Teams of the Decade: An Overview

Some people have approached me saying that it would be nice to have an overview over the Teams of the Decade I compiled. Who am I to disagree?

Lukas Fesca in particular was so kind to create a game in which you can choose which eleven, in your opinion, is the strongest.

Here are the results:

I agree with most of the selections, especially with the collective verdict that ’05-’15 and ’65-’75 are the two front-runners and that there is very little separating them.

Thanks again to Lukas Fesca!

Without further ado, here are the teams:

Team of the Decade 1950-1960

Manager: Sepp Herberger

Bench: Yashin, Gilmar, Ramallets; Zebec, Hannapi, Kohlmeyer; Bellini, Lorant, Jonquet; D. Santos, Happel, Marquitos; N. Rossi, Blanchflower, Wright; Schiaffino, Liedholm, Masopust;  F. Walter, Didi, Zizinho; Czibor, Zagallo, Hamrin; Kocsis, Nordahl, Fontaine; Boniperti, Lofthouse, Evaristo; Kopa, Rahn, Garrincha

Best Player: Alfredo Di Stéfano

Best Team: Hungary 1950-1956

Best Club: Real Madrid

Best Match: England – Hungary, 1953 Friendly

 

Team of the Decade 1955-1965

Manager: Helenio Herrera

Bench: Gilmar, L. Buffon, Schrojf; Angelo, Cervato, Jusufi; Santamaria, Bellini, C. Maldini; Cavém, Armfield, Bergmark; Coluna, Zito, Bozsik; Didi, del Sol, Netto; Zagallo, Czibor, Charlton; Kopa, Masopust, Seeler; Charles, Vava, Fontaine, Altafini, Kocsis, Pepe; Hamrin, Kubala, Sivori

Best Player: Pelé

Best Team: Real Madrid 1955-1960

Best Club: Real Madrid

Best Match: Real Madrid – Eintracht Frankfurt, European Cup Final 1960

 

Team of the Decade 1960-1970

Manager: Helenio Herrera

Bench: Banks, Iribar, Costa Pereira; Schnellinger, Marzolini, Gemmell; Beckenbauer, Schulz, Picchi, Figueroa, Germano, Shesternyov;  C. Alberto, Jair, Jusufi; L. Suarez, Rattin, Rivera, Masopust, Gérson, Del Sol; Albert, Johnstone; Law, Altafini, Best; Seeler, Hurst, Greaves; Garrincha, Sivori, Amancio

Best Player: Pelé

Best Team: Santos FC 1960-1965

Best Club: Benfica Lissabon

Best Match: England – Portugal 2-1, 1966 World Cup

 

Team of the Decade 1965-1975

Manager: Rinus Michels

Bench: Maier, Jennings, Zoff; Schnellinger, Pavoni, Krol; Vasovic, Hulshoff, Schwarzenbeck, Israel, Shesternyov, Perfumo; Vogts, Burgnich, Suurbier; Bremner, Netzer, Overath; Clodoaldo, Albert, Charlton; Dzajic, Johnstone, Keizer; Mazzola, Rivera, Best; Riva, Heynckes, Tostao; Jairzinho, Grabowski, Amancio

Best Player: Franz Beckenbauer

Best Team: Ajax Amsterdam 1970-1973

Best Club: Ajax Amsterdam

Best Match: Ajax Amsterdam – Independiente, Intercontinental Cup 1972

 

Team of the Decade 1970-1980

Manager: Rinus Michels

Bench: Maier, Jennings, Hellström; Facchetti, Junior, Cabrini; Hulshoff, Schwarzenbeck, Scirea, Passarella, Luis Pereira, Trésor; Suurbier, C. Alberto, Gentile; Clodoaldo, Souness, Neeskens; Haan, Bochini, Bremner; Zico, Overath, Rivera; Dalglish, Heynckes, Dzajic; Lato, Rensenbrink, K. Fischer; Grabowski, Keegan, Simonsen

Best Player: Johan Cruyff

Best Team: Ajax Amsterdam 1970-1973

Best Club: Bayern Munich

Best Match: Ajax Amsterdam – Independiente, Intercontinental Cup 1972

 

Team of the Decade 1975-1985

Manager: Bob Paisley

Bench:

Schumacher, Fillol, Gatti; Cabrini, Junior, Camacho; Olsen, Stielike, Hansen, Krol, Bossis, Förster;  Gentile, Neal, Gerets; Tardelli, Breitner, Schuster; Giresse, Socrates, Conti; Maradona, Bochini, Boniek; Dalglish, Keegan, Kempes; Cruyff, Fischer, Simonsen; Blokhin, Bertoni, Hrubesch

Best Player: Graeme Souness

Best Team: Liverpool FC 1977-1985

Best Club: Liverpool FC

Best Match: Liverpool – Roma, European Cup Final 1984

 

Team of the Decade 1980-1990

Manager: Arrigo Sacchi

Bench: Pfaff, Dasajew, Shilton; Brehme, Junior, Amoros; Hansen, Augenthaler, Koeman, Ruggeri, Butcher, Migueli; Gerets, Tassotti, Kaltz; Matthäus, Tardelli, Batista; Cerezo, Souness, Fernandez; Burruchaga, Zico, Giresse; Rummenigge, Hoddle, Gullit; van Basten, Careca, Elkjaer; Rush,Valdano, Lineker

Best player: Diego Maradona

Best club: FC Liverpool

Best team: AC Milan 1987-1990

Best match: France – Portugal 3-2 after extra time, Euro 1984

 

Team of the Decade 1985-1995

Manager: Arrigo Sacchi

Bench: Schmeichel, Köpke, Zubizaretta; Brehme, Pearce, Amoros; Bergomi, Julio Cesar, Belodedici, Blanc, Costacurta, Blind; Tassotti, Jorginho, Chendo; Sammer, Alemao, Dunga; Stojkovic, Deschamps, Hagi; Hässler, Stoichkov, Rai; Donadoni, Baggio, Mancini; Völler, Butragueno, Rush; Klinsmann, Romario, H. Sanchez

Best player: Franco Baresi

Best club: AC Milan

Best team: AC Milan 1991-1994

Best match: Juventus Turin – AC Milan, Serie A, 1991-92

 

Team of the Decade 1990-2000

Manager: Alex Ferguson

Bench: van der Sar, Kahn, Chilavert; Lizarazu, Zanetti, Irwin; Blanc, Baresi, Costacurta, Aldair, Adams, Kohler; Thuram, F. de Boer, Ferrara; Dunga, Keane, Albertini; Sammer, Matthäus, Seedorf; Laudrup, Litmanen, Möller; Hässler, Zidane, Giggs; Bergkamp, Klinsmann, Shearer; Ronaldo, Weah, Cantona

Best player: Paolo Maldini

Best club: Juventus Turin

Best team: AC Milan 1991-1994

Best match: Juventus Turin – AC Milan, Serie A, 1991-92

 

Team of the Decade 1995-2005

Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld

Bench: van der Sar, Buffon, Toldo; Lizarazu, Zanetti, Cannavaro; Stam, F. de Boer, Desailly, Campbell, Hierro, Montero; Cafu, Panucci, Di Livio; Vieira, Redondo, Cocu; Seedorf, Scholes, Veron; Giggs, Overmars, Rivaldo; Figo, Totti, Mendieta; Raul, del Piero, Henry; Kluivert, Vieri, Shevchenko

Best player: Zinedine Zidane

Best club: Manchester United

Best team: France 1998-2001

Best match: Liverpool – AC Milan 3-3, 2005 Champions League Final

 

Team of the Decade 2000-2010

Manager: José Mourinho

Bench: van der Sar, Kahn, Casillas; R. Carlos, Lahm, Ramos; Maldini, Puyol, Terry, Lucio, Ferdinand, Hyypiä; Thuram,  Zambrotta, Cafu; Davids, Emerson, Vieira; Xavi, Lampard, Deco; C. Ronaldo, Nedved, Riquelme; Messi, Kaka, Figo; Totti, Bergkamp, Gerrard; Eto’o, Ronaldo, van Nistelrooy

Best player: Andrea Pirlo

Best club: Manchester United

Best team: FC Barcelona 2008-10

Best match: Real Madrid – FC Barcelona 2-6, 02.05.2009

 

Team of the Decade 2005-2015

 

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Bench: Buffon, Cech, Casillas; Zanetti, Abidal, A. Cole; Hummels, Vidic, Puyol, Chiellini, Nesta, Pique; S. Ramos, Maicon, Srna; Schweinsteiger, Cambiasso, X. Alonso; Pirlo, Lampard, Scholes; Kaka, Fabregas, Modric; Ribéry, D. Villa, Di Maria; Ibrahimovic, Rooney, Drogba; Agüero, T. Müller, Eto’o

Best player: Lionel Messi

Best team: FC Barcelona 2008-12

Best club: FC Barcelona

Best match: FC Barcelona – Real Madrid 5-0, 29.11.2010