#distefano | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

liamhaydn-blog · 4 months

Text

Team of the Decade: Part 1- The 1950's

Goalkeeper- Vladimir Beara- Yugoslavia

Known as "the ballet dancer with the hands of steel" due to his elegant yet efficient goalkeeping style, Vladimir Beara kept goal for Hajduk Split where he won the Yugoslav First League 3 times in the first half of the '50s before moving to Red Star Belgrade adding another 4 league titles.

He won 59 Yugoslavia caps, all of them coming in the 1950's during which time he represented his nation at the 1952 Summer Olympics (winning the Silver Medal after defeat in the final against The Golden Team of Hungary) as well as in 3 World Cups, reaching the Quarters in 1954 and 1958 falling to West Germany on both occasions.

Beara had an unusual training technique, practicing all his catching with a ball as small as a baseball, "after that it was very easy for me to catch a football". Beara's eyecatching style which relied on alot of athleticism and self-confidence saw him routinely make brave decisions such as always trying and often succeeding in catching shots, and coming off his line when many keepers of the time still preferred to wait on the goal line. His brave and commanding style no doubt had an effect on Lev Yashin, who once said "I'm not the best goalkeeper in the world, it is Vladimir Beara."

Right-Back- Djalma Santos- Brazil

Djalma Santos began as a midfielder before moving back into defence where his stamina, marking and tackling saw him earn the nickname "the wall" playing at right-back. As well as being defensively solid, Santos' technique and composure with the ball at his feet saw him use his dribbling skills to carry the ball out of defence even in risky situations whilst being pressured inside his own penalty area.

Santos was one of the pioneers of the modern defender we are all so familiar with today, being one of the first who on top of his defensive duties would get forward and offer an overlap down the flank. Djalma was a capable set-piece taker excelling with penalties, free-kicks and long throws and in a rough era, was also an incredibly fair player never receiving a red card. His dedication to fitness and training saw him feature in 4 World Cups for Brazil, with 2 coming in the 1950's and 2 in the '60s. He made the World Cup All Star XI in his first 3 World Cup tournaments before appearing in his last World Cup aged 37. Santos lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1958 and 1962.

Centre-Back- John Charles- Wales

Welshman John Charles began his career at Leeds United where he excelled in two positions, both centre-half and centre-forward. Charles' powerful and accurate shot off either foot, aswell as his height and strength made him a lethal scorer of goals as he remains to this day the 2nd highest scorer in Leeds history.

In 1957 he moved to Juventus where he established himself as one of the most versatile players in the world, aswell as earning the nickname "Il Gigante Buono" (The Gentle Giant) for his fair and proper behaviour on the pitch. Charles won 3 Serie A titles and 2 Coppa Italia's with Juventus and remains one of Britain's most successful foreign exports.

Charles represented his country 38 times including at the 1958 World Cup where Wales reached the Quarter-Finals, falling to Pele's Brazil. Charles was out injured for the match however with manager Jimmy Murphy arguing "with Charles in the side we might have won." Sir Bobby Robson considered Charles one of the greatest footballers ever due to him being the only great who was world class in two completely different positions. Jack Charlton called him "the most effective player I ever saw, the one that made the most difference to the performance of the whole team."

Centre-Back- Jose Santamaría- Uruguay

José Santamaría began his career in his native Uruguay with Nacional where he won the Primera Division 5 times in the 50's. He then moved to Real Madrid in 1957 where he finished the decade with a La Liga title and 3 successive European Cups. He would go on to win 5 more La Liga's and another European Cup in the 1960's before retiring in 1966.

Santamaría appeared in 2 World Cup's, 1 for Uruguay in 1958 where he made the team of the tournament as the defending Champions finished 4th and in 1962 he appeared for Spain which became his adopted nation following his move to Real Madrid.

Left-Back- Nilton Santos- Brazil

Nilton Santos spent his entire career with Botafogo but is best remembered for what he did in a national team shirt with Brazil. Playing as a left wing-back, like his namesake on the opposite side Santos was one of the first full-backs who did more than just defend, bombing forward whenever possible. Santos was called up for the 1950 World Cup but didn't feature. However from the 1954 World Cup onwards he was ever present for Brazil up to the 1962 Finals in Chile.

In 1958, on the way to winning Brazil's first World Cup in Sweden, Nilton scored a memorable goal where he carried the ball the full length of the field on his way to finishing against Austria. Known as "the Encyclopedia" due to his knowledge of football, Santos was a defender who excelled in both his defensive and offensive duties and won his 2nd World Cup in 1962.

Right Wing- Stanley Matthews- England

Stanley Matthews was the first recipient of the Balon D'or award back in 1956 narrowly beating Alfredo Di Stefano to the prize. He did so whilst representing Blackpool, the club he joined from Stoke City in 1947 already aged 32, having lost his football career from the age of 24 to 30, due to World War 2.

Matthews dreamed of lifting the FA Cup after losing 2 finals with the Seasiders. His 3rd chance came in 1953 with Matthews 37 years old. Despite Mortensen scoring a hat-trick, the final was to be known as the "Matthews' final" as in one of the best FA Cup Final's ever, Blackpool came back from 3-1 down with just over 20 minutes remaining to win 4-3 as Matthews produced the game of his life when it was most required.

Matthews was far ahead of his time in how he looked after his body, never smoking and only drinking alcohol once, champagne out of the FA Cup trophy in 1953. His dedication to his health and fitness allowed him to go on playing First Division football long into his 40's, with his final appearance coming just after his 50th Birthday.

Beckenbauer said of Matthews that his speed and skill meant that "almost noone in the game could stop him".

Centre-Midfield- Jozsef Bozsik- Hungary

Boszik spent his entire career with his hometown club Budapest Honved where he won 5 league titles in the '50s. The club's stadium is known as the "Boszik Arena" in tribute to their legend.

He was a key part of the "Mighty Magyars" the Great Hungary National side which won the 1952 Olympics and reached the World Cup final 2 years later, aswell as recording those famous victories over England, 6-3 at Wembley and then 7-1 in Budapest.

Boszik lacked pace but his technique with his passing and creative flair, aswell as his tactical nous made up for it and allowed him to flourish as a deep lying playmaker, operating then at what was known as a "half-back". With 101 caps for his country, Bozsik held the record for most appearances for Hungary up until 2016.

Centre-Midfield- Didi- Brazil

Didi nearly had his right leg amputated aged 14 due to a severe infection to his injured knee. Thankfully he was able to recover and joined Fluminense in 1949. He made his debut for Brazil in 1952 and 6 years later was player of the tournament in Seleção's 1st World Cup triumph scoring in the 5-2 semi-final win over France, before Brazil beat hosts Sweden by the same score in the final.

Following the World Cup, Didi joined Real Madrid from Botafogo, but only spent 1 season in Europe due to clashing with Di Stefano. However he was still able to become the first Brazilian to win both the World Cup and the European Cup. 2 years later he was able to lift his second World Cup with Brazil, starring in the 3-1 final win over Czechoslovakia.

Didi was an elegant, technical player known for a great range of passing and his ability from free-kicks, with his technique of making the ball swerve later being used by players such as Juninho Pernambucano, regarded as the best free-kick taker of all time.

Left-Wing- Paco Gento- Spain

A flu virus in the Racing Santander squad saw Paco Gento promoted from the reserves to face Real Madrid. Immediately won over by his immense potential, Los Blancos signed him just 3 days later.

Gento spent the rest of his career with Madrid, winning the European Cup six times, a record he held outright until this summer when Nacho, Carvajal and Luka Modric equalled his record, also with Real Madrid. Gento also holds the joint record of appearing in 8 European Cup finals and aswell won a record 12 La Liga titles.

Gento scored 31 in 88 European Cup games for Los Merengues, and aswell scored 128 league goals in 428 La Liga appearances. Nicknamed "The Gale of the Cantabrian Sea" due to his rapid speed down the left-wing, as well as an excellent goal return from his position as an "outside left", Gento also set up countless goals for both Di Stefano and Puskas. Gento won 43 Spain caps and is regarded as one of the greatest Spanish players of all time.

Second Striker- Alfredo Di Stefano- Argentina

After beginning his career with River Plate, Di Stefano joined Real Madrid from Colombian side Millonarios in 1953. He then embarked on a period of domination with Los Blancos helping them to win the first 5 European Cups successively. Remarkably Di Stefano scored in all 5 finals, including a hat-trick in the 1960 final, a 7-3 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt infront of 135,000 fans at Hamden Park. Di Stefano also won 8 La Liga's in his 11 years with Real.

With 308 goals in 396 games, Di Stefano was Real Madrid's all time leading scorer until his record was overtaken by Raul. Di Stefano is considered one of the greatest players ever, whose prolific goalscoring and immense dribbling ability combined with his creativity and vision meant he could thrive almost anywhere on the pitch.

Striker- Ferenc Puskas- Hungary

Puskas scored a remarkable 358 goals in 350 league games with Honved Budapest. In 1956 following a World Tour with Honved, Puskas opted not to return to Communist Hungary, receiving a 2-year Football ban from UEFA for refusing to return to Budapest. When his ban was up, Puskas attempted to sign for an Italian Club, but concerns over his age (31) and his overweight physique, they all passed up the chance to sign him.

During 8 seasons with Madrid Puskas netted 156 league goals, winning the Pichichi 4 times on the way to helping Los Blancos win La Liga 5 times. In the European Cup he scored 35 goals in 39 games, lifting the trophy 3 times with Real. In total Puskas scored 242 goals in 262 games for Real Madrid, an amazing return for a player many considered past his prime when he joined Madrid in his 30's.

Before defecting from Communist Hungary, Puskas appeared 85 times for the national side scoring a staggering 84 goals, including 1 in the 8-3 rout of Germany at the 1954 World Cup and aswell the opener in the "Miracle of Bern" the final which Hungary surprisingly lost against the same opponent despite Puskas giving them an early lead. Puskas had one of the most fearsome shots in Football history, easily generating incredible power which often made his shots virtually unsaveable from close range, with the Hungarian also capable of scoring regularly from distance.

Subs:

Juan Alberto Schiaffino- Uruguay

Schiaffino was a skilful and creative playmaker who could play as a forward as well as an attacking midfielder. The Uruguayan joined AC Milan in 1954 from Penarol for a then world record fee of 52 Million Lire and won 3 Serie A titles in the 1950's. Schiaffino scored in the 1950 World Cup Final as Uruguay beat Brazil in the game known as the "Maracanazo".

Schiaffino began as an inside forward or second striker, but later in his career also excelled as a deep lying playmaker, due to his creative passing and ability to dictate tempo due to his excellent reading of the game, which also helped him to thrive as a leader, organising his teammates. His team ethic meant he was a capable player also when defending, with a willingness to track back and defensive qualities which allowed him to transition into a sweeper by the time he finished his career with AS Roma.

Raymond Kopa- France

Kopa came to prominence with Reims where he won 2 Ligue 1 titles and reached the 1956 European Cup final. After defeat to Real Madrid, the Spanish Giants then signed Kopa and he would win the next 3 European Cups with Los Blancos aswell as two league titles before he returned to his beloved Reims after 3 seasons. Kopa scored 18 in 45 France caps, including 3 at the 1958 World Cup in the same year he received the Balon D'or award.

Kopa was a quick and agile forward known for his dribbling, playmaking and goalscoring and following his passing in 2017 France Football named the Kopa Trophy in his honour, an award going to the best young player of the year.

Laszlo Kubala- Hungary

The Hungarian born Kubala fled the Soviet Union occupied country of his birth and was eventually granted Spanish citizenship by General Franco who used this opportunity as a propaganda play to bolster his regime's legitimacy. After being spotted playing for a team made up of refugees who had fled Eastern Europe, both Real Madrid and Barcelona were interested in signing Kubala, and he opted to join the latter.

After serving out a one-year ban from FIFA for leaving Hungary without permission and without carrying out military service, Kubala quickly made up for lost time scoring 7 goals against Sporting Gijon, which remains a La Liga record for the most goals in a single match. In 10 seasons with Barca, Kubala won 5 La Liga titles, and in 1961 was part of a Barcelona team which became the first club to knock Real Madrid out of the European Cup, on the way to the final which they would lose 3-2 against Benfica. Kubala scored 144 goals in 207 games for the Blaugrana and is considered one of the greatest players in the club's history.

#football #soccer #puskas #distefano

0 notes

sportsloverguide · 10 months

Text

Football Legends: Who is the best

Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to the question of who the greatest football player of all time is. It's a highly subjective topic with passionate arguments on both sides. Different people will have different criteria for what they consider "greatest," and this can vary depending on the era, playing style, individual preferences, and personal biases.

However, there are a few players who are consistently mentioned in the conversation

1. Pele

Pele, the Brazilian football icon, is widely hailed as the best Football Player ever.

He remains unmatched with his unrivaled record of World Cup victories.

His scoring prowess made him a vital force for both club and country.

2. Diego Maradona

Maradona, a master with the ball, achieved the unimaginable.

He was a pivotal figure in Argentina's glorious 1986 victory.

His extraordinary vision, passing, ball control, and dribbling skills made him one of the all-time greats.

His leadership on the field amplified team success.

3. Lionel Messi

Messi's magic knows no bounds.

He has won a record-breaking Eight Ballon d'Or awards.

He is the all-time leading goalscorer for both Barcelona and Argentina.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d'Or winner.

He has won the UEFA Champions League five times.

He is the all-time leading goalscorer for both Real Madrid and Portugal.

5. Johan Cruyff

Cruyff was a pioneer of 'total football'.

He won three Ballon d'Or awards.

He is considered one of the most influential figures in football history.

6. Zinedine Zidane

Zidane won the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Champions League with France.

He won three Ballon d'Or awards.

He is considered one of the greatest midfielders of all time.

7. Ronaldo

Ronaldo won two Ballon d'Or awards and two FIFA World Cups with Brazil.

He is considered one of the greatest strikers of all time.

8. Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho was known for his dribbling skills and flair.

He won the Ballon d'Or award in 2005.

He is considered one of the most entertaining players of all time.

9. Franz Beckenbauer

Beckenbauer won two Ballon d'Or awards and one FIFA World Cup with Germany.

He is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time.

10. Alfredo Di Stefano

Di Stefano won five consecutive European Cups with Real Madrid.

He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Real Madrid.

Ultimately, who you consider the greatest football player of all time is a matter of personal opinion. It's important to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of all these legends and appreciate their unique talents and abilities.

#footballlegends #greatestofalltime #soccericons #pele #maradona #messi #ronaldo #cruyff #zidane #ronaldonazario #ronaldinho #beckenbauer #distefano #footballgoat #sportsicons

0 notes