The English magazine 'Four Four Two' made a list of the 50 best football teams in history, in which Ajax of Holland (1965-1973) appears first; followed by the 1970 Brazil team and Milan (1987-1991).
Among the national teams, Brazil (1970) was chosen in second place; that of Spain (2007-2012) in seventh place; Hungary (1950-1956) in tenth place; Germany (1970-1976) in sixteenth place and Holland (1974-1978) in nineteenth place.
1. Ajax (1965-1973)
Rinus Michels He was the brain of that team, considered a revolutionary of tactics in football with AFC Ajax, a team that became European champions three times in a row in the 1970s.
Michels transformed an Ajax team accustomed to fighting for permanence in the Netherlands to become one of the best clubs in Europe. His famous 'Total Football' system is associated with players of the caliber of Johan Neeskens, Piet Keizer, Sjaak Swart, Wim Suurbier, Barry Hulshoff, Gerrie Mühren, Johnny Rep, Ruud Krol, Velibor Vasović and the legendary Johan Cruyff.
After losing the 1969 European Cup final, Ajax managed to beat Panathinaikos FC 2-0 in Berlin in 1971, prompting Michels to say “I have done what I could. It is impossible to do better” before go to FC Barcelona.
Ajax maintained its path with two goals from Cruyff that helped beat FC Internazionale Milano 2-0 in the 1972 final in Rotterdam, and for the third time in a row, the Dutch team won the award by winning 1-0 to Juventus in 1973 in Belgrade.
2. Brazil (1970)
With a forward made up of Gerson (São Paulo), Pelé (Santos), Rivelino (Corinthians), Jairzinho (Botafogo) and Tostão (Cruzeiro), Brazil was a soccer-playing machine in the 1970 World Cup.
“The secret of Brazil in the 70s was the collective spirit. We combine individual talent with a magnificent collective structure and enormous preparation. The scientific base was brought together in the form of work, with natural talent and group spirit. It was a great mix,” Tostao said one day.
Between the qualifying rounds and the final phase in Mexico, Brazil played 12 matches. He won them all with a balance of 44 goals for and 9 against. In the Mexican event they beat Czechoslovakia (4-1), England (1-0), Romania (3-2), Peru (4-2, in the quarterfinals), Uruguay (3-1, semifinals ) and Italy (4-1, in the final).
The Mexican tournament would forever consecrate Pelé, who would enter the third World Cup in his history and expand his legend.
3. Milan (1987-1991)
Arrigo Sacchi managed to revolutionize football, Italian football, which was synonymous with catenaccio and counterattacks and took Milan to the top.
The Lombard club was suffering a serious crisis, the red-and-blacks had known the bottom of Serie B a few years before as a result of the pools scandal, and lived in the shadow of Juve and Roma, the two great dominators of Calcio in the 1990s. the 80s.
With the arrival of Silvio Berlusconi to the presidency, the revolution began. Berlusconi wanted to turn Milan into the team of all Italians.
Milan was a team whose defensive ability was used to deploy a torrent of attacking resources that allowed it to rise to legendary status.
Berlusconi, hand in hand with his inseparable Galliani, set out in search of that column that should accompany the home players, the Baresi, Costacurta, Tassotti and the incipient Paolo Maldini. Milanello Galli from Fiorentina, Donadoni from Cremonese, Colombo from Avellino, Ancelotti from Roma, Virdis from Juve and Evani from Sampdoria soon arrived at Milanello. But the three players who gave the quality leap to that squad were the “three tulips”: Gullit, Rijkaard and Van Basten.
Sacchi's total of titles at the helm of Milan was a Scudetto, an Italian Super Cup, two European Cups, two European Super Cups and two Intercontinental Cups.
4. Real Madrid 1955-1960
Real Madrid CF is the most successful club in the competition and began its reign by winning the first five editions of the European Cup between 1956 and 1960.
The Bernabéu itself in 1957 (2-0 against ACF Fiorentina), Brussels (3-2 against AC Milan), Stuttgart (2-0 against Stade de Reims) and Glasgow (7-3 against Eintracht Frankfurt) served to make the Real Madrid wrote a glorious five-year period by winning the first five editions of the European Cup
Real Madrid won its fifth European title with one of the most memorable matches in the history of the European Cup. Their 7-3 against Eintracht Frankfurt with four goals from Ferenc Puskás and three from Di Stéfano in front of 127,621 spectators.
Coach of Real Madrid between 1955 and 1957, Pepe Villalonga won the first two editions of the European Cup. His extension on the field was a veteran Miguel Muñoz, who retired with three of the five titles (1956, 1957 and 1958) and then closed the circle in 1960 directing from the bench (he would also win the title in 1966). In 1958 and 1959, the Argentine Luis Antonio Carniglia was in charge of directing Santamaría, Rial, Marquitos, Kopa, Di Stéfano, Gento and company.
5. Barcelona 2008-2011
The best Barça in history is the one coached by Josep Guardiola between the 2008/09 and 2011/12 seasons. The Santpedor coach is the coach with the most titles in the Club's history, with the 14 he achieved during his four years on the Barça bench.
During those years, Barça won two Champions Leagues, three Leagues, two Copas del Rey, three Spanish Super Cups, two European Super Cups and two Club World Cups. The treble achieved in the 2008/09 season stands out.
6. Liverpool 1975-1984
The history of Liverpool Football Club between 1959 and 1985 covers the period from the appointment of Bill Shankly as manager to the incidents that occurred in the Heysel Tragedy and its aftermath.
The club won the Second Division title in the 1961-62 season, achieving promotion to the First Division, the most important national football league in England. Two seasons later, Liverpool won their first league championship since 1947, thus qualifying for their international competition. The following season, the Reds won their FA Cup. To these titles, they added two other league championships (1965-66 and 1972-73) and a UEFA Cup, which meant their first international trophy. At the end of the 1973-74 season, Shankly resigned, having previously won a new FA Cup.
Shankly's assistant Bob Paisley took over in 1974; In its first season the team finished runners-up in the league, winning a league double and the UEFA Cup for the second time the following year. Liverpool continued with a string of titles that included three European Cups and six league championships. In 1983, Paisley was replaced by his assistant Joe Fagan.
Liverpool won a treble during Fagan's first season, winning the league for the third consecutive season, their fourth League Cup in a row and their fourth European Cup. A year later, the club was involved in one of the worst tragedies to occur in a football stadium.
7. Spain 2007-2012
Spain, led by Casillas, Ramos, Xavi and INiesta, had a golden era in which they achieved a historic treble: Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012.
It is considered the best Spanish soccer team in history', which closed its own circle of perfection by winning its second consecutive continental title in the European Championship in Poland and Ukraine.
Spain's record went from being almost empty to showing off three titles in one fell swoop: Euro 2008 with Luis Aragonés at the helm, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012 led by Vicente del Bosque.
8. Inter 1962-1967
Inter, which had not won a title since 1954, signed the Franco-Argentine coach Helenio Herrera from Barcelona in 1960, shortly after he led the Barça club to win two consecutive league titles in Spain. Inter ended up lifting the European Cup in 1964 and 1965, as well as the corresponding Intercontinental Cups.
'Grande Inter' also won the Scudetto in the 1962/63, 1964/65 and 1965/66 seasons and was on the verge of also winning the 1963/64 championship, which they lost in a play-off against Bologna FC. Their defeat by Celtic FC in the 1967 European Cup final marked the end of their golden age, although their dominance in Serie A from the 1961/62 to 1966/67 season was so great that in all that time He conceded less than one goal per game.
9. Saints of Brazil 1955-1968
Pelé dominated an era leading a team that made him fall in love with his game: Santos. Beyond his successes at the national team level, Pelé led a generation of footballers who broke pre-established molds on the playing field.
Pelé was the most outstanding but not the only talent on that team. The quality of players like Dorval, Mengalvio, Pepe and especially Coutinho made the Brazilian team the ideal place for 'O Rei' to explode.
Pepe's powerful left foot, Pelé's jumps, Dorval's intelligence and Mengalvio's depth made the Vila Belmiro team gain international impact.
With the undisputed hegemony in its country, Santos made a name for itself internationally with the conquest of its first Copa Libertadores, in 1962.
The Intercontinental, months later, certified that we were facing the best team in the world at that time. Eusebio's Benfica was overwhelmed by the Brazilians.
A season later, the titles are repeated. In the Libertadores, Boca Juniors is the victim. In the Intercontinental, Milan.
The invitations to play friendly matches from all corners of the world, to the point of touring 60 countries, ended up wearing out that mythical team.
10. Hungary 1950-1956
A 2-5 away match against Czechoslovakia in April 1949 was a turning point in Hungarian football.
In one year, an impressive team was created that benefited from innovative tactics. The 'Magical Magyars', as they were called, had been born. Between June 1950 and February 1956, the Hungarians suffered only one defeat in 50 matches. It was in the dramatic and controversial final of the 1954 FIFA World Cup, when they lost to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Ferenc Puskás, Nándor Hidegkuti and Kocsis were some of its protagonists, even if politics prevented other players such as László Kubala and István Nyers from being called up.
The most decisive moment was the so-called 'Match of the Century' at Wembley in 1953, when the Hungarians beat England 3-6, becoming the first team from outside the British Isles to beat England in their own country.
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