World's best 11 (1980-2019)

[Mufc84]

.................Schmeichel..................
..................................................
....Cafu.........Maldini.......Marcelo....
...................................................
............Modric.....Rijkaard..............
...................................................
Messi.........Maradona.......Ronaldinho
...................................................
..........Ronaldo......C.Ronaldo............

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Aside from the weirdly brilliant Koeman-Rijkaard duo in 1988 I don’t think that he had spend a lot of his peak there? I know that he played there for van Gaal’s Ajax, but it’s like saying that Gullit or Boniek are sweepers because they played there near the end of their career.

With Desailly, for example, I would’ve understood this remark, but Rijkaard was undoubtedly a midfielder first (and second).

He did play there for Milan occasionally, but probably only to cover for injuries. There was a great all-touches video of him vs Juventus playing at CB but I can't find it. He was typically brilliant from memory.

 

[Raoul]

An impossible task imo, as excluding any of Ronaldo, Maradona, CR7, Messi, Zidane, and one or two others makes the list look off, and yet they can't all be included either. Just look at the OP....leaving CR7 - the greatest goal scorer (alongside Messi) ever, makes his lineup look lacking.

 

[harms]

He did play there for Milan occasionally, but probably only to cover for injuries. There was a great all-touches video of him vs Juventus playing at CB but I can't find it. He was typically brilliant from memory.

Yeah, as a cover, but I think that argument was somehow disqualifying him from the midfield discussion, which is absurd.

 

[Pat_Mustard]

Yeah, as a cover, but I think that argument was somehow disqualifying him from the midfield discussion, which is absurd.

I didn't interpret it that way. I think he was just making the point that you could feasibly include Rijkaard, Matthaus and Keane in one team by playing Rijkaard at CB alongside Baresi for example. Or in some type of midfield three of course. Anyway, the main thrust of his point was that it's not absurd to include Keane in a best XI and I'd agree with that, especially given some of the other names that have been thrown around. I get that he's not going to be first choice for most people (especially when other midfield greats like Paulo Falcao haven't even got a mention), but Keane will never be completely out of place in any discussion about great central midfielders in my opinion.

 

[Eggberto]

Buffon
Zanetti stam Maldini roberto Carlos
seedorf iniesta
Messi Ronaldo Henry CRonaldo

 

[bushyboy]

Neuer
Cafu Baresi Maldini Marcelo
Ronaldinho Zidane Maradona
CR7 Ronaldo Messi

 

[JPRouve]

.....................Neuer
Dani Alves..Thuram..Maldini..Lizarazu
............Rijkaard....Seedorf
Figo.............Platini...........Neymar
..............Cristiano Ronaldo

 

[The holy trinity 68]

.................Schmeichel..................
..................................................
....Cafu.........Maldini.......Marcelo....
...................................................
............Modric.....Rijkaard..............
...................................................
Messi.........Maradona.......Ronaldinho
...................................................
..........Ronaldo......C.Ronaldo............

You think Modric is in the best 2 CM’s of the last 40 years?
He isn’t even top 20.

 

[sun_tzu]

.....................Neuer
Dani Alves..Thuram..Maldini..Lizarazu
............Rijkaard....Seedorf
Figo.............Platini...........Neymar
..............Cristiano Ronaldo

No Messi or Maradonna? Ok whatever

 

[SilentStrike]

Neuer
Cafu Baresi Maldini Marcelo
Ronaldinho Zidane Maradona
CR7 Ronaldo Messi

Sorry to pick on you because you're not the only one, but midfields like this are ridiculous.

In the world of football we tend to appreciate offensive players more than defensive ones and this is the result. No balance whatsoever, teams set up like this get hammered 10-0 and don't get the illusion you'd outscore opponents because this team can't win or even keep a ball. It's full of risk-taking dribblers and every failed dribble will leave you only with a line of defenders (minus Marcelo who's somewhere up front as well), and a counter goal.

A team without at least two central midfielders I cannot take seriously, and I think the absolute best ever to dominate those positions are Matthaus and Rijkaard. There are other options of course, but at least there needs to be balance.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

No Messi or Maradonna? Ok whatever

People must be putting their favourite 11 and not the best 11. Some of the names thrown around in here are ridiculous tbh, regardless of the opinion, opinions can be wrong. Which is the case by the looks of it.

 

[Zehner]

------------------------------Neuer--------------------------------
---Alves-------Nesta---------Maldini-------Marcelo--
---------------------------Busquets------------------------------
--------------------Xavi------------Ronaldinho---------------
--------Messi---------Ronaldo----------Cristiano-------


Only with players I've seen. Makes it easier since I don't have to squeeze in Maradona

 

[JPRouve]

No Messi or Maradonna? Ok whatever

I simply tried to build a different team that I believe as a unit could be the best, otherwise we end up with the same players and thread is pointless. If you don't like it it's fine.

 

[The holy trinity 68]

I simply tried to build a different team that I believe as a unit could be the best, otherwise we end up with the same players and thread is pointless. If you don't like it it's fine.

But you used C.Ron and Neymar. 2 of the biggest prima donna’s. More likely to create friction in the dressing room or turn the team against the manager.

 

[JPRouve]

But you used C.Ron and Neymar. 2 of the biggest prima donna’s. More likely to create friction in the dressing room or turn the team against the manager.

Why "but"? Did I suggest that other players weren't picked because of their attitude?

 

[gaucho_10]

You think Modric is in the best 2 CM’s of the last 40 years?
He isn’t even top 20.

Here's something funny for you, 99% of people on this forum never watched Maradona or Rijkaard play football or they were 12 years old back then and can't recall anything but they still put them on the list. Based on what exactly?

Modric is one of the best footballers of all time. I recall a piece in some english papers after Euro 2008. where they said that he is the prototype of a new modern complete midfiedler, a playmaker, a box to box, a defender, a killer of 10's.

10 years later he is that guy. He's a Real Madrid legend, the brain behind 4 CL's. He is a WC finalist with Croatia and ballon d'or winner. He can be put in the same sentence with any midfielder that ever played the game.

 

[Eddy_JukeZ]

Buffon
Alves-Nesta-Baresi-Maldini

Rijkaard

Xavi-Matthaus

Zidane

Messi-Ronaldo de Lima

I tried going with a team that I think could collectively play well.

 

[Isotope]

 

[gavdim2002]

Any team from 1980 onwards without Maradona is not serious

 

[Negan]

Ferdinand wouldn’t even make my UNITED XI from 1980-2019, let alone a World XI. For me, Vidic was easily the better player. Having said that, neither of them make it...

Schmeichel or Buffon
Cafu or Dani Alves
Nesta or Puyol
Maldini or Ramos
Carlos
Ronaldinho
Zidane
Gullit or Xavi
Cristiano
Messi
Ronaldo Nazario

 

[The holy trinity 68]

Here's something funny for you, 99% of people on this forum never watched Maradona or Rijkaard play football or they were 12 years old back then and can't recall anything but they still put them on the list. Based on what exactly?

Modric is one of the best footballers of all time. I recall a piece in some english papers after Euro 2008. where they said that he is the prototype of a new modern complete midfiedler, a playmaker, a box to box, a defender, a killer of 10's.

10 years later he is that guy. He's a Real Madrid legend, the brain behind 4 CL's. He is a WC finalist with Croatia and ballon d'or winner. He can be put in the same sentence with any midfielder that ever played the game.

But you did put Maradona and Rijkaard in so any player from then onwards you have obviously seen.

Xavi, Pirlo, Iniesta, Busquets, Zidane, Matthaus, Zico, Gullit etc were all better in that time to name a few.

The brains behind 4 CL wins is bullshit, that phrase is an overstatement, he would never have won them CL’s without big goals from Ramos and Ronaldo along with players like Bale gettig important goals and players such as Casemiro and Kroos playing amazing. Modric was one of a number of important players in them wins, but never the most important.

Croatia only played Denmark, Russia and England before they lost in the final. They didn’t exactly play great teams on the way did they.

Modric was good yes, one of the best of all time? No chance. Top 10 of the last 40 years? No chance. His Ballon Dor win was a joke also.

 

[POF]

Aye, in a thread where other midfielders like Makelele, Scholes, Gerrard, Seedorf, Modric, Schweinsteiger, Vieira and Kroos have all been included in teams here without comment, it's a bit depressing that people think that Keane is a ridiculous inclusion.

I find it incredible. I really do. I can understand non-United fans underrating him because he was the type of player that opposition loved to hate, but I honestly cannot believe that a fan of the club he played for, watching his entire career at the club, could rate him as less influential than Rio Ferdinand.

Along with Ronaldo, he's the most influential player I've seen in a United shirt.

Aside from the weirdly brilliant Koeman-Rijkaard duo in 1988 I don’t think that he had spend a lot of his peak there? I know that he played there for van Gaal’s Ajax, but it’s like saying that Gullit or Boniek are sweepers because they played there near the end of their career.

With Desailly, for example, I would’ve understood this remark, but Rijkaard was undoubtedly a midfielder first (and second).

I didn't see all of Rijkaard's career but I never saw him play in midfield for Holland (always at centre back) and he played at the back when he returned to Holland with Ajax. 3 teams I can recall him playing for and centre back was his main position in 2 of them.

He was very good in midfield for Milan but the fact they replaced him with Desailly shows what they were looking for from a player in that position.

Keane (along with Vieira) was the key man in the biggest rivalry in the history of the Premier League.

 

[harms]

He was very good in midfield for Milan but the fact they replaced him with Desailly shows what they were looking for from a player in that position.

Again, not really true. Rijkaard's best years were under Sacchi, were he played as a true box-to-box next to Ancelotti — I think his overall quality on the ball is overlooked now. Desailly was Capello's signing, which signified the transformation of that Milan team, from an entertaining all-round brilliant to a purely defensive, yet incredibly effective side.

I didn't see all of Rijkaard's career but I never saw him play in midfield for Holland (always at centre back)

Yeah, he often played as a center back for the NT, but he still often played as a midfielder for them. Take 1986, Euro 1992 or 1994 World Cup. Even his center back role in 1988 Euros was quite unique, and he spent a lot of time in midfield (like Koeman, it was such a weird pairing).

His Ajax spell, as I said, was still great but it was an old Rijkaard who didn't had the legs to play in midfield anymore. They had young Davids, Seedorf and De Boer playing there — but his experience and leadership was crucial at the back. And even than, it was such an unorthodox team in terms of defending and keeping possession, that he and Blind participated way more in the build up than your regular center backs, playing in a hybrid CB/DM role.

Spoiler: Ajax vs Milan 1995 CL final

 

[PepG]

No love for Romario? The guy scored more than 1000 goals in his career ffs.. Also Hristo Stoichkov at his peak was a beast.. Shame he has only one Ballon D'or (1994) He should have won it in 1992 too .

 

[POF]

Again, not really true. Rijkaard's best years were under Sacchi, were he played as a true box-to-box next to Ancelotti — I think his overall quality on the ball is overlooked now. Desailly was Capello's signing, which signified the transformation of that Milan team, from an entertaining all-round brilliant to a purely defensive, yet incredibly effective side.


Yeah, he often played as a center back for the NT, but he still often played as a midfielder for them. Take 1986, Euro 1992 or 1994 World Cup. Even his center back role in 1988 Euros was quite unique, and he spent a lot of time in midfield (like Koeman, it was such a weird pairing).

His Ajax spell, as I said, was still great but it was an old Rijkaard who didn't had the legs to play in midfield anymore. They had young Davids, Seedorf and De Boer playing there — but his experience and leadership was crucial at the back. And even than, it was such an unorthodox team in terms of defending and keeping possession, that he and Blind participated way more in the build up than your regular center backs, playing in a hybrid CB/DM role.

Spoiler: Ajax vs Milan 1995 CL final

Under Saachi it was still a very functional side built off one of the most solid defensive units I've ever seen. They were a very functional and effective team with real class in attack in Van Basten and Gullit. Donadoni was also an excellent player but they were just an incredibly efficient unit where Rijkaard's main focus was protecting the defence.

I've grown to respect that Milan team over the years but I couldn't stand them at the time because they were functional and extremely cynical without a lot of flair.

My memory is playing tricks on me if Rijkaard played in midfield in 1992 or 1994. I'm sure he played in defence in both tournaments. I do agree that he played an advanced defensive role at Ajax but Danny Blind played the same role after he retired and nobody would call him a midfielder.

Rijkaard was a fantastic player and was a mainstay of one of the most dominant club sides of all time. But saying that it's ridiculous that anyone would put Keane ahead of him (on a United forum) is bizarre to me. It's arguable either way, even without the expected United bias.

 

[bushyboy]

Sorry to pick on you because you're not the only one, but midfields like this are ridiculous.

In the world of football we tend to appreciate offensive players more than defensive ones and this is the result. No balance whatsoever, teams set up like this get hammered 10-0 and don't get the illusion you'd outscore opponents because this team can't win or even keep a ball. It's full of risk-taking dribblers and every failed dribble will leave you only with a line of defenders (minus Marcelo who's somewhere up front as well), and a counter goal.

A team without at least two central midfielders I cannot take seriously, and I think the absolute best ever to dominate those positions are Matthaus and Rijkaard. There are other options of course, but at least there needs to be balance.

My fantasy team, my choices , besides, which other team on here is gonna get the ball from my team?

 

[gaucho_10]

Xavi, Pirlo, Iniesta, Busquets, Zidane, Matthaus, Zico, Gullit etc were all better in that time to name a few.

Better because you say so? Laughable is the best word I can find.

If you haven't noticed I didn't say Modric is better then any of these players (even though he is a more complete midfielder then any single one of them). I said he can be put in the same sentence with them and here's why;

The brains behind 4 CL wins is bullshit, that phrase is an overstatement, he would never have won them CL’s without big goals from Ramos and Ronaldo along with players like Bale gettig important goals and players such as Casemiro and Kroos playing amazing. Modric was one of a number of important players in them wins, but never the most important.

Ramos and Ronaldo have been playing together for a few years before Modric came along and they couldn't win CL. They couldn't even get to the final with all the money the club spent to make galactico's 2.0. Now let's see what happens after Modric arrival.

2012-2013 - first season, Mourinho doesn't know where to play him but even more importantly he is in a fight with Casillas and half the squad from the beginning of the season so that was always going to be a season to write off (now you also know how it is to have pissed Mourinho managing your club).

2013-2014 - CL champions finally after 13 years

2014-2015 - Destroying everything in their way in the league and CL and this whole forum in awe over how easily Madrid are dispatching Liverpool at Anfield. All is peachy and the bookies, you and I have Real as a favorite until Modric get's injured and all goes to shit in a day. Real crashes out of CL and La liga race.

2015-2016 - CL champions

2016-2017 - CL champions

2017-2018 - CL champions

This pattern speaks for itself. You talk jibberish.

Croatia only played Denmark, Russia and England before they lost in the final. They didn’t exactly play great teams on the way did they.

You can only play the teams that managed to win their earlier fixtures to actually be there to play against you. The moment you start dissecting things in this manner is the moment I see that you don't like the player discussed (Modric in this case) so you'll come up with any kind of nonsense to make your case.

Modric was good yes, one of the best of all time? No chance. Top 10 of the last 40 years? No chance. His Ballon Dor win was a joke also.

Modric will go down as the best midfielder ever because 20 years from now there will be kids like you who don't like the players they see playing and have this admiration of times passed by and the only midfielder to ever win ballon d'or, the best midfielder in Real Madrid history and 4 or more times CL winner will be that guy and then they'll look at the youtube clips and compare him with the likes of Pirlo or Busquets and he will stand out even more in every single way. It's the fans like you that talk big but don't know what they're talking about.

 

[harms]

the only midfielder to ever win ballon d'or

I hate to break it to you, but... Masopust, Suarez, Charlton, Matthäus. Let alone those who didn’t win it due to a much superior competition in their peak years like Xavi, Tigana, Rijkaard or Lampard.

 

[harms]

My fantasy team, my choices , besides, which other team on here is gonna get the ball from my team?

Probably a team with Rijkaard, Matthäus, Nesta, Moore, Figueroa etc.

 

[JPRouve]

I hate to break it to you, but... Masopust, Suarez, Charlton, Matthäus. Let alone those who didn’t win it due to a much superior competition in their peak years like Xavi, Tigana, Rijkaard or Lampard.

Do Zidane, Platini or Nedved count as attackers?

 

[harms]

Do Zidane, Platini or Nedved count as attackers?

I wanted to exclude attacking midfielders, although there is a fine line between Charlton and Platini/Zidane that everyone decides for themselves. Considering the amount of time that Platini spent in deep midfield, controlling the tempo and spraying long passes around, he can definitely be considered as a central midfielder though. He's definitely the most midfield-ish out of the big 3 of him, Maradona and Zico (despite his ridiculous goalscoring record).

 

[gaucho_10]

I hate to break it to you, but... Masopust, Suarez, Charlton, Matthäus. Let alone those who didn’t win it due to a much superior competition in their peak years like Xavi, Tigana, Rijkaard or Lampard.

My bad, I meant in the modern era (in context of my post saying 20 years from now people will remember him winning it and players from 50 years ago will be irrelevant for average football fan).

As for competition and winning it, Modric had Ronaldo and Messi in a WC year and it was a clean sweep when it comes to those individual awards, not just ballon d'or).

 

[IronCroos37]

Buffon
Alves
Pique
Puyol
Maldini

Busquets
Xavi
Iniesta

Henry
Messi
Etoo

 

[Andycoleno9]

No love for Romario? The guy scored more than 1000 goals in his career ffs.. Also Hristo Stoichkov at his peak was a beast.. Shame he has only one Ballon D'or (1994) He should have won it in 1992 too .

I wanted to put him and Van basten as both were top top no9 players but how to leave out Ronaldo?
Attack is very very hard to pick. As our boss, @Raoul said, i didn't pick Cristiano. But how to pick him when i had pleasure to watch Ronaldinho?
Messi is the GOAT, Maradona is Maradona, original Ronaldo is the best no9 ever so it was Ronaldinho or Cristiano. ( and the fact that i don't like Cristiano also helped there). Ronaldinho had that magic in his play which i just couldn't ignore.
And guys, Rijkaard was dmc. Amazing dmc. Yes, he played also in central defence but at that dmc position where he was basically 3rd defender he was just brilliant.

Edit: i am more pissed that i couldn't find space for Ruud Gullit. Player who didn't had natural position and on the other hand, played everywhere excellent.

 

[harms]

As for competition and winning it, Modric had Ronaldo and Messi in a WC year and it was a clean sweep when it comes to those individual awards, not just ballon d'or).

It was a disappointing World Cup for both Ronaldo and Messi. Xavi and Iniesta competed with their very best seasons.

 

[Krakenzero]

No love for Romario? The guy scored more than 1000 goals in his career ffs.. Also Hristo Stoichkov at his peak was a beast.. Shame he has only one Ballon D'or (1994) He should have won it in 1992 too .

Totally agree here, my choice in attack is Ro-Ro (with Maradona and Messi in attacking midfield). The guy was top scorer in practically everything he played, maybe except for the World Cup where he was Champion, Player of the tournament and "only" Silver Boot. Bad luck in the other WCs tough, injuries and disputes with head coaches left him out of most.

 

[Andycoleno9]

You think Modric is in the best 2 CM’s of the last 40 years?
He isn’t even top 20.

Well, this is just a huge overreaction. He is in top 5 cm playmakers for sure. Iniesta, Zidane( if we count him as mc), Platini and Modric are the best in that position. 5th can be maybe Xavi or Scholes. Yes, you can find 5,6 players more if you want but not in top 20? Come on, man.

 

[BlackShark_80]

Well, this is just a huge overreaction. He is in top 5 cm playmakers for sure. Iniesta, Zidane( if we count him as mc), Platini and Modric are the best in that position. 5th can be maybe Xavi or Scholes. Yes, you can find 5,6 players more if you want but not in top 20? Come on, man.

no, he isn't.

 

[gaucho_10]

It was a disappointing World Cup for both Ronaldo and Messi. Xavi and Iniesta competed with their very best seasons.

That's not Modric's problem, it's theirs. He did his part in club and NT competitions and had a clean sweep in individual awards with journalist, NT captains and NT managers votes.

If you are really going to say one WC performance is worth more then another because some top player had a shitty one that year then everyone can challenge every accomplishment of every player that ever played the game.