HOLDOVER PLAYER PROFILES
OLIVER KHAN
Ballon D'Or: 2001 (3rd) 2002 (3rd)
FIFA World Player of the Year: 2002 (2nd)
European Keeper of the Year: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
IFFHS World's Best Goakeeeper: 1999, 2001, 2002
UEFA Best Goalkeeper: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Bundesliga Keeper of the Year: 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
German Footballer of the Year: 2000, 2001
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 2002
EURO Winner: 1996
FIFA World Cup: 2002 (2nd) 2006 (3rd)
Bundesliga: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008
UEFA Champions League: 2001
A goalkeeping behemoth - Kahn was a vocal, imperious presence, with his aggressive demeanor earning him the nickname 'The Titan'. In addition to his World Class technique, distribution, and shot-stopping abilities, Kahn is widely admired for the stamina, mental strength and leadership and is one of only six goalkeepers to place in the Top Three of the Ballon d'Or.
ANDREAS BREHME
Ballon D'Or: 1990 (3rd)
Serie A Footballer of the Year: 1989
EURO Team of the Tournament: 1984, 1992
FIFA World Cup All-Star: 1990
World Cup: 1990 (1st) 1986 (2nd)
EURO Runner-up: 1992
Serie A: 1989
Bundesliga: 1987, 1998
European Cup Runner-up: 1987
Andreas Brehme is one of a chosen few defensive laterals to get nominated in the Ballon D'Or Top 3, the winner of World Cup 1990 and among the greatest of all time at his position. Offering a unique combination of complete two-footedness (could take free-kicks and penalties with either foot), technical ability, tactical awareness and work rate - he could dominate an entire flank single-handedly and was as likely to unleash one by cutting inside or playing a sumptuous cross.
As pointed out by our opponent, Brehme's match winning exploits at the World Cup were legendary to say the least. Scoring in the 86 semis against France and leading the failed comeback in the final against Argentina, with 2 of his corners resulting in goals. Repeated the feat in 1990 by scoring in the semis against England and topping it off with the WC winning goal in the final. Epic stuff.
He's one of 5 full backs ever, to finish in a Ballon d'Or top 3 and he also won the Serie A POTY in a ridiculously strong league featuring the likes of Maldini, Baresi, Gullit, Matthäus, Rijkaard, and Van Basten.
OBDULIO VARELA
IFFHS South America Player of the Century: #13
1942 Copa America MVP
1950 FIFA World Cup All-Stars Team
1950 World Cup Winner
1942 Copa América Winner
Copa Baron vs Brazil: 1940, 1946, 1948
Uruguayan Primera División: 1944, 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1954
Known as the “Negro Jefe” (Black Chief), Obdulio Varela got his nickname ever since, contradicting all the odds, Uruguay beat an exceptional Brazil side in the World Cup final of 1950. Varela was captain of the team and drove it to victory, with Uruguay coming from behind to score twice in front of a world-record 200,000 spectators.
That win is recalled as a miracle and made Obdulio Varela immortal in the eyes of the Uruguayan people. Varela's defensive prowess choked the life out of the Brazilian attack and his ball distribution lead to the two goals scored by Schiaffino and Ghiggia. When the whistle blew the silence was ominous; as Rimet himself, who was in attendance, put it "The silence was morbid, sometimes too difficult to bear."
In 1940, 1946 and 1948, Uruguay had won the Baron de Rio Branco Cup and his club team Peñarol had won the Uruguayan league championship on six occasions. He was 37 when the national team travelled to defend their title in 1954 - Varela was then the oldest ever player to have appeared in a World Cup, but that didn’t affect his game. Czechoslovakia and Scotland were beaten comfortably in the first round before Uruguay also beat England 4-2 in the quarterfinal when Varela picked up a leg injury.
This injury prevented Varela playing the semi-final against Hungary and Uruguay ultimately lost 4-2 after extra time. Varela ended his World Cup career unbeaten in seven matches and many people believe a full strength Uruguay team would have beaten the magic Hungarians.
GARRINCHA
World Team of the Century
World Player of the Century: #8 (1st ranked winger)
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball: 1962
FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe: 1962
World Soccer World XI
World Cup All-Star: 1958 and 1962
Brazil Player of the Century: #2
South American Player of the Century: #4
World Cup All-Time team
Best Player Carioca Championship: 1957, 1961, 1962
FIFA World Cup winner: 1958, 1962
“In the entire history of football no one made more people happy”. Eduardo Galeano, Uruguayan writer.
Mané Garrincha
- Alegria do Povo (People's Joy) - the greatest winger in football history according to most (the only one who comes close is George Best), and arguably the greatest dribbler ever - many eminent football historians in Brazil and around the world refer to him being the equal of Pelé, with most considering him to be the 2nd best player in the history of Brazil. So awestruck was the British press by Garrincha's quality, that they claimed he was "Stanley Matthews, Tom Finney and a snake charmer all rolled into one." A man of remarkable ball control, acceleration, crossing ability, imagination, technical skill and feints on the wing, as well as his ability to create chances out of nothing - he peaked in 1962 as a player who led Brazil to the World Cup title with several spellbinding performances.
He won the 1958 FIFA World Cup with Brazil together with the other talented player Pelé. When Pelé got injured at the 1962 FIFA World Cup, Garrincha almost single handedly won the World Cup with Brazil at a similar way Maradona did in 1986.