Who's The Greatest Player? RIVALDO...

[ogalthorpe]

You guys are so predicatble. Always picking your nationality as the greatest in the world. Let's face it: the true stars play in Italy, with Spain second best, and England a rising third. The Netherlands, Germany and France have strong leagues. But MLS is a joke, so no-one in that league should even be considered. By position:

GK: Buffon - The starting keeper for the
best GK-producing country in the world
LB: Maldini - Still the best
LCB: Mihajlovic - Can decide a game with
his free kicks and corners
RCB: Desailly - A rock; universally respected
RB: Cafu - Captain of the best international
team
LM: Ortega - Can play anywhere but I'll put
him here
LCM: Rivaldo - Dynamic and difficult, but
brilliant
RCM: Keane - The leader of the Manchester
scum
RM: Figo - Superb crosser, better than
Beckham
LCF: Vieri - Living up to his price tag
RCF: Shevchenko - Gamebreaker!

Any questions?

 

[Zambrotta]

Yo ogalthorpe, I REALLY like your team, but I'd play Totti instead of Ortega, and Davids instead of Keane.

 

[Zambrotta]

I'll gladly do you the favour:
Miha for me is a must, because even if his defensive game is good at best, his shot is out of this world (which defender gives you 10+ goals a season) and his passing game is brilliant. Yes Thuram is the best defender in the world, but he is much like Desailly, and I did not want to be too picky.
I forgot Veron though, he is more human than human, here goes my 11:

Peruzzi

Cafu
Thuram
Mihajlovic
Maldini

Zambrotta
Veron
Davids

Totti

Vieri
Schenvchenko

 

[neo]

Tor Andre Flo is the best player ever!!

liva FLONALDO

 

[neo]

Tor Andre Flo is the best player ever!!

liva FLONALDO

 

[AC Milano]

Yes, Buffon is the greatest keeper talent on the world now, and you team is really good, only 3 changes, Ortega-Veron, Keane-Okocha and Mihajlovic-Thuram.

Sorry Zambrotta I know you love Mihajlovic, but I think that he's more popular by his free kicks than defending, the same is R.Carlos.

Btw. keep posting, only few replyes more and I will beat the rekord of: TBB the Boss - Legues in...

AC Milano forever,peace.

 

[fifa_fan]

I think Van Basten was the greatest player in the world now its DelPiero


fifa_fan

 

[Zambrotta]

At the moment I honestly think Angelo Peruzzi to be the best. The saves he made against Venezia were pretty stupefying.

However I have to admit that Buffon is the future, at the beginning of the season (especially in Italy's loss to Denmark) he had some problems, but he will the the most dominant goalie in the next decade.
What I like about him (and Peruzzi) is that they are strong on saving penalties.

Another goalie I have a weakness for is Pagliuca, without him Italy would have ended in the 1st round last year in France.

But the best goalie I ever had the chance to see (and I saw a lot) is undoubtly Michel Preud'homme.

 

[Zambrotta]

And I forgot:
take out ZAMBROTTA of my ideal team and put in ALMEYDA. He is the no-doubt-about-it best defensive midfielder at this moment.

 

[ogalthorpe]

Almeyda is a great player. Did you see the goal against Parma? Incredible! And it was only his second in Serie A.

Still, I wouldn't rate him ahead of Keane or Davids.

 

[Zambrotta]

Yeah, his goal was unique. Funny that his first goal (last season) was a heck of a shot as well.

I'd rate him over Keane, but certainly not over Davids, who according to my opinion is the best player on the world.
If I had to put together a team, he surely would be my 1st pick.

 

[ogalthorpe]

Zambrotta:

What is your opinion of Keane? I know he plays in an inferior league, but he strikes me as a born winner. Man Utd. are nothing when he's out of the lineup (excepting the Euro Cup win, which was a joke).

And what do you think of this:

Argentina is the greatest international team at the moment. With Veron, Simeone, Almeyda, Redondo, and Ortega all in midfield, and Batistuta, Crespo, and Lopez at forward, they have an unbelievable attack!

 

[Zambrotta]

I like Keane very much, he is a true winner. But I unfortunately don't get to see much of the PL, only 15 mins a week on German TV.
He is surely among the top 3 defensive midfielders. The reason I prefer Davids is because he has tremendous skills with the ball. Almeyda-Keane is somewhat a tie, I chose Almeyda because he was the best player last year in Italy (better as Totti for that matter).

I agree with you on Argentina as wll, I rank them over Brazil. (I'll be some beating for saying this).
I may be true that Brazil could easily play 5 very good teams, but the best 11 at this moment come from Holland and Argentina.

Watch out for Italy to bounce back though! In 3 weeks Zoff will for the first time play Totti behind Vieri and the second forward, who I wish to be Del Piero or Montella (but it will most likely be Inzaghi).
Vieri-Del Piero-Totti is some serious stuff too!
However the Brazilians with Ronaldo-Amoroso-Rivaldo also have a damn good offense.

 

[ogalthorpe]

Who would your starting 11 be for Italy. Mine would be:

Buffon
Panucci - Nesta - Maldini
Fuser - Albertini - Ambrosini - Zambrotta
Totti
Del Piero - Vieri

I am a big fan of Simone Inzaghi, but he's probably around fifth in line to start at forward. What do you think?

 

[Zambrotta]

Mine is:

Peruzzi (at the moment)
Panucci-Nesta-Cannavaro-Maldini
Tommasi-Di Biagio-Zambrotta
Totti
Vieri-Del Piero

I was a big Albertini fan, but his performance in the past 3 years have been not enough to match his skills. I'd love to finally see him return to the 1994 level.
Simone Inzaghi is a good striker, I like him much better than his brother.
Our problem is midfield, I sure hope that Zoff will introduce Fiore (Udinese) soon.
However Italy's future could be closely linked to the development of a guy with so sensational skills it's hard to believe:
Andrea Pirlo, currently Reggina

p.s. Simone scored 2 goals today

 

[ogalthorpe]

Zambrotta:

I agree that you have a quality 11. But they are all from the Italian league. I deliberately included players from England and Spain to balance my team out.

Notes:
- I did not include Thuram because of Parma's questionable early season form
- I included Ortega because he has stood out as being Parma's best player (along with Buffon)
- I thought of Veron right after I posted the message, and he is an excellent choice in midfield
- Mihajlovic is not the best defender, but--like I said--he is one of the best gamebreakers in the world
- Certainly, Rivaldo warrants inclusion!
- Davids may be a better player than Keane, but who would Juventus take if they had the choice?

That's all for now...

 

[RS91]

Striker: Shevchenko
Midfield: Rivaldo
Defence: Mihajlovic
Team: Lazio
Most Overrated: Zahovic

Sinisa is know for his nuclear left foot but he is an excellent defender as well. Not the best but when you factor in his offence then that does make him the best.

 

[AC Milano]

Zambrotta, Do you think that Peruzzi is the best keeper?

I don't know, there isn't a goalkeeper that will overshine all others, Smeichel is gettin' old now so...maybe Chilavert, but he isn't playin' in europe and I don't have so much info about him. My favorite one is still Campos but he's not the best this time.
Victor Baia, Van der Sar, Seaman, Peruzzi, Barthez...they all the same, so my vote goes for Buffon, but he's young and it's too early to say he's the best. Your opinion?

 

[Stefan]

I think the best, current player in the world is Gabriel Batistuta, because he's a constant player, he is very good player, he scores every year more than 20 goals and he's a big fighter: He's got everything, what a great player needs.

My favourite team?

Carew (RBK) Batistuta (ACF)
Vieri (Inter)
Rivaldo Beckham Zidane Emerson
R.Carlos Kohler Thuram
Illgner (real)

 

[Blue Moon]

1. I hate Man U.
2. This is a team I'd like to see play together, not necessarily the team with the best players.

G Chilavert
D Cafu
D Sol Campbell
D Marcel Desailly
D Eddie Pope
M David Beckham
M Edgar Davids
M Rivaldo
F Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors)
F Battistuta
F Emile Heskey (Leicester City)

A VERY physical team with speed and power up front, class and tenacity in midfield, three rocks and one flair player in the back, and a tower of strength in goal.