The 65th edition of the famous Copa Libertadores has just begun. A good opportunity to take a look back and line up the ideal team in the history of the Cup. It is an attractive game, very journalistic. Thousands have played it, hundreds have stood out.
The essential condition that we have imposed on ourselves when choosing is that the members of this eleven must be champions. It would be ridiculous for a defender without titles, no matter how extraordinary (the case of Elías Figueroa) to displace Pancho Sá, crowned six times. The same thing happens with the gravitation of a footballer in the title of a club. Example: It is unlikely that a performance like Juan Carlos Henao's will happen again in the 2004 champion Once Caldas. He played exceptionally in all 14 games. There is no possible doubt: without him, those from Manizales would not lift the Cup. We had already undertaken this exercise in March 2009, but fifteen years later we are forced to make a couple of changes.
In advance, it hurts to marginalize so many greats from this hypothetical eleven. To a monster like Falcão (runner-up in 1980); to Carlitos Caszely, exclusive luminary and scorer of the 1973 edition with Colo Colo; to the swaying Willington Ortiz, a huge figure with three different jackets (Millonarios, Deportivo Cali, América), Nene Cubillas, but they did not make the Olympic round. And as many as them.
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The goalkeeper position is, precisely, the most controversial. We choose Ever Almeida for being a notable goal scorer, double champion (1979 and '90), penalty saver and finisher, decisive in Olimpia's conquests and record man of the competition (16 years and 113 games). Without a doubt Higuita, Henao, Chilavert, Rogerio Ceni, Zetti, Mazurkiewicz, Manga, Santoro are on his heels in quality and performance, however the Uruguayan-Paraguayan is the undisputed goalkeeper in history. Ever seemed like the perfect anti-athlete, quite plump and short, but he was an almost heroic goal avoider (in case, the essential mission of a goalkeeper). And what he transmitted…!
The right side is the only doubt that we do not allow ourselves to clarify: Cafú and Hugo Ibarra, that one from Boca. The Brazilian was the owner of the band, a two-time champion and represented a historic team: Telé Santana's São Paulo. Ibarra was complete: firm on the mark, good on climbs, with a great shot and, above all, a man of temperament, born to play finals. The man from Boca won four crowns. He is also a reference for an unforgettable team: Carlos Bianchi's Boca. They were both fantastic. Having seen Nelinho's remote-controlled bombings was also a fortune. Pablo Forlán (Peñarol) and Chiqui Arce (Gremio, Palmeiras) are other magnificent occupants of the position.
Hugo De Leon, triple winner with Nacional and Gremio, leader with class, personality and image, and Francisco Sá, Hexacampeón with Independiente and Boca, great intuitive in the brand, is the duo of defenders. Sá was close to winning a seventh: he lost the 1979 final against Olimpia. Likewise, the defense is, perhaps, where the Cup remembers the fewest stars. The left back should be unanimous: the Uruguayan Ricardo Pavoni, Uruguayan blood, fabulous in one-on-one, subscriber to the goal, captain, winner, impassable. Junior, champion with Flamengo in '81, is another unavoidable mention, but Chivo won 5 cups. More than that: Pavoni “is” the Liberators. Unquestionable.
Everyone who played or faced Pedro Virgilio Rocha has a unanimous opinion: he was a supercrack. He brought together technique, power and goal. Crowned with Peñarol ('61 and '66), an idol in São Paulo, he is the ideal “8” of the Cup. And a gentleman of the fields. Just in case, Pedro scored 36 goals as a midfielder…
Zito, Santos' elucidated game distributor, was our starting center-midfielder. He played or scratched, depending on the situation. For Pelé, “a phenomenon.” Claudio Marangoni, Independiente's exquisite midfielder in 1984, was another exceptional exponent of the central circle. Claudio looked better, but Zito was the commander of the victory. As the years went by, Zito left his place in the preferences to Juan roman riquelme, notable driver, three-time champion with Boca Juniors, excellent free throw taker, an ace in controlling the ball. And with a goal. Riquelme started at 5, then moved forward in the field. His influence was very high in the Boca conquests. The fan remembers 2007 as “the Cup that Riquelme won.”
Born on June 24, 1978, Riquelme did the best of his career with Boca Juniors: he won three Copa Libertadores, one Intercontinental, one Recopa Suramericana, five Leagues and one Argentine Cup.
Efe / Archive EL TIEMPO
Ricardo Bochini He is “the” 10, among several prodigies like Zico or Francescoli. In addition to being a genius, Bochini surpasses them in numbers: he won 4 crowns, always an essential figure. The day he debuted in the Cup – the 1973 final against Colo Colo – he entered and turned the game around with his daring and his frontal dribble.
The Libertadores played three times, they were champions twice, and they were top scorers once. Unstoppable, insurmountable. If that still isn't enough, let's say his name and finish everything: Pele. In addition to his magic, there is a fact: he played 15 games and scored 16 goals, at a sensational average of 1.07 per game. Possibly the only footballer of the thousands who participated in the Cup who has more goals than games played.
When the all-time team is put together, it starts with one Ecuadorian and ten others. Is Albert Spencer. The 9th of the unrepeatable mark: 54 goals. And just in case, three-time champion (1960, '61 and '66). Luis Artime, Fernando Morena, Raúl Vicente Amarilla, Hernán Crespo, Antony De Ávila, now Gabigol and Germán Cano, scored many vital goals. But they don't even come close to “Magic Head.” It is like Pancho Sá's record, almost impossible for anyone to reach them.
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The left tip was removed from the market Juan Ramon Veron the day he left football. La Bruja, three-time champion with Estudiantes (68-69 and '70), was complete: he scored the goals, he drove the crowd crazy, he gave shine to a rough and tough team. An immortal. His son Juan Sebastián, winner in 2009, also exuded quality. Of the new blood we must count Neymar, champion in 2011.
Let it be clear: they are the ones who did the most merit in the Libertadores. World titles or America's Cups or other conquests or distinctions do not count. Let's put it straight: Almeida; Cafú or Ibarra, De León, Sá and Pavoni; Rocha, Riquelme and Bochini; Pelé, Spencer and Verón. Five Argentines, 4 Uruguayans, 2 Brazilians, one Ecuadorian. Reverse and right square. Thirty-eight titles in one combined. But none contemporary. Because…? If a footballer is truly crack, he does not last more than a year in South America, which prevents him from winning the trophy or making history. What player of the modern era is there indisputable, that we can remember instantly…? In four consecutive editions Palmeiras was champion twice and semi-finalist twice, which figures do we remember from Verdão…? Perhaps their captain, the Paraguayan defender Gustavo Gómez, who else…? The only ones in the last 25 years who managed to get into this dream team are Ibarra and Riquelme. What qualifies the current cups.
Epic lack in these editions. One detail crudely reflects what the Libertadores Cups are like now: the most modern player in this team is Riquelme, and he played in the Libertadores until 2013, but whose last title was in 2007, seventeen years ago. All the other members are from 30, 40, 50 and even 60 years ago. Which reveals to us that those of today are not better or have not gathered more merits than those or have participated much less in the competition.
Last tango…
Jorge Barraza
For the time
@JorgeBarrazaOK
#ideal #eleven #sepia #Tango
