World Cup Best XI - Your Lifetime

[A Quinn Martin Production]

From 1970 onwards:

Lev Yashin (slight cheat here, in the USSR squad in 1970 but didn't play)

Cafu
Beckenbauer
Cannavaro
Maldini

Clodoaldo (absolutely brillant in the Brazil 70 team)
Cruyff
Socrates
Matthaus

Maradona

Billy Hamilton Pele

Subs:  Sepp Maier, Thuram, Neeskens, Gerd Muller, Platini

[Doogie Browser]

Anyone watching ESPN classic recently?  Some great World Cup shows, from full scale 2 hour reviews of past world cups to shorter 30 min World Cup stories focusing on teams or special players.  Check late at night too, worth setting the sky plus for.

For what its worth, my favourite XI, 4-3-3 with no great respect to formations!

Buffon (for 2006 alone)

Brehme
McGrath
Baresi
Thuram

Matthaeus
Scifo
Burruchaga

Baggio
Maradonna
Ronaldo

[NAG1]

In all fairness lads I know we are biased but McGrath in a world 11 lifetime world cup heroes? come on

Khan

Petrescu
Baresi
Blanc
Cafu

Baggio
Canigia
Matthaus
Zidane

Maradona
Ronaldo

[Hedley Lamarr]

Banks

Breitner
Beckenbauer
Moore
Maldini

Zidane
Neeskens
Platini
Cruyff

Pele
Maradona

[nrico2006]

some other players that deserve a mention

Valderrama 1990/94 (rarely misplaced a pass)
Owen 1998 (one of the best back then)
Gattuso 2006 (solid as a rock in midfield)
Zambrotta 2006 (brilliant)
Ballack 2002 (carried the team)
Bergkamp (scored one of the best ever goals in a world cup)
Jose Luis Chilavert 1998 ( one of the best)
Edgar Davids 1998 (first class)
Ronaldinho 2002 (delightful skill)
Laudrups 1998 (both were great)
Balakov 1994 (one of the best midfielders that year)
Dragan Stojkovic 1990 (pure class)
Donadoni 1990 (brilliant)
Platini 1986 (end of his career but still great)
   
& i enjoyed watching Raúl,Christian Vieri, & batistuta for their goals

If its to do with the World Cup performances only, then surely Schilachi and Klose deserve a mention at the least. 

[Doogie Browser]

Don't forget this legend!

[Tony Baloney]

some other players that deserve a mention

Valderrama 1990/94 (rarely misplaced a pass)
Owen 1998 (one of the best back then)
Gattuso 2006 (solid as a rock in midfield)
Zambrotta 2006 (brilliant)
Ballack 2002 (carried the team)
Bergkamp (scored one of the best ever goals in a world cup)
Jose Luis Chilavert 1998 ( one of the best)
Edgar Davids 1998 (first class)
Ronaldinho 2002 (delightful skill)
Laudrups 1998 (both were great)
Balakov 1994 (one of the best midfielders that year)
Dragan Stojkovic 1990 (pure class)
Donadoni 1990 (brilliant)
Platini 1986 (end of his career but still great)
   
& i enjoyed watching Raúl,Christian Vieri, & batistuta for their goals

If its to do with the World Cup performances only, then surely Schilachi and Klose deserve a mention at the least.

Klose is actually a good shout. If purely based on performance in the WC, and scoring goals is a pretty good performance indicator, then you could/should a selection from Klinsmann, Klose, Batistuta, Vieri, Lineker, Ronaldo etc. etc.

[Rossie11]

Laudrups 1998 (both were great)

Michael was of the 86 vintage along with Preben Elkjær which was a far better denmark team.
Their 6-1 lashing of Uruguay was one of the great team displays in any world cup

Surprising nobody has mentioned Diego Simeone!!

[magpie seanie]

1982 to 2006:

                                                                Kahn

                           Cafu            Cannavaro                 Baresi               Brehme

                                                             Matthaus

                                           Stojkovic        Zidane          Zico

                                              Maradona
                                                                 Ronaldo


Took me a while to pick that. Usually I prefer wingers but not many spring to mind over the years and I think my two full backs would do a good bit of work down the sides for me. Found it hard to leave out Maldini but went for Brehme for his remarkable goalscoring record and attacking ability. I was quite young in 1982 so memory a little hazy but I remember that Brazilian team and Zico in particular. I was gutted when the Italians robbed them. Probably the best team to not win the World Cup.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

1982 to 2006:

                                                                Kahn

                           Cafu            Cannavaro                 Baresi               Brehme

                                                             Matthaus

                                           Stojkovic        Zidane          Zico

                                              Maradona
                                                                 Ronaldo


Took me a while to pick that. Usually I prefer wingers but not many spring to mind over the years and I think my two full backs would do a good bit of work down the sides for me. Found it hard to leave out Maldini but went for Brehme for his remarkable goalscoring record and attacking ability. I was quite young in 1982 so memory a little hazy but I remember that Brazilian team and Zico in particular. I was gutted when the Italians robbed them. Probably the best team to not win the World Cup.

Remember that match well seanie.  Brazil weren't robbed...they handed it to Italy on a plate!!  Some of the best attacking football I've seen combined with pub team defending...it wasn't dull!

[nrico2006]

Don't forget this legend!

I remember International Superstar Soccer Deluxe on the Super Nintendo had Letchkov, Baggio and Gullit all in it at the time, great game.

[magpie seanie]

1982 to 2006:

                                                                Kahn

                           Cafu            Cannavaro                 Baresi               Brehme

                                                             Matthaus

                                           Stojkovic        Zidane          Zico

                                              Maradona
                                                                 Ronaldo


Took me a while to pick that. Usually I prefer wingers but not many spring to mind over the years and I think my two full backs would do a good bit of work down the sides for me. Found it hard to leave out Maldini but went for Brehme for his remarkable goalscoring record and attacking ability. I was quite young in 1982 so memory a little hazy but I remember that Brazilian team and Zico in particular. I was gutted when the Italians robbed them. Probably the best team to not win the World Cup.

Remember that match well seanie.  Brazil weren't robbed...they handed it to Italy on a plate!!  Some of the best attacking football I've seen combined with pub team defending...it wasn't dull!

Yeah you're right but in my young eyes they were robbed!

[Declan]

In my lifetime

Banks

Cafu
Beckenbauer
Moore
Maldini

Zidane
Zico
Gerson
Cruyff

Pele
Maradona

[Olly]

Seaman

Pearce
Maldini
Butcher
Carlos

Overmars
Valderamma
Petit
Gazza

Quinn
Chi -Ho-Chuengs

[Hound]

from 1982 onwards, although 82 is still may favourite...
(excuse the dodgy formation!)

               Zoff
Gentile  Goikoetxea Tresor
Socrates  Tigana   Falcao
Giresse Maradona Platini Eder