Wut? tbh, though he was better in midfield, the competition there is much tougher. I wouldn't consider him a GOAT there, unless you narrow it down to right midfielder (excl wingers) alone. Anyways his Balon d'Or performance was in left back role not in midfielder role, iirc!
If you recall? The Ballon d'Or isn't awarded on a single game performance, for starters. And why would I care? Firstly, it's an indicator (at fourth place, not first) and provides no proof of him being a great leftback anyhow. Watch him in those early days and you will struggle to make a case for him being a leftback at all, more a free-role defender who spent most of his time in midfield (pretty much anywhere, often even going up the right flank, like left fullbacks regularly do, right?).
What was impressive about him was that, not his work as a leftback. What was impressive was Paul Breitner the midfielder who still somehow managed to track back and do a decent disciplined job at leftback, but he wasn't one or stood out as one. You only actually realised he was supposedly the leftback when the oppo had the ball and he managed to get back in position (not always, sometimes the rival attack would find him at right-half).
It just happened to be the case that both Bayern and Germany played a defensive RB (Hansen/Vogts) and left CB (Schwarzenbeck) who were the ones staying back for cover. Beckenbauer as libero typically influenced the game from deep and you could easily argue conformed a back three with them. Breitner wasn't part of a flat back four but a spare wheel in it with some defensive duties on the left. He looked a cracking player, let alone at his age, but I doubt anyone back in the early 70s thought he was a great
leftback, or considered him for Balon d'Or on that basis, more like a great footballer who exerted his influence overloading different areas of the pitch.
If he were playing as leftback in a similar setup, with complete freedom to pretty much play as a midfielder most of the game when in possession, then fine. But my fundamental problem is I rarely if ever see him deployed that way at all. He is either supposed to be minding someone or providing width. In fairness to
@VivaJanuzaj, he did make the point earlier that his midfield wasn't vulnerable since both Nedved and Breitner would be beefing it up most of the time, which would be using Breitner for what he was... but then the problem was he was facing Matthews so he was either dealing with one problem or the other really, which is why I was saying earlier someone like peak Evra (not Facchetti, Maldini, Nilton... Evra) would do a far better job in the defensive phase while also being more useful once in possession as he would be overlapping with Nedved, which is exactly what was required. If you play 4-4-2 you need the width, if you won't have it on one side then ditch your 4-4-2 because it is fundamentally flawed.
Not sure why you list him as a possible great right midfielder. Why right midfielder/not winger? He wasn't exactly David Beckham. In central midfield,
box-to-box, Paul Breitner is a GOAT, he was boss, Top 5 ever, without a shadow of a doubt. Left fullback? I wouldn't have much trouble listing 20 better, left wingback he has a better shot but that's not what most seem to play him as, at all.
All in all, if you are lucky enough to get Paul Breitner (usually a rather early round pick is required) then play him in fecking midfield for god's sake.
