Our immortal Xi
AS most of the 32 teams would have finalised their 26-man squads for the Qatar World Cup by today, we’ve turned the pages of history to create our greatest ever XI. Our selections are based on what these players have achieved and managed at the Finals, plus their overall abilities. Eight of them in our 4-3-3 formation are winners, with three being the odd ones out for not having lifted the most coveted prize. And yes, we’ve risked the wrath of Teams Messi and Ronaldo for not including their idols on this list.
left winger: DIEGO maradona (argentina)
PICKING Maradona over Messi was one of the toughest decisions but we stand by it for one solid reason. The magical EL Diego, almost singlehandedly, led an average team to glory in 1986, and could even lift and inspire a weak and depleted side to reach another final four years later. Now that’s something we haven’t seen Leo do – yet.
midfielder: JOHAN CRUYFF (Holland)
HOLLAND’S greatest ever player was a three-time winner of the Ballon d’or, and is eternally remembered as one of the key innovators of Total Football. Cruyff may have played in only one World Cup but what an impact he made in 1974 as leader of arguably the best team never to have won the biggest prize.
leftback: PAOLO maldini (italy)
THE pundits say any greatest team list isn’t complete without an Italian defender. And here, we opted for the classiest one there is in Maldini. Elegant and technically gifted, the AC Milan legend was so reliable he could be captivating. Fondly remembered for a defensive tour de force alongside Franco Baresi in the 1994 final where they kept Brazil’s terror duo, Romario and Bebeto, at bay for two hours.
Centreback: BOBBY MOORE (England)
THE only England captain to have lifted the trophy but the West Ham legend’s class and talents were appreciated across the globe. Moore was both a superb defender and a great leader. Pele singled him out as the best defender he had ever come up against and Beckenbauer ranks him the ‘’best defender in the history of the game’’.
Goalkeeper: LEV YASHIN (USSR)
THE only goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d’or, Yashin is believed to have made over 150 penalty saves and kept over 270 clean sheets in a career spanning 22 seasons. He starred at three World Cups, never getting his hands on one, but his legend is secured by his commanding presence, cat-like reflexes and unbelievable agility. His many impossible saves stunned the crowds and earned him the nickname “The Black Spider” – the perception being that, to make the kind of saves he did, he must have had eight legs!
Centreforward: PELE (Brazil)
PELE pipped two Ronaldos – his countryman and Portugal’s Cristiano to this position by virtue of his three World Cup wins and being named alongside Maradona as FIFA’S joint Players of the Century. The first Samba superstar’s scintillating displays were central to the Selecao’s successes in 1958 and 1970.
Defensive midfielder: lothar mattheaus (West Germany)
THE enforcer’s role may be called the Claude Makelele position but Matthaeus, captain of West Germany’s 1990 World Cup winning team, arguably owned it for much of the ’80s and early ’90s. Blessed with pace and skill, the slight hard man had an impeccable reading of the game and could score crucial goals too.
right winger: Garrincha (Brazil)
ONE of the finest dribblers in the history of the game, the “Little Bird’’ is a perfect fit for this spot. Garrincha seized centrestage in 1962 after injury ruled Pele out of the tournament during the group stage. He also became the Selecao’s leading scorer and Golden Ball winner as Brazil won their second title.
midfielder: ZINEDINE ZIDANE (France)
ZIZOU got the better of two other candidates for this role as midfield general – compatriot Michel Platini and Spain’s 2010 winner Xavi. One of the most elegant playmakers to have graced the game, he was the driving force behind France’s triumph on home soil in 1998, scoring two headed goals in the final against Brazil. He also led an aging Les Bleus side to another final in 2006.
rightback: CAFU (Brazil)
A Two-time World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, Cafu is Brazil’s most-capped player, with 142 appearances. Combining pace and tenacity with unrivalled technical ability, the sight of him flying down the right wing to join in yet another Brazilian attack never got old. His professionalism and high work rate also set the standard for all other Brazilian defenders to follow.
Centreback: FRANZ BECKENBAUER (West Germany)
YOU could make a good case that Der Kaiser was the reason why a supremely gifted Holland side could not win that 1974 final. Looking back at that classic showdown, we see Beckenbauer’s brilliance in his excellent leadership, organisation and grace under pressure. One of only three men to have won the World Cup as both player and manager, he reinvented the sweeper role, capable of pulling the strings from deep or surging out of defence.