World Team of the Decade

[Handoyo]

In light of the recent cacophony piece of crap article/feature that was written on Goal.com, I felt like we should do one of our own.

Before jotting this down, I felt that it is necessary to thrash out one detail. The players selected in this team should have the best part of their career in the 2000 - 2010 decade. That means, selecting Ronaldo because he was superb with PSV, Barcelona, Inter (1st season) and WC98 is a stupid thing to do. Or selecting Batistuta when he only had 1 good season this decade.

So, without further ado, my team is:

----------Ibrahimovic---Eto’o-----------
------------------Kaka------------------
-------------Xavi---Gerrard-------------
----------------Makelele----------------
Zambrotta---Nesta---Carvalho---J.Zanetti
-----------------Buffon-----------------

Gianluigi Buffon
Maybe J.Cesar has usurped him in the past few years. Maybe Cech was better from 2004 to 2006. But Buffon is undoubtedly the most consistent.

Gianluca Zambrotta
When he played LB for Lippi's & Capello's Juventus, he was the best LB I've ever seen bar none.

Alessandro Nesta
Simply the best and most complete defender I have ever seen.

Ricardo Carvalho
Won 4 league titles this decade, a UEFA Cup and a CL. Great spells for the Portuguese NT too. Another defender who is very complete. Too bad he's now 31, would have made an amazing addition to our defense.

Javier Zanetti
Maicon is now better than him but was relatively an unknown before 2006. Cafu was arguably better but he only played well in the earlier part of the decade. Javier Zanetti is the one consistent player in this position, other than Gary Neville. OK, maybe he has been switched to midfield in the past 3 seasons and I maybe biased but so what eh?

Claude Makelele
Reminds me of a world class house maid who won't let any dirt touch you.

Xavier Hernandez
He is the reason all this talk about Andrea Pirlo being the best midfielder or playmaker or deep-lying playmaker makes me laugh to my stomach. Come on! Xavi is simply the best midfielder in this planet right now and without a doubt the best playmaker this decade.

Steven Gerrard
Amazing consistency for Liverpool. His goal contribution from midfield is indispensable.

Kaka
The most classy player this decade. Pretty much unstoppable when he carries the ball from the midfield onward. Milan did not deserve him and thank God he's now left the club.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
I know, I know. This may rise a few doubts in your mind. But Zlatan is simply unique. He's the 'league master,' winning SEVEN domestic league with Ajax, Juventus and Inter this decade. OK, he may have 0 knockout CL goals but that's where Kaka, Gerrard and Eto'o comes in.

Samuel Eto'o
Shevchenko comes close, honestly. But he simply disappeared since joining Chelsea. Eto'o is probably the game's best big game player right now. Complements his striker partner well in that aspect then!

==================================================

I try to make the formation as 'playable' as possible. That's why I didn't put Ronaldinho as an AM, for example. But given another formation, for example the 4-3-3, obviously Ronaldinho would be in for the LW spot while Kaka is taken out. Anyways, enough from me, tell us your team!

[brehme1989]

I also want to make a 90s one
Okay here goes:

------------------Casillas
Zanetti-Nesta-Cannavaro-Zambrotta
---------------Makelele
--------Xavi-------------Zidane
-----------------Ronaldinho
--------Shevchenko---Ronaldo

Casillas: I haven't seen a goalkeeper be a 5man(4dfs+gk) defence by his own. There were times, specially when Makelele left, were he had virtually no support from his defence and Real conceded too many. Fact was that Iker saved most shots coming. Seriously I can't think of anyone who has been better and who has also played in the whole decade. Buffon, Toldo & Kahn(early in the decade), Cech are way inferior to Casillas' overall performance in this decade

Zanetti: I don't think comments are necessary here. Very versatile right back, our captain for almost a whole decade, maybe didn't win many titles but his ability and dominance as world's greatest right back is a common secret. Cafu comes second, the rest simply follow

Zambrotta: similar to Zanetti, he's a very versatile player, who has excelled as left back. Everyone in the world wanted him in 2006 when he was available, though he didn't have an appropriate end to his career

Nesta: Probably the best defender of the decade was immense at marking and positioning as well aaas being very good at almost all defensive duties.

Cannavaro: Without him, I doubt Nesta would have the same recognition he has now. They complete each other and Canna had an excellent World Cup tournament in 2006 where he was rightfully considered the best defender.

Makelele: Almost flawless, his presence in Real Madrid was very underrated and ever since transferred to Chelsea, the Spanish giants have struggled to find a replacement, or yet didn't feel he was as important and didn't seek for one. Point is, he couldn't be replaced and only Essien in this decade can be compared with him.

Xavi: Very quick thinking and movement, his passing accuracy almost perfect, he is simply Barcelona's(best team in decade for me followed by Milan) brain. He is everywhere in the pitch and there's no one similar in today's football world.

Zidane: Not actually an MC but he can't be excluded from such a lineup. Most complete midfielder, excellent with the ball at his feet, great with headers(and headbutts apparently) very good vision, precise shooting, amazing passes and I can't stop complementing his great skills.

Ronaldinho: Well, despite he's current condition, no one can deny that he's the factor that made Barcelona a top team again. Had quite some success in the 2002 WC and after transferring to Barcelona he made himself the best player in the world, and it'l be some time till we see someone similar given today's lack of talents. Barcelona would still be following Real's shadow if it wasn't for him, unless someone else could have done it. There's no one who was better than him during that time sso I pretty much doubt anyone could have made a half-wrecked Barcelona team that played in the UEFA a top team within a season.

Shevchenko: I picked him as he is more complete than any other alternatives. Zlatan is better with the ball, but not better with scorinhg or with heading. Eto'o is probably better inside the box, excluding headers, but Sheva had different grace. Too bad for football that he left for Chelsea(good for us). No wonder that Milan can't replace him with no one and only a few seem capable to reach his ability. Also I consider Henry inferior to him too as he choked in big games and made a name of himself by scoring loads against very weak opposition.

Ronaldo: Il fenomeno is the best thing football has seen ever since Romario emerging. Had the best possible 2002 WC after 2 years of being injured and at Real despite all comments, he was a mean goal machine. He fell a lot in 2006 but still got the record of best WC scorer and shows that despite being unhealthy for an athlete, he shows that he still got it.

Best player of the decade: Zidane
Best team of the decade: Barcelona
Best coach of the decade: Ancellotti :/

[Stefan]

How can you name ancelotti the best manager of the decade when he has only 1 league title??

[brehme1989]

2 CL finals and generally very good performmance(lost in semis to Barca). And also his team played excellent football for most part of the decade. Can't hide that fact despite being Milan's coach and a guy that I don't really like.

[Alex de Large]

-------Henry---Shevchenko-----Figo------
------------------Zidane/Kaka-----------
---------------Lampard/Gerrard-----------
----------------Makelele----------------
Zambrotta---Nesta---Carvalho---J.Zanetti
-----------------Buffon-----------------

C: J. Mourinho.

[VLE]

As in talent/quality? or cup winning?
If it is former, mine goes as this.

----------------Vieri
Iniesta---------Zidane---------Figo
-----------Xavi
----------------------Vieira
Lizarazu-Cannavaro-Thuram-Maicon
--------------Buffon

Capello

runner up - Totti, Messi, Makelele, Essian, Ballack, JC, Stam

[Jimmy Page]

VLE wasnt R.Carlos better as leftback? Maybe too weak in the defence but superb in offence, alot like our own Maicon

[Handoyo]

For me, players like Zidane or Ronaldo or R.Carlos or Figo simply falls on the wrong side of the decade. They would undoubtedly make the 1995 - 2005 team of the decade but this is a 2000 - 2010. Those players did almost nothing since the halfway point of the decade.

[blackmore]

yeah its a tuff 1

[Besnik]

I read one article in one site news for sport and I saw this formation (of the decade).

4-1-3-2:

--------------- Buffon ---------------

Thuram - Nesta - F.Cannavaro - Maldini

--------------- Makelele -------------

----- Figo ----- Zidane ----- Ronaldinho

---------- Ronaldo --------- Henry

[VLE]

VLE wasnt R.Carlos better as leftback? Maybe too weak in the defence but superb in offence, alot like our own Maicon

R.Carlos was another great left wingback, but he needed a hardcore covering on defense. I'm not saying he was Maxwell who wasn't sure when to pull offside trap with a team, but when it came to man marking a pesky winger, he often found problems.

Lizarazu--Blanc-Desaily-Thuram of WC 1998 France is known as the best DF four in the history of France NT, and perhaps in the world (and they had freaking Deschamps and Vieira as DM). He had a superb defense as well as offense. Something I'd say is a ideal of a fullback. A pity there isn't any left wingback of Carlos or Lizarazu quality anymore.

They are both great, but I just rate Lizarazu higher.

For me, players like Zidane or Ronaldo or R.Carlos or Figo simply falls on the wrong side of the decade. They would undoubtedly make the 1995 - 2005 team of the decade but this is a 2000 - 2010. Those players did almost nothing since the halfway point of the decade.

My base was, if someone from the future came and asked me who they should watch that played between 2000-2010, who I would recommend.

If I was to pick those whose career stretches from 2000 to 2010,

---------Zlatan
Iniesta----Xavi---Messi
----Essien----Ballack
Evra-Vidic-Cannavaro-Maicon
----------Buffon
Capello.

I would personally prefer five Iniesta clones upfront but that is just me.

[Suneet]

I would personally prefer five Iniesta clones upfront but that is just me.

2 of us dude, 2 of us.