What is your Team of the Decade?

Gecklund

Registered User
Jul 17, 2012
25,142
11,717
California
CR7-Suarez-Messi
Xavi-Busquets-Iniesta
Marcelo-VvD-Ramos-Lahm
Neuer
Probably pretty close. Only thing I would probably change is VVD just because he’s been good since he went to Liverpool but not on the biggest stage since. Some HM names

Neymar-Lewandowski-Robben
Modric-Silva
Pirlo (maybe)
Alba-Chiellini/Bonucci-Pique-Alves
De Gea/Buffon
 

AB13

Registered User
Apr 29, 2019
6,998
2,605
Neuer

Alves - Ramos - Pique - Marcelo

Kroos - Busquets - Özil

Messi - Suarez - Ronaldo

Xavi, Iniesta and Lahm would have been obvious if they played at the highest level for larger parts of the decade.
 

Wee Baby Seamus

Yo, Goober, where's the meat?
Mar 15, 2011
14,704
5,715
Halifax/Toronto
Ronaldo - Suarez - Messi
Modric - Iniesta
Busquets
Alba - Hummels - Thiago Silva - Azpilicueta
Neuer

HM at each position:

LW: Neymar
ST: Lewandowski
RW: Robben
LCM: Xavi
RCM: Kroos
DM: Kante
LB: Marcelo
LCB: Ramos
RCB: Pique
RB: Lahm
GK: de Gea
 

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
57,228
23,101
New York
GK: Neuer
RB: Lahm
CB: Vidic
CB: Ramos
LB: Marcelo
DM: Busquets
CM: Xavi
CAM: Iniesta
RW: Messi
LW: Ronaldo
CF: Aguero
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
Ronaldo - Suarez - Messi seems like a no brainer.

Midfield is a little tougher. Most obvious pick would be Xavi - Busquets - Iniesta but definitely hard to leave out De Bruyne and Modric.

Defence for me is pretty easy. Marcelo - van Dijk - Silva - Lahm and the only one I’d consider is Alves.

Keeper is obviously Neuer.

Too many HMs to list but Ronen would be my next winger choice, Lewandowski my next striker and probably Pique my next CB.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
45,300
9,465
1 super year from VVD and it gets him on the team over the likes of Ramos, pique, Silva seems far fetched. Considering how much those guys won and how integral they were to their teams.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gecklund

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
1 super year from VVD and it gets him on the team over the likes of Ramos, pique, Silva seems far fetched. Considering how much those guys won and how integral they were to their teams.
No CB this decade has had a year (very few probably ever) on the level of van Dijk and he was very good before that as well just didn't have the accolades because he wasn't playing for a big team. There's a reason Liverpool paid what they did for him (we'll ignore what United did with Maguire).

I think peak is important when taking into account these kinds of things on top of consistency. You're looking at 2 full years with Liverpool where van Dijk has been the clear cut best defender in the world. Before that he was in the top 10 probably with Southampton, and was fantastic with Celtic while also translating this incredible level to the NT.
 

Duchene2MacKinnon

In the hands of Genius
Aug 8, 2006
45,300
9,465
You mean my team?

Team
Ronaldo - Ibrahimovic - Neymar
Messi
Xavi - Yaya
Marcelo - Puyol - Kompany - Lahm
Neuer

No I meant I'm baffled at how you managed to Auba over Suarez. Yet you followed it up with Neymar,Ibra and Kun over Suarez. Which is hilarious.

No CB this decade has had a year (very few probably ever) on the level of van Dijk and he was very good before that as well just didn't have the accolades because he wasn't playing for a big team. There's a reason Liverpool paid what they did for him (we'll ignore what United did with Maguire).

I think peak is important when taking into account these kinds of things on top of consistency. You're looking at 2 full years with Liverpool where van Dijk has been the clear cut best defender in the world. Before that he was in the top 10 probably with Southampton, and was fantastic with Celtic while also translating this incredible level to the NT.

Being a top 10 player than having one elite year doesn't make him better than Silva,Ramos nor Pique or even Hummels. Longevity and consistence need to be factored in after all were talking about best of the decade not just 2019. You can even see it in his play right now VVD wasn't as good as he was the previous season.

Key cog in arguably the 2nd best team of the late 00's and early 10's. He might be a little too early for this decade but he was easily one of the best CB's from 2006-2012.

2-3 seasons. I'd easily Ramos over him.
 

Vasilevskiy

The cat will be back
Dec 30, 2008
17,820
4,608
Barcelona
Neuer
Marcelo - Ramos - Pique - Dani Alves
Busquets
Modric - De Bruyne
CR7 - Suarez - Messi

Xavi feels like retired forever ago, Iniesta could have been there for De Bruyne, either player has been fantastic
 

les Habs

Registered User
Sep 21, 2005
22,236
3,964
Wisconsin
First team for me is easy:

Ronaldo - Suarez - Messi
Iniesta - Modric
Busquets
Alba - Thiago Silva - Pique - Alves
Neuer
I could see Xavi there instead of Modric, but considering the timeline (which someone should define), I'd give Modric the nod. Second team is a bit more difficult:

Neymar - Aguero - Robben
Xavi - Pogba - De Bruyne
Marcelo - Hummels - Ramos - Lahm
De Gea​

Tough leaving out Ibrahimovic, Hazard and Vidal. A few other omissions like Lewandowski, Benzema, Cavani, Kroos, Thiago, Rakitic, Kompany and Varane are explainable, but they all aren't too far off.

I'm sure Alba, Pique and Pogba will draw some criticism, but I stand by them. Of course this being off the top of my head maybe someone will make a case for someone I haven't thought of and I'll change my mind.
 

HoseEmDown

Registered User
Mar 25, 2012
17,452
3,681
Ronaldo - Lewandowski - Robben
Messi
Modric - Busquets
Marcelo - Ramos - Chiellini - Alves
Neuer
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
Being a top 10 player than having one elite year doesn't make him better than Silva,Ramos nor Pique or even Hummels. Longevity and consistence need to be factored in after all were talking about best of the decade not just 2019. You can even see it in his play right now VVD wasn't as good as he was the previous season.
I don’t agree. I think he’s had enough consistency at a high level that his 2 years of being by far the best defender in the world, the best player on his team and his impact from that position is unparalleled from a team perspective. None of the other players you mentioned were ever arguable as the best player in the world over any period nor even the best players on their team (Silva maybe for the second one, but not on a CL winner and historic domestic team). I have Silva there with van Dijk though yeah.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
34,543
2,560
VVD is not arguably the best player in the world, neither, though I suppose you mean in his position
I should have clarified for the season/year which I meant with the ‘over any period of time’. He certainly had the argument for this past year and was just as deserving as Messi for the award Messi ended up winning.
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->