Thursday, March 28, 2024

Barcelona – best ever?

Best ever?

When I watched Barcelona dismantle Real Madrid last week it crossed my mind that it may have been one of the finest displays of football I have ever seen. I am just about old enough to remember the fantastic Brazil World Cup winning team of 1970 and never felt that I was likely to see anything to match their brilliance. Now, I think I might have done.

Tactical

I know Barcelona didn’t win last season’s Champions League but that was largely down to the tactical genius of the ‘special one’ rather than Inter actually being on the same planet in terms of footballing expertise. I know that up until last week Real Madrid were ahead of them in La Liga, but that game at the Camp Nou surely clarified which one is the superior side.

Barcelona did win the Champions League in 2006 and 2009. They did win La Liga in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010. Let us also not forget that Spain won Euro 2008 and the World Cup 2010 with the help of Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Xavi, David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Pedro.

Confirmed

The fact that Barcelona are without doubt the best side in the world at this time is rather confirmed by the fact that three of their players have been shortlisted for the 2010 Fifa Ballon d’Or award. The new award is the result of a merger between the Fifa world player of the year and the Ballon d’Or, which was decided by football journalists.

Xavi and Iniesta, the creative force behind Barcelona and Spain, are obvious nominees and they are joined on the list by the man who won both awards in 2009, Lionel Messi. He will be the favourite to pick up the award again this time as his performances continue to amaze and defy common sense by getting better and better. His thirty-four goals last season and fifteen so far this season, just complete the package.

Triumph

The award will be announced on 10th January and the only thing that may prevent Messi winning is last Summer’s World Cup. Whilst Xavi and Iniesta had wonderful tournaments, helping their team to triumph with Iniesta actually scoring the winning goal, Messi had a disappointing time. He failed to find the net and his Argentina side left the tournament with a whimper at the quarter-final stage.

There is also an award for the coach of the year and unsurprisingly, Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola and Spain’s Vicente del Bosque are on the shortlist for that. However, unpalatable as it may well be for many, that award is likely to go to Mourinho who took Inter to the unprecedented treble of Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League.

Awesome

I truly believe that Barcelona may be playing the best football I have ever seen. In that win against Real Madrid they were simply awesome. Real Madrid did not lie down and fall apart. They harried and hassled and gave their all. They are a good side but they were totally out-classed and ripped apart. On that form there is not a team on the planet who could live with Barcelona.

I appreciate that I am probably the only one old enough to remember the 1970 World Cup (before anyone else says it!), but I wonder if I am alone in thinking this Barcelona team are the best ever?

What do you think?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Graham Fisher


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  • Goonerr

    0 0

    Barcalona is a great team but you can’t forget the invincibles from arsenal, I mean really 49 games without a loss? ridiculous

  • RAPHAEL SUNDAY CHUKWU

    0 0

    barca is unarguably the best in the world.when you think ‘perfect football’ is synonymous with barca team.

  • Varun

    0 0

    History is always kinder in retrospect.

    People don’t want to accept the reality as they have too much invested with their own teams.
    Emotional bond is too strong to see straight.

    10 years form now…Doubting this Barca side isn’t the greatest ever in 150 years of sport would be like saying, Traore from Liverpool was the greatest footballer ever. aka being a lunatic.

    Modern football has the fastest, the strongest, and most tactically aware EVER in history with the most at stakes ever.

    To be this good and the way they play makes them great.
    If the way they play was easy or simple, it would have been tried multiple times before with similar or greater success in 150 years.

    But that hasn’t happened till now.

  • michael Hamukwaya

    0 0

    yes their are having a good time for now but can they continue this form and win the chapions league 5 times in a row, the only team that has won that is Real Madrid…ill rather aggre with those saing its a genaration factor, for Madrid we need to get our house in order, the Madrid top manegement should allow Mourinho the freedom he wants, we should get read of players like Albiol and get some one like Vidic and with our best forward on a terreble enjury we need Tevez and get read of Benzama, khedira. WE SHUOLD BRING BACK VAN DER WAT, SNIJDER AND ROBBEN, WE SHULD ALSO CASH IN FOR THAE GERMAN NUMBER 7 (SCHWINSNIDER) WHO EVER HE IS. MOURINHO PLEAS CONSIDER THESE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR CROWN OF RULING WORLD FOOTBALL AGAIN. I AGGRE WITH THE ONE SAING THAT CURRENT LA LIGA IS ANOTHER FACTOR TO BARCA’S SUCCESS, MADRID USED TO DOMINATE WHEN LA LIGA WAS CONSIDERD AS THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD BUT THE CURRENT LA LIGA YOU CANT EVEN COMPARE TO THE PSL INTERMS OF COMPETATIVENESS…

  • NSNO

    0 0

    Anyone forgetting Milan 1989-1990?
    Undefeated season? But I do agree that it is a generational factor.
    And Sneijder_Inter…Really? Really? The treble again this year. You wont win the Serie A let alone the Coppa Italia or the CL. Your team had one good year in 50. Give up mate.

  • sneijder_inter10

    0 0

    INTER is definitely the best team ever without doubt. they are just having a bad season now due to injuries and the bad tactic of the coach. inter would surely recover in the new hands of leonardo. they wil win the TREBLE again this season

  • 1234

    0 0

    The way they are playing RIGHT NOW, they seem to be the best I have ever seen. People demand that that they win for years and years to come, but perhaps we can agree that the 2010-2011 Barcelona in THIS year is the best single football team ever to play the game?

  • jastri77

    0 0

    For now … they are the best football team… In future who knows… its a generation factor… But for now I am so happy and excited whenever they play… What a tremendous pace and football skills… 🙂

  • valiant

    0 0

    . As far as i started watching football barcelona remain the best team even when they lose. Barca style of play are most time incredible with the like of messi, xavi, iniesta, busquet n pedro. With it youth team i think their style of play is a traditon.

  • Ultimate Nightmare

    0 0

    Barcelona is not the best team ever. Winning against Real Madrid 5 – 0 was very predictable. Act, they won last year in front of Madrid 6 – 2 and lost against Inter-Milan in the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. In addition, you can’t just call a team who wins with an ultimate result ‘ the best’, and to prove me right, Germany defeated Argentina and England with 4 goals in the 2010 World Cup, and yet, they lost against Spain in the Semi-Finals.

  • SUNDAY ADENIYI

    0 0

    I love the ways Barcelona play their football. They are currently the leader in the football empire. They can amazingly beat any team that comes in their way but they cannot rule in this empire for long period of time. Real Madrid, Ajax, Liverpool etc was once there.

    In the World Cup level: Italy, Brazil, Argentina, France and England has their share of the cup. Recently, it was Spain ans next edition will witness another champion from any country in Europe, Asia or even in Africa. One could remember that Barcelona was nowehere to be found in the 60s/70s in the champions league kingdom but today their time has arrived and they are making good opportunity of it.

    God has not designed any stage to be occupied by people till the end of this world. It is generational and timely. It is Barcelona today who is is the currently leader in the football world. It will rotate to another club sooner or later

  • TIM/NY

    0 0

    @Daan
    I AGREE WITH YOU 100% THEY DO PLAY GREAT AS A TEAM…
    BUT YOU DIDNT UNDERSTAND MY POINT. LOOK AT THEIR COMPETITION.I COACH 16 YR OLDS THAT CAN PLAY IN LA LIGA…OTHER THAN BARCA AND REAL MADRID,YOU COULDNT PAY ME TO WATCH LA LIGA.BOTTOM LINE IS THEY NEED TO WIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUES (PLURAL) TO PROVE THEY ARE THE GREATEST.
    THEY WOULD NOT PLAY LIKE THAT IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE…TRUST ME!
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Daan

    0 0

    @TIM/NY
    If there is one team where the entire squad plays as a team then it IS barca. Position play by all the players where ever the ball is is perfectly coördinated. If a barca player is in posession of the ball, atleast teamplayers will be open to pass the ball to and the combinations on every part of the pitch shows how well everyone knows eachother.

    The ‘weakest’ spot of barca is when Puyol gets injured.

  • TIM/NY

    0 0

    HATS OFF TO MESSI,XAVI,AND INIESTA…GREAT PLAYERS…BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE GREATEST TEAM EVER
    TO BE CALLED THE GREATEST T E A M ,YOU NEED A FULL SQUAD, AS A TEAM!!!! 3 OR 4 PLAYERS DONT CUT IT!!!!
    THE PROBLEM IS LA LIGA IS SUCH AN EASY LEAGUE! OTHER THAN BARCA AND REAL M. I CANT SAY I WOULD WATCH ANY OTHER TEAMS PLAY IN LA LIGA!

  • Brad

    0 0

    @Cyndav, they aren’t the best ever. Brazil is best ever, and so far, only Barca have given that WC winning side of ’70 a considerable run for the money.

  • Cyndav

    0 0

    up real madrid. I know they lost their match against barcelona but they are still the best for me.

  • oluseyi

    0 0

    Barca play a quintesentially mondern football.they obviously play better than the braZilians of the 70’s.but the best ever?its a tough call

  • barca

    0 0

    i agree to what the real deal has said.
    it is truly a generation factors which have been leading the style and the beauty of football.
    barca has it now and you can expect it to come from anyone in future, even from underdogs teams.

    i started watching and supporting football only from last three years but barcelona makes me think as though i’m from there. love their game, passion of players to football and the respect to team members and the other teams they are against. Pep is one of the modest manager when he speaks of other teams. “Special one” is not so right with his attitude. but i think he is a good coach.

  • EAGLES

    0 0

    According to hell clasico Barça is the best ‘team’ for that game only..best ever..!!? ..Never!

  • Graham Fisher

    0 0

    Maybe I got a bit carried away, but I do love to watch them play!

  • blaze

    0 0

    my team are the best in the world at the moment but i cant jump the hoop that far as to say they are the best ever,thats strecthing it a bit,but the best ever at playing tiki taka football that i would agree with

  • Barca Fan

    0 0

    I have to agree with cularfin regarding this matter, although Barca plays the best and most entertaining brand of football comparing them to the 1970 Brazil is a bit irrational. It is refreshing to see a team do it with passing and skills in today’s physical football, but there’s no way you can convince anyone that Barca is the best ever. As a Barca fan I will tell you that in order for me to consider them “The Best Ever” they have to keep playing at the same level for many years to come, at least 5-7 more years!

  • Brad

    0 0

    The Real Deal has it right. They are the best now, but best EVER?

    also, I swear one of my coaches has to be old enough to remember 62. . . . . as he’s English.

  • cularfin

    0 0

    the six trophies they won in one season is a very great feat. but i can’t say that they are the BEST EVER. it’s like talking, who’s greater Tyson or Ali, or Jordan or Kobe. or Fangio or Schumi.

    as what realdeal said, they are the best of this generation and we’re lucky to be witness to this all.

  • english mate

    0 0

    Even though Im a Liverpool fan I have to admit Barcelona are my far the best team in the world at this moment. In fact for the last 2 years. But then again they do have the best individual players with the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Alves just to name a few. They also have a fantastic manager in Pep Guardiola.

  • the_real_deal

    0 0

    Best ever? I am not so sure. I think each generation brings its own crop of footballing genius.

    Barcelona are the best at the moment but back in the 90s it would be unheard of to see them beat teams like ManU, Milan, Juve, Madrid or Ajax.

    Milan/Madrid/Bayern in the 70s, Liverpool/Ajax in the 80s, ManU/Juve in the 90s and now we have Barca. It’s a generational factor.

  • the_real_deal

    0 0

    Best ever? I am not so sure. I think each generation brings its own crop of footballing genius.

    Barcelona are the best at the moment but back in the 90s it would be unheard of to see them beat teams like ManU, Milan, Juve, Madrid or Ajax.

    Milan/Madrid/Bayern in the 70s, Liverpool/Ajax in the 80s, ManU/Juve in the 90s and now we have Barca. It’s a generational factor.

  • english mate

    0 0

    Even though Im a Liverpool fan I have to admit Barcelona are my far the best team in the world at this moment. In fact for the last 2 years. But then again they do have the best individual players with the likes of Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Villa, Alves just to name a few. They also have a fantastic manager in Pep Guardiola.

  • cularfin

    0 0

    the six trophies they won in one season is a very great feat. but i can’t say that they are the BEST EVER. it’s like talking, who’s greater Tyson or Ali, or Jordan or Kobe. or Fangio or Schumi.

    as what realdeal said, they are the best of this generation and we’re lucky to be witness to this all.

  • Brad

    0 0

    The Real Deal has it right. They are the best now, but best EVER?

    also, I swear one of my coaches has to be old enough to remember 62. . . . . as he’s English.

  • Barca Fan

    0 0

    I have to agree with cularfin regarding this matter, although Barca plays the best and most entertaining brand of football comparing them to the 1970 Brazil is a bit irrational. It is refreshing to see a team do it with passing and skills in today’s physical football, but there’s no way you can convince anyone that Barca is the best ever. As a Barca fan I will tell you that in order for me to consider them “The Best Ever” they have to keep playing at the same level for many years to come, at least 5-7 more years!

  • blaze

    0 0

    my team are the best in the world at the moment but i cant jump the hoop that far as to say they are the best ever,thats strecthing it a bit,but the best ever at playing tiki taka football that i would agree with

  • Graham Fisher

    0 0

    Maybe I got a bit carried away, but I do love to watch them play!

  • EAGLES

    0 0

    According to hell clasico Barça is the best ‘team’ for that game only..best ever..!!? ..Never!

  • barca

    0 0

    i agree to what the real deal has said.
    it is truly a generation factors which have been leading the style and the beauty of football.
    barca has it now and you can expect it to come from anyone in future, even from underdogs teams.

    i started watching and supporting football only from last three years but barcelona makes me think as though i’m from there. love their game, passion of players to football and the respect to team members and the other teams they are against. Pep is one of the modest manager when he speaks of other teams. “Special one” is not so right with his attitude. but i think he is a good coach.

  • oluseyi

    0 0

    Barca play a quintesentially mondern football.they obviously play better than the braZilians of the 70’s.but the best ever?its a tough call

  • Cyndav

    0 0

    up real madrid. I know they lost their match against barcelona but they are still the best for me.

  • Brad

    0 0

    @Cyndav, they aren’t the best ever. Brazil is best ever, and so far, only Barca have given that WC winning side of ’70 a considerable run for the money.

  • TIM/NY

    0 0

    HATS OFF TO MESSI,XAVI,AND INIESTA…GREAT PLAYERS…BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE GREATEST TEAM EVER
    TO BE CALLED THE GREATEST T E A M ,YOU NEED A FULL SQUAD, AS A TEAM!!!! 3 OR 4 PLAYERS DONT CUT IT!!!!
    THE PROBLEM IS LA LIGA IS SUCH AN EASY LEAGUE! OTHER THAN BARCA AND REAL M. I CANT SAY I WOULD WATCH ANY OTHER TEAMS PLAY IN LA LIGA!

  • Daan

    0 0

    @TIM/NY
    If there is one team where the entire squad plays as a team then it IS barca. Position play by all the players where ever the ball is is perfectly coördinated. If a barca player is in posession of the ball, atleast teamplayers will be open to pass the ball to and the combinations on every part of the pitch shows how well everyone knows eachother.

    The ‘weakest’ spot of barca is when Puyol gets injured.

  • TIM/NY

    0 0

    @Daan
    I AGREE WITH YOU 100% THEY DO PLAY GREAT AS A TEAM…
    BUT YOU DIDNT UNDERSTAND MY POINT. LOOK AT THEIR COMPETITION.I COACH 16 YR OLDS THAT CAN PLAY IN LA LIGA…OTHER THAN BARCA AND REAL MADRID,YOU COULDNT PAY ME TO WATCH LA LIGA.BOTTOM LINE IS THEY NEED TO WIN CHAMPIONS LEAGUES (PLURAL) TO PROVE THEY ARE THE GREATEST.
    THEY WOULD NOT PLAY LIKE THAT IN THE PREMIER LEAGUE…TRUST ME!
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

  • SUNDAY ADENIYI

    0 0

    I love the ways Barcelona play their football. They are currently the leader in the football empire. They can amazingly beat any team that comes in their way but they cannot rule in this empire for long period of time. Real Madrid, Ajax, Liverpool etc was once there.

    In the World Cup level: Italy, Brazil, Argentina, France and England has their share of the cup. Recently, it was Spain ans next edition will witness another champion from any country in Europe, Asia or even in Africa. One could remember that Barcelona was nowehere to be found in the 60s/70s in the champions league kingdom but today their time has arrived and they are making good opportunity of it.

    God has not designed any stage to be occupied by people till the end of this world. It is generational and timely. It is Barcelona today who is is the currently leader in the football world. It will rotate to another club sooner or later

  • Ultimate Nightmare

    0 0

    Barcelona is not the best team ever. Winning against Real Madrid 5 – 0 was very predictable. Act, they won last year in front of Madrid 6 – 2 and lost against Inter-Milan in the Semi-Finals of the Champions League. In addition, you can’t just call a team who wins with an ultimate result ‘ the best’, and to prove me right, Germany defeated Argentina and England with 4 goals in the 2010 World Cup, and yet, they lost against Spain in the Semi-Finals.

  • valiant

    0 0

    . As far as i started watching football barcelona remain the best team even when they lose. Barca style of play are most time incredible with the like of messi, xavi, iniesta, busquet n pedro. With it youth team i think their style of play is a traditon.

  • jastri77

    0 0

    For now … they are the best football team… In future who knows… its a generation factor… But for now I am so happy and excited whenever they play… What a tremendous pace and football skills… 🙂

  • 1234

    0 0

    The way they are playing RIGHT NOW, they seem to be the best I have ever seen. People demand that that they win for years and years to come, but perhaps we can agree that the 2010-2011 Barcelona in THIS year is the best single football team ever to play the game?

  • sneijder_inter10

    0 0

    INTER is definitely the best team ever without doubt. they are just having a bad season now due to injuries and the bad tactic of the coach. inter would surely recover in the new hands of leonardo. they wil win the TREBLE again this season

  • NSNO

    0 0

    Anyone forgetting Milan 1989-1990?
    Undefeated season? But I do agree that it is a generational factor.
    And Sneijder_Inter…Really? Really? The treble again this year. You wont win the Serie A let alone the Coppa Italia or the CL. Your team had one good year in 50. Give up mate.

  • michael Hamukwaya

    0 0

    yes their are having a good time for now but can they continue this form and win the chapions league 5 times in a row, the only team that has won that is Real Madrid…ill rather aggre with those saing its a genaration factor, for Madrid we need to get our house in order, the Madrid top manegement should allow Mourinho the freedom he wants, we should get read of players like Albiol and get some one like Vidic and with our best forward on a terreble enjury we need Tevez and get read of Benzama, khedira. WE SHUOLD BRING BACK VAN DER WAT, SNIJDER AND ROBBEN, WE SHULD ALSO CASH IN FOR THAE GERMAN NUMBER 7 (SCHWINSNIDER) WHO EVER HE IS. MOURINHO PLEAS CONSIDER THESE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN GET OUR CROWN OF RULING WORLD FOOTBALL AGAIN. I AGGRE WITH THE ONE SAING THAT CURRENT LA LIGA IS ANOTHER FACTOR TO BARCA’S SUCCESS, MADRID USED TO DOMINATE WHEN LA LIGA WAS CONSIDERD AS THE BEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD BUT THE CURRENT LA LIGA YOU CANT EVEN COMPARE TO THE PSL INTERMS OF COMPETATIVENESS…

  • Varun

    0 0

    History is always kinder in retrospect.

    People don’t want to accept the reality as they have too much invested with their own teams.
    Emotional bond is too strong to see straight.

    10 years form now…Doubting this Barca side isn’t the greatest ever in 150 years of sport would be like saying, Traore from Liverpool was the greatest footballer ever. aka being a lunatic.

    Modern football has the fastest, the strongest, and most tactically aware EVER in history with the most at stakes ever.

    To be this good and the way they play makes them great.
    If the way they play was easy or simple, it would have been tried multiple times before with similar or greater success in 150 years.

    But that hasn’t happened till now.

  • RAPHAEL SUNDAY CHUKWU

    0 0

    barca is unarguably the best in the world.when you think ‘perfect football’ is synonymous with barca team.

  • Goonerr

    0 0

    Barcalona is a great team but you can’t forget the invincibles from arsenal, I mean really 49 games without a loss? ridiculous

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