Who would win based solely on their peak performances in the chosen tournaments?
--------------Gio/Theon-------------------------------Enigma
Into the second half and time for Dragan Dzajic to stretch his legs down the left wing. His credentials are exceptional:
Player of the tournament lighting up an otherwise fairly drab and defensive Euros. Dzajic was in rampant form, clocking up 3 goals and 3 assists out of 8 goals Yugoslavia scored against France, England and Italy for Euro '68. Those defences boasted some top class personnel - he ghosted in behind Bobby Moore and lobbed Gordon Banks to knock out the world champions - and Dzajic combined both productivity and the dazzling dribbling we fame him for in unlocking them. Top scorer in 1968 and again in the team of the tournament in 1976, this time giving Berti Vogts the runaround, Dzajic has a strong case for producing the best tournament performances of any left-sided attacker.
PETER SCHMEICHEL, EURO 1992
Regarded as the most influential goalkeeping performance of all time, Schmeichel dragged a workmanlike Danish side to success in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Having dispatched France and England in the group stages, he became increasingly unbeatable as the tournament wore on, producing two man-mountain displays against holders Holland in the semi-finals and world champions Germany in the final.
MATTHIAS SAMMER, EURO 1996
In what was perhaps the greatest libero tournament display of all, Sammer was Germany's best defender, midfielder and attacker all rolled into one package at Euro '96. Sammer's organisation saw Germany keep three clean sheets to stroll what had been coined the 'group of death' as a stacked Italy squad tumbled out of the tournament. The libero stepped up another gear in the quarter finals, almost single-handedly dismantling a brilliant Croatia side, winning the penalty for the opener then scoring the winner - both goals coming after trademark bursts forward to cut open the opposition like a hot knife through butter. His performances saw him fend off peak Ronaldo to earn the 1996 Ballon D'Or later that year.
FABIO CANNAVARO, WORLD CUP 2006
The Berlin Wall drove Italy to the title with an impeccable series of flawless performances throughout the tournament. The highlight was a man-mountain display in the famous semi-final to overcome hosts Germany. But Cannavaro's overall tournament portfolio is arguably unmatched in its defensive prowess. Joins Sammer as one of only three defenders to win the Ballon D'Or.
LILLIAN THURAM, WORLD CUP 1998
Thuram was the highest rated player at the 1998 World Cup and the standout for a dominant and defensively bulletproof French outfit. A key tactical feature of Aime Jacquet's side was the overload of the midfield with an extra defender. All four of the defensive line including Thuram took turns at creating that midfield dominance and, in turn, spent the majority of the game, when on the ball, forming a tight back three. Thuram was exceptional at both - defensively rock solid and swashbuckling when moving forward - generating the type of influential performances that made him the highest rated defender in the 1998 Ballon D'Or.
ROBERTO CARLOS, WORLD CUP 2002
Twice in the team of the tournament, it is the 2002 version which is on show here. That Roberto Carlos played in a 3-5-2, liberated to own the flank in the same way he did every week alongside Zidane for Real Madrid. Called El Hombre Bala - the bullet man - in Spain for his searing pace, tree-trunk thighs and cannonball shot.
JAVIER ZANETTI, COPA AMERICA 2004
Argentina's most capped player started off his international career scoring the best set-piece goal of the 1998 World Cup in a rollercoaster match against England. His best international tournament though was the 2004 Copa America where his endless stamina, power and poise dominated his right flank in every game, gaining high praise:
BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, WORLD CUP 2010
The man who made it a personal crusade to win the World Cup as ultimately shown by his man-of-the-match efforts in the 2014 final. Went very close in 2010 where he dictated games with aplomp, using his brilliant passing range, physicality and positional discipline to give Germany a solid platform to go forward. Special mention to his second-round performance in making mincemeat out of Maradona's wayward Argentina while marking Messi out of the game. An obvious choice for team of the tournament with 3 assists to his name.
LOTHAR MATTHAUS, WORLD CUP 1990
In what was surely the most influential central midfield performance of any World Cup, Matthaus was in dominant form in 1990 scoring 4 goals from the heart of midfield (the 3rd top scorer in the competition). The apex was the 4-1 demolition of pre-tournament dark horses Yugoslavia, as the box-to-box dynamo netted two bristling goals from outside the area. A step ahead of the game throughout as he not only won all those little battles that are the bread-and-butter fare of the proper central midfielder, but also made repeated match-winning impacts.
DIEGO MARADONA, WORLD CUP 1986
The stats barely tell the story, impressive as they are - 5 goals, 5 assists, providing 10 out of 13 Argentina scored, 27 chances created, fouled 53 times (smashing his own record of 36 from '82). It is the evidence of your eyes that show that this was the very pinnacle of footballing greatness. From the way he slalomed around any defender who didn't manage to scythe him down, to the way he mastered the ball almost as an extension of his left foot, as it bobbled up to his shins on the Aztec potato field, it was football like nobody has ever seen before or since.
JOHAN CRUYFF, WORLD CUP 1974
In 1974 Cruyff reached heights that had arguably never been seen before in a major tournament. He was the turbocharged driving force behind the unforgettable Dutch side, buzzing around the full breadth of the attack, cutting open and thrusting through the channels with a level of unprecedented intensity and penetration. Little wonder he created a whopping 36 chances in the summer of 1974 - by some distance the most anyone has provided in the World Cup - a greater contribution than even Maradona in 1986 and Xavi in 2010.
RONALDO, WORLD CUP 1998
Golden Ball winner thanks to a number of electric displays from the Brazilian at the peak of his powers. Scored 5 goals in 1998 on his way to 15 World Cup goals, he created countless chances for himself and was the very definition of a one-man attack who tore a generation of great defenders to bits.
WHY WE WILL WIN:
Team Enigma
Formation: 5-3-2 / 3-5-2
Style: Quick direct tempo
Players:
GK: Ulbaldo Fillol WC 1978 - quite possibly the best South American keeper had a blinder in the WC in 1978. He decided the game against Poland, saving a penalty by Kazimierz Deyna, and helping Argentina to win the first World Cup with a superb performance in the final against Holland. Fillol was voted the best goalkeeper of the 1978 World Cup, conceding only 4 goals in 7 games against the likes of Brazil, Netherlands, Italy, France, Peru, boasting with incredible attacking threats in their ranks.
LWB: Giacinto Facchetti EURO 1968 - Strong, tall, elegant and imposing defender in his playing days, he rarely seemed to lose his cool. Revolutionized the full back position playing 634 official games and scoring 75 goals. He played for the Internazionale team remembered as La Grande Inter. 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 also possessed wonderful stamina and scored important goals. EURO 1968 winner in a team that conceded only 4 goals in 9 games and scored 20.
RWB: Manuel Amoros WC 1986 - Best right back in Mexico and voted team of the tournament he provided solid performances against the likes of Brazil, France, the Soviet Union, etc in a team that conceded just 2 goals up until the SF's against West Germany. He provided defensive solidity and had a amazing performance against Brazil in the QF's, where he ripped them apart going forward.
LCB: Paolo Maldini WC 1994- Many remember the incredible performance Baresi put against Romario in the final, but it was grande Paolo who put a pretty uninspiring(apart from Baggio) Italian side through the finals. Baresi was injured in the group stage, and Maldini put excellent performances both as a LB and CB bossing the defence and putting masterful performances in a patched up defence most of the time. He was voted in the team of the tournament and later 3rd in Ballon D'or on the back of that WC.
Libero: Bobby Moore WC 1966 - probably the highest peak of a defender in a WC tournament at the biggest stage with some of the GOATS on the other side of the pitch. Sir Geoff Hurst said he was his hero, Sir Alf Ramsey claims he was the best he ever worked with and that England would never have won the World Cup without him. Franz Beckenbauer, an opponent in that 1966 final, called him "the best defender in the history of the game" and Pele agreed. There were the last-ditch tackles - perfectly timed, of course - and the instinctive sense for danger that led Jock Stein to quip that "there should be a law against him as he knows what's happening 20 minutes before everyone else". And the final performance was truly spectacular:
RCB: Elías Figueroa - Don Elías was elected best defender in the 1974 WC and in the team of the tournament after a majestic display against the best team (and striker) in the tournament along with the Dutch side. He nullified an in form Gerd Muller and produced a 10/10 performance that is rare to be seen up against one of the best forwards in history. After all games Figueroa took part in that WC he received a standing ovation by the German fans - a testimony of how he performed and how high was rated during those games. An absolute colossus in the box he won every challenge in the area, marshaled the Chile defence, attacked the first ball and was usually a one man defence.
CM: Franz Beckenbauer - Known as being a stylish captain as a player, an inspirational leader as a manager and a statesmanlike figure as an administrator. Best described by some old time greats(Eusebio and Sir Bobby):
“He could play in either position (defence or midfield). [ . . . ] He had versatility, suppleness, read the game very well, knew how to play, and could get forward and score goals too.” — Eusebio
“Franz was a marvelous distributor of the ball, a great tackler, he always had control of a situation and he never panicked. [ . . . ] (He was) extremely cool and never looked like (he was) at full stretch. Such a hard player to play against.” — Sir Bobby Charlton
“The most important thing he had was a fantastic vision.” — Sir Bobby Charlton
Playmaker: Didi WC 1958: Golden ball winner, team of the tournament and the star of the tournament. In 6 games he scored 1 goal, and provided 6 assists. Key Performance: Brazil 5 - 2 France (Semi Final) 1 Goal, 2 Assists
One of the very best midfielders ever in the top of his game.
AM: Pelé WC 1970: Strong contender of the best individual performance at international stage ever, Pele was at his best at the time - more mature, more well rounded and was the cornerstone behind one of the greatest teams in history. He played as an AM most of the time timing his runs in the box, scoring important goals, setting up team mates, getting stuck in and also dribbling his way through opponents left, right and centre. He was literally everywhere.
SS: Eusébio WC 1966 - considered one of the greatest goalscorers ever, the black panter lit up the WC in 1966. Hard to imagine a more decisive player than him who turned the game against North Korea practically on his own with Portugal having their back to the wall and being 3-0 down. Eusebio's nine goals in England propelled Portugal to a third-place finish, and a succession of opposing teams simply had no answer to the power and pace of his play. It took the great Bobby Moore, Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton to handle him in the SF's to effectively stop the whole Portugal team going forward, yet he still found the net from peno late in the game.
CF: Gerd Muller WC 1970 - Der Bomber won the Ballon D'or the same year on the back of that WC performance, and what a performance it was. A strong contender for the very best individual performances in an international tournament. Muller netted the Golden Shoe for his ten strikes and he also provided three assists ensuring he makes the record books once again for the best ever individual contribution by a player in a single finals since 1966. Trailing Morocco in the first game it took an equaliser from Uwe Seeler and a late winner from Muller to secure the two points. Muller's winner was trademark bomber stuff as he nodded in from barely a yard out after the ball rebounded off the crossbar.
The Nationalmannschaft were rolling with Muller in particular in sparkling form. A hat-trick including a bullet header for his third was the highlight in the next match against Bulgaria while he added another hat-trick in West Germany's final group game against Peru. All in the space of 20 minutes!
Muller's second hat-trick of the tournament proved he wasn't just a poacher as he scored a goal with both feet and added a dipping header for his third. Seven goals already and that was just the group stage.
Thoughts on the game:
Defence: In defence we have Maldini at his absolute peak who alternated between LB and CB in 1994 - one of the most complete defenders of all time, paired with Figueroa - fast, strong as an ox and absolute colossus in the air. Moore will be sweeping behind in a sweeper role and push up in possession like he did in 1966. Amoros and Facchetti will man their flanks, supply width for the attackers, go on marauding runs and stretch the opponents. The 5-3-2 transforming into 3-5-2 plays to the strengths to all of my defenders and boosts their ability both in defence and attack, as it liberates Facchetti/Amoros when going forward, being covered by Maldini and Figueroa and plays to Moore strengths with two physical top defenders besides him flanked by all time great Facchetti and one of the best right full backs in Amoros. Moore, Figueroa and Maldini form a monumental defensive unit protected by quite possibly the best defensive player of all time in der Kaiser. This allows Amoros and Facchetti to roam forward and provide the width in attack and sets the stage for their natural game to go in full force.
Midfield: In the center of the park we have a midfield general in Beckenbauer who with his energy fits like a glove Didi and sets the stage for him and Pele to do their thing. Pele will be in his 1970 incarnation, helping out the midfield, looking for openings dribbling his way through opponents and scoring goals himself. What sets our midfield apart is Didi who is one of the greatest deeper playmakers in the game, which makes the transition in all lines very fluid and not overlapping with two advanced playmakers in the team, which most of the great #10's SS's are. Matthaus obviously is not a mug in terms of distribution but Didi is more natural in his zone and his playmaking game in a central playmaking role.
Atttack: In an all time draft is always hard to bring balance to the attack as most players in the later stages are pretty dominant figures and have overlapping roles. I think our big advantage in that sense is that we have a much more balanced attack with the best pure finisher in history in Muller, whose movement will keep Gio's defence on the back foot and honest, Eusebio in a free attacking role from 1966 all over the attack and target the space between Gio's full backs when they venture forward and Schweinsteiger who is not the best fit for him when he drops deep. We have complimentary players with the Brazillian flair and ability on the ball in Didi/Pele, whose vision can unlock any defence. Complimented by will, pace, work rate and determination of Eusebio and German coolness and finishing ability by Muller, provided by excellent flanks in Facchetti and Amoros and the always threatening Beckenbauer surging forward on occasion.
Why we would win:
In an all time draft final the teams are always close with quality and GOAT's all over the park. We would most likely field generally the same formation and roles in a 3-5-2/5-3-2 so the individual quality and balance in the respective teams would provide the difference in this encounter.
I think we have a slight advantage in every line and a much more balanced attack, without dominant central figures like Cruyff/Maradona stepping on their toes and having only runners with the ball who like to drop deep - practically the whole Gio attack does that - Ronaldo/Maradona/Cruyff.
In defence: we have similar units, however as good as Sammer, Thuram and Cannavaro were in their respective tournaments, we have the same amazing performance from Figueroa, Maldini and Moore - all in their absolute peaks. The difference here IMO is the pure quality in our defensive trio. While Sammer/Thuram/Cannavaro are no mugs and one of the best defenders in the game. Maldini, Moore and Figueroa have the bigger ceiling individually as being the highest echelon in defensive individuality, whilst being a lot complimentary as a unit - Figueroa with his pure strength, impeccable marking and ability in the air. Moore bossing the defence, reading the game and intercepting. Maldini who obviously loved playing alongside Baresi/Moore type of defenders which his pace, tackling and general all round defensive nous and qualities.
Midfield: Protecting the back four we have arguably the best defensive player and leader in the game in Beckenbauer who will be up against Gio's best player in Maradona. A younger version in 66' managed to neutralize Sir Booby in the zone, and here he is the more mature, rock solid defensively version of 1970. Obviously a colossal tussle, there's nobody IMO more capable of coming against peak Maradona and a better fit then der Kaiser himself. On the other side obviously Matthaus and Schweini had a great tournaments, but Schweini vs Pele would work in our favor. Schweinsteiger is not the Davids/Tigana type of midfielder who will hassle constantly Pele and hound him all over the park. That was Khedira whils Schweinsteiger played more positional role. Pele in the zone would be too much to handle especially at this stage.
Attack: I think here lies the big difference between the two teams - when both teams go forward. Gio's attack is based on excellent individuals, who were also focal points to their teams and in the case of Cruyff and Maradona - the main playmakers of their teams. Our attack is much more balanced without a dominant advanced playmaker in Pele who links the defence and attack along with Eusebio - runner with the ball who dropped deep and could exploit all the gaps left by Gio's defenders and Muller who would keep their defence pegged back. Gio's attack is a lot different in that sense - it has Ronaldo who loved to run with the ball and drop deep, Maradona/Cruyff practically the same and even worse both of them being much more dominant figures and main advanced playmakers of their respective teams. It's not only clash of personalities, but also clashes of styles and zones, not releasing the ball quickly and also even more troubled by Matthaus and his forays of 1990 where he alternated between playing as a #8 and #10 in some games(and part of the games).
--------------Gio/Theon-------------------------------Enigma
Into the second half and time for Dragan Dzajic to stretch his legs down the left wing. His credentials are exceptional:
Player of the tournament lighting up an otherwise fairly drab and defensive Euros. Dzajic was in rampant form, clocking up 3 goals and 3 assists out of 8 goals Yugoslavia scored against France, England and Italy for Euro '68. Those defences boasted some top class personnel - he ghosted in behind Bobby Moore and lobbed Gordon Banks to knock out the world champions - and Dzajic combined both productivity and the dazzling dribbling we fame him for in unlocking them. Top scorer in 1968 and again in the team of the tournament in 1976, this time giving Berti Vogts the runaround, Dzajic has a strong case for producing the best tournament performances of any left-sided attacker.
Gio/Theon
PLAYER PROFILES
PLAYER PROFILES
PETER SCHMEICHEL, EURO 1992
Regarded as the most influential goalkeeping performance of all time, Schmeichel dragged a workmanlike Danish side to success in the unlikeliest of circumstances. Having dispatched France and England in the group stages, he became increasingly unbeatable as the tournament wore on, producing two man-mountain displays against holders Holland in the semi-finals and world champions Germany in the final.
MATTHIAS SAMMER, EURO 1996
In what was perhaps the greatest libero tournament display of all, Sammer was Germany's best defender, midfielder and attacker all rolled into one package at Euro '96. Sammer's organisation saw Germany keep three clean sheets to stroll what had been coined the 'group of death' as a stacked Italy squad tumbled out of the tournament. The libero stepped up another gear in the quarter finals, almost single-handedly dismantling a brilliant Croatia side, winning the penalty for the opener then scoring the winner - both goals coming after trademark bursts forward to cut open the opposition like a hot knife through butter. His performances saw him fend off peak Ronaldo to earn the 1996 Ballon D'Or later that year.
FABIO CANNAVARO, WORLD CUP 2006
The Berlin Wall drove Italy to the title with an impeccable series of flawless performances throughout the tournament. The highlight was a man-mountain display in the famous semi-final to overcome hosts Germany. But Cannavaro's overall tournament portfolio is arguably unmatched in its defensive prowess. Joins Sammer as one of only three defenders to win the Ballon D'Or.
LILLIAN THURAM, WORLD CUP 1998
Thuram was the highest rated player at the 1998 World Cup and the standout for a dominant and defensively bulletproof French outfit. A key tactical feature of Aime Jacquet's side was the overload of the midfield with an extra defender. All four of the defensive line including Thuram took turns at creating that midfield dominance and, in turn, spent the majority of the game, when on the ball, forming a tight back three. Thuram was exceptional at both - defensively rock solid and swashbuckling when moving forward - generating the type of influential performances that made him the highest rated defender in the 1998 Ballon D'Or.
ROBERTO CARLOS, WORLD CUP 2002
Twice in the team of the tournament, it is the 2002 version which is on show here. That Roberto Carlos played in a 3-5-2, liberated to own the flank in the same way he did every week alongside Zidane for Real Madrid. Called El Hombre Bala - the bullet man - in Spain for his searing pace, tree-trunk thighs and cannonball shot.
JAVIER ZANETTI, COPA AMERICA 2004
Argentina's most capped player started off his international career scoring the best set-piece goal of the 1998 World Cup in a rollercoaster match against England. His best international tournament though was the 2004 Copa America where his endless stamina, power and poise dominated his right flank in every game, gaining high praise:
BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, WORLD CUP 2010
The man who made it a personal crusade to win the World Cup as ultimately shown by his man-of-the-match efforts in the 2014 final. Went very close in 2010 where he dictated games with aplomp, using his brilliant passing range, physicality and positional discipline to give Germany a solid platform to go forward. Special mention to his second-round performance in making mincemeat out of Maradona's wayward Argentina while marking Messi out of the game. An obvious choice for team of the tournament with 3 assists to his name.
LOTHAR MATTHAUS, WORLD CUP 1990
In what was surely the most influential central midfield performance of any World Cup, Matthaus was in dominant form in 1990 scoring 4 goals from the heart of midfield (the 3rd top scorer in the competition). The apex was the 4-1 demolition of pre-tournament dark horses Yugoslavia, as the box-to-box dynamo netted two bristling goals from outside the area. A step ahead of the game throughout as he not only won all those little battles that are the bread-and-butter fare of the proper central midfielder, but also made repeated match-winning impacts.
DIEGO MARADONA, WORLD CUP 1986
The stats barely tell the story, impressive as they are - 5 goals, 5 assists, providing 10 out of 13 Argentina scored, 27 chances created, fouled 53 times (smashing his own record of 36 from '82). It is the evidence of your eyes that show that this was the very pinnacle of footballing greatness. From the way he slalomed around any defender who didn't manage to scythe him down, to the way he mastered the ball almost as an extension of his left foot, as it bobbled up to his shins on the Aztec potato field, it was football like nobody has ever seen before or since.
JOHAN CRUYFF, WORLD CUP 1974
In 1974 Cruyff reached heights that had arguably never been seen before in a major tournament. He was the turbocharged driving force behind the unforgettable Dutch side, buzzing around the full breadth of the attack, cutting open and thrusting through the channels with a level of unprecedented intensity and penetration. Little wonder he created a whopping 36 chances in the summer of 1974 - by some distance the most anyone has provided in the World Cup - a greater contribution than even Maradona in 1986 and Xavi in 2010.
RONALDO, WORLD CUP 1998
Golden Ball winner thanks to a number of electric displays from the Brazilian at the peak of his powers. Scored 5 goals in 1998 on his way to 15 World Cup goals, he created countless chances for himself and was the very definition of a one-man attack who tore a generation of great defenders to bits.
WHY WE WILL WIN:
- Impeccable tournament defence marshalled by Matthias Sammer, Fabio Cannavaro, Lillian Thuram and Peter Schmeichel, each of whom have a strong case to have delivered the greatest tournament performance in their respective positions - Matthias Sammer was voted the best player of the tournament in '96, Cannavaro the second best player in '06 (missing out to his teammate Zidane) and Thuram the third best player in '98 (missing out to his teammate Ronaldo). In contrast none of the opposition defenders were one of the top three players in their respective tournaments - All told we look to have the slightly better tournament defence which is well suited to matching the strength of Enigma in attack.
- Better balance in midfield. Schweinsteiger has excellent credentials at the business end of World Cups and has twice put the brakes on Messi. He is the perfect foil for Lothar Matthaus who could be the match-winner today. If Matthaus has to square up to Didi in a box-to-box role, I think he can contain him off the ball, then leave him for dead when he surges forward.
- Maradona was a one-man army in 1986 reaching the greatest heights of any player in tournament football. Here he is in his element in a 3-5-2 with pace and physicality out wide, sheer graft and German discipline behind, with two busy play-stretchers in front on the same technical level who will open up oceans of space for him.
- Incredible attack illuminated by some sensational tournament showings from Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff and Ronaldo. Only Maradona betters Cruyff's tournament in 1974 when the Dutchman created a World Cup record number of chances in '74 and in a prime Ronaldo there isn't a better man to finish those chances off.
- In particular the synergy between Cruyff and Ronaldo will be off the charts. Ronaldo, like Muller on the other side, has plundered the goals at the World Cup (15 and 14 respectively), but it would be fair to say that Ronaldo brings an extra dimension of dribbling and power - as well as previous experience in getting the better of Maldini - to the table. Crucially, it looks like the strongest attack on the park with Maradona and Cruyff boasting superior peak World Cups than their opposition equivalents
Team Enigma
Formation: 5-3-2 / 3-5-2
Style: Quick direct tempo
Players:
GK: Ulbaldo Fillol WC 1978 - quite possibly the best South American keeper had a blinder in the WC in 1978. He decided the game against Poland, saving a penalty by Kazimierz Deyna, and helping Argentina to win the first World Cup with a superb performance in the final against Holland. Fillol was voted the best goalkeeper of the 1978 World Cup, conceding only 4 goals in 7 games against the likes of Brazil, Netherlands, Italy, France, Peru, boasting with incredible attacking threats in their ranks.
LWB: Giacinto Facchetti EURO 1968 - Strong, tall, elegant and imposing defender in his playing days, he rarely seemed to lose his cool. Revolutionized the full back position playing 634 official games and scoring 75 goals. He played for the Internazionale team remembered as La Grande Inter. 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 also possessed wonderful stamina and scored important goals. EURO 1968 winner in a team that conceded only 4 goals in 9 games and scored 20.
RWB: Manuel Amoros WC 1986 - Best right back in Mexico and voted team of the tournament he provided solid performances against the likes of Brazil, France, the Soviet Union, etc in a team that conceded just 2 goals up until the SF's against West Germany. He provided defensive solidity and had a amazing performance against Brazil in the QF's, where he ripped them apart going forward.
LCB: Paolo Maldini WC 1994- Many remember the incredible performance Baresi put against Romario in the final, but it was grande Paolo who put a pretty uninspiring(apart from Baggio) Italian side through the finals. Baresi was injured in the group stage, and Maldini put excellent performances both as a LB and CB bossing the defence and putting masterful performances in a patched up defence most of the time. He was voted in the team of the tournament and later 3rd in Ballon D'or on the back of that WC.
Libero: Bobby Moore WC 1966 - probably the highest peak of a defender in a WC tournament at the biggest stage with some of the GOATS on the other side of the pitch. Sir Geoff Hurst said he was his hero, Sir Alf Ramsey claims he was the best he ever worked with and that England would never have won the World Cup without him. Franz Beckenbauer, an opponent in that 1966 final, called him "the best defender in the history of the game" and Pele agreed. There were the last-ditch tackles - perfectly timed, of course - and the instinctive sense for danger that led Jock Stein to quip that "there should be a law against him as he knows what's happening 20 minutes before everyone else". And the final performance was truly spectacular:
RCB: Elías Figueroa - Don Elías was elected best defender in the 1974 WC and in the team of the tournament after a majestic display against the best team (and striker) in the tournament along with the Dutch side. He nullified an in form Gerd Muller and produced a 10/10 performance that is rare to be seen up against one of the best forwards in history. After all games Figueroa took part in that WC he received a standing ovation by the German fans - a testimony of how he performed and how high was rated during those games. An absolute colossus in the box he won every challenge in the area, marshaled the Chile defence, attacked the first ball and was usually a one man defence.
CM: Franz Beckenbauer - Known as being a stylish captain as a player, an inspirational leader as a manager and a statesmanlike figure as an administrator. Best described by some old time greats(Eusebio and Sir Bobby):
“He could play in either position (defence or midfield). [ . . . ] He had versatility, suppleness, read the game very well, knew how to play, and could get forward and score goals too.” — Eusebio
“Franz was a marvelous distributor of the ball, a great tackler, he always had control of a situation and he never panicked. [ . . . ] (He was) extremely cool and never looked like (he was) at full stretch. Such a hard player to play against.” — Sir Bobby Charlton
“The most important thing he had was a fantastic vision.” — Sir Bobby Charlton
Playmaker: Didi WC 1958: Golden ball winner, team of the tournament and the star of the tournament. In 6 games he scored 1 goal, and provided 6 assists. Key Performance: Brazil 5 - 2 France (Semi Final) 1 Goal, 2 Assists
One of the very best midfielders ever in the top of his game.
AM: Pelé WC 1970: Strong contender of the best individual performance at international stage ever, Pele was at his best at the time - more mature, more well rounded and was the cornerstone behind one of the greatest teams in history. He played as an AM most of the time timing his runs in the box, scoring important goals, setting up team mates, getting stuck in and also dribbling his way through opponents left, right and centre. He was literally everywhere.
SS: Eusébio WC 1966 - considered one of the greatest goalscorers ever, the black panter lit up the WC in 1966. Hard to imagine a more decisive player than him who turned the game against North Korea practically on his own with Portugal having their back to the wall and being 3-0 down. Eusebio's nine goals in England propelled Portugal to a third-place finish, and a succession of opposing teams simply had no answer to the power and pace of his play. It took the great Bobby Moore, Nobby Stiles and Jack Charlton to handle him in the SF's to effectively stop the whole Portugal team going forward, yet he still found the net from peno late in the game.
CF: Gerd Muller WC 1970 - Der Bomber won the Ballon D'or the same year on the back of that WC performance, and what a performance it was. A strong contender for the very best individual performances in an international tournament. Muller netted the Golden Shoe for his ten strikes and he also provided three assists ensuring he makes the record books once again for the best ever individual contribution by a player in a single finals since 1966. Trailing Morocco in the first game it took an equaliser from Uwe Seeler and a late winner from Muller to secure the two points. Muller's winner was trademark bomber stuff as he nodded in from barely a yard out after the ball rebounded off the crossbar.
The Nationalmannschaft were rolling with Muller in particular in sparkling form. A hat-trick including a bullet header for his third was the highlight in the next match against Bulgaria while he added another hat-trick in West Germany's final group game against Peru. All in the space of 20 minutes!
Muller's second hat-trick of the tournament proved he wasn't just a poacher as he scored a goal with both feet and added a dipping header for his third. Seven goals already and that was just the group stage.
Thoughts on the game:
Defence: In defence we have Maldini at his absolute peak who alternated between LB and CB in 1994 - one of the most complete defenders of all time, paired with Figueroa - fast, strong as an ox and absolute colossus in the air. Moore will be sweeping behind in a sweeper role and push up in possession like he did in 1966. Amoros and Facchetti will man their flanks, supply width for the attackers, go on marauding runs and stretch the opponents. The 5-3-2 transforming into 3-5-2 plays to the strengths to all of my defenders and boosts their ability both in defence and attack, as it liberates Facchetti/Amoros when going forward, being covered by Maldini and Figueroa and plays to Moore strengths with two physical top defenders besides him flanked by all time great Facchetti and one of the best right full backs in Amoros. Moore, Figueroa and Maldini form a monumental defensive unit protected by quite possibly the best defensive player of all time in der Kaiser. This allows Amoros and Facchetti to roam forward and provide the width in attack and sets the stage for their natural game to go in full force.
Midfield: In the center of the park we have a midfield general in Beckenbauer who with his energy fits like a glove Didi and sets the stage for him and Pele to do their thing. Pele will be in his 1970 incarnation, helping out the midfield, looking for openings dribbling his way through opponents and scoring goals himself. What sets our midfield apart is Didi who is one of the greatest deeper playmakers in the game, which makes the transition in all lines very fluid and not overlapping with two advanced playmakers in the team, which most of the great #10's SS's are. Matthaus obviously is not a mug in terms of distribution but Didi is more natural in his zone and his playmaking game in a central playmaking role.
Atttack: In an all time draft is always hard to bring balance to the attack as most players in the later stages are pretty dominant figures and have overlapping roles. I think our big advantage in that sense is that we have a much more balanced attack with the best pure finisher in history in Muller, whose movement will keep Gio's defence on the back foot and honest, Eusebio in a free attacking role from 1966 all over the attack and target the space between Gio's full backs when they venture forward and Schweinsteiger who is not the best fit for him when he drops deep. We have complimentary players with the Brazillian flair and ability on the ball in Didi/Pele, whose vision can unlock any defence. Complimented by will, pace, work rate and determination of Eusebio and German coolness and finishing ability by Muller, provided by excellent flanks in Facchetti and Amoros and the always threatening Beckenbauer surging forward on occasion.
Why we would win:
In an all time draft final the teams are always close with quality and GOAT's all over the park. We would most likely field generally the same formation and roles in a 3-5-2/5-3-2 so the individual quality and balance in the respective teams would provide the difference in this encounter.
I think we have a slight advantage in every line and a much more balanced attack, without dominant central figures like Cruyff/Maradona stepping on their toes and having only runners with the ball who like to drop deep - practically the whole Gio attack does that - Ronaldo/Maradona/Cruyff.
In defence: we have similar units, however as good as Sammer, Thuram and Cannavaro were in their respective tournaments, we have the same amazing performance from Figueroa, Maldini and Moore - all in their absolute peaks. The difference here IMO is the pure quality in our defensive trio. While Sammer/Thuram/Cannavaro are no mugs and one of the best defenders in the game. Maldini, Moore and Figueroa have the bigger ceiling individually as being the highest echelon in defensive individuality, whilst being a lot complimentary as a unit - Figueroa with his pure strength, impeccable marking and ability in the air. Moore bossing the defence, reading the game and intercepting. Maldini who obviously loved playing alongside Baresi/Moore type of defenders which his pace, tackling and general all round defensive nous and qualities.
Midfield: Protecting the back four we have arguably the best defensive player and leader in the game in Beckenbauer who will be up against Gio's best player in Maradona. A younger version in 66' managed to neutralize Sir Booby in the zone, and here he is the more mature, rock solid defensively version of 1970. Obviously a colossal tussle, there's nobody IMO more capable of coming against peak Maradona and a better fit then der Kaiser himself. On the other side obviously Matthaus and Schweini had a great tournaments, but Schweini vs Pele would work in our favor. Schweinsteiger is not the Davids/Tigana type of midfielder who will hassle constantly Pele and hound him all over the park. That was Khedira whils Schweinsteiger played more positional role. Pele in the zone would be too much to handle especially at this stage.
Attack: I think here lies the big difference between the two teams - when both teams go forward. Gio's attack is based on excellent individuals, who were also focal points to their teams and in the case of Cruyff and Maradona - the main playmakers of their teams. Our attack is much more balanced without a dominant advanced playmaker in Pele who links the defence and attack along with Eusebio - runner with the ball who dropped deep and could exploit all the gaps left by Gio's defenders and Muller who would keep their defence pegged back. Gio's attack is a lot different in that sense - it has Ronaldo who loved to run with the ball and drop deep, Maradona/Cruyff practically the same and even worse both of them being much more dominant figures and main advanced playmakers of their respective teams. It's not only clash of personalities, but also clashes of styles and zones, not releasing the ball quickly and also even more troubled by Matthaus and his forays of 1990 where he alternated between playing as a #8 and #10 in some games(and part of the games).
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