Who is the best international team ever?

[TheMoreYouKnow]

Even in German footy circles it is a majority opinion that 74 was luck.

I want to throw the 1990 german team into the discussion. No weaknesses.

You mean the 11Freunde set? Yeah the types who wouldn't have been seen supporting the national team pre-2006. Eff them.

And to answer the point: It's a single elimination final. Holland went up on a pen in like the 3rd minute. They really had no excuse to lose that if they were as good as the hype indicated. Being a top team also means coming through in those key moments. Of course, Holland typically lacked that killer instinct and that's what kept them from being a truly great side. Holland were the most *interesting* side of the 70s and with Cruyff one of the most interesting all-time, sure, and that what appeals to sports writers and self-described sophisticated fans, but at the end of the day the W is what matters. And Beckenbauer lifted the World Cup.

 

[Bon Esprit]

The Austria team of the 1930's (before WWII) is one of those fascinating teams nobody talks about

You are absolutely right.

I want to mention a player nobody has ever heard of, but maybe he was the greatest goalscorer of alltime. Stumbled over him a few months back.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Friedenreich

 

[gary69]

Even in German footy circles it is a majority opinion that 74 was luck.

I want to throw the 1990 german team into the discussion. No weaknesses.

I thought Italy's team at their home World Cup in 1990 was pretty much perfectly set in traditional Italian way as well.

They had only conceded like 4 goals in 20 games since the 1988 semifinal and even though they had suffered a couple of 1-0 away friendly losses during the previous two years, during the WC they seemed like a perfectly drilled team nobody could score against, let alone win.

I was really looking forward to seeing them going against Germany, but it wasn't to be.

That match-up would have seen probably two best ever tactically perfect teams facing each other in decades by that time.

Of course in later tournaments, likes of Brazil 1994, France 2000 and Spain 2008-2012 would be quite perfect as well.

 

[Eisen]

I thought Italy's team at their home World Cup in 1990 was pretty much perfectly set in traditional Italian way as well.

They had only conceded like 4 goals in 20 games since the 1988 semifinal and even though they had suffered a couple of 1-0 away friendly losses during the previous two years, during the WC they seemed like a perfectly drilled team nobody could score against, let alone win.

I was really looking forward to seeing them going against Germany, but it wasn't to be.

That match-up would have seen probably two best ever tactically perfect teams facing each other in decades by that time.

Of course in later tournaments, likes of Brazil 1994, France 2000 and Spain 2008-2012 would be quite perfect as well.

That would have been quite some match indeed. But I wanted the Germans to beat Argentina. Burruchaga burned my favourite player 4 years prior, I needed satisfaction. Really happy when Brehme (a team mate of Briegel from Kaiserslautern days) scored the winner.

 

[MarkStone]

The Austria team of the 1930's (before WWII) is one of those fascinating teams nobody talks about

Yep, the Wunderteam. Wish I could time-travel to have seen Sindelar play. Have never actually bothered to check if even any grainy footage exists of that team.

 

[NJDevs26]

I get why people say 54 Hungary and 74 Netherlands but ultimately IMO you have to actually win a World Cup to be considered the best. It's like saying 82 Brazil was the best Brazil team ever.

 

[MarkStone]

I get why people say 54 Hungary and 74 Netherlands but ultimately IMO you have to actually win a World Cup to be considered the best. It's like saying 82 Brazil was the best Brazil team ever.

Well Hungary did their best to win the 1954 World Cup but were stopped by

-Puskas injury
-Muddy pitch due to heavy rain (not ideal for the Hungarian pass and move, ideal for the Germans and in particular Fritz Walter, and the Germans had screw-in studs on their boots to help)
-Schafer interfering with Grosics on the German tying goal to make it 2-2
-Questionable offside call on Puskas disallowed tying goal
-And finally those doping rumors regarding the German national team.

I realize all of these points will be regarded as mere excuses by some posters but meh whatever. All of these things had to go against the Hungarians for them to just lose the world cup while they earned their generational reputation with mostly breathtaking wins against every other elite soccer country of the period.

 

[Luigi Habs]

How can teams even your grand parents have not seen play be even mentioned here? Lol.

I can talk about teams from 1990 onwards. Teams that have been really impressive watching play were:
Germany 1990-1992
Brazil 1996-1998
Holland 1998-2000
France and Argentina had amazing teams between 2000-2002. They both completely flopped at WC2002 although they were heavy favorites.
Brazil 2004-2006
Spain 2008

Spain had an amazing team on paper from 2008-2014 but on the field it hasn't been always impressive even if they won 3 consecutive trophies.

 

[Savi]

France and Argentina had amazing teams between 2000-2002

As for Argentina, since the early '90 I think their best team was 2006

Apart from goaltending, that team had everything. A fantastic defense led by Ayala, one of the best central midfield combinations ever with Cambiasso and Mascherano, a brilliant playmaker (Riquelme) and a deadly striker in Crespo. And let's not forget a young Messi coming off the bench

That was the strongest top to bottom Argentina team I've ever seen live. That should have been their World Cup. But they lost undeservedly against ze Germans, as so many teams in the past have done

 

[cgf]

As for Argentina, since the early '90 I think their best team was 2006

Apart from goaltending, that team had everything. A fantastic defense led by Ayala, one of the best central midfield combinations ever with Cambiasso and Mascherano, a brilliant playmaker (Riquelme) and a deadly striker in Crespo. And let's not forget a young Messi coming off the bench

That was the strongest top to bottom Argentina team I've ever seen live. That should have been their World Cup. But they lost undeservedly against ze Germans, as so many teams in the past have done

I don't think this is the word you meant to pick.

 

[Eisen]

How can teams even your grand parents have not seen play be even mentioned here? Lol.

I can talk about teams from 1990 onwards. Teams that have been really impressive watching play were:
Germany 1990-1992
Brazil 1996-1998
Holland 1998-2000
France and Argentina had amazing teams between 2000-2002. They both completely flopped at WC2002 although they were heavy favorites.
Brazil 2004-2006
Spain 2008

Spain had an amazing team on paper from 2008-2014 but on the field it hasn't been always impressive even if they won 3 consecutive trophies.

Sometimes people's grand parents might be older than you think...

 

[Theokritos]

Yep, the Wunderteam. Wish I could time-travel to have seen Sindelar play. Have never actually bothered to check if even any grainy footage exists of that team.

It's not much, but a little bit of footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFqqVLCdrI8&t=3m2s

How can teams even your grand parents have not seen play be even mentioned here?

Because the thread title is: "Who is the best international team ever?"

 

[Panteras]

also how can teams that didn't win be best ever? I mean one thing is having in paper what seems like goat team as far as the lineup...but if as a team they didn't win jack...then...wtf? lmao

 

[cgf]

also how can teams that didn't win be best ever? I mean one thing is having in paper what seems like goat team as far as the lineup...but if as a team they didn't win jack...then...wtf? lmao

Well the mighty magyars did win multiple olympic tourneys, on top of utterly dominating everybody they came across before that fateful night in Bern on which a miracle happened. There's a reason why 1954 is considered one of the most remarkable upsets in the history of sport.

I'll stand on your side of the hardware argument to defend the legendary 72 west german team; but that doesn't mean that those on the Hungarian side of the argument don't have strong points in their favor.

 

[icing]

How can teams even your grand parents have not seen play be even mentioned here? Lol.

I can talk about teams from 1990 onwards. Teams that have been really impressive watching play were:
Germany 1990-1992
Brazil 1996-1998
Holland 1998-2000
France and Argentina had amazing teams between 2000-2002. They both completely flopped at WC2002 although they were heavy favorites.
Brazil 2004-2006
Spain 2008

Spain had an amazing team on paper from 2008-2014 but on the field it hasn't been always impressive even if they won 3 consecutive trophies.

My grand parents are over 80 years old.
France 1998-2000 gets my vote on your list.

 

[Theokritos]

Yep, the Wunderteam. Wish I could time-travel to have seen Sindelar play. Have never actually bothered to check if even any grainy footage exists of that team.

Better than what I posted before:

 

[Panteras]

fk it....

Greece 2004 GOAT

 

[njdevsfn95]

You want a real hipster answer?

FC Start

Now since they aren't international I'll go back to my safe space.

 

[mexicohockey]

Sometimes people's grand parents might be older than you think...

My grandfather was born in 1896...

 

[SB164]

I've always loved Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning team.

Buffon
Pirlo
De Rossi
Cannavaro
Del Piero
Gattuso
Totti
Grosso
Nesta
Gilardino
Toni
Inzaghi
Zambrotta
Materazzi

 

[Evilo]

A team with Materazzi on it and zero offensive firepower and who should have been out in the first knockout game can't be loved.

There are plenty of fabulous italian teams (1990 !!!) but this one surely isn't loveable.

 

[Eisen]

I've always loved Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning team.

Buffon
Pirlo
De Rossi
Cannavaro
Del Piero
Gattuso
Totti
Grosso
Nesta
Gilardino
Toni
Inzaghi
Zambrotta
Materazzi

Automatic disqualification because Materazzi is on that team.

 

[Panteras]

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Brazil 2002

it was basically the last legendary Brazilian team. Full of star players just like those teams of the "hipster" eras. Not to mentioned they are the last Brazilian team to have won a WC, and won it by beating every team they faced in regular time.

 

[Evilo]

Because Brazil 02 was much shinier on paper than on the pitch.
They never should have won that WC.

 

[Panteras]

Because Brazil 02 was much shinier on paper than on the pitch.
They never should have won that WC.

how do you figure that they should have never won that WC?

also....how do you even have the gall to say this about Brazil 02 yet you list Brazil 86 in your list of greatest teams