Xtratime All-Time Draft 2018

 Xtratime All-Time Draft 2018, wm442433 team :

Two dynamic wings with two balanced full-backs with defensive and offensive abilities and a combo of AM's Figo-Nedved who works on the wings but also go through the centre. A central midifeld that won everything internationally, a complementary CB pairing with another internationally decorated who is a supplementary playmaker and attacker, a goalkeeper who, amongst other qualities, is able of making up for the football would be quickly thrown in our camp and that the latter would still be in a advanced position. Upfront, two strikers who offers a large panel of abilities, individually and as a duo and who form with the two AM's a very dangerous quator for the diversity of offensive approaches to which they can operate. Already said, but they also combine with the two FB's, the libero and one of the midfielder in particular who goes more forward.

The selected players occupy well all the zones of the field without creating traffic jam so that the ball can circulate and that all the passes are efficient. This 11 is set-up to play some football but has also the ability to hold up under pressure and to operate with counter-attacks. It's the case of other teams but the difference could be made by the fact of having two AM's who also participate to the pressing and to the defensive duties.

A few more details on the players and the team they compose :

Neuer - he has already marked the History of the game. The sweeper-keeper etc., no need to introduce him. If not at 100% in June, he could be one of the main reason why Germany would not keep its title just like he was one of the main reasons why they won it 4 years ago.

Honours : World Cup 2014, CL 2013 (runner-up in 2012), triple Bdslga-Pokal-CL 2013 btw (+ Club World Cup and European Supercup), numerous Bundesligas and Pokals titles... semi-finalist at the World Cup 2010. Semi-finalist at the Euros 2012 and 2016.

Individual : best keeper of the 2014 World Cup, 3rd at the Ballon d'or 2014. German footballer of the year 2011 and 2014. Best keeper in the last years in various elections (since 2011 and an UEFA best keeper award)...

Zambrotta - very capable offensively and impeccable defensively, the needed balanced RB to play next to a libero. He scored that beautiful goal at the World Cup 2006 (which he won) against Ukraine, just as much beautiful as he is a right back and he has also notably dominated Roberto Carlos in brilliant fashion in the 2002-2003 CL semi-finals. He lost this final during which he operated on the left flank of the midfield instead of another player of this 11 who was suspended. That happens.

Honours : World Cup 2006, Euro 2000 runner-up (suspended for the final), CL runner-up 2003, 2 or 3 scudetti.

Individual : World Cup 06 team of the tournament, Euro 04 team of the tourney, UEFA team 06.

Blanc - presides in defense. Alluring like "Kaiser Franz" to which he was hence often compared, he scored even more as a defender and in decisive moments (golden goal '98 against Paraguay for instance). His positioning, his runs forward, his passing, in brief his reading of the game but also the confidence that he inspires to his partners on the pitch are precious. The one who won everything with the French team played at club level in France... Italy, Spain, Italy again and England. An universal player in sum.

Honours : World Cup '98 + Euro 2000 (as co-leader with Deschamps), PL 2003 with Man Utd, French Cup '90 with Montpellier, French double League-Cup with Auxerre in '96, UEFA Cup runner-up '99 with OM. Already European champion in '88 in U-23 (+ best player award).

Individual : Euro team of the Tournament 1992, 1996 and 2000 (it must be the record of presences). French player 1990. ESM TotY 1998 and 1999, ESM TotM x11.

Stam - the second best rated CB at the 1998 World Cup by France Football (behind Desailly) will form an harmonious pair with Blanc. A ferocious stopper with good foot.

Honours : Triple PL-Cup-CL 1999 with Man Utd (+ Intercontinental Cup), PL x3, Eredivisie x1, KNVB Beker x2, Coppa Italia... CL runner-up 05, World Cup '98 semi-finalist, Euro 2000 semi-finalist as well as in 2004 again.

Individual : UEFA best defender 1999 and 2000. PFA TotY x3, Overseas PL team of the decade, Dutch footballer of the year '97, ESM TotY 1998-99, ESM TotM

Demyanenko - he had other qualities but he scored a nice goal against Portugal in '83. They're twin with Zambrotta : Demyanenko could play on either side of the defense but also as a CB, a MF and quite often as an LM/ LW. An uncompromising defender (but always correct) with excellent exit of the ball, a fast, powerful counter-attacking player and adroit, he made the whole left hand of the pitch his home and for all that has been evoked had almost no equals throughout the 80s.

Often captained the Soviet Union team with whom he participated in three World Cups as well as Dynamo Kiev from 1980 to 1990.

Honours : Cup Winners Cup '86, Soviet Leagues, Soviet Cups... Euro '88 runner-up.

Individual :

Soviet player 1985. 7 times Soviet League best LB of the season. 3rd player with most votes in the Ukrainian 'Team of the Century' according to a poll by*The Ukrainsky Futbol weekly, behind Shevchenko and Blokhin. Fourth most capped Soviet Union team player. Received one vote at the Ballon d'or in 1985 and 2 in 1988. Nominated in a preselection of 5 players for the Onze de Onze in 1982, '83, '85, '86, '87 (can't say for '88, sorry).

Figo - Figo, MVB, goal.

Honours : CL 2002, Cup Winners Cup '97. Piled up the ligas then the scudetti... Euro 2004 runner-up... Euro 2000 semi-finalist, World Cup 2006 semi-finalist.

Individual : Portuguese PotY x7 from '94 to 2000, Ballon d'or 2000, FIFA PotY 01, La Liga foreign player 1999-2001, Euro team of the tournament 2000 and 2004, World Cup team of the tournament 2006, ESM TotY '98 and 2000, ESM TotM x12, UEFA TotY 2003. 127 caps, 795 club matches.

Vieira - the midfielder with tentacles in place of... legs. He came in the '98 final from the bench and gave the assist for the last of the three goals scored : a deserved reward for his more than appreciable participation throughout the tournament. In 2000, he was a starter during a high-end tournament while in England, he had become an authentic "box-to-box" since already 2 seasons and a double PL-Cup conquest in brilliant fashion with Arsenal. It was time for the French-Senegalese to be incorporated to the NT first 11 and his performances were obviously very important for France to win this second title in a row which is the Euro.

In 2006, he took things in charge in the absence of Zidane against Togo in order to go through the group stage then was the real man of the match against Spain with 1 goal and 1 assist. He drived the French team until a final during which he'd get injured : the original and real turning point in that game.

Apart from his abilities at defending and in the percussion, his talent for deflecting the ball with the head on crosses or on set-pieces will be precious.

A player who is always desirous to move forward, he will not be upset to find Mauro Silva by his side.

Honours : World Cup 1998, Euro 2000... and confed Cup 2001. World Cup runner-up 06... PL x3 ('98, 02, 04), FA Cup x4 (98, double, 02, 05, 11), 4 scudetti.

Individual : World Cup team 06, Euro team 2000, UEFA team 01, French PotY 01, PL PotY 01, PFA TotY x6, PL overall team of the decade, English Hall of fame 2014. ESM TotM x9.

Btw, Vieira has played with Blanc, Bergkamp, Figo... also Zambrotta and Nedved.

Mauro Silva - next to Vieira is not Makelele like in national team nor Gilberto Silva like at Arsenal but the World Champion '94 and "Super Depor" cornerstone Mauro Silva, that skilled and effective defensive midfielder who wore the number 5.

A link-man of high quality again who will work a bit deeper on the field. As already said, he will not thwart the Vieira's desire to attack but his presence also allows Nedved to dedicate himself as often as possible to the attacking game as well as he constitutes on his own a security when the backs join the attack, whether it is Blanc or the laterals.

He's also the one who can hold the ball to take the necessary few seconds to reorganise and beyond this, he will be always there if his support is needed at the outskirts of the opponents' box and in such situations will always make the right pass. It's simple, Mauro Silva was always at the right place at the right moment. A true "box-to-box" himself. Only, a "box-to-box" who doesn't score goals which mistakenly perhaps, is part of the definition of the role as it is generally accepted nowadays.

It is well known that the "DM" position is the most important as it gives to an ensemble its cohesion and he provides that. Essential for the success of such a modest team like Bragantino then for Depor that turned into "Super Depor" with him and Bebeto, obviously the same for Brazil, and of course for our team.

Honours : World Cup '94, Copa America 97 (runner-up '91). Spanish League 2000 (with Depor), Paulista 1990 (with Bragantino). Spanish Cup.

Individual : Bola de Ouro 1991, Bola de Prata 1991 and 1992.

Nedved - the "tireless worker" sure (and that's a big plus) but the two-footed also had an impeccable technique : precise passes, crosses, powerful long-range shots. Like Figo, he can operate on the wing or through the centre and allow his FB to overlap him. With him and Demyanenko, the left side of the team is like made of steel... good luck to the opponents! With the Portuguese #7 he will offer a variety of attacks and angles of passes and also contribute to the defensive aspects of the game. In a caricatural maneer, when Figo is more the playmaker-dribbler, Nedved is more the "enforcer"... that's complementary. And interchangeable.

Honours : 3 scudetti, the last Cup Winners Cup in '99, CL runner-up 03 (suspended for the final...), 1 Czechoslovak then 2 Czech Republic league titles + 1 domestic cup... UEFA Cup runner-up '98. Euro '96 runner-up, Euro 2004 semi-finalist...

Individual : Ballon d'or, Serie A PotY, UEFA best MF in 2003. UEFA TotY 2003, 04 and 05, Euro team of the tourney 2004. Czech PotY x6. ESM TotY 2001 and 2003, ESM TotM x14.

Bergkamp - the artist, the genius. A robust player too who can help occasionally at midifeld and who is also good in the air. On the ground, what he is able to do is well-known : he was that maestro and that assist master in the second part of his career. In the first part of it, he was more of a dynamic striker. In between, before to become that magician who amazes the crowds, he knew the delusion in the Serie A at Inter during two years : after a correct first season in spite of everything, the second would be even more painful and it would be the last as M. Moratti was taking the club in charge. After this, he would be even better than the young Ajax striker who captured the attention of the whole Europe though he loss, on the counterpart, quite much of his running speed. The ideal version of Bergkamp would be a mix between the one of the early 90s and the one of the late 90s and this is what we got a bit here in this game, we can imagine.

Honours : Cup Winners Cup '87, UEFA Cup 1992 and 1994 (top scorer), PL x3 and FA Cup x4 (double in '98), Eredivisie x1 (top scorer x3), KNVB Beker x2... semi-finalist at the Euros '92 (joint top scorer), 2000 and at the World Cup '98.

Individual : Ballon d'or 2nd place in '92 and third place in '93 (4th in '97). FIFA award 3rd place in '93 and in '97. Dutch footballer of the year '91 and '92, Euro team of the tournament '92, World Cup '98 All-star team, PFA PL TotY, PFA, PFA players' and FWA PotY in 1997-98, PL goal of the season '98 and 2002, English Hall of Fame. World Cup '98 top assist provider (shared) and PL top assist provider 1998-99.

Van Basten - zero defaults, all the qualities, the ultimate centre forward. He's putted here in the best conditions with first of all a Figo (2nd pick) to feed him from the flank or from the centre with precise crosses and all sorts of passes, on the floor like in the air and should benefit from the work of Nedved as well, only to talk about the offensive midfielders.

Bergkamp and Van Basten are putted like this on the draw in order to try to give an impression of movement to the image but/ and of course they can move anywhere. Including in the "hole" as Van Basten liked to do by the end of his (too short) career i.e as he did at the Euro '92 with the young Bergkamp who then benifited of this deluxe pivot. But it can work either way, ofc, with Bergkamp in a number 10 position. In sum, just to talk about these two, Bergkamp will turn around MVB like a second striker/ winger or play a bit behind him either to serve him in the depth or to lean on him before to finish himself.

Superb duo with the one who is the author of the best goal ever at an Euro tournament and the other who signed one of best in the World Cup History... it had to be said. Why to deny this pleasure?

MVB's honours : Euro '88 (top scorer), European Cup 1989 (top scorer) and 1990 (runner-up of the 1st CL in '93, his last match)... 2 Intercontinental Cups. 3 scudetti (capocannoniere x2). Cup Winners Cup '87 (scored the winner ofc). Eredivisie (top scorer x4) and KNVB Cup x3 (1 double, in '83).

Individual : triple ballon d'or (1988, '89 and '92). Euro Team of the Tournament '88 and Best Player. Euro Team of the tournament '92. Italian Hall of Fame.