cracking player, and I’m pleased to have him. He is a great fit for this side.

​

 

[antohan]

ATTACK

SCHIAFFINO – Il Regista del Diavolo (the Devil's Regista)​

​

“God has reserved the distribution of two or three small things which cannot be attained or countered by all the gold in the hands of the powerful ones: genius, beauty, happiness". When Gautier wrote these words in 1856 he could not know Juan Alberto Schiaffino, he could not know that this definition would fit perfectly. In the years of Liedholm the number ten is divided between the shoulders of the Baron and those, more slender and graceful, of "Pepe" Schiaffino.

God had given him a gift, a privilege: that of genius. Gianni Brera, still considered the greatest Italian football expert, thought as much:

There has never been a regista of greater value. Schiaffino seemed to have flashlights in his feet. He illuminated and invented the game with the simplicity that is typical of the great. He had an innate sense of geometry, he found the right position and pass almost by instinct.

Those who had the good fortune of seeing him play remember him, decades later and without a shadow of the slightest doubt, as the best player they have seen. Most of these refer to the final of the European Cup in 1958 as the game that settled it: Di Stefano, Puskas and Schiaffino were all on show and Milan lost 3-2 against Real Madrid, but it was Schiaffino, now thirty-four, who stole the show. Differently from the previous two, he had also won a World Cup, in memorable circumstances. After that game the Brazilian coach had only one thing to say: "Schiaffino was the unexpected that silenced all our ambition". From that day, Uruguayans had called him “el Dios del Futbol” (the God of Football).

He plays as if he were watching the field from the highest point in the stadium

He had a radar for brains

When I first saw Schiaffino I was 10... I was struck not only by his greatness when in possession of the ball, but also about how he had the property, the capacity, of being everywhere. He seemed to possess the gift of ubiquity

Schiaffino was a universal midfielder, he could do everything and read ahead the development of the game. He didn’t chase the ball, the ball ran towards him. Which brings us to another characteristic: he was silent, inscrutable but possessed an immense confidence in his own abilities, which often made him a bit stubborn and lippy. He was once suspended for five games after signalling at a ref with his hands that he was on the take, in front of the entire stadium.

He was also the only player known to talk back at captain Varela. The competitive tension between those two was the stuff of legend. One synthesised defensive play, the other synthesised attacking play, so it often resulted in orders/directives being barked in either direction. In 1950, during the final against Brazil and with the game still at 0:0, Varela demanded Schiaffino stopped fannying around the frontline testing defenders and made a more disciplined defensive effort by picking up a certain Brazilian player. “When you can pass the ball to me like I pass the ball to you I’ll take orders on my positioning”, he replied. Then against England in 1954, after Schiaffino moaned about poor service from the centrebacks Varela barked back “Take a woman” (basically, have a shag and chill the feck out).

Of course, there was nothing other than immense respect between the two, with Obdulio having overseen the formation and coming of age of the Death Squad. Schiaffino’s older brother, Raúl (NT and Peñarol forward) brought him to the club aged 16, and he tore up the reserves. As Raúl insisted he should be promoted, Varela argued the opposite: “they are very promising, but like a good wine we must let them come of age. Juan is ahead of the others, with the seniors he will be behind... and then they will be gone, and he will be alone. Let him stay with that frontline that’s forming around him and bring them all up when they are ready”. The outcome: he got his first cap aged 18, before even playing for Peñarol’s first team, but when he finally got promoted he no longer was a talented skinny little kid. He was boss, and went on to win five national titles and score 88 goals in 227 games.

From an early age he was considered a football intellectual, but one that didn’t only theorise, compute and resolve in an abstract way: he could also execute in practice. He was the tactical and technical conscience of the teams he played for. He was an enemy of football dogmas and conventional wisdom, like the one establishing the forwards should wait for the ball or that anticipation was only a defensive recourse. He was a pioneer of one-touch play, which better helped exploit the fact he was several seconds ahead of anyone on the pitch. His preeminence was based on his power of discernment, his serene impartiality that allowed him not to get dragged by the urgencies and pressures of the match. He wasn’t affected by temporary adversity, the importance of getting a result, the clock running or the urgency cascading from the stands. A footballing Spartan.

When in 1984 the Italian Federation’s Coversiano Technical Centre consulted the Serie A managers on who had been the greatest foreign player in Serie A all but two responded: Schiaffino. He left an indelible mark not just through his football, but other innovations he brought about:

1. Brera credits him as the one introducing the slide tackle in Italy. This must be some translation issue I suppose, it must be some very specific form of slide tackle surely. But he does mention how referees weren’t used to it so erroneously whistled foul.

2. He pushed for changes to how Milanello was run regarding admission of women and clearly defined schedules for training and resting.

3. Upon joining Roma, aged 35 and without the physical conditioning he used to possess, he applied his intact brain and football intelligence playing between the defence and the goalkeeper: and thus the role of libero was born. Rumour has it that he was impassable.

GUNNAR NORDAHL

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In my last game @Annahnomoss kept dissing Boninsegna and Altafini saying they couldn't be that good if they had never been picked... Nothing of the sort. The issue is, it is obviously much more convenient to pick players that can combine the best of both. If you can get a classic centreforward who can be a great finisher in the box be it aerially or with ball on deck, lead the line and provide hold up play and knock balls down for others. That is, if you can get a complete centreforward unit you can have two players for the price of one.

It's a no-brainer really. I pick the player @Gio once described as "Vieri on steroids" so he can once again relive that devastating AC Milan partnership under Bela Guttman.

​

Now, I know the Scot is spontaneously combusting while laughing hysterically (where's that EAP gif?). I also know that someone will do an Annah digging up so-called "inconsistencies", so I'll make it easy for them: this match contains some of the most ludicrous shit you'll ever hear from me.

That's what you call "force majeure" but, as a former prop, I know the importance of timing: "get set, hold, hoooold, hooooooold, ENGAGE!". How do you beat a team like the one Gio had? Firstly, don't talk about Xavi, Davids, Platini or Rivaldo: it's a losing battle so just try get them to fly under the radar... somehow. Second, don't talk about Moreno since nobody cares and all you may get is people appreciating what a cracking player he was. Of course there was an argument to be made on whether that midfield could work, but you know how those always end: "X to win it anyway in a moment of individual brilliance".

The only option to win this was turning the game into a battle of the strikers. What you don't do is try win that argument quickly: it only leads to discussing all the other players. Nope, you stick a superb but relatively unknown striker upfront and go about the business of comparing the two. It doesn't really matter if people buy your -excellent- striker or not. What matters is that by hook and crook you slowly get everyone involved to perceive the game as a battle between two relative unknowns. You frame their perception, you give them cold feet by playing on their first-hand ignorance. And you stick to that arcane path for as long as you can (hooooold, hoooooold), i.e. until the scoreline is on the verge of being unrecoverable. Then at 15-10 down you take off your unknown and put Henry upfront (ENGAGE!). "Easy decision now, I know Henry!" and that starts the comeback scoring 10 votes to 1 in the remainder of the game.

Anyhow, Nordahl, top striker, do yourself a favour and watch the clip above with a selection of the many goals he and Schiaffino scored in that 1954-55 season. Tremendous firepower.

 

[Chesterlestreet]

I'm sure old time Roma fans disagree. By all accounts he seems really underrated which I doubt willwill change here.

Don't give me that sad face - that's banned too in the House of Chester.

Besides, you misunderstood. I've got nothing against the player, quite to the contrary - it was the drooling again.

 

[Gio]

Not the current one, but you don’t spend ten years being Milan’s first choice keeper without being a bit good, nor would Inter take you after. Buffon is widely acknowledged as one of if not the best keeper in Milan history.

The competition's pretty crap to be fair. Rossi? Dida?!

 

[Gio]

Good write-up though Anto. Some less familiar stars and stories in there.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Superb write up anto. I admit to not having heard of Hohberg and Abbadie till now!

 

[MJJ]

Don't give me that sad face - that's banned too in the House of Chester.

Besides, you misunderstood. I've got nothing against the player, quite to the contrary - it was the drooling again.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Chester needs a tagline"Smiley Assassin" He'll kill yo got using a smiley

 

[Chesterlestreet]

@antohan

Looks great, anto - will read later. I have some drooling poodles to kill.

 

[Moby]

Don't give me that sad face - that's banned too in the House of Chester.

Besides, you misunderstood. I've got nothing against the player, quite to the contrary - it was the drooling again.

Ah okay. My bad.

 

[antohan]

The competition's pretty crap to be fair. Rossi? Dida?!

Aye, I acknowledged that in the post when I picked him - no clear worldies/GOATs contesting it. Albertosi, Cudicini Sr. and Rossi were top keepers though.

 

[Skizzo]

He made it on the plane.

Carlos Tevez

@The Stain

 

[Balu]

Chester needs a tagline"Smiley Assassin" He'll kill yo got using a smiley

Chester needs a few smileys as his tagline, so that he get used to it.

 

[crappycraperson]

Depending on whom I face...

or

Totti behind front 2 for a diamond of sorts

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

@The Stain picks Gerets
@Pat_Mustard picks Gallego (River Plate)

mazhar13: 1. P. Falcao 2. di Bartolomei (Roma) 3. Tassotti (Milan) 4. Savicevic (Milan) 5. Jugovic (Red Star) 6. J. Zanetti (Inter) 7. R. Carlos (Inter) 8. Rivaldo (Palmeiras) 9. Couto (Barcelona) 10. Popescu (Barcelona) 11. van Breukelen (PSV)
antohan: 1. Facchetti 2. Boninsegna (Inter) 3. Scirea (Juve) 4. Altafini (Juve) 5. L. Buffon (Milan) 6. Julio César Abbadie (Genoa) 7. O. Varela (Peñarol) 8. V. R. Andrade (NT) 9. Juan Eduardo Hohberg (Peñarol) 10. Néstor Gonçalves (Peñarol) 11. Elías Ricardo Figueroa (Peñarol)
MJJ (crappy): 1. Romario 2. Guardiola (Barca) 3. Figo (Barca) 4. Vieira (Inter) 5. Henry (Arsenal) 6. Deschamps (Juve) 7. Kohler (Juve) 8. Sammer (Dortmund) 9. Kahn (NT) 10. Kroos (Bayern) 11. Marcelo (Real)
Joga (Annah): 1. Didi 2. N. Santos (Botafogo) 3. J. Bauer (Botafogo) 4. M. Ramos (Sao Paulo) 5. Zito (Santos) 6. C. Alberto (Santos) 7. Rivelino (Fluminense) 8. Jairzinho (NT) 9. M.Tresor (Marseille) 10. J. Tigana (Bordeaux) 11. E.Francescoli (Marseille)
Cal?: 1. Ribery 2. Robben (Bayern) 3. Cannavaro (Real) 4. Zambrotta (Juve) 5. van der Sar (Juve) 6. Evra (United) 7. Pirlo (Juve) 8. Djorkaeff (Inter) 9. Weah (Monaco) 10. Leonardo (Milan) 11. Aldair (Flamengo)
diarm: 1. R. Baggio 2. Tacconi (Juve) 3. Tardelli (Juve) 4. G. Baresi (Inter) 5. Klinsmann (Inter) 6. Campbell (Spurs) 7. Scholes (NT) 8. Cantona (United) 9. Amoros (Marseille) 10. Bokšić (Marseille) 11. Veron (Lazio)
green_smiley: 1. Nordahl 2. Schiaffino (Milan) 3. Ghezzi (Milan) 4. Rivera (Milan) 5. Collovati (Milan) 6. Causio (Inter) 7. Cabrini (Juve) 8. Marocchi (Juve) 9. Häßler (Juve) 10. Olsen (Koln) 11. Lerby (NT)
Cutch: 1. Passarella 2. Bergomi (Inter) 3. Bergkamp (Inter) 4. Davids (Ajax) 5. Vierchowod (Juve) 6. Conti (Roma) 7. P. Rossi (NT) 8. Evani (Milan) 9. Donadoni (Milan) 10. Panucci (Milan) 11. De Rossi (Roma)
bleezy: 1. M. Laudrup 2. Stoichkov (Barca) 3. Benarrivo (Parma) 4. Albertini (Padova) 5. Cafu (Milan) 6. Batistuta (Roma) 7. Ayala (NT) 8. Mendieta (Valencia) 9. Zubizarreta (Valencia) 10. Alexanko (Barcelona) 11. Iribar (Bilbao)
Sjor Bepo: 1. Gento 2. Amancio Amaro (Real) 3. Netzer (Real) 4. Bonhof (Gladbach) 5. Schumacher (Koln) 6. Forster (NT) 7. Papin (Marseille) 8. Babbel (Bayern) 9. Lahm (Stuttgart) 10. Schweinsteiger (Bayern) 11. Frings (Bayern)
EAP: 1. Breitner 2. K. H. Rummenigge (Bayern) 3. Zenga (Inter) 4. Brehme (Inter) 5. Augenthaler (Bayern) 6. Effenberg (Bayern) 7. W Sagnol (Bayern) 8. Ballack (Bayern) 9. Shevchenko (Chelsea) 10. Emerson (Milan) 11. Totti (Roma)
Skizzo: 1. J. Charles 2. O. Sivori (Juve) 3. Del Sol (Juve) 4. Santamaria (Real) 5. Pirri (Real) 6. Camacho (Real) 7. Chendo (Real) 8. Hierro (Real) 9. L. Enrique (NT) 10. Riquelme (Barcelona) 11. Tevez
The Stain: 1. Robson 2. Giggs (United) 3. Stam (United) 4. Kaka (Milan) 5. Essien (Real) 6. A. Cole (Chelsea) 7. Beckham (NT) 8. Van Nistelrooy (United) 9. Iwan (PSV) 10. Koeman (Feyenoord) 11. Gerets
Pat_Mustard: 1. Sir B. Charlton 2. Law (United) 3. Rosato (Torino) 4. Schnellinger (Milan) 5. Zoff(Mantova) 6. Haller (Juventus) 7. Vogts (NT) 8. Simonsen (Gladbach) 9. Schuster (Barcelona) 10. Ruggeri (Real) 11. Gallego (River Plate)
Kazi: 1. S. Mazzola 2. Luisito Suarez (Inter) 3. Kocsis (Barcelona) 4. Bozsik (Honved) 5. Kincses (Kispest) 6. Boniperti (Juve) 7. Hamrin (Juve) 8. Lodetti (Milan) 9. Picchi (NT) 10. Burgnich (Inter)
Tuppet (VivaJ): 1. Van Hanegem 2. Gullit (Feyenoord) 3. Costacurta (Milan) 4. Nesta (Milan) 5. Nedved (Lazio) 6. Del Piero (Juve) 7. Peruzzi (Juve) 8. Reuter (Juve) 9. Kopke (Nurnberg) 10. Makelele (Marseille)

@Kazi

 

[antohan]

Superb write up anto. I admit to not having heard of Hohberg and Abbadie till now!

So you now understand my major beef with the reset rule. Great as they were, they are complete nobodies in a poll-based competition. If I were to pick Schiaffino and Varela it meant I had to drop Hohberg and I really wanted to tell his story. As it turns out GS took care of that for me and made me get in there the long way around, which also cost Alberto Spencer his place in the side. I also had to drop William Martínez and anxiously wait in fear that Figueroa might be snatched away. It wasn't just Pepe, it completely dismembered the entire theme and now I would need at least two reinforcement rounds to get there.

Mightily

 

[Moby]

Great homagehomage there anto. Enjoyed the write up thoroughly and also really admire your spirit in giving those names a run.

Also I hope you are not faking your love for my man Gaetano. Its high time you come over to this side.

 

[Edgar Allan Pillow]

Totti behind front 2 for a diamond of sorts

It'll be a 4-3-2-1, so both Totti and Kalle will have free roles. Drift central or out wide as they deem fit...just the freedom they thrived in.

 

[VivaJanuzaj]

EAP this cries out for a diamond with those two full backs, Breitner is perfect for RCM, Ballack will play LCM and Effenberg behind them.

 

[antohan]

Totti behind front 2 for a diamond of sorts

Shut up

 

[Kazi]

Ivano Bordon (Inter)

@Tuppet @VivaJanuzaj

 

[antohan]

SUBS

Juan Eduardo HOHBERG – “The Executioner”​

Juan Hohberg, “El Verdugo (de Nacional)” because he had a knack of scoring in derbies, would have had plenty of reasons to have a chip on his shoulder. He watched on as all the other four in his Death Squad lifted the World Cup. When he finally had the chance to play for Uruguay he got all the papers in order pronto. He was in the form of his life and had raised the stakes for his teammates by averaging two goals per game.

But the NT manager was averse to starting him because… well… he was Argentinian. But did he feel left out or shunned? Nope, he was desperate to make a contribution in whichever way possible and prove himself. After all, he had lived in Uruguay since he was 2 or 3 years-old. And then his chance came…

That beautiful side that Gianni Brera held as the gold standard of football perfection was completely dismantled by the game against England. It was a 4-2 victory but we lost several key players to injury: Obdulio, Míguez (to this day Uruguay’s top scorer at World Cups), Abbadie, Ambrois and a midfielder I can’t remember. Hohberg was suddenly the only fit forward, and an inside right at that. Rather than slot into his usual spot next to Schiaffino, he had to spearhead the attack in a side that had been decimated and would have to play on the counter with Schiaffino having no real options other than pick out Hohberg’s movement.

And it all started very badly, with the Magyars swarming on the fragile on paper but combative side: 2-0 down with one half to play. The clock kept running as Hohberg kept making runs left, right and centre but Schiaffino couldn’t find him (the pitch was a muddy pit, in fairness)… until he did, Hohberg beat the offside trap and slotted past Grosics with 15 minutes to go.

They kept trying and, at the death, Hohberg runs onto another ball, dribbles sideways and Grosics or one of two backrushing defenders get a touch which places the ball behind him but he wasn’t to be denied: 2-2. And then one of the most incredible and least known episodes in World Cup history takes place: Hohberg, who was completely exhausted from his exertions goes off on an exhilarating run, his teammates catch up, tackle him, they all jump on him making a big heap of knackered bodies… And when they all stand up Hohberg isn’t responding.

They shake him, nothing. The NT medics run onto the pitch and check his vital signs, nothing. No breathing, no pulse, the victim of a heart attack be it from exhaustion, the adrenaline peak or the sudden end to it as he got squashed under all that deadweight. For 15 never-ending seconds the medics massaged his chest and got no response, then another administered coramine and they started getting a response. The medics worked for a while and then moved him next to the Hungarian goal, where they were goal-line witnesses of the way a last minute Schiaffino shot rolled agonizingly through the mud only to stop of its own accord on the line itself.

Hohberg probably saw it and felt that pain too, because by the start of ET he was on his feet and insisting he was playing on. So long as he could move or even just to occupy space, he was having none of leaving the pitch. Of course, he wasn’t as animated as before, but still managed to drag -what must have been some pretty shocked Hungarian defenders- around enough for Schiaffino to hit the post, twice.

And then Andrade got his muscle tear and had to leave the pitch, leaving 9 and a half dead player behind. He returned on one leg late in the 2H of ET but Kocsis wasn’t particularly charitable and had already scored twice, putting an end to Uruguay’s unbeaten record at World Cups. The nutter also played and scored in the third place game

His story doesn’t end there though. He was one of the key bridges between the 1949 and 1960s team, crowning his career by helping deliver the inaugural Copa Libertadores.

Roberto BONINSEGNA​

Bonimba got his nickname from Gianni Brera as a combination of Boninsegna and Bagonghi (circus dwarf), such was the plasticity of his acrobatic repertoire. He wasn’t big but was very similar to Gigi Riva, a battling blood and thunder centreforward. Inter fans called him Bobo, and twenty years later would recycle the nickname for someone whose arrogance and barnstorming presence reminded them of him.

With 171 goals in 281 games for Inter, and two consecutive Serie A top scorer awards at his peak, his is a stunning record considering he played for the least expansive side in a catenaccio-ridden league. Facchetti will know a thing or two about combining with him, that’s for sure.

Here he is also reunited with his teammate Gaetano Scirea. One day, soon after he moved from Inter, Scirea elegantly ventured up the pitch as Bonimba waved his arms on the other side of the pitch screaming "Gai Gai, here I am". Nothing, the screams increased but Gai Scirea carried on and skied a shot. Bonimba chased him all the way back to the Juve box, grabbed a stunned Scirea’s shirt and pulled it next to his: “See? They are the same! Can you see that? I have the same colours, so give it to me”.

Roberto Boninsegna was like this, always, anytime, anywhere, anyway: fierce and genuine, devoid of pretence or playacting. His contests with Rosato or Benetti in the Milan derby, Juve’s Morini before he moved there, or his squaring up to a twenty centimeters taller Joe Corrigan, they were all part of the same flat-nosed bad boy boxing package. It’s no wonder that his goals at the 1970 World Cup came when Italy most needed them: the semi and the final, against Germany and Brazil.

​

José João ALTAFINI​

Also known as Mazzola due to his uncanny resemblance of Valentino Mazzola, one of the tragic Superga victims. Altafini spent twenty years playing at the highest level, notably at Milan (where he averaged a 2 in 3 ratio, 1gpg in his better seasons) and Juventus. Remarkably, he held the record for most goals in a single European Cup -14- until it was smashed by Cristiano -17- a couple of seasons ago, on a per game basis he is still ahead though. He won everything there is for a player to win: 4 Serie A titles, 1 European Cup and 1 World Cup.

Playing style: a stocky Brazilian, no pushover, deadly finisher, with great silks in tight spaces and a great burst of pace. No, I’m not going to say he belongs in the same bracket as Romario, but the similarities are uncanny. I would rather say he was an Inzaghi on steroids, particularly because his pace meant he didn’t need to be offside

#9, #7, #6 and #1 are good examples to illustrate the points above.

​

 

[Joga Bonito]

I knew where this was heading once Enzo went

Don't think he would have gone for Enzo anyway, he already has Law, Charlton, Haller and Simonsen (Schuster would play as CM I guess).

 

[Moby]

Totti behind front 2 for a diamond of sorts

Yep.

Btw this posting line ups formations etc before the games asking for feedback was something that talked about being stopped afair. Agree with it really. Ruins the surprise as well as potential wrong use of players like Totti out wide would have been for example.

 

[antohan]

Don't think he would have gone for Enzo anyway, he already has Law, Charlton, Haller and Simonsen (Schuster would play as CM I guess).

Dunno, GS has two wingers as well and that didn't stop him getting both Rivera and Schiaffino.

 

[green_smiley]

@Edgar Allan Pillow will send you my pick in advance

Spoiler: Ruud Krol

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I knew where this was heading once Enzo went

Don't think he would have gone for Enzo anyway, he already has Law, Charlton, Haller and Simonsen (Schuster would play as CM I guess).

Joga's right. Once the Haller>Vogts>Simonsen>Schuster chain came to fruition I was solely looking for the best CB and DM combination I could find to balance the team out, although this has opened up a gorgeous attacking wild card if Kazi and Tuppet keep their mitts off him.

Skizzo and I were casting many horny nerd gazes in Enzo's direction earlier though to replicate the Boniperti goalscoring playmaker role behind Sivori and Charles .

 

[Pat_Mustard]

I just really want to post @Pat_Mustard 's final two picks! I've been sitting on them for hours and they're outrageously good.

Thanks mate. I was unsure what sort of reception Gallego would get (still am really), but he's got a great CV and seems an ideal role-player to balance out the midfield. I watched the 1978 WC final and some other bits and pieces from that WC and he looked an excellent player. Always seemed to be in the right position, hard as nails and rarely gave the ball away.

 

[diarm]

Thanks mate. I was unsure what sort of reception Gallego would get (still am really), but he's got a great CV and seems an ideal role-player to balance out the midfield. I watched the 1978 WC final and some other bits and pieces from that WC and he looked an excellent player. Always seemed to be in the right position, hard as nails and rarely gave the ball away.

Obviously I've only seen bits and pieces but he looks well at home in this company for me. He won pretty much everything he could win and would be in everyones all time River Plate 11.

As for your next pick, I know I'm new to this but I'd be surprised if it isn't up there with the best 12th round picks there have been in drafts!

 

[Tuppet]

 

[Tuppet]

mazhar13: 1. P. Falcao 2. di Bartolomei (Roma) 3. Tassotti (Milan) 4. Savicevic (Milan) 5. Jugovic (Red Star) 6. J. Zanetti (Inter) 7. R. Carlos (Inter) 8. Rivaldo (Palmeiras) 9. Couto (Barcelona) 10. Popescu (Barcelona) 11. van Breukelen (PSV)
antohan: 1. Facchetti 2. Boninsegna (Inter) 3. Scirea (Juve) 4. Altafini (Juve) 5. L. Buffon (Milan) 6. Julio César Abbadie (Genoa) 7. O. Varela (Peñarol) 8. V. R. Andrade (NT) 9. Juan Eduardo Hohberg (Peñarol) 10. Néstor Gonçalves (Peñarol) 11. Elías Ricardo Figueroa (Peñarol)
MJJ (crappy): 1. Romario 2. Guardiola (Barca) 3. Figo (Barca) 4. Vieira (Inter) 5. Henry (Arsenal) 6. Deschamps (Juve) 7. Kohler (Juve) 8. Sammer (Dortmund) 9. Kahn (NT) 10. Kroos (Bayern) 11. Marcelo (Real)
Joga (Annah): 1. Didi 2. N. Santos (Botafogo) 3. J. Bauer (Botafogo) 4. M. Ramos (Sao Paulo) 5. Zito (Santos) 6. C. Alberto (Santos) 7. Rivelino (Fluminense) 8. Jairzinho (NT) 9. M.Tresor (Marseille) 10. J. Tigana (Bordeaux) 11. E.Francescoli (Marseille)
Cal?: 1. Ribery 2. Robben (Bayern) 3. Cannavaro (Real) 4. Zambrotta (Juve) 5. van der Sar (Juve) 6. Evra (United) 7. Pirlo (Juve) 8. Djorkaeff (Inter) 9. Weah (Monaco) 10. Leonardo (Milan) 11. Aldair (Flamengo)
diarm: 1. R. Baggio 2. Tacconi (Juve) 3. Tardelli (Juve) 4. G. Baresi (Inter) 5. Klinsmann (Inter) 6. Campbell (Spurs) 7. Scholes (NT) 8. Cantona (United) 9. Amoros (Marseille) 10. Bokšić (Marseille) 11. Veron (Lazio)
green_smiley: 1. Nordahl 2. Schiaffino (Milan) 3. Ghezzi (Milan) 4. Rivera (Milan) 5. Collovati (Milan) 6. Causio (Inter) 7. Cabrini (Juve) 8. Marocchi (Juve) 9. Häßler (Juve) 10. Olsen (Koln) 11. Lerby (NT)
Cutch: 1. Passarella 2. Bergomi (Inter) 3. Bergkamp (Inter) 4. Davids (Ajax) 5. Vierchowod (Juve) 6. Conti (Roma) 7. P. Rossi (NT) 8. Evani (Milan) 9. Donadoni (Milan) 10. Panucci (Milan) 11. De Rossi (Roma)
bleezy: 1. M. Laudrup 2. Stoichkov (Barca) 3. Benarrivo (Parma) 4. Albertini (Padova) 5. Cafu (Milan) 6. Batistuta (Roma) 7. Ayala (NT) 8. Mendieta (Valencia) 9. Zubizarreta (Valencia) 10. Alexanko (Barcelona) 11. Iribar (Bilbao)
Sjor Bepo: 1. Gento 2. Amancio Amaro (Real) 3. Netzer (Real) 4. Bonhof (Gladbach) 5. Schumacher (Koln) 6. Forster (NT) 7. Papin (Marseille) 8. Babbel (Bayern) 9. Lahm (Stuttgart) 10. Schweinsteiger (Bayern) 11. Frings (Bayern)
EAP: 1. Breitner 2. K. H. Rummenigge (Bayern) 3. Zenga (Inter) 4. Brehme (Inter) 5. Augenthaler (Bayern) 6. Effenberg (Bayern) 7. W Sagnol (Bayern) 8. Ballack (Bayern) 9. Shevchenko (Chelsea) 10. Emerson (Milan) 11. Totti (Roma)
Skizzo: 1. J. Charles 2. O. Sivori (Juve) 3. Del Sol (Juve) 4. Santamaria (Real) 5. Pirri (Real) 6. Camacho (Real) 7. Chendo (Real) 8. Hierro (Real) 9. L. Enrique (NT) 10. Riquelme (Barcelona) 11. Tevez
The Stain: 1. Robson 2. Giggs (United) 3. Stam (United) 4. Kaka (Milan) 5. Essien (Real) 6. A. Cole (Chelsea) 7. Beckham (NT) 8. Van Nistelrooy (United) 9. Iwan (PSV) 10. Koeman (Feyenoord) 11. Gerets
Pat_Mustard: 1. Sir B. Charlton 2. Law (United) 3. Rosato (Torino) 4. Schnellinger (Milan) 5. Zoff(Mantova) 6. Haller (Juventus) 7. Vogts (NT) 8. Simonsen (Gladbach) 9. Schuster (Barcelona) 10. Ruggeri (Real) 11. Gallego (River Plate)
Kazi: 1. S. Mazzola 2. Luisito Suarez (Inter) 3. Kocsis (Barcelona) 4. Bozsik (Honved) 5. Kincses (Kispest) 6. Boniperti (Juve) 7. Hamrin (Juve) 8. Lodetti (Milan) 9. Picchi (NT) 10. Burgnich (Inter) 11. Bordon(Inter)
Tuppet (VivaJ): 1. Van Hanegem 2. Gullit (Feyenoord) 3. Costacurta (Milan) 4. Nesta (Milan) 5. Nedved (Lazio) 6. Del Piero (Juve) 7. Peruzzi (Juve) 8. Reuter (Juve) 9. Kopke (Nurnberg) 10. Makelele (Marseille) 11. Benzema (France) 12. Arbeloa (Real Madrid)

@Kazi

 

[Kazi]

Riccardo Ferri (Inter)

@Pat_Mustard @Edgar Allan Pillow

 

[Kazi]

mazhar13: 1. P. Falcao 2. di Bartolomei (Roma) 3. Tassotti (Milan) 4. Savicevic (Milan) 5. Jugovic (Red Star) 6. J. Zanetti (Inter) 7. R. Carlos (Inter) 8. Rivaldo (Palmeiras) 9. Couto (Barcelona) 10. Popescu (Barcelona) 11. van Breukelen (PSV)
antohan: 1. Facchetti 2. Boninsegna (Inter) 3. Scirea (Juve) 4. Altafini (Juve) 5. L. Buffon (Milan) 6. Julio César Abbadie (Genoa) 7. O. Varela (Peñarol) 8. V. R. Andrade (NT) 9. Juan Eduardo Hohberg (Peñarol) 10. Néstor Gonçalves (Peñarol) 11. Elías Ricardo Figueroa (Peñarol)
MJJ (crappy): 1. Romario 2. Guardiola (Barca) 3. Figo (Barca) 4. Vieira (Inter) 5. Henry (Arsenal) 6. Deschamps (Juve) 7. Kohler (Juve) 8. Sammer (Dortmund) 9. Kahn (NT) 10. Kroos (Bayern) 11. Marcelo (Real)
Joga (Annah): 1. Didi 2. N. Santos (Botafogo) 3. J. Bauer (Botafogo) 4. M. Ramos (Sao Paulo) 5. Zito (Santos) 6. C. Alberto (Santos) 7. Rivelino (Fluminense) 8. Jairzinho (NT) 9. M.Tresor (Marseille) 10. J. Tigana (Bordeaux) 11. E.Francescoli (Marseille)
Cal?: 1. Ribery 2. Robben (Bayern) 3. Cannavaro (Real) 4. Zambrotta (Juve) 5. van der Sar (Juve) 6. Evra (United) 7. Pirlo (Juve) 8. Djorkaeff (Inter) 9. Weah (Monaco) 10. Leonardo (Milan) 11. Aldair (Flamengo)
diarm: 1. R. Baggio 2. Tacconi (Juve) 3. Tardelli (Juve) 4. G. Baresi (Inter) 5. Klinsmann (Inter) 6. Campbell (Spurs) 7. Scholes (NT) 8. Cantona (United) 9. Amoros (Marseille) 10. Bokšić (Marseille) 11. Veron (Lazio)
green_smiley: 1. Nordahl 2. Schiaffino (Milan) 3. Ghezzi (Milan) 4. Rivera (Milan) 5. Collovati (Milan) 6. Causio (Inter) 7. Cabrini (Juve) 8. Marocchi (Juve) 9. Häßler (Juve) 10. Olsen (Koln) 11. Lerby (NT)
Cutch: 1. Passarella 2. Bergomi (Inter) 3. Bergkamp (Inter) 4. Davids (Ajax) 5. Vierchowod (Juve) 6. Conti (Roma) 7. P. Rossi (NT) 8. Evani (Milan) 9. Donadoni (Milan) 10. Panucci (Milan) 11. De Rossi (Roma)
bleezy: 1. M. Laudrup 2. Stoichkov (Barca) 3. Benarrivo (Parma) 4. Albertini (Padova) 5. Cafu (Milan) 6. Batistuta (Roma) 7. Ayala (NT) 8. Mendieta (Valencia) 9. Zubizarreta (Valencia) 10. Alexanko (Barcelona) 11. Iribar (Bilbao)
Sjor Bepo: 1. Gento 2. Amancio Amaro (Real) 3. Netzer (Real) 4. Bonhof (Gladbach) 5. Schumacher (Koln) 6. Forster (NT) 7. Papin (Marseille) 8. Babbel (Bayern) 9. Lahm (Stuttgart) 10. Schweinsteiger (Bayern) 11. Frings (Bayern)
EAP: 1. Breitner 2. K. H. Rummenigge (Bayern) 3. Zenga (Inter) 4. Brehme (Inter) 5. Augenthaler (Bayern) 6. Effenberg (Bayern) 7. W Sagnol (Bayern) 8. Ballack (Bayern) 9. Shevchenko (Chelsea) 10. Emerson (Milan) 11. Totti (Roma)
Skizzo: 1. J. Charles 2. O. Sivori (Juve) 3. Del Sol (Juve) 4. Santamaria (Real) 5. Pirri (Real) 6. Camacho (Real) 7. Chendo (Real) 8. Hierro (Real) 9. L. Enrique (NT) 10. Riquelme (Barcelona) 11. Tevez
The Stain: 1. Robson 2. Giggs (United) 3. Stam (United) 4. Kaka (Milan) 5. Essien (Real) 6. A. Cole (Chelsea) 7. Beckham (NT) 8. Van Nistelrooy (United) 9. Iwan (PSV) 10. Koeman (Feyenoord) 11. Gerets
Pat_Mustard: 1. Sir B. Charlton 2. Law (United) 3. Rosato (Torino) 4. Schnellinger (Milan) 5. Zoff(Mantova) 6. Haller (Juventus) 7. Vogts (NT) 8. Simonsen (Gladbach) 9. Schuster (Barcelona) 10. Ruggeri (Real) 11. Gallego (River Plate)
Kazi: 1. S. Mazzola 2. Luisito Suarez (Inter) 3. Kocsis (Barcelona) 4. Bozsik (Honved) 5. Kincses (Kispest) 6. Boniperti (Juve) 7. Hamrin (Juve) 8. Lodetti (Milan) 9. Picchi (NT) 10. Burgnich (Inter) 11. Bordon (Inter) 12. Ferri (Inter)
Tuppet (VivaJ): 1. Van Hanegem 2. Gullit (Feyenoord) 3. Costacurta (Milan) 4. Nesta (Milan) 5. Nedved (Lazio) 6. Del Piero (Juve) 7. Peruzzi (Juve) 8. Reuter (Juve) 9. Kopke (Nurnberg) 10. Makelele (Marseille) 11. Benzema (France) 12. Arbeloa (Real Madrid)

 

[Gio]

Riccardo Ferri (Inter)

@Pat_Mustard @Edgar Allan Pillow

Under-rated.