All-Time Greatest Junior&Senior



All-Time Great Junior XI


The criteria is set to consider performance of players before 20 years old.


Goalkeeper : Iker Casillas

Casillas is one of the youngest keepers ever in history of UEFA Champion League with 18 years and 177 days and won the title with Real Madrid at his first ever participation. At his 19 years old, He won Bravo award and made debut with Spain national team and was named as 5th IFFH World Best Goalkeeper.

Left-Back : Paolo Maldini

He is the only one to be named in both of all-time great junior and senior XI. Maldini made his debut in Series A at his nearly 17 years old as the only match in the 1984 - 1985 season and then played for the full next season. Maldini won first caps of Italy at his nearly 20 years old.

Center-Back : Giuseppe Bergomi

Bergomi first debut in series A at his 17 years old and played total three seasons before 20 years old. He won first caps of Italy at his nearly 19 years old in 1982 in which he played in the World Cup final match and is successful in his role to mark Rummenigge cannot reach his best form.


Center-Back : Renzo De Vecchi

He made his debut at 15 years and 284 days with AC Milan in the Northern Italian Championship amateur league in which was the best league in Italy at that time. He is also the youngest debutant for the Italian national team at only 16 years four months and 24 days.

Right-Back : Manuel Amoros

Amoros started his professional career at Monaco in his 18 years old and 4 months. He won first caps in 1982 and played in the World Cup final tournament at that year, won best young player of the tournament.

Defensive Midfielder : Duncan Edwards

Edwards is known as the biggest losing in history of British football because he became a superstar since his early career. He debut with Man Utd at aged just 16 years and 185 days, making him the youngest player ever to play in the top division. He played almost full three seasons before his 20 years old with Man Utd. Edwards won first caps of England at his 18 years old only.


Offensive Midfielder : Gianni Rivera

He made his debut in Serie A for Alessandria in 1959 at the age of only nearly 16 years old. He played full four seasons in Italian Series A after then, three seasons was during his early career with AC Milan. Aged just eighteen, he played his first match for the Italian national team at the 1962 World Cup in Chile. He won silver ball Ballon'dor at his 20 years old.


Offensive Midfielder : Diego Maradona

Maradona made his professional debut with Argentinos Juniors, ten days before his sixteenth birthday and played full four seasons in Argentinian league, scored around 120 goals before his 20 years old. He made his full international debut at age 16 and 4 months.



Right-Winger : Ference Bene

Bene won top score of Hungarian league at his 18.5 years old. He was named as 1964 Hungarian footballer of the year, was a joint top scorer in 1964 European Championship and also was placed 11th Ballon'Dor at that year.


Second Striker : Pele


The greatest-youngest player in history of World Cup. Pelé made his debut for Santos in 1956, 1.5 month before his birthday of 16 years old. Pelé finish the 1958 Campeonato Paulista as top scorer at his 18 years old with an incredible 58 goals, a record that stands today. In the same year, he became a superstar of World Cup, won silver ball of the tournament. Pele scored almost 200 goals in club level before his 20 years old.



Striker : Ronaldo

Ronaldo made debut at his nearly 17 years old with Cruzeiro and won campeonato Mineiro top scorer in next year. He won Eredivisie top scorer in 1995. Ronaldo made his international debut for Brazil in 1994, was selected in the squad but did not play in the World Cup final tournament. He won the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year and silver ball Ballon'Dor at his 20 years old.




Formation XI



The Greatest Junior Footballers of All-Time





1. Pele
2. Ronaldo

3. Gianni Rivera

4. Diego Maradona

5. Duncan Edwards


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All-Time Great Senior XI







These are some amazing players in history to still perform well in their late career. The criteria to consider selection players in this team is for the performance after 33 years old for midfielder and forward, after 35 years old for defender and goalkeeper. The cumulative performance in related period is a determined factor,


GK : Peter Shilton

Shilton won fifth place Ballon'Dor in 1989 at his 40 years old, and was a England first choice goalkeeper in the 1990 FIFA World Cup at his 41 years old where he performed very well at that tournament.

DL : Nilton Santos

The greatest Wing-Back of all-time in the prime, Nilton reached World-Class performance after his 30 years old and maintain his class until his 37 years old in the 1962 FIFA World Cup before retired his professional career in top-level competition at 39 years old.

DR : Djalma Santos

As the greatest right-back of all-time, Djalma was starter of Brazil national team until the 1966 FIFA World Cup first round at his 37 years old and played his last game in 1968 at his 39 years old.

SW : Lothar Matthaeus

SW : He switched to play as libero in 5-3-2 system after his 32 years old, he was rated by kicker magzaine in a world-class in 1999 for a half of season at his 39 years old of age !

CB : Paolo Maldini

An iconic defender, Maldini won series A defender of the year in 2004 at his 36 years old, was selected in the 2005 UEFA Team of The Year and FIFPro World XI at his 37 years old, and won the 2007 UEFA Champion League best defender in 2007 at his 39 years old.

ML : Ryan Giggs

A great athletic, he devoted himself a a part of Man Utd's greatness. At his 34 years old, he achieved UEFA Champion league most assist in the 2006 - 2007 season. In 2009, at his nearly 36 years old, he was awarded PFA Players' Player of the year. 


MR : Stanley Matthews

The oldest legendary footballer in history of the game, he played football until his 50 years old and won 1955 Ballon'Dor at his 40 years old. Incredibly, he won FWA footballer of the year in 1963 at his 48 years old ! This is a phenomenon performance of such an old player undoubtedly.

DM : Javier Zanetti

Zanetti maintained his top-class physical option after his 35 yeas old. His speed and stamina are every amazing. He was named in the 2009 FIFPro World XI. In 2010, his performance was one of the important parts to help Inter Milan to win the treble.

CM : Nils Lieholm

At 36 years old, Liedholm was a key playmaker of AC Milan in European Cup final and Sweden in the 1958 final. In 1959 at his 37 years old, he finished 13th Ballon'Dor. He was a first team player of AC Milan until 40 years old.


SS : Francesco Totti

Although he did not play for Italy since his 30 years old. Totti won Italian Series A top assist in the 2013 - 2014 season at his 38 years old. In the 2012 - 2013 season, he is rated by Italian media at 6.5 average point that is one of the highest rated players in that season. He retired from Roma at his 41 Years old.


STK : Romario

One of the most prolific scorers of all-time, he won Brasileiro Series A top scorer twice at his 35 years old, the second one was done in 2005 at his 39 years old.

Formation XI




The Greatest Senior Footballers of All-Time

1. Stanley Matthews
2. Paolo Maldini
3. Lothar Matthaeus
4. Arthur Friedenriech
5. Billy Meredith

24 comments:

  1. very good, you just need to dream teams of clubs with 32 players each would be sensational

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  2. I have not had inspiration enough to make it but dunno in the future.
    Anyway, your suggestion is always interested. Which source led you to find WFHC (from XT, Bigsoccer or other else ) ?

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  3. well I met her in xtratime posts and really liked it is a thousand times better than the posts of other forums, but do not give the clubs do not if you want I'll help you

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  4. Actually I have named all-Time XI of top European and South American Clubs but no profile picture of player. You could find as below links ;
    http://xtravictory.blogspot.com/2014/02/European-Club.html
    http://xtravictory.blogspot.com/2013/01/Latin-America-Club.html

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  5. yes I have seen, I have formed my clubs with 32 players which is the limit for a club as a national team with 23 ma is like to see their clubs with 32 to compare with my

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  6. Great post I would like to thank you for the efforts you have made in writing this interesting and knowledgeable article. ac services

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  7. Anonymous6/12/17

    Why isn't Casillas the starting goalkeeper for the Junior team?
    He won the La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year in his first season and also the UEFA Champion League, subsequently being named as the most outstanding young European footballer in his first full year in football.(also 5th best goalkeeper in the world and already capped for Spain)

    Next season(his 19 year old season) he won the La Liga and was again included in the top 10 best keepers in the world(9th), also ranked amongst the 50 best players in the world.

    In 2002, apart from Oliver Khan who had one of the best keeper seasons ever, he was widley rated as the 2nd best goalkeeper in the world, winning already his 2nd UCL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The junior performance is considered before 20 years old so 2002 is not counted for Casillas.
      But still, I agree to replace Buffon by Casillas. Buffon won Bravo awards after 20 years old while Casillas made it below 20 years old. Casillas was also successful in 200 UCL.

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  8. Anonymous14/12/17

    I think Totti should be ahead of Friedenreich. Being top scorer of Paulistano isn't much of an achievement since it was such a weak level competition.

    In his 36 year old season, Totti scored 12 goals and assissted 12 in Serie A being Roma's best player and the 8th best player in the league according to whoscored. At 37 he was the top assister of Serie A. Even at 38 years old, he was AS Roma's top scorer of the season.

    I'd also choose Luca Toni ahead of Friedenreich. Toni scored 20 Serie A goals in his 36 old season playing for little side Verona. Next season at 37 he was Serie A top scorer.

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    Replies
    1. I agree with you. Friederenich also did not make any outstanding performance for Brazil in his late career. Let me spend some time to revise.

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  9. Anonymous20/12/17

    Noooo,why did you take Liedholm out? :( Friedenreich should be out.
    Liedholm was the midfield general and star player of Serie A winning AC Milan in his 36 year old season. Over the course of the 1959 calendar year(37 at the time of the award) he finished 13th at the Ballon d'Or. And because of his great fitness ethic, he remained the starting playmaker and a key player for AC Milan until he was almost 40.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. I will name him back. Friedenreich played in much lower standard of competition.

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  10. Anonymous20/12/17

    Also you forgot to add Casillas.

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  11. Anonymous18/1/18

    Are you sure you made the right decision to name Bene ahead of Meazza in the junior team? Meazza is one of the few players in history to be the best player in the world at 19. He was already world class in his 18 year old season.

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    Replies
    1. Meazza played for Italy just 3 games before his 20 years old. Bene is also preferable as he could play on the right-wing to fulfill tactical reason.

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  12. Anonymous20/1/18

    I toguht a bit and the No.10 in your senior team should be Gheorghe Hagi. He was absolutely phenomenal for Galata in his last year being their key player in such a succesfull era. There was a saying at the time "Hagi is like wine, the older it gets, the better he is."

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    Replies
    1. I think there is equal level between Liedholm, Totti and Hagi. I exclude Hagi because he is clearly inferior to the other two in domestic performance.

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    2. Anonymous23/1/18

      He won 3 Turkish League titles, 2 Cups and 2 super cups after turning 33 being their star player. How is it an inferior domestic performance?

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    3. because it is the Turkish League, Serie A is much tougher

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  13. Elias Figueroa was chosen the best player in the Uruguayan championship at 18, 19 and 21 years, when in that championship they played great heroes of football like Alberto Spencer, Juan Joya, Juan Lezcano, Pedro Rocha, Ladislao Mazurkiewicz, Manga, Atilio Ancheta, Luis Cubilla, Luis Artime, Roberto Matozas, etc. At that time, the Uruguayan league was the best in the world and an 18-year-old boy was the prominent star.

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  14. Anonymous23/9/18

    Mbappe?

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    Replies
    1. He is only world-class in World Cup. His domestic season is under that level.

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    2. Anonymous31/12/22

      And now ?

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