World's best 11 (1980-2019)

harms

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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.
I don't try to disprove that Modric deserved his Ballon d'Or. But it doesn't automatically make him a better player than Xavi, for example, who hadn't won one.
 

JPRouve

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I don't try to disprove that Modric deserved his Ballon d'Or. But it doesn't automatically make him a better player than Xavi, for example, who hadn't won one.
To me Cannavaro is the best example, while he was great during the period of time where he won it, there is a lot of CBs that have been as good and better but almost none of them came even close to a Ballon d'Or.
 

gaucho_10

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I don't try to disprove that Modric deserved his Ballon d'Or. But it doesn't automatically make him a better player than Xavi, for example, who hadn't won one.
Fair enough but my initial point was that he can be put in the same sentence with every player that the other poster mentioned in his post where he was dissing Modric (Mattheus, Rijkaard, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, Pirlo, Zidane).

For me personally he's better then all of them and together with Redondo the best midfielder I have ever watched because I like complete midfielders, something extremely rare. All these guys are specialists to a point, Modric is specialist at everything. It is also why I don't find Pirlo all that amazing as he's a complete opposite of Modric.
 

OutlawGER

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Everyone considered in their prime condition

Kahn
Lahm Nesta Maldini R. Carlos
Matthäus Vieira
Messi Maradona Ronaldinho
Ronaldo

Most famous sub: CR7. I rate Ronaldo as a #9 higher than CR7, especially in his peak. Also i have never seen a better LW than Barcas prime Ronaldinho.
 

Djcoops54

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My team would be:
Schmeichel
Cafu Ferdinand Baresi Maldini
C Ronaldo Mattheus Maradona Messi
Ronaldo Van Bastan
 

Scarlet_Emperor

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After have all the lists here, I had to check out the title of the topic to make sure this thread is related to 1980-2019.

Alright... let's advance
GK - Buffon
RB - Leandro
CB - Baresi
CB - Scirea
LB - Maldini (c)
MF - Redondo
MF - Rijkaard
MF - Maradona
MF - Zico
FW - Messi
FW - Ronaldo

✩ Before someone bashes my choice for Leandro as the right-back, I inform you that Leandro was one of the best and most complete right-backs ever. Definitely he owned all the atributes that is required of a full-back: his long passes was highly accurate (more than every player nowadays for sure), he had excellent positioning by attacking and defending with the same category, great sensory of colectiveness, surprisingly technical for a defender and very clever to make right decisions in the field. Due to his vision and gifted skills, he could play in other positions fairly well what makes him a quite versatile player - the only position he'd never played before was like a keeper.

Maybe the fact he was neither a WC champion nor a player who played in Europe may blind it, but, as someone who followed Brazilian and European championships for a long time, I can assure you he was pure class at that time.

✩ It was very hard not to put Nesta in this list but after having seen Baresi and Scirea there, probably it's easier to understand why. Anyway, if I couldn't count on one of them for injury or something else, Nesta can replace it with top quality. By the way, I wonder why Scirea didn't receive too much love here. I always thought he was considered a legend among defenders, especially for Europeans. I think I was wrong.

✩ It was also hard not to put Junior or Roberto Carlos in this list. I believe these two are more skillful than Paolo Maldini when it comes to offensive moves and they both could be chosen as a great left back, but I really admire Maldini's ability to read the whole game to such extent he can intercept the ball naturally without needing to resort too much to tackles, something that he's very reliable to do if it were necessary. Although he's widely regarded as one of the best defenders/full-backs ever, it seems his sensory of attacking is underrated since he was always well aware when he had to go forward and assist his teammates and when he had to hold position like a guard dog.

✩ I had to check out the title of the topic to make sure this thread is related to 1980-2019, and I got flabbergasted how Zico was mentioned just once in this list before my commentary. OK, I understand Maradona is a tough contender for him but c'mon... mentioned just once? :wenger: It's not bias or anything else but I easily put prime Zico above Platini, who was also an excellent player during his time. It's reasonable for me, though, that most people around the world would choose Platini over Zico, because of Platini's outstanding performance at Euro'84 and nice performance for Juventus regularly, whereas Zico spent most of his career in Brazil, off the worldwide's radar screen. But I always thought Zico superior as a player overall. His speed, passing, shooting, dribbling skills, vision are all top tier. Not for nothing was he known as "white Pelé".
 

Bogdannn

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..............................Ronaldo
...............................................................
...................Zico....................Maradona
....Ronaldinho....................................Robben

........................................................................
.............................Matthaus
........................................................................
......Maldini......Baresi.......Nesta......Cannavaro
...........................................................................
...............................Buffon
 
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Bwuk

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Only going to pick players I’ve seen play. Born in 92.

Team full of winners and leaders. Ask me tomorrow and I’d probably of picked a different side mind you.

Big Pete
Alves - Ferdinand - Ramos - Carlos
Schweinsteiger - Keane - Vieira
Messi - Ronaldo - Cristiano

 

Inter Yer Nan

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I think the world of De Gea and expect that I could/would put him as my choice as GK when it's all said and done but it's a little early to consider as my choice for #1 as of now. Some really difficult choices.

Buffon

Cafu
Baresi
Nesta
Maldini

Mattheus
Xavi
Zidane

C. Ronaldo
Messi
Maradona

It's tough. Brazilian Ronaldo is well worth a shout especially if you want to play a proper #9 but how can you leave Cristiano, Messi or Maradona out and then you've got Platini who I really strongly considered but kind of figured with that front three then a midfielder more in the mold of Zidane makes more sense though Platini would be considered the better individual. He's a lot more attacking and plays closer to the goal. I think Ferdinand definitely gets strong consideration too as did Zanetti at RB or Rijkaard at DM. Iniesta gets strong consideration too.
My opinion remains the same.
 

MC89

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GK. goram
RB. McGrain
Then could be any number of players been done to death with different players each time but they 2 are constant, I know Danny was more at his peak in 70s but as the greatest RB ever had to be in there as he played in 80s,

Going through this thread, I’m flabbergasted that nobody has put Danny in at RB, never had opportunity to see Danny being 31 but what I’ve heard he is the pele of right backs,

can see why nobody has put him ( goram) in, that’s honestly just my opinion, best keeper I’ve seen.
 
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RedRonaldo

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Schmeichel
Cafu Baresi Nesta Maldini
Matthaus Xavi
Messi Maradona Ronaldo
L.Ronaldo​
 

kafta

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Buffon
Alves
Baresi
Nesta
Maldini
Keane
Zidane
Iniesta
Messi
Cristiano
Ronaldo
 

OutlawGER

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If everyone in their peak form, i'd pick like that:


Neuer
Lahm - Maldini - Nesta - Carlos
Vieira - Matthäus
Messi
Robben - Ronaldo(#9) - Ronaldinho​