Yeah, it's no contest - Juve deserve their place. Liverpool have only been in the Champions League three times during the entire decade, while Juventus have got to the CL quarters or deeper five times alone.
What is the greatest ever decade for players and teams?
- Thread starter Fortitude
- Start date
Yeah, all good shouts. Baresi is in my AT XI.
The XI was copied from the Op (not mine) and I was really commenting on the front six being as it contained six great players and five of my favourites.
Can't argue with these teams, since the focus is on a functional formation instead of cramming players in - but Platini missing out is crazy. Probably still the best compromise this way, too many all time great #10s in the 80s.Excellent thread — no idea why I hadn't stumbled across it previously!
Um, can't decide between the '80s and '90s, really — these are the only decades where the attack, midfield and defense are all of a genuinely incredible standard at every single position and you can construct a uniformly robust team, IMO (at least from an All-Time standpoint). The former probably wins it when push comes to shove, but this is like splitting hairs because the margins are extremely fine and a lot of the most illustrious players from that era can't play together, so there's a handicap. Tempted to go with a 3-4-3 for the '80s and 4-4-2 for the '90s, since those base setups were kind of synonymous with the respective decades — though in a head-to-head, it might make more sense to go with a more measured 3-4-1-2 for the latter as well, with Cafú/Carlos out wide (Figo drops out) and a better security blanket through the middle — mostly to repel Maradona and match up man for man.
P.S. The decades don't quite lineup for a couple players in there when you consider peak performance...oh well! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Whats the average of this forum? Surely we must have a significant number of users who don't remember anything before the 00s?
To have properly witnessed football in the 90s for example you would need to be at least 27/28 at the bare minimum.
To have properly witnessed football in the 90s for example you would need to be at least 27/28 at the bare minimum.
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There's been quite an influx of new posters since this was last bumped, besides, it's the end of November and we're soon into 2020, so what better time to bump?
Any usurpers for the 2010-2019 team?
Has anything at all changed?
Any usurpers for the 2010-2019 team?
Has anything at all changed?
I'd say most are older than that. I'm 27 and most poster seem to remember football from further back than I do.
Just looking at the 11 posted in the OP, I'd have Marcel over Alves and Lahm moving to the right. Along with probably Lewandowski over Suarez. Crazy to think that the 2 top strikers over the last 10 years have won the CL once combined.
Maybe Van Dijk over Ramos, Lewa over Suarez, and put Marcelo on the left and Lahm over Alves on the right.
With these polls as always there is going to be a age bias though, a significant number of users are of an age where they can't obviously recall watching football in the 20th century and are obviously going to be picking either the 00s or the 10s as that's all they've seen (which is entirely understandable).
Mind you I'm still surprised how poorly the 10s are doing given the prevalance of Messi and Ronaldo fanboys across the net.
So I'm thinking of editing this and making it more comprehensive. An idea I wanted to float is whether it's worth doing something like this:
Gyula Grosics
If you click on the first link, it's the Wiki, and the second, a Youtube compilation.
It's a fair amount of work, so if there's no appetite for it, I'll leave this to sink into the abyss.
Gyula Grosics
If you click on the first link, it's the Wiki, and the second, a Youtube compilation.
It's a fair amount of work, so if there's no appetite for it, I'll leave this to sink into the abyss.
What is it exactly you want to do?
Edit: I think I get it - adding profiles for all players in the OP. Do it I say, would be great.
Edit: I think I get it - adding profiles for all players in the OP. Do it I say, would be great.
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And tidy it up a bit. A profile as well as footage would be educational or a good resource for those who want it.
Been watching a lot of videos from the 90s and 00s when i was growing up with football and I don't recall sides now having the same types of rivalries that there were then. There were teams that were rivals during that period but during the game there were player rivalries too that were just as explosive and important and dominated the game just as much i.e Keane vs Vieira. I don't remember the same type of thing happening at all during the 10s. There isn't bitter rivalries between players like there was then and I miss that a little bit.
Players used to be matched up one on one a lot more.
Now it’s system vs system with success being found in finding the pockets of space to exploit, rather than winning individual duals.
I used to always be a big fan of the 70's with the great Dutch, Brazillian and German teams of that time.
Era had many great players, and all-time greats like Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Muller leading the pack. Also many new systems were developed.
But I guess nowadays I rate the 80's and 90's highest.
Era had many great players, and all-time greats like Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Muller leading the pack. Also many new systems were developed.
But I guess nowadays I rate the 80's and 90's highest.
Yeah, which makes it less about the club rivalry too. Football is becoming a lot more robotic in terms of tactics vs passion. Of course passion still exists but I wouldn't say it is to the same extent.
Thank god for the bump! Terrific reading and just what the doctor ordered with all thats going on. Definatley motivated me to check up some of the 60's and 70's teams out. My knowledge of football only really begins mid 90s. Everything before that is kinda stories told.
Thank you Fortitude.
Thank you Fortitude.
That's nice to hear, @TrustInOle - this thread was made with the intention of giving some shine to decades gone by and the evolution of the game, in all forms, to what it is now. The hope was to fill in blanks or expand upon key turning points and highlight legendary players of the past.
There's a lot more that could be written, but this is a least a decent entree that might encourage others to delve deeper if they find it a particularly interesting topic.
Cheers.
There's a lot more that could be written, but this is a least a decent entree that might encourage others to delve deeper if they find it a particularly interesting topic.
Cheers.
Regarding this, If anyone wants to know more, BT Sport have made a documentary about the Bosman Ruling, which is airing now (I think). Hopefully, some snippets can be catalogued in here, eventually.
90’s was the top of the bell curve, though it bled into early 2000’s.
Pitches got far better.
Tactical methods spread globally.
Media coverage hit its sweet spot.
Referees were accessories, not a feature.
Players gave a shit.
Early 90’s to Early 00’s was as good as it got.
Pitches got far better.
Tactical methods spread globally.
Media coverage hit its sweet spot.
Referees were accessories, not a feature.
Players gave a shit.
Early 90’s to Early 00’s was as good as it got.
Totally agreed. So many great players peaked in that decade, playing in some of the best club sides of all-time under a number of top managers. It was a genuine golden age.
Great effort @Fortitude
Can't vote on something like this though. I don't like being drawn into these debates demeaning one generation or another because the game changes so much from each, people like to demean defenders today but then don't look at how much more difficult defending has become with rule changes favouring the attackers. You can't imagine some defenders/defensive midfielders being successful in today's game with the amount of rash tackles they were known for, they would be conceding penalties or getting sent off every game.
One thing I would comment on though is your exclusion of Boateng from the best CB's of the 10's
Every generation has it's great players and teams.
Can't vote on something like this though. I don't like being drawn into these debates demeaning one generation or another because the game changes so much from each, people like to demean defenders today but then don't look at how much more difficult defending has become with rule changes favouring the attackers. You can't imagine some defenders/defensive midfielders being successful in today's game with the amount of rash tackles they were known for, they would be conceding penalties or getting sent off every game.
One thing I would comment on though is your exclusion of Boateng from the best CB's of the 10's
Every generation has it's great players and teams.
This poll is inevitably skewed by the age of those voting and the lack of football on TV before or even into the 90s. For example, Capello’s Milan vs Cruyff’s Barcelona was probably the classic final of that decade (even as a United fan) but I can’t recall watching either side other than a handful of times. So, I’d go for the 00s, a decade when I felt I genuinely knew the contenders.
You’ve nailed it. Truly a sensational era.
Finding it very hard to argue against this. A large part of me is wondering if it was as magical and mystical as I remember, or if growing up with the game around that time has only allowed me to see this nostalgically.
Really was such a great era, though.
Don't agree with your choice of players, how can you have Drogba and not Rooney.
Serie A was filled with superstars - Battle of the sugar daddies - The 7 sisters
EPL clubs trying a similar approach - Blackburn, Newcastle, Chelsea building some of the most exciting teams - Fergie vs prime Wenger battles - Le Tissier's Wonder goals
Bundesliga - 5 Different champions - Kaiserlautern coming from the 2nd division and winning the championship
Spain - Cruyff's Barcelona - Prime Ronaldo - The great Valencia and Deportivo sides
That’s all fair enough but how many saw 4-5 leagues in the 90s? For me, it’s very fragmented memories (unlike the next two decades).
Im not one to dive into player comparisons.Finding it very hard to argue against this. A large part of me is wondering if it was as magical and mystical as I remember, or if growing up with the game around that time has only allowed me to see this nostalgically.
Really was such a great era, though.
Modern tactics restrict too many games to possession or counter attack. The better team will have way more of the ball. The weaker team will generally seek to defend and exploit opportunity. There’s merit in that. It’s hard to do either well.
But the period I loved most was a smidge of game management through tactics. But games were won and lost through the success or failure of direct match ups.
Wingers vs Full Backs
Centre halfs vs Strikers
Direct CM battles
Truly special number 10’s being a wonderful luxury.
Modern systems take a lot out of the game. It’s really boring.
In every way that the 80’s had far too little tactical input, the 2010’s onwards has far too much for Football to be the exciting spectacle that it was in the decade or two in between.
I’m not militant about it on a player level. There are so many top players that would walk into the best teams of my favourite era, and thrived. They just happen to play in a less exciting time.
@Gio @harms @Invictus
Can you think of a single year more tumultuous than 2021? I suppose Bosman still trumps it?
Empty stadiums
Breakaway superleague attempt
Oil/state run clubs running rampant
Wherever you rank them all-time, two of the greatest moving clubs, and further to the above, both to state ran clubs
Smaller things like Mbappé and Kane, although just footnotes in history, added to the above, just makes the year that bit more bonkers.
I'm thinking this year needs a write up of it's own, nevermind waiting 9yrs or even half a decade!
Can you think of a single year more tumultuous than 2021? I suppose Bosman still trumps it?
Empty stadiums
Breakaway superleague attempt
Oil/state run clubs running rampant
Wherever you rank them all-time, two of the greatest moving clubs, and further to the above, both to state ran clubs
Smaller things like Mbappé and Kane, although just footnotes in history, added to the above, just makes the year that bit more bonkers.
I'm thinking this year needs a write up of it's own, nevermind waiting 9yrs or even half a decade!
It's going to be a mad decade. I think the 20's will be completely different. The rise of streaming, the consolidation of the oil wealth club and don't the new focus in athletes mental health and safety might end up giving us a completely different club game by 2030.
This poll is probably heavily biased as I'd guess that the majority of users were teenagers in the 90s. But France 98 was the last great World Cup. Look at the teams and stars. I miss the pre-internet days.
Yeah, totally agree. It's like watching a really weird movie that's being made up as it goes along, although, ultimately, we can see where things are heading.
There'll be another super league attempt before long, which obviously changes the club game as we've ever known it.
Late 90's to the Calciopoli scandal. That scandal hurt Italian football and football as a whole moving forward. One can argue that it was responsible for Real and Barca stacking their teams the way they did a from 2009 to 2017. The English clubs have never really been about signing massive stars. Ironically, it can be argued that the sugar daddy clubs emerging in the 2010's brought more balance.
80s goalkeeper must have Harald Schumacher,one of the best gk ever.
He played in consecutive WC Finals and got the Euro 80,he was one of the most important players in his team(especially86).
@Fortitude
He played in consecutive WC Finals and got the Euro 80,he was one of the most important players in his team(especially86).
@Fortitude
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Reading through the OPs, it really is laughable, he’s missed out 95% of Scotland……( I know Celtic and Jimmy Johnstone 60s and Danny 70s but other than that nothing? Complete disregard other than what I’ve stated.
50s -
Jim Baxter - seemingly one of the best
60s -
Bobby Murdoch - lot of people say that Bobby was the best player in that great Celtic side.
Willie Henderson - another marvellous wee player very similar to Jimmy Johnstone.
70s -
Danny McGrain - I know got a mention but how you can leave Danny out of the all star team is beyond me, might aswell leave Pele,Maradonna, Messi and Ronaldo out of their decade all star team aswell then?,
Kenny Dalglish - did you forget about him?
Sandy Jardine - Not as good as Danny but deserves a mention at least
80s
Danny McGrain - where is he?
Aberdeen - won cup winners cup, super cup, 3 league titles, 4 Scottish cups and 2 league cups.
Dundee Utd - fantastic side under Jim McLean, winning the league, league cup, uefa cup finalists and European cup semi finalists.
90s
Rangers - won 9iar, beat the English champions home and away, got to the semifinals of champions league deserve a mention
Andy Goram - don’t understand why no even a mention, I would put him in all star team 100% the best goalie ever in my honest opinion unfortunately, horrible horrible man but what a superb keeper
Paulo Di Canio - what a player deserves a mention just for his goal at Pittodrie alone.
Ally McCoist - out and out goalscorer, 2 golden boots
Jorge Cadete - similar to McCoist, last minute of a cup final, keeper punts it out 0-0 ball bounces….any player in world to choose to run on I would pick him, what a finisher, 100% deserves a mention.
Paul Lambert - won champions league with Dortmund marking Zidane out the game enough said.
2000s
Celtic - Treble winners, got to uefa cup final, beating Liverpool away and Blackburn home and away, knocked out Barcelona next season uefa cup, beat likes of juventus, Ajax, Lyon and Man Utd in Champions league.
Henrik Larsson - laughable no mention, do I really need to explain myself? didn’t think so.
Lubomir Moravcik - like Di Canio a entertainer, score goals could use both feet equally as good, just a genius footballer, so good that Zidane said he was his hero.
Gio Van Bronkhost - Played at highest lever Rangers Arsenal Barcelona, Holland.
2010s
Celtic - 9iar, a unbeaten treble, a quadruple treble ( no other club side in world football had done)
Virgil Van Dijk - what a defender but didn’t get the recognition until he went to Liverpool, same comparison with Henrik and Henry and Van Nistlerooy, they 2 got more praise because they played for Arsenal and Man Utd, which was/is wrong.
50s -
Jim Baxter - seemingly one of the best
60s -
Bobby Murdoch - lot of people say that Bobby was the best player in that great Celtic side.
Willie Henderson - another marvellous wee player very similar to Jimmy Johnstone.
70s -
Danny McGrain - I know got a mention but how you can leave Danny out of the all star team is beyond me, might aswell leave Pele,Maradonna, Messi and Ronaldo out of their decade all star team aswell then?,
Kenny Dalglish - did you forget about him?
Sandy Jardine - Not as good as Danny but deserves a mention at least
80s
Danny McGrain - where is he?
Aberdeen - won cup winners cup, super cup, 3 league titles, 4 Scottish cups and 2 league cups.
Dundee Utd - fantastic side under Jim McLean, winning the league, league cup, uefa cup finalists and European cup semi finalists.
90s
Rangers - won 9iar, beat the English champions home and away, got to the semifinals of champions league deserve a mention
Andy Goram - don’t understand why no even a mention, I would put him in all star team 100% the best goalie ever in my honest opinion unfortunately, horrible horrible man but what a superb keeper
Paulo Di Canio - what a player deserves a mention just for his goal at Pittodrie alone.
Ally McCoist - out and out goalscorer, 2 golden boots
Jorge Cadete - similar to McCoist, last minute of a cup final, keeper punts it out 0-0 ball bounces….any player in world to choose to run on I would pick him, what a finisher, 100% deserves a mention.
Paul Lambert - won champions league with Dortmund marking Zidane out the game enough said.
2000s
Celtic - Treble winners, got to uefa cup final, beating Liverpool away and Blackburn home and away, knocked out Barcelona next season uefa cup, beat likes of juventus, Ajax, Lyon and Man Utd in Champions league.
Henrik Larsson - laughable no mention, do I really need to explain myself? didn’t think so.
Lubomir Moravcik - like Di Canio a entertainer, score goals could use both feet equally as good, just a genius footballer, so good that Zidane said he was his hero.
Gio Van Bronkhost - Played at highest lever Rangers Arsenal Barcelona, Holland.
2010s
Celtic - 9iar, a unbeaten treble, a quadruple treble ( no other club side in world football had done)
Virgil Van Dijk - what a defender but didn’t get the recognition until he went to Liverpool, same comparison with Henrik and Henry and Van Nistlerooy, they 2 got more praise because they played for Arsenal and Man Utd, which was/is wrong.
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I still have a soft spot for the 80s and serie a games on c4. It seemed every team had a smattering of great players and certainly playmaker.. .nowadays their all stockpiled by a few clubs..so you don't get the duels anymore. And as pointed out already its now more about systems rather than the players.
1950's
Greatest 3 players: Puskas, Di Stefano, Garrincha
1960's
Greatest 3 players: Pelé, Best, Eusebio
1970's
Greatest 3 players: Cruyff, Beckenbauer, G.Muller
1980's
Greatest 3 players: Maradona, Zico, Platini/Van Basten
1990's
Greatest 3 players: Ronaldo, Baggio, Laudrup
2000's
Greatest 3 players: Ronaldinho, Henry, Kaka
2010's
Greatest 3 players: Messi, CR7, Neymar
Greatest 3 players: Puskas, Di Stefano, Garrincha
1960's
Greatest 3 players: Pelé, Best, Eusebio
1970's
Greatest 3 players: Cruyff, Beckenbauer, G.Muller
1980's
Greatest 3 players: Maradona, Zico, Platini/Van Basten
1990's
Greatest 3 players: Ronaldo, Baggio, Laudrup
2000's
Greatest 3 players: Ronaldinho, Henry, Kaka
2010's
Greatest 3 players: Messi, CR7, Neymar
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2020s would be very interesting decade.
95-2005. Amazing depth of talent and styles spread across teams and leagues lead to a deeper, richer competition in European competition, before super teams killed it and had mass concentration of talent on many fewer teams, leading to homogenized styles and stat driven analysis.