Greatest club football team of all time

[rhroyal]

The general agreed consensus is that Brazil's 1970 team was the greatest international ever.

However, last night I had a debate with a couple of people about the greatest club team ever. It began with the claim that this current Barcelona team are strong contenders. It's a pleasure to watch them, they have so many great players and they have won so much. They're also coping with a very strong Real Madrid.

Inevitably, people argue that Cruyff's Barcelona were better; the perfect model of total football.

It's rather hilarious watching Man Utd fans push forward their 1999 team in this debate, but they invariably do. A strong contender for the best English team, along with some of the Liverpool greats and Arsenal's unbeaten team.

The unknown quantity for me, because it's so long before my time, is the Real Madrid team of the 1950s. Doubtless a great achievement to win 5 consecutive European cups. However, I personally hold a fair amount of scepticism for some of the old time "greats". I think the modern era has developed so far in terms of fitness and ability since then. Admittedly you can only be as good as what's in front of you, but I'd like to see how they handle today's football.

For me, this current Barca side have a few years left in them yet. Xavi is only 30, all their others stars younger with the exception of Puyol (who would be missed; their defence is underrated because their attack is so good). If they can continue to dominate La Liga, holding off the challenge of Mourinho's Madrid and win another couple of Champions League titles, it will be a challenge to surpass them.

It's not just that they win trophies; it's that any football fan who truly appreciates the game could watch them for hours and hours.

[PlasticRoyale]

YOU AND YOUR MATES SOUND LIKE A SHOWER OF BORING PCUNTS IMHO

[bobbybottler]

The general agreed consensus is that Brazil's 1970 team was the greatest international ever.

However, last night I had a debate with a couple of people about the greatest club team ever. It began with the claim that this current Barcelona team are strong contenders. It's a pleasure to watch them, they have so many great players and they have won so much. They're also coping with a very strong Real Madrid.

Inevitably, people argue that Cruyff's Barcelona were better; the perfect model of total football.

It's rather hilarious watching Man Utd fans push forward their 1999 team in this debate, but they invariably do. A strong contender for the best English team, along with some of the Liverpool greats and Arsenal's unbeaten team.

The unknown quantity for me, because it's so long before my time, is the Real Madrid team of the 1950s. Doubtless a great achievement to win 5 consecutive European cups. However, I personally hold a fair amount of scepticism for some of the old time "greats". I think the modern era has developed so far in terms of fitness and ability since then. Admittedly you can only be as good as what's in front of you, but I'd like to see how they handle today's football.

For me, this current Barca side have a few years left in them yet. Xavi is only 30, all their others stars younger with the exception of Puyol (who would be missed; their defence is underrated because their attack is so good). If they can continue to dominate La Liga, holding off the challenge of Mourinho's Madrid and win another couple of Champions League titles, it will be a challenge to surpass them.

It's not just that they win trophies; it's that any football fan who truly appreciates the game could watch them for hours and hours.

Cruyff's Barcelona?

You might have meant Cruyff’s Ajax, although it’s arguable if they were unquestionably the best team in Holland at the time. Certainly three consecutive European Cups is pretty impressive. An always unconsidered club side is the dominant team which followed ie Bayern Munich who then also won three consecutive European Cups and supplied the majority of the best national team in Europe at the same time.

Given that the 1950s Real Madrid team played 235, it’s difficult to compare them to current club teams playing only one recognised striker. I’d just want to close off by saying that they (Madrid) included two serious contenders in the “best player of all-time” nonsense debate in Di Stefano and Puskas, and as much as I prefer Barca over RM the current Barca team have a long way to go before being considered with any of the teams mentioned.

[Royalee]

YOU AND YOUR MATES SOUND LIKE A SHOWER OF BORING PCUNTS IMHO

No, but you sound like a typical narrow-minded bore to me.

...Back to the debate - it has to be the present Barcelona team for me, given how football's evolved and is probably a much faster, physically demanding game but also with more skill involved than 60 or so years ago, which is why I wouldn't have thought Madrid were as good. Fair enough they dominated in that era, but the game has developed so much since then when coaching techniques, more and more footballers being full-time, etc. Some of the football Barcelona play is breathtaking, yet unlike teams like Arsenal, they seem able to pull it off no matter who the opposition and what teams do to try to counter them.

[Big Foot]

The same conversation came up between me and a m8 yesterday morning and I would say this current Barcelona side are certainly the best club team of my age.

[Super Kevin Bremner!]

SKB's Tilehurst YM must be close.

[Elliott]

Wasn't there a team in the 05/06 season that tore up the second teir of English football? Can't remember which team it was though...

[moo]

Wasn't there a team in the 05/06 season that tore up the second teir of English football? Can't remember which team it was though...

Managed by Neil Warnock

[frimmers3]

Wasn't there a team in the 05/06 season that tore up the second teir of English football? Can't remember which team it was though...

nor can most,as they soon slipped back into the nether regions.

[Barry the bird boggler]

Pointless debate as there can be no winner. How on earth do you compare the great Liverpool sides or the great Herbert Chapman teams or the fabulous club sides of Italy and Holland with any other side from any other era - especially with competition rules changing so much, let alone the "medical" approach to games these days.

Just for example, in the European Cup clubs originally got one shot at each round so a bad mistake or performance could cost a season in Europe. Not like today when clubs have several safety nets to maximise their passage through the early stages

[No Fixed Abode]

What about the double winning Chelsea team from last season, scoring all those goals in the process...

[leon]

What about the double winning Chelsea team from last season, scoring all those goals in the process...

they were great - what did happen to them?

[PlasticRoyale]

Pointless debate ......

Just for example, in the European Cup clubs originally got one shot at each round so a bad mistake or performance could cost a season in Europe. Not like today when clubs have several safety nets to maximise their passage through the early stages

Was thinking (briefly) about this the other day. Is it harder to win in Europe now or easier? I'd say the standard of teams is better (i.e. Glentoran wouldn't get in) but the format may favour stronger teams

[Alan Partridge]

Barcelona are incredible in that they just demolish everyone. Flat track bullies like Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea etc quite contempt putting 4's and 5's past Blackpool or Wigan but Barcelona do it to Real Madrid, Sevilla, Villarreal and everyone else in between.

They were the best team in europe last year who had an off day in Milan, they'll make no mistake this year and win the Champions League with some to spare. All throughout their team is world class top drawer players. Most of them SPanish too. Proper football club as well unlike one or two man made ones over here.

They don't need to win it though, they are still the best team by absolute lightyears regardless.

Best of all time? Best team i've seen. Their performance against Real Madrid's 'all stars' was quite simply phenomenal.

[Thomas L'Heureux]

...included two serious contenders in the “best player of all-time” nonsense debate in Di Stefano and Puskas.

Puskas was a fat bloke with a great left foot. It could be argued that he wouldn't cut it in the modern game, but then who's to say that if he were playing now he wouldn't be fitter and more athletic?

The point is that it's impossible to compare different generations as the game has evolved so much and the physical demands are more extreme. The flipside is that great players used to be able to get away with having a skinful before a game whereas it's far stricter these days and they wouldn't get away with doing so.

[Red]

yawn.

I know this is General Football but the level of tedium involved would suit it more to the Team Board really.

[PlasticRoyale]

the team board has hit new lows with the 'in the style of Mock the Week' thread....srsly we should cut it loose from this portal

[Dylan D'oh]

Has to be Rangers in 1899. Won the league by winning every game. Cannot be beaten. Literally.

[SLAMMED]

the team board has hit new lows with the 'in the style of Mock the Week' thread....srsly we should cut it loose from this portal

We should cut you loose.

[AthleticoSpizz]

back to topic

in my eyes , Don Revies 1972 Leeds United.

The perfect mix of good, bad and the ugly