General Football Debates

[brehme1989]

-------------------------Akinfeev

Bergomi----Puyol---F. Baresi----Costacurta*---Maldini

-------------------Scholes----Guerrero**

-----Xabi Prieto***---------------------------------Giggs

------------------------------Totti


Tried to keep it as recent as possible, going from the 80s and on so no Sandro Mazzola, Giacinto Facchetti, Sepp Meier, Gianni Rivera, Fritz Walter, Berti Vogts etc.
I also kept it with players who played only for one club. Or better yet, belonged in just one.

*He played on loan as a youth player somewhere else, if that's not okay then Tony Adams takes his spot.
** Athletic's Julen Guerrero, gem of a player
*** Muniain is an alternative (plays left usually) but Thomas Müller is going to get the spot eventually.

 

[Harpsabu]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503689727114891265

 

[brehme1989]

Not that hard imo.

Walter Zenga (other choice would be Zoff, fuck Buffon)
Phil Neal
Roberto Ayala (would be Walter Samuel if he was on the left side )
Jaap Stam (sorry Ronald Koeman)
Tommy Gemmell (no idea why Scotland is on this list)
Luis Figo
Zinedine Zidane
Xavi Hernandez (would have gone Luis Suarez if it weren't for Zidane next to him, and I refuse to consider Di Stefano eligible)
Jay Jay Okocha (I suppose, can't think of anyone else, Finidi played on the right side and wasn't as talented)
Ronaldo
Liam Brady* [not a proper striker but whatever, cannot put Robbie Keane there]


Why no Germany or even Uruguay here?
Give me German left winger over Nigerian and this becomes too easy.


* thought it was Ivory Coast at first and whined about Cameroon not being preferred (since Eto'o >> Drogba)

 

[ADRossi]

Andrew Robertson has to be the best option at LB.

 

[brehme1989]

Andrew Robertson has to be the best option at LB.

Tommy Gemmell is one of the greatest Scottish players ever. Facchetti-lite kind of player. Top 5 consideration for sure, definite top 10 lock.

Andrew Robertson benefits from playing for present day Liverpool. I like the guy but he gets way overrated due to Liverpool's style and his absence is barely noticeable with freaking Tsimikas backing him up.
I don't think any objective source would ever treat Robertson as one of the best Scottish players ever. He's not even able to be the best Scottish Liverpool player ever, which would be Kenny Dalglish with Graeme Souness following.

I'm pretty sure even our resident Rangers fan @Sawyer could admit that Gemmell is up there in the top 10 lists for top Scottish player ever. Was a victim of internal politics etc, otherwise he'd be still be a household name.

Maybe when it's all set and done Robertson also holds the same status in Scottish football, but for the time being he's lagging.

 

[xthetap]

Tommy Gemmel, Lisbon lion, and scored in the 1970 European Cup final, definitely one of the best of all time, surely in Scotland, along with the likes of Willie Miller, Scotland has produced some fantastic and outright world class players over the years, very under rated footballing country IMO

 

[brehme1989]

Tommy Gemmel, Lisbon lion, and scored in the 1970 European Cup final, definitely one of the best of all time, surely in Scotland, along with the likes of Willie Miller, Scotland has produced some fantastic and outright world class players over the years, very under rated footballing country IMO

Indeed, Scotland has produced some nice gems. Ireland and Nigeria certainly do not belong there.

It's an English/British website so their home nations bias is evident.

But it's unreal that they have Argentina in with center backs when there's only 3 choices (Passarella, Ayala and Samuel) while they're leaving out their attacking midfielders and forward options.

No Germany on this list is simply insane. They have world class players on every possible position, as does Italy and Brazil.

Countries like Hungary, Sweden, Denmark, Ururguay and perhaps Mexico, Colombia, Belgium, Romania, Serbia & Croatia deserve a lot more credit here. Heck, Ukraine over Ireland would make a lot more sense, so that you could put Shevchenko. Or Bulgaria and Stoichkov is slotted there nicely.

 

[crzdcolombian]

Love the hate!!!

If you have this list and won’t put Buffon as your keeper man….

Hate will not make you powerful!!!

At Cb would you not put Maldini?

 

[brehme1989]

Love the hate!!!

If you have this list and won’t put Buffon as your keeper man….

Hate will not make you powerful!!!

At Cb would you not put Maldini?

Why would I put Maldini at center back? The guy was best at left back. And he's a legit legend, not a whiny loser with remarkable longevity.


I don't rate Buffon ahead of Zenga, Zoff and Pagliuca anyway.

 

[Sawyer]

Tommy Gemmell is one of the greatest Scottish players ever. Facchetti-lite kind of player. Top 5 consideration for sure, definite top 10 lock.

Andrew Robertson benefits from playing for present day Liverpool. I like the guy but he gets way overrated due to Liverpool's style and his absence is barely noticeable with freaking Tsimikas backing him up.
I don't think any objective source would ever treat Robertson as one of the best Scottish players ever. He's not even able to be the best Scottish Liverpool player ever, which would be Kenny Dalglish with Graeme Souness following.

I'm pretty sure even our resident Rangers fan @Sawyer could admit that Gemmell is up there in the top 10 lists for top Scottish player ever. Was a victim of internal politics etc, otherwise he'd be still be a household name.

Maybe when it's all set and done Robertson also holds the same status in Scottish football, but for the time being he's lagging.

Totally agree with you here, definitely one of Scotland's finest.

Also agree with Robertson being massively over rated due to playing for Liverpool hes a good player yea sure but not top 10 Scottish.

Jim Baxter and Denis Law get big mentions from me.

 

[Nerazzurri_Ninja]

Messi is better than Ronaldo

 

[Sawyer]

Messi is better than Ronaldo

Sure, if you're blind.

 

[Il Drago]

Football lawmakers consider trialling kick-ins​

Football's lawmakers are considering trialling kick-ins and a new method of measuring playing time.

The International FA Board, which controls the laws of the game, held their annual general meeting on Monday. During the meeting, they permanently introduced the option for leagues to allow five substitutes from the start of the 2022-23 season.

Leagues will also be able to introduce a maximum allowance of 15 substitutes on the team sheet — up from the current cap of 12. Most leagues currently allow nine substitutes to be named in a matchday squad.

However, they also discussed a number of trials that could take place in the near future — including refereeing decisions being explained during a match, kick-ins, and a move away from the traditional 90-minute match clock.

After discussing the trial of VAR “Light”, a system by which VAR can be introduced in more competitions, a statement read: “Other trials such as explaining certain refereeing decisions during a game, a potentially fairer calculation of playing time, and kick-ins were also discussed.

“The AGM was clear that these and any other trials require permission and will be supervised by The IFAB and FIFA.”

The current concussion substitute trial will also be extended until August 2023.

Football lawmakers consider trialling kick-ins

Football's lawmakers are considering trialling kick-ins and a new method of measuring playing time.The International FA Board, which controls the laws...

theathletic.com

 

[crzdcolombian]

Messi is better than Ronaldo

If Ronaldo was from Argentina they would have 4 additional world cups. Ronaldo shows up for his country.

To me Portugal at best as good as Argentinas U20 without Ronaldo. What they have been able to achieve with what they have with a Ronaldo on the field is impressive.

When crapping on Ronaldo vs Messi. Just look at the players both played around.

Ronaldo has been the best player any place he has gone to.

Messi at Psg haha I prefer that shit Italian striker that would make the eating pusssy gesture when he scored

 

[TheNetworkZ]

If Ronaldo was from Argentina they would have 4 additional world cups. Ronaldo shows up for his country.

I think this is an interesting debate but Messi definitely shows up for Argentina as well. One of the things that kept Argentina down was always their coach selection, I think they've had their fair share of shit coaches and arguable squad selections. If you replace Messi with Ronaldo they lose a lot of creativity but it's not like Argentina would lack that tbh. Messi does add a lot to Portugal though.

Argentina also have made 1 world cup final with Messi while Portugal have made 0 with Ronaldo. They did win the Euro Cup but it was an abysmal run tbh. Messi now has the Copa America but I think the Euro is a lot harder to win.

 

[crzdcolombian]

Again Portugal is utter shit compared to Argentina.

Outside of Ronaldo who would start on the B or C team of Argentina. Fifa also like gifts Argentina a way to the final.

 

[NimAraya]

The greatest thing Ronaldo has ever achieved in life is being compared to Messi.

 

[brehme1989]

Again Portugal is utter shit compared to Argentina.

Outside of Ronaldo who would start on the B or C team of Argentina. Fifa also like gifts Argentina a way to the final.

I dare say it's the other way around now. Portugal looks stacked.
Portugal was also stacked in the mid 2000s when Cristiano started.

Argentina was only great until 2008 and then they became victims of the Messi(ah) syndrome. Expecting him to win by himself at a time where his Barcelona buddies (along with mostly some Valencia guys) won everything 3 times in a row.

Argentina only had offensive talent but no place to use them.

Portugal won the Euro in 2016 but shouldn't have even made the KOs as they finished 3rd and beat favorites France after Cristiano was out injured. That was a coaching miracle rather than Cristiano leading the way.
But at least I won my bet

 

[Il Drago]

Stacked? Come on Brehme. They won Euro in 2016 with grandpa Pepe, Jose Fonte, Cedric, Adrien Silva, Joao Mario, Nani, Eder . The only decent players on the squad were Moutinho, Renato Sanches, Guerreiro and William Carvalho. This was one of the worst squads i have ever seen winning Euro.

 

[brehme1989]

Stacked? Come on Brehme. They won Euro in 2016 with grandpa Pepe, Jose Fonte, Cedric, Adrien Silva, Joao Mario, Nani, Eder . The only decent players on the squad were Moutinho, Renato Sanches, Guerreiro and William Carvalho. This was one of the worst squads i have ever seen winning Euro.

Stacked today.
Stacked in the mid 2000s.

Didn't say they were stacked in the 2010s.

Argentina was average for the most part from 2008 to 2018.
No idea how they managed to reach the 2014 final. It was a shit tournament overall. They could have also won it.