Best starting XI of your generation

**GavinZac** · 24/04/2008, 6:19 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

That team is a joke without Gerald Dobbs.

If i was playing a system with right full backs he'd be in there definitely

**stojkovic** · 24/04/2008, 8:43 PM

Zoff
Gentile-Ayala-Passarella-Maldini
Keane
Matthaus-Platini-Zidane
Maradona
Cruijff-Van Basten

Argie-Italo defence
Keano the leader
German efficiency and French flair in midfield
Maradona magic
Double Dutch up front

Apologies to Batigol.

**Morbo** · 25/04/2008, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by jebus

All this stems from some moron (English) saying to myself and a mate recently that Rooney is the best player of our generation. We obviously just laughed and walked off, but it got us thinking about the best team of our generation, I realise different age groups are on here so it will be mixed, for example I never saw Pele play so he won't be near my team. Anyway here's the team I came out with,

Keeper
Peter Schmeichal - Prone to the odd lapse in concentration, but his reflexes were fantastic, and when he was on form he was the greatest keeper in the world.

Defence
Right Cafu - An absolute phenom of a player
Left Paolo Maldini - No explaination necessary
Centre Fernando Hierro - Genuinely think he has been forgotten about a bit in the category of world class players
Centre Lothar Matthaus - Absolute rock of a defender, good passer of the ball too. I took quite a lot of stick for sporting a West Germany jersey with his name on it throughout Italia '90

Midfield
Right Diego Maradona - I only remember him from around 89 onwards, but from the glimpses I remember he was something else
Left Lionel Messi - Honestly he deserves a spot from what I've seen in the last couple of seasons. Genuinely think he's the next in line in the Pele - Maradona - Zidane line
Centre Zinedine Zidane - I think he's the greatest player I've ever watched, but I did just catch the tail end of Maradona's career
Centre Dunga - Playing as a defensive midfielder in a diamond midfield formation

Forward

Kinsmann - Most natural goalscorer I've ever witnessed
Bergkamp - Most intelligent player I've ever witnessed

I'd pick pretty much the same team except up front I'd go with Romario and Ronaldo_Version1, I was a big fan of Bergkamp and he scored some wonderful goals, I'd rate that goal he scored in France 98 as the 2nd best goal I've ever seen but for pure clinical effiency I'd have to go for Romario.
Klinsmann was more consistant thoughout his career than Ronaldo but with both players playing at their best I'd have to give it to Ronaldo.

Subs: Buffon, Thuram, McGrath, Hagi, Baggio, Stoichkoff, Klinsmann

**OwlsFan** · 25/04/2008, 11:30 AM

I'd play a team that would concede 4 and score 7:

---------------Given-----------------

-----Baresi-----McGrath----------Maldini----------

----------Giles-------Zidane------

-----Cruyff--------------------------------Ronaldinho----

-----------Maradona---------Pele-------Eusebio----

**endabob1** · 25/04/2008, 11:52 AM

Team (3-1-4-2)

Zoff

Baresi
McGrath
Maldini

Mattheus

Platini
Hoddle
Maradonna
Gullitt

Van Basten
Romario

Subs
Schemicial
Nesta
Ayala
Rijkaard
Gazza
Zidane
Klinsman
Ronaldinho
Baggio

**shakermaker1982** · 25/04/2008, 12:00 PM

I'm picking from 1990 onwards (I was 7/8).

Schmeichel

Maldini
McGrath
Baresi
Cafu

Messi
Keane
Zidane
Figo

Ronaldo
Romario.

**Pike B** · 25/04/2008, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

I'm picking from 1990 onwards (I was 7/8).

Schmeichel

Maldini
McGrath
Baresi
Cafu

Messi
Keane
Zidane
Figo

Ronaldo
Romario.

Is anyone nuts enough to not pick Paolo Maldini I wonder.... Nope..

**gustavo** · 25/04/2008, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Pike B

Is anyone nuts enough to not pick Paolo Maldini I wonder.... Nope..

The man is a class act , One of the All time greats , what more can you say

**Pike B** · 25/04/2008, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by gustavo

The man is a class act , One of the All time greats , what more can you say

Nothing..

**shakermaker1982** · 25/04/2008, 2:18 PM

Originally Posted by Pike B

Nothing..

I have him in at LB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**osarusan** · 25/04/2008, 2:37 PM

Originally Posted by jebus

Keeper
Peter Schmeichal

Defence
Right Cafu
Left Paolo Maldini
Centre Fernando Hierro
Centre Lothar Matthaus

Midfield
Right Diego Maradona
Left Lionel Messi
Centre Zinedine Zidane
Centre Dunga

Forward

Kinsmann
Bergkamp

I like this team, except I'd replace Klinsmann with Romario, and I'd like to fit Stoichkov in somewhere, possibly at the expense of Messi (who needs a few more years to earn his place on this kind of team).

Romario is the only striker who I never saw miss a chance he should have scored. I'm guessing he's missed some, but I've never seen one.

Oh, and perhaps Peruzzi in place of Schmeichel too.

**lim abroad** · 26/04/2008, 4:33 PM

Originally Posted by Pike B

Dodgy keeper mate....

i also have a soft spot for canizares especially after the performance he put in against denmark(iirc ?)on the same night we drew with the north in windsor which qualified us for the world cup

**Closed Account 2** · 26/04/2008, 6:40 PM

It's too tempting to pick a team of creative midfielders and just fill it full of the likes of Hagi, Stoichkov, M�ller, Rai etc etc...

Walter Zenga
-
Andy Brehme (out of position)
Paolo Maldini
Jurgen Kohler
Franco Baresi
-
Fernando Redondo
Lothar Matthaus
Diego Dios Maradona
Zinedine Zidane
-
Dejan Savićević
-
Gabriel Batistuta

**stojkovic** · 26/04/2008, 8:22 PM

Originally Posted by cfdh_edmundo

Andy Brehme (out of position)

Not necessarily.

The boy Brehme (like Maldini) was naturally right-footed so you'd be ok with him there. Over time they both became exceptionally two footed.

He took the peno to win the World Cup with his right foot.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 27/04/2008, 10:43 AM

Don't think I've seen Cantona mentioned.

**shakermaker1982** · 27/04/2008, 11:00 AM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Don't think I've seen Cantona mentioned.

I wanted to put him in but I don't think he could displace Ronaldo, Romario or Zidane!!! I'll have him on the bench.

**Bluebeard** · 27/04/2008, 12:03 PM

I don't give a monkey's how "Unstable in the middle" this team would be, how "Dodgy " the keeper is, how I "cannot seriously pick a team without Fat Ronaldo / Keane / Jason Sherlock / etc." - I'd pay three figure sums to watch this team lose 8-5.

Rene Huigita You'll always see goals when Huigita plays. Ahem.

Maldini just about edges it over Terry Phelan
Baresi Such quality and assuredness. Probably out of place in one of my teams
Trifon Ivanov - Cracking defender with a cracking shot. And looked like a moonlighting werewolf(boom-boom!)

Maradona Would still walk on to almost any team in the world. Actually, make that waddle
Ronnie O'Brien Just because
Hagi Best midfielder in Europe in his day. And his day lasted about 6 years
Zizzou Creative genius and hardman rolled into one - and he didn't bleat innocence on his headbutt like some "enforcers" did on stamping

Bergkamp Like Matt Le Tissier, only every week, internationally successful, medal winning, and less potatoey

Batigol The best striker in my lifetime
Stoichkov Sulky, sour, looked like he might happily raid your wallet when you went to the loo, and blame Kostadinov for it. Yup, he's got to be in there

Complaints to the usual address.