[quote=“Stanton, post:2056, topic:527”]I remembered we had talked about this before and there was this list:
It does not include Netzer nor Overath, at least I was wondering about the absence of Netzer. And there are 2 more “legends” not in Scherp’s list: di Stefano and Garrincha[/quote]
Strange that people always mention Pelé first when they’re talking about the best player(s) ever, he’s so to speak the Citizen Kane from international football.
He was an exceptional player of course, but he was in the first place a goal scorer, not really a play maker, a player who could support a team like my top 4.
Garrincha: Don’t know him that well, I saw him in '66 (he was still part of the Brazilian team), but he was so far over his peak then, that I like to think I never really saw him play. He was exceptional for sure. Probably the best dribbler in history. Those who don’t know the guy: Just google his name and have fun.
Koeman and Romario could have been in the respective lists, yes. Certainly Romario.
I don’t understand that Netzer and Overath aren’t mentioned in that list. And then there are a few players who certainly don’t belong there, notably a few Africans (politically correct voting!). Netzer was probably overlooked because he never showed was he was capable of during a World Cup (same problem, albeit for other reasons, for George Best). He was incredible in Euro '72, but the tournement didn’t have the coverage it has today, it was a relatively small affair in those days.
The journalist Matty Verkammen made a wonderful documentary for television about the two midfield aces Willem Van Hanegem and Wolfgang Overath, who had a lot in common: they were both world class soccer players, they both played in the '74 World Cup Final, they were both war children, and they both lost relatives to that damn war.
It’s a very touching document, one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen about soccer players. I don’t know if it can be downloaded anywhere.
Here’s an interesting page on it (in German, but written by a Dutchman):
DOUBLE! DOUBLE! DOUBLE!
John Terry has won the double,
And the shit from the lane have won fuck all again,
John Terry has won the double! ;D
And off to Channel 5 for the Yids ;D Especially to all the ones who gave me shit for not getting a CL place saying Chelsea would be there at Channel 5. Fuck You! ;D
Netzer was injured in 1970 and he was just recovering from another injury in 1974. The WC 74 probably came simply a few weeks too early for him, maybe only a few days as there are reports that he became incredibly good in the training while the tournament was ongoing. But he wasn’t in the best shape when the tournament started.
But as he and Overath couldn’t play together, and Overath found back to great form, the coach decided not to change a winning team, which they became after the weak preliminary round. Amd maybe while the Bayern block preferred to play with Overath as playmaker. (is playmaker the correct term ?)
In 1972 it was the other way round. Overath was injured, which also cost him the captain’s armband after Seeler had retired. So Beckenbauer became the captain, and not the older Overath, and Netzer had his one great year in the national team.
After 1974, when Overath had retired, Netzer’s usual problems with the DFB escalated, and he preferred not to play for the national team again. In the wake of this Breitner made a similar decision, which explains why he wasn’t in the team between 1975 and 1981.
The different and partly rebellious attitude of many players of the WC winner team towards the DFB officials led also to the immediate break-up of this great team directly after the tournament. Overath, Müller and Grabowski immediately retired earlier than necessary. Overath could easily have played 2 more years, Müller was maybe slightly past his prime but still an incredible goal getter, and Grabowski, always an outsider in the team for not belonging to the Bayern, Mönchengladbach, Cologne block, was in the next 4 years better than ever, and still playing good until a bad injury ended his career in 1981. The year he won with Frankfurt the Uefa Cup, which was back then as difficult to win as the Cup of the Champions.
I forgot the Danish brothers at least Brian Laudrup should be there, so Stromberg from Sweden and their small striker they had in 90’s forgot the name, that’s the problem with lists we always forget someone.
Some of the players on my list would be useful for Sporting. What an awful game they made, deserved the defeat. To add insult to injury, the best Academica Coimbra players on the final are paid by Sporting, their on loan, the wonders of modern football
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