Dream Team
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As the football season gets underway, we have put together the b**p dream team. The team that we think would be the ultimate if the players were to unite as one. To create a team like this you would be looking at a rather impressive price tag, but then that’s what you would expect for a team boasting the players that our dream team boasts.
Anyone who may feel like having a guess at the value of this team, comment away.
Julio Cesar
Current Team: Brazil and Benfica
Position: Goalkeeper
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Julio Cesar has won numerous awards for outstanding performances: he has won five Scudetti (Italian Champions) awards, the 2009-10 UEFA Champions league and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He was awarded the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year title in 2009-10.
He has won 87 international caps for Brazil between 2004 and 2014, giving him loads of international and professional experience, and proving he is good under pressure. He also participated in three World Cups, helping Brazil take the title in 2010. The Brazilian set the fourth best record ever at Benfica without conceding a goal in the Portuguese league: 808 minutes.
Dani Alves
Current Team: Brazil and Barcelona
Position: Right back
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Dani Alves is the third-most expensive defender of all time. He joined Barcelona from Sevilla for $32.5 million. He won the treble in his first season with the Spanish club and he has also helped the club clinch the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, FIFA World cup, two league titles and a UEFA Champions League.
He is strong and quick, making it hard for attackers to get past him; he uses his aggression wisely throughout games and never fails to perform.
Individual Achievements:
-La Liga’s Best Defender: 2009
-UEFA Cup most valuable player: 2006
-UEFA Super Cup Man of the Match: 2006
-UEFA Team of the Year: 2007, 2009, 2011
-FIFA FIFPRO World X1: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013
-ESM Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament: 2013
-La Liga team of the season: 2014-15
Gerard Pique
Current Team: Spain and FC Barcelona
Position: Centre Back
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Pique is a strong defender, with brilliant technique and passing. He is 6ft 4in, giving him an advantage in the air. He is a versatile player, occasionally playing in several positions. He helped Barcelona win the treble in 2008-9 and a quadruple in 2009-10, giving him professional experiences, and proving he can perform at the highest standards against world class players.
David Luiz
Current Team: Brazil and Paris-Saint Germain
Position: Centre Back
Why he was selected for the dream team:
David Luiz serves as vice-captain for the Brazil national team, giving him the leadership skills. He will therefore be able to keep the back four and the rest of the team right, giving out advice on what needs to be changed and what the team are doing well throughout the match. He has played at the highest standard, winning the Champions League and the FA Cup the following season. He moved from Chelsea to Saint-Germain for a world record transfer fee for a defender (£50m).
Individual Achievements:
-Primeira Liga Player of the Year: 2009/10
-Premier League Player of the Month: March 2011
-FIFA World Cup dream team: 2014
-FIFA/FIFPRO World XI: 2014
Jordi Alba
Current Team: Spain and FC Barcelona
Position: Left Back
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Jordi Alba can play left back and operate as a left midfielder and is a player of great speed, giving him an advantage when it comes to tracking back if the opposition were to break past the defence. He has represented Spain at the 2014 World Cup and Euro 2012. He has also represented Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, competing against world-class players.
Individual Achievements:
-UEFA Champions League team of the season- 2014/15
-UEFA Euro team of the tournament
-La Liga Team of the Season: 2014/15
Gareth Bale
Current Team: Real Madrid and Wales
Position: Right Midfield
Why he was selected for the dream team:
It’s no surprise and probably doesn’t need an explanation why Gareth Bale has been included in the Dream Team, after he was transferred to Spanish team Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee of £85.3 million. He has outstanding physical fitness, pace, skills, stamina and agility. He is quick, strong and a hard-working player, developing into one of the most dangerous left wingers in the world, and making him a nightmare for defenders. He regularly scores goals as well as assisting goals, he is a free kick specialist, and he has powerful strikes.
Individual Achievements:
-FAW Young Player of the Year: 2009
-Tottenham Hotspur Young Player of the Year: 2009/10, 2010/11
-Wales Player of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014
-BBC Wales Sport Personality of the Year: 2010
-BBC Wales Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year: 2006
-Premier League PFA Team of the Year: 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13
-PFA Players’ Player of the year: 2010/11, 2012/13
-PFA Young Players of the Year: 2012/13
-PWA Footballer of the Year: 2012
-UEFA Team of the Year: 2011, 2013
-Premier League Player of the Month: April 2010, January 2012, February 2013.
-The Football Manager Team of the Decade: 2015
David Silva
Current Team: Spain and Manchester City
Position: Centre Midfield
Why he was selected for the dream team:
David Silva has amazing passing ability and possession-retaining qualities, meaning he is able to hold up possession and pick the right passes wisely. He can play numerous positions, including a winger and second striker, but his preferred position is centre midfield. He has appeared in over 200 matches in five seasons, winning the FA Cup, Football League Cup and two Premier League Titles.
Individual Achievements:
-Pedro Zaballa Award: 2005
-Premier League Player of the Month: September 2011
-PFA Premier League Team of the Year: 2011/12
-UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament: 2012
Eden Hazard
Current Team: Chelsea and Belgium
Position: Centre Midfield
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Eden Hazard has been ranked by coaches, colleagues and commentators as one of the best players in the world. His creativity, speed and technical ability always stand out on the pitch. Hazard was the first non-French player to win the National Union at Professional Footballers Young Player of the Year Award. He is fast and small, making it hard for defenders to stop him. His finishing is also top class.
Individual Awards:
-UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2010/11, 2011/12
-UNFP Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 2008/9, 2009/10
-UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12
-UNFP Player of the Month: March 2010, March 2011, March 2012
-Premier League Player of the Season: 2014/15
-PFA Players’ Player of the Year: 2014/15
-PFA Young Player of the Year: 2013/14
-PFA Team of the Year: 2012/13, 2013/14, 2014/15
-ESM Team of the Year: 2014/15
-Chelsea Player of the Year: 2013/14, 2014/15
-Bravo Award: 2011
Oscar
Current Team: Brazil and Chelsea
Position: Left Midfield
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Oscar is a play maker and opens up play with his great ability to dribble and make creative runs. He has great visions, making him able to pick out passes. He tends to make short quick passes to build up play higher up the pitch and is a threat when he gets around the opponent’s box.
Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup Final against Portugal, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Individual Achievements:
-FIFA World Cup All-Star team: 2014
-Chelsea’s Goal of the Season: 2012/13, 2014/15
Lionel Messi
Current Team: Barcelona and Argentina
Position: Forward
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Messi is able to excel in short bursts of acceleration and his quick feet allow him to keep control of the ball, making him a nightmare for the opposition. Due to his pace, stamina and technical ability he often makes individual runs to open up the defence, to create chances or for him to score goals. He is an accurate free kick and penalty taker and is a hard-working all-round player. Messi is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world.
World
- Most FIFA Ballon d’Or awards: 4
- Guinness World Records title for the most goals in a year (2012): 91 goals (96 goals including club friendlies)
- Most international goals in a calendar year (2012): 25 (shared with Vivian Woodward and Cristiano Ronaldo)
- Youngest two-time/three-time/four-time Ballon d’Or winner: 23/24/25 years
- Most FIFA Club World Cup Golden Balls: 2 (2009,2011)
- Most appearances in the top 3 candidates for the Ballon d’Or: 8 times (2007-2014)
- Most appearances in the FIFPro World XI: 8 times (2007-2014) (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
Europe
- Most goals scored in a season (club): 73 goals
- Most goals scored in a year (club): 79 goals
- Most UEFA Champions League top scorer awards: 5
- Most consecutive Champions League top scorer awards: 4
- Most hat-tricks in UEFA Champions League: 5
- Highest scorer in a UEFA Champions League game – shared with Luiz Adriano: 5 goals
- Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League: 77 goals (shared with Cristiano Ronaldo)
Cristiano Ronaldo
Current Team: Real Madrid and Portugal
Position: Forward
Why he was selected for the dream team:
Ronaldo is known for his pace, dribbling, skill, finishing and his free-kick ability. He has good vision on the pitch and positioning. The forward has outstanding stamina and acceleration. His height, strength and jumping ability give him an advantage when it comes to winning the ball; many of his goals have been headers. Ronaldo is regarded as one of the best two players in the world, the other being Messi.
World
- The most expensive footballer in history: 2009–2013
- Most international goals in a calendar year: 25 (in 2012, shared with Vivian Woodward and Lionel Messi)
- First footballer to reach 40 goals in a professional league for two consecutive seasons
- Only player to score in every minute of an official football game
- Only player to win the League title, Domestic Cup, Domestic Supercup, Champions League, Club World Cup, League Player of the Year, Golden Shoe and Ballon d’Or at two different clubs (Manchester United and Real Madrid)
- Most appearances in the FIFPro World XI: 8 times (2007-2014) (shared with Lionel Messi)
- First and only player to appear in the FIFPro World XI for two different clubs.
Europe
- Most goals scored in European competitions (club football): 80 goals
- Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League: 77 goals (shared with Lionel Messi)
- Most goals scored in a UEFA Champions League/European Cup season: 17 goals in 2013–14
- Most goals scored in the UEFA Champions League group stage: 9 goals in 2013–14 (shared with Luiz Adriano)
- Most goals scored in UEFA Champions League knockout phase: 39 goals
- Most UEFA Champions League goals scored in a calendar year: 15 goals in 2013
- Only footballer to have won the European Golden Shoe in two different leagues: English Premier League (2007–08) and Spanish La Liga (2010–11, 2013–14, 2014–15)
- Most goals scored in the UEFA European Championship, including qualifying: 26 goals, for Portugal
- First footballer to ever score 10 goals in four consecutive UEFA Champions League seasons: 2011-12 to 2014-15
- Only footballer to score for two different winning teams in the European Cup: Manchester United (2007–08) and Real Madrid (2013–14)[
- Most away goals scored in Champions League history: 39 goals
- Most consecutive UEFA Champions League away games scored in: 12
- Most wins in the UEFA Champions League Knockout phase: 28 wins
- Most braces scored in the UEFA Champions League: 18
- Most consecutive UEFA Champions League matches scored in: 8 matches in 2013–14
- Most European Golden Shoe awards: 4
- Most UEFA Team of the Year appearances: 9 times
- Most consecutive appearances in the UEFA Team of the Year: 8 (2007-2014)
- Only player to be among the finalists for all the editions of the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award: 2010-11 to 2014-15