The Cage 2.0 2020 Version

[SirAnderson]

Nike's iconic 2002 World Cup spot featuring the underbelly of a rickety cargo ship, an enclosed miniature pitch, an Elvis Presley remix, and 24 stars competing in a covert three-on-three event. The Secret Tournament - or, simply, The Cage.
So, got this idea from another place but thought it be fun to see a recast of Nike's 2002 World Cup Commercial, The Cage 2.0.

At the time the players chosen were Nike sponsored players. For your picks today, that is not required. Only rule is to try and find players with similar positions/traits/skills to the original teams listed below. Choose from currently active players (pre-coronavirus). Try to make it as close as possible. Then give your predicted winner, and if possible, a reason why. Or if you a lazy bugger like me just post who you think wins!
Also, take note of who played whom in each match as well. I've listed the match ups and eventual winners from each game. Some surprising/interesting results in there.


Original teams:

1. Tutto Bene
Original team: Fabio Cannavaro, Rio Ferdinand, Tomas Rosicky

2. Equipo del Fuego
Original team: Hernan Crespo, Claudio Lopez, Gaizka Mendieta

3. Toros Locos
Original team: Javier Saviola, Luis Enrique, Freddie Ljungberg

4. Funk Seoul Brothers
Original team: Denilson, Ronaldinho, Ki-hyeon Seol

5. Cerberus
Original team: Sylvain Wiltord, Edgar Davids, Lilian Thuram

6. Triple Espresso
Original team: Francesco Totti, Hidetoshi Nakata, Thierry Henry

7. The Onetouchables
Original team: Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy

8. Os Tornados
Original team: Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos


Match Ups:

Quarter Final 1: Equipo del Fuego Vs Tutto Bene -- Winner = Equipo del Fuego
Quarter Final 2: Funk Seoul Brothers Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Os Tornados
Quarter Final 3: Toros Locos Vs Cerberus -- Winner = Cerberus
Quarter Final 4: Triple Espresso Vs The Onetouchables -- Winner = Triple Espresso

Semi Final 1: Equipo del Fuego Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Os Tornados
Semi Final 2: Triple Espresso Vs Cerberus -- Winner = Triple Espresso

Final: Triple Espresso Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Triple Espresso


Let the (imagination)games BEGIN!

 

[horsechoker]

No paedophile or rape jokes, should go without saying but I know what some of you are like.

 

[SilentWitness]

Os Tornados would have dicked on everyone. Carlos would be pinging it from his own goal and Ronaldo feeding off the scraps with Figo doing whatever he wants.

 

[horsechoker]

The punchables:

Lingard, Dele-Ali, Noble

 

[Paxi]

RvP would be in my team. I know it's against kids but in street football I find it harder against them as they've got frames and you have to be extra careful not to knock them over and its also harder to meg them.

 

[SirAF]

Pique, Pogba and Ronaldo

 

[SirAnderson]

Pique, Pogba and Ronaldo

There will never be a team you choose without him right

 

[SirAF]

There will never be a team you choose without him right

You’re Goddamned right

 

[Paxi]

I'd pick Varane, Thiago, RvP.

 

[17Larsson]

Who is the grand master or whatever he is called?

Probably should be Cantona again, nobody with his level of personality has come through football since

 

[matherto]

Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo - just go all out

Who is the grand master or whatever he is called?

Probably should be Cantona again, nobody with his level of personality has come through football since

Zlatan?

 

[Eggric]

Salah, Pogba, Sterling. Lacking a decent tackler, but to be fair, so are most of the original 3 man teams from 2002. This 3 man team would just try and out score their opponents.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Skillzone Mayhem
+ Di Maria, Pogba, Viera

 

[Baneofthegame]

Great thread, but surely we have to pick from available players who are signed by Nike?

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Energy Bunnies
+ Park, Kante, Firmino

 

[Baneofthegame]

Forgot to add my team:

Neymar/Hazard/Ronaldo

 

[90 + 5min]

Always some fine players and no problem with that. There are some great players. Any winning team should and would have Ronaldinho.

I wonder how a team having (Vinny Jones, Dennis Wise and Stuart Pierce) or (Duncan Ferguson, Lee Bowyer and David Batty) would do.

 

[Feed Me]

Nike's iconic 2002 World Cup spot featuring the underbelly of a rickety cargo ship, an enclosed miniature pitch, an Elvis Presley remix, and 24 stars competing in a covert three-on-three event. The Secret Tournament - or, simply, The Cage.
So, got this idea from another place but thought it be fun to see a recast of Nike's 2002 World Cup Commercial, The Cage 2.0.

At the time the players chosen were Nike sponsored players. For your picks today, that is not required. Only rule is to try and find players with similar positions/traits/skills to the original teams listed below. Choose from currently active players (pre-coronavirus). Try to make it as close as possible. Then give your predicted winner, and if possible, a reason why. Or if you a lazy bugger like me just post who you think wins!
Also, take note of who played whom in each match as well. I've listed the match ups and eventual winners from each game. Some surprising/interesting results in there.


Original teams:

1. Tutto Bene
Original team: Fabio Cannavaro, Rio Ferdinand, Tomas Rosicky

2. Equipo del Fuego
Original team: Hernan Crespo, Claudio Lopez, Gaizka Mendieta

3. Toros Locos
Original team: Javier Saviola, Luis Enrique, Freddie Ljungberg

4. Funk Seoul Brothers
Original team: Denilson, Ronaldinho, Ki-hyeon Seol

5. Cerberus
Original team: Sylvain Wiltord, Edgar Davids, Lilian Thuram

6. Triple Espresso
Original team: Francesco Totti, Hidetoshi Nakata, Thierry Henry

7. The Onetouchables
Original team: Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy

8. Os Tornados
Original team: Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos


Match Ups:

Quarter Final 1: Equipo del Fuego Vs Tutto Bene -- Winner = Equipo del Fuego
Quarter Final 2: Funk Seoul Brothers Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Os Tornados
Quarter Final 3: Toros Locos Vs Cerberus -- Winner = Cerberus
Quarter Final 4: Triple Espresso Vs The Onetouchables -- Winner = Triple Espresso

Semi Final 1: Equipo del Fuego Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Os Tornados
Semi Final 2: Triple Espresso Vs Cerberus -- Winner = Triple Espresso

Final: Triple Espresso Vs Os Tornados -- Winner = Triple Espresso


Let the (imagination)games BEGIN!

Do our picks have to be Nike athletes?

 

[SirAnderson]

Do our picks have to be Nike athletes?

No they don't. Only try to match them as close as possible to currently active players. Traits/characteristics/skills etc.

 

[SirAnderson]

Who is the grand master or whatever he is called?

Probably should be Cantona again, nobody with his level of personality has come through football since

Yeah he is still an apt selection for this. Maybe Zlatan but I'd still go with Cantona.

 

[SirAnderson]

Energy Bunnies
+ Park, Kante, Firmino

Forgot to add my team:

Neymar/Hazard/Ronaldo

Skillzone Mayhem
+ Di Maria, Pogba, Viera

I'd pick Varane, Thiago, RvP.

Good picks, can you say which team of the original your team resembles? Or that just the team you like regardless

 

[Feed Me]

No they don't. Only try to match them as close as possible to currently active players. Traits/characteristics/skills etc.

Nice.
Great thread premise, gonna have a think about this and post reply later!

 

[SirAnderson]

Great thread, but surely we have to pick from available players who are signed by Nike?

Yeah the original was based on that, but thought it best to just pick without that limitation. The idea is to choose teams similar to the original ones.

So for example:

Os Tornados
Original team: Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos
New team: CR7, Coutinho, Marcelo.

or

The Onetouchables
Original team: Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy
New team: Paul Pogba, Dele Alli, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

 

[SirAnderson]

Nice.
Great thread premise, gonna have a think about this and post reply later!

Thanks! Looking forward to seeing your selections

 

[Web of Bissaka]

Good picks, can you say which team of the original your team resembles? Or that just the team you like regardless

Likes. Assembly of players in two three-sides team with good balance and characterized themes that can dominate the Cage.

 

[SirAnderson]

Salah, Pogba, Sterling. Lacking a decent tackler, but to be fair, so are most of the original 3 man teams from 2002. This 3 man team would just try and out score their opponents.

It's a first goal wins game. Lots of attack yeah. Could get the goal first then maybe.

 

[Web of Bissaka]

The idea is to choose teams similar to the original ones.

So for example:

Os Tornados
Original team: Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Roberto Carlos
New team: CR7, Coutinho, Marcelo.

or

The Onetouchables
Original team: Patrick Vieira, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy
New team: Paul Pogba, Dele Alli, Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Ah I see. Here's mine.

1. Tutto Bene
Original team: Fabio Cannavaro, Rio Ferdinand, Tomas Rosicky
New: Vidic, Maldini, Coutinho

5. Cerberus
Original team: Sylvain Wiltord, Edgar Davids, Lilian Thuram
New: Vardy, Makelele, AWB

 

[Adam-Utd]

Le Parisians

Verratti, Neymar, Mbappe

 

[Paxi]

Good picks, can you say which team of the original your team resembles? Or that just the team you like regardless

I like my team to be good all around players. All could defend if they want to and all could attack if they want to. Total football.

 

[Feed Me]

Thanks! Looking forward to seeing your selections

I must admit, I’ve sent a link to this thread to a number of friends on WhatsApp, so will be sharing a full list later on. They all know their football, so hoping our amalgamated list will contain some good suggestions