It is quite common for football fans to dream about their favorite club assembling a super team consisting of the best players on earth. Unfortunately, only very few fans have been lucky enough to witness their club make their dreams a reality. In this article, we will take a look at five famous star-studded football teams of all time.
Note:- This list is based upon the popularity of players present in the squad and not the amount of success they achieved during a particular period.
#5 AC Milan – 2003/04
This was Milan’s best squad since the Arrigo Sacchi era but their UCL defense ended in disappointment. This AC Milan team had formidable players in every area. Shevchenko, Inzaghi and Rivaldo were three versatile forwards capable of playing in a number of positions.
The midfield was full of legends such as Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Rui Costa and Kaka. The defense was patrolled by Maldini, Cafu, Nesta, and Costacurta. In 2004, AC Milan lifted Serie A for the first time since 1999. In the UCL, they were shockingly eliminated by Deportivo La Coruna despite a three goal lead after the first leg.
#4 Manchester United – 2008/09
Every Manchester United fan who witnessed United’s dominance from 2006 to 2009 still remember this era fondly. This squad had the perfect mix of youth and experience and were real contenders for a quadruple. They ended up winning the Premier League and League Cup, while falling short in the UCL final.
Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo and Berbatov formed a fluid attacking front that was unstoppable on the counter. The old guard of Scholes and Giggs still produced sublime performances when needed. Ferdinand and Vidic’s partnership in central defense is regarded by many as the greatest center-back partnership in PL history.
#3 Barcelona – 2010/11
If this article was about the greatest football teams instead of star-studded football teams, no team can come near Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona. All the other teams in this list changed the fortunes of their club, while the 10/11 Barcelona changed football itself.
The midfield maestros Xavi and Iniesta combined with Messi to produce phases of play that looked like poetry in motion. This team ranks low in this list only because its backbone was home-grown talent rather than bonafide stars acquired from other clubs.
#2 Real Madrid – 1958/59
The Real Madrid team of the late 1950’s, assembled under the administration of Santiago Bernabéu, is still the envy of many clubs. The “Galacticos” project started with the arrival of Di Stefano and attained peak success when Puskas joined in 1958.
In the 1958/59 season, Real Madrid won the European Cup for the fourth consecutive time, thanks to their incredible attacking talent. Franciso Gento and Raymond Kopa were the wingers, while Puskas played as an inside-forward on the left flank. At the center of their attacking might stand Di Stefano, who won everything at Real Madrid.
#1 Real Madrid – 2004/05
Topping the list of star-studded football teams is Real Madrid’s second galacticos squad. The Madrid elections of 2000 resulted in a new president, Florentino Perez who promised to bring the best players in the world to Real Madrid. What followed was a monumental coup of Luis Figo from Barcelona, which stunned the footballing world.
Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario and David Beckham arrived in 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively too much fan fare. With Owen’s arrival in 2004, Madrid had too many stars who could not be left out. At one point, David Beckham and Guti had to play as defensive midfielders to fit in all the star players in their lineup. This Madrid team also had two legendary defenders, Walter Samuel and Roberto Carlos.
