Wales has produced
many top-class legends even it was a small nation who rarely qualified for the
international final tournaments. Leigh Richmond Roose as a Welsh is the first legendary
goalkeeper of the world football. The first welsh world-class legend is from the
1900s and the 1910s Billy Meredith who was one of the best players in the World
in the aforementioned era. Around four decades to appear another world-class
stars in the 1950s, John Charles, one of most influential and complete players
ever and led Wales to qualify for World Cup as the only time in its history. The
1980s saw a great representative as a striker Ian Rush and goalkeeper Neville
Southall as one of the best keepers in the World during the mid-90s. The 1990s
was succeed by Ryan Giggs as one of the best wingers in the World. Gareth Bale became
the best British player in the first half 2010s.
Location :
Western Europe
Major Tournament
Paticipation : 1958 FIFA World Cup
Most Caps :
Neville Southall (92 Games)
All-Time Top
Scorer : Ian Rush (28 Goals)
The Greatest
Player Ever : John Charles
All-Time Welsh XI
1. Nevile Southall
Date Of Birth : 16
September 1958
Height : 185 cm, Position : Goalkeeper
Caps : 92 Games, Major Club : Everton
World Cup
Participation: None
Club Honours : 2
Times English Top Division
2 Times FA Cup, 1985 Cup
Winners Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 4 Times PFA Team of the Year
1985 FWA Footballer Of The Year
1985 FWA Footballer Of The Year
1995 Wales BBC Sports
Personality of The Year
1999 IFFHS Wales
Goalkeeper of The Century
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Class : Queen Bronze
2. Fred Keenor
Date Of Birth : 31 July 1894
Position : Right-Defender
Height : 170
cm
Major Club :
Cardiff City
Caps : 32 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 1
Time FA Cup
4 Times Welsh Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
Class : Prince
Silver
3. Kevin Ratcliffe
Date Of Birth : 12 November 1960
Height : 180 cm
Position : Center-Back/Left-Back
Position : Center-Back/Left-Back
Major Club :
Everton
Caps : 59 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 1
Time English Top Division
1 Time FA Cup, 1985 Cup
Winners’ Cup
International
Honours : 1 Time PFA Team of the Year
Individual
Achievement : None
Class : Prince
Silver
4. Mike England
Date Of Birth : 2 December 1941
Position : Center-Back
Height : 188 cm
Major Club : Tottenham Hot Spurs
Caps : 44 Games
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : 1 Time FA Cup
2 Times English League Cup
1972 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
2 Times English League Cup
1972 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : None
Class : Prince Silver
5. John Charles
Date Of Birth : 27 December 1931
Position : Target Striker/ Center-Back
Height : 188 cm, Caps.: 38 Games (15 Goals)
Height : 188 cm, Caps.: 38 Games (15 Goals)
Major Club : Leeds United, Juventus
World Cup Participation : 1958 (4 Games/1 Goal)
Club Honours :3 Times Italian Series A, 2 Times Copa Italia
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 1 Time English League Top Scorer
1 Time Italian Series A Top Scorer
UEFA Jubilee Award (Wales), IFFHS Wales’ Greatest Player Ever
Azzuri Hall of Fame,
Class : Queen Gold
6. Ron Burgess
Date Of Birth : 9
April 1917
Position : Defensive Holding Midfielder
Height : Unknown
Major Club : Tottenham Hot Spurs
Caps : 32 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 1
Time English Top Division
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
Class : Prince Silver
7. Billy Meredith
Date Of Birth : 30
July 1874
Position : Right-Winger
Height : 175
cm
Major Club :
Manchester City
Caps :
48 Games
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 2
Times English Top Division
2 Times FA Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement :
Class : Queen Bronze
8. Ryan Giggs
Date Of Birth : 29 November
1973
Position : Left-Winger, Height : 180 cm
Caps : 64 Games (12 Goals), Major Club : Man United
World Cup
Participation : None
Club Honours : 12 Times English Premier League
4 Times FA Cup, 3
Times League Cup
2 Times UEFA
Champion League (1999, 2008)
1999
Intercontinental Cup, 2008 FIFA Club World Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 1993 Bravo Award
6 Times PFA Team of the Year
6 Times PFA Team of the Year
1996 Wales Sport
Personality of The Year
2007 UEFA Champion League Top Assist
2009 PFA Player of The Year
2009 PFA Player of The Year
2009 BBC Sport
Personality of The Year
Premier League
Team of The Decade, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
2007 UEFA Champion League Most Assists
2007 UEFA Champion League Most Assists
Class : Queen
Silver
9. Ian Rush
Date Of Birth : 20 October 1961
Position : Target Striker, Height : 183 cm
Major Club : Liverpool, Caps : 73 Games (28 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 346 Goals/ 660 Games
Club Honours : 6 Times English Top Division
3 Times FA Cup, 5 Times League Cup
2 Times European Cup Winners (1981, 1984)
1985 European Cup Runner-Up
International Honours, World Cup Participation : None
Individual Achievement : 5 Times PFA Team of the Year
1 Time English Top Division Top Scorer, 1984 European Golden Shoe
1 Time English Top Division Top Scorer, 1984 European Golden Shoe
1984 PFA Players’ of The Year, FWA Footballer of The Year
1984 Wales BBC Sport Personality of The Year
1984 Silver Ball World Soccer Player of The Year, Highest scorer in 20th century FA Cup,
Liverpool and Wales All-Time Top Scorer, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Liverpool and Wales All-Time Top Scorer, Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Class : Prince Gold
Date Of Birth : 26 December 1990
Position : Box-To-Box Midfielder
Height : 178 cm, Caps.: 60 Games (16 Goals)
Height : 178 cm, Caps.: 60 Games (16 Goals)
Major Club : Arsenal
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours :3 Times FA Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 2016 UEFA Euro Top Assist Provider
Class : Prince Bronze
11. Gareth Bale
Date Of Birth : 16
July 1989
Height : 186 cm, Position : Left-Winger,
Forward
Major Club :
Tottenham Hot Spurs, Real madrid
Caps : 80 Games (32 Goals)
World Cup Participation :
None
Club Honours : 1 Time La liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
4 Times UEFA Champion league (14,16,17,18)
2 Times FIFA Club World Cup (14,17)
International Honours : None
4 Times UEFA Champion league (14,16,17,18)
2 Times FIFA Club World Cup (14,17)
International Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : 3 Times PFA Team of the Year
4 Times Welsh Player of the Year
4 Times Welsh Player of the Year
2013 FWA
Footballer of the Year
2 Times PFA
Players’ Player of the Year
2010 BBC Wales
Sports Personality of the Year
Class : Prince Gold
___________________________________________________
Substitution
Leigh Richmond Roose
Leigh Richmond Roose
Date Of Birth : 27 November 1877
Position : Goalkeeper
Height : 185 cm
Major Club : Stoke City
Caps : 24 Games
World Cup Participation : None
Club Honours : None
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : None
Class : Prince Silver
Jack Kelsey
Date Of Birth : 19
November 1929
Position :
Goalkeeper
Height :
178 cm
Major Club :
Arsenal
Caps : 41
Games
World Cup
Participation : 1958 (5 Games)
Club Honours : 1
Time English Top Division
1 Time FA Cup
1 Time FA Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : Welsh Sports Hall of Fame
Class : Prince Silver
Cliff Jones
Date Of Birth : 7
February 1935
Position : Left and Right-Winger
Height : 168
cm
Major Club :
Tottenham Hot Spurs
Caps : 59
Games (16 Goals)
Professional Score
Record : 208 Goals/ 571 Games
World Cup
Participation : 1958 (5 Games)
Club Honours : 1
Time English Top Division
3 Time FA Cup, 1963
UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
International
Honours : None
Individual
Achievement : None
Class : Prince Silver
Mark Hughes
Date Of Birth : 1 November 1961
Mark HughesDate Of Birth : 1 November 1961
Position : Target Striker, Height : 178 cm
Major Club : Liverpool, Caps : 72 Games (16 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 244 Goals/ 800 Games
Club Honours : 2 Times English Top Division
4 Times FA Cup, 3 Times League Cup
2 Times European Cup Winners (1991, 1998)
1985 European Cup Runner-Up
International Honours, World Cup Participation : None
Individual Achievement : 2 Times Welsh Player of the Year
4 Times PFA Team of the Year
2 Times PFA Player of the Year
4 Times PFA Team of the Year
2 Times PFA Player of the Year
Class : Prince Silver
Manager
John Toshack
Year Of Birth : 22
March 1949
Major Team : Real
Sociedad
Major Achievement
: 1 Time Spanish La Liga
1 Time Copa Del
Rey
1 Time Turkish Cup
Individual
Achievement : 2 Times Spanish La Liga Coach of the Year
Class : Prince
Silver
Formation XI (4-2-3-1)
Explanation of
Formation
The team strategy
traditional long ball. Southall is stand as final wall. Fred Keenor is applied
to right-full back position. Kevin Ratcliffe is also a full-back on the left-side. John Charles is this team plays as center-back and ready to move himself to support scoring when meeting chance, plays alongside Mike England. Burgress
is a destroyer of the team. Giggs and Meredith would skillfully perform as
winger on both side. Aaron Ramsey is a main creator. Gareth Bale is
applied to forward position for his great scoring ability. Ian Rush is a target-man to
finish score.
Millenium Stadium
Opened : 1999
City : Cardiff
Capacity : 74,500
The Greatest Welsh
Footballers of All-Time
1. John
Charles
2.
Ryan Giggs
3. Gareth Bale
4. Billy Meredith
5. Ian Rush
Hi, I wonder what is your criteria for leaving Mark Hughes out? thank you.
ReplyDeleteIn only domestic performance, he definitely qualified. He is named in PFA player of the year four times and won PFA player of the year, PFA young player of the year and Sir Matt Busby Player of the year in three different years although he failed in both La Liga with Barcelona and Bundesliga with Bayern. His only 16 goals in 72 NT games is way disappointing. I aware he played in the era that NT games played in safety first and Wales was second to most teams they played against but it is still too low in particular period between 1989 and 1992, scored only twice in 24 games.
DeleteGary Speed, Alf Sherwood?
ReplyDeleteWales all-time XI (4-4-2):
ReplyDeleteGK - 1.Neville Southall, 2.Jack Kelsey, 3.Dai Davies.
RB - 1.Alf Sherwood, 2.Peter Rodrigues, 3.Stuart Williams.
CB - 1.Mike England, 2.Mel Charles, 3.Roy Paul.
CB - 1.Kevin Ratcliffe, 2.Fred Keenor, 3.Ron Burgess.
LB - 1.Gareth Bale, 2.Joey Jones, 3.Rod Thomas.
RMF - 1.Craig Bellamy, 2.Billy Meredith, 3.Terry Medwin.
CMF - 1.Ivor Allchurch, 2.Gary Speed, 3.Robbie James.
CMF - 1.Aaron Ramsey, 2.Terry Yorath, 3.Brian Flynn.
LMF - 1.Ryan Giggs, 2.Cliff Jones, 3.Leighton James.
FW - 1.John Charles, 2.Mark Hughes, 3.Trevor Ford.
FW - 1.Ian Rush, 2.John Toshack, 3.Dean Saunders.
Voted in 2011 by readers of newspaper "Wales on Sunday".
Thank you ! It is strange Bellamy is ahead of Meredith. Other than that is the same as mine. However, I'll reconsider if I should switch Bale to Left-Back.
DeleteThis vote was in 2011. In 2006-2010 Bale played left-back for Southampton and Tottenham. Only in 2010 he became winger.
ReplyDeleteThere is no scoring record of John Charles? He was an impressive striker as well as defender.
ReplyDeleteThat's fine. I would add his scoring stats.
DeleteAaron Ramsey is a fine player
ReplyDeleteDon't you think including more players in this squad like other series? I think Wales football legends such as John Toshack(As a player), Mel Charles, Mike England, Gary Speed, Leighton James are deserved to be in this squad.
ReplyDeleteMike England is the most possible and I'll review. Mel Charles spent most of career in second division. Other that that is below my criteria of standardization.
DeleteHave you considerated Grenville Morris, "The Prince of the Inside-Lefts", and Nottingham Forest's all time top scorer?
ReplyDeleteI never heard of him and it is always hard to rate players in beginning era of football history. I'll read his article to evaluate again.
DeleteCraig Bellamy could be included in substitution while Gary Speed should most probably replace Ron Burgess in midfield. He stood out for his longevity and was a supreme leader
ReplyDeleteGary Sprake was an excellent goalkeeper for club and country. He was ranked 28th in Leeds 100 greatest. Also Trevor Hockey who was a cult '60s hatchet man
ReplyDeleteMaybe a Reserve group could be added. Could you tell us about A. Ramsey, C Blackmore or Terry Yorath
ReplyDeleteLooking for available infos from Eu-Football, Fred Keenor played mostly as Centre-Half for his National Team. He wasn't that close to be a right-defender.
ReplyDeleteMel Hopkins, I see he was starter for Tottenham for 5 years and a half until his big injury, apart from being part of the 58 WC team
ReplyDeleteWhy is Gareth Bale only prince gold class considering his achievements for the welsh national team?
ReplyDelete