I agree with him. I know he’s talking specifically about Brazil but it’s relevant across the board.
This is the most unbelievably average crop of players I’ve ever seen at the highest level of football. Football is almost void of personality on the pitch now.
So glad he spoke out.
We need more of this.
Football and footballers are so boring nowadays. With some exceptions.
Brazil is a brilliant example.
For fuck fucking sakes Djalminha couldn’t even get into the squad in those Ronaldinho days… Alex…
This not just a nostalgia thing anymore. Average talents being hyped up as starts, true genuine outstanding technical talent and creativity are so so rare nowadays.
We need artistry back. This all starts from grass roots though. They get coached a very specific robotic way now. Individuality is not encouraged and most often than not, punished. Just wanna see players play like they love the game.
We are so lucky to have Odegaard who plays this way. There are not many left in the world.
It’s usually ‘follow the money, innit?
When is next season’s fixture list out?
Whaaaaat??!
Arsenal were again the inspiration for the kit worn against the Faroes and Israel that September – this time it was the ‘bruised banana’ away, but with matching shorts.
Whilst he did play for Bayern I think the reason that he’s lesser known is that he played for lesser known clubs. As far as his personal accolades and trophies go he’s up there with any striker you could argue. That Bayern team wasn’t the greatest of Bayern teams either.
For our national team he was completely different than Kluivert. He was a very technical target men, could hold the ball, could do one-twos, be involved in combinations. Makaay was a completely different striker who really didn’t fit the mold of what is needed in the Dutch game.
They could have at least used a spirit level.
Random question but in terms of all round strength of national teams - what do people consider the strongest tournaments of all time?
1998 and 2006 World Cup stand out to me as the two tournaments where there was an incredible amount of depth in some of the nations.
1998 - Brazil, Netherlands, France, Italy, Argentina, Spain, Germany and England had strong squads.
2006 - Brazil, Argentina, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, England and Germany. Would also throw in Ivory Coast, Czech Republic, Croatia as having real good squads too.
I think the 2006 tournament is where it peaked.
1982 and 1986 had some amazing squads too.
2006 was my first proper tournament so I will go with that.
Strong set of players and entertaining football. It has not been bested since.
Start of Spain’s dominance as well.
Exactly this for me personally, 2010 was a complete bore and didn’t really bother too much until the recent World Cup final and even caught Germany thrashing Brasil by accident.
It was only because there weren’t any great teams on display, and there still aren’t.
1998 for me. The depth and star names in those squads was unbelievable. Zamorano, Salas, Chilavert, Seedorf, Bergkamp, Mijatovic, Hagi, Klinsmann, Matthaus, Baggio, Vieiri, Stoichkov…Brazil, Italy, Argentina, Netherlands and France were absolutely littered with incredible names. The South American teams in particular almost felt mystical because you finally got to see these icons play live.
I was not old enough to really remember 1994 even though I idolised Ruud Gullit. I remember being crestfallen that he walked out right before the tournament started. Roger Milla’s dance and Maradona on coke were iconic moments.
Maybe it’s because it was so long ago that you romanticise the old tournaments, but the recent ones don’t feel like they will ever be remembered in the same way.
2006 was almost certainly not the start of Spain’s dominance haha.
2006 was the first World Cup I was old enough to actually remember and enjoy.
Was to young for 98 and ‘02
So many good games. The Italy Germany semi final is an all timer
I barely even watch World Cups tbh, usually just tune in for the final. New Zealand has made it a couple of times but we are terrible to watch and I’m not English enough to care much about following England heavily (although I do like to see them do well).
Ah shucks then I am thinking of 2008 Euros.
No wonder I was bit confused by timelines.
I started in 2006 but I actually watched the 2002 WC, such a fond memory. My primary school in South Croydon allowed us to watch all England games at school. We would huddle around a small CRT TV watching the National Team, we killed Denmark 3-0 and the place was electric. Then we played Brazil and that Ronaldinho free kick. Seaman brother, wrong time to be caught off the line.
