Coach Matt VanBenschoten answered the call for picking a formation and filling it with players whom he’d most like to join on the field. he gave us an ideal 4-3-3 and we gave him two rules:

You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in
Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

(GK) Matt VanBenschoten
Finally we get to the keeper position. This spot should be reserved for Oliver Kahn, but since I have to put myself in this lineup I’m going to put myself in a position where I can hurt us the least. We will likely concede 5-7 goals a game. It will be bad. However, the secret to soccer is to score more than your opponent and given the talent in front of me, we’ll likely score close to triple digits each game.

(RB) Lillian Thuram
Truthfully Thuram is the player I’ve seen the least. But there are two very vivid realizations I remember from watching the World Cup on my parents gigantic box TV in 1998. The first was “Wow. The US National team sucks” and the second was “Wow. That Thuram guy is incredible”

(CB) Franco Baresi
Clearly we are not going for size on this team and I am a tad bit worried about defending set pieces in our box. But you can’t make an all time team and leave Baresi out of the lineup. One of the highest soccer IQ’s of all time and an uncanny ability to ping passes, Baresi next to Maldini is a formidable CB pairing.

(CB) Paolo Maldini
Just like a fine wine, Maldini got better with age. Even when he lacked the athleticism he once had, he evolved and continued to remain effective as a defender by relying on his intelligence and experience. And what’s more, he was able to do it as a defender at the highest level.

(LB) Roberto Carlos
I love outside backs who can run forever and love to to get forward. Combine that with his ability to hit a ball over 100 miles an hour, he’s earned a spot. On an anecdotal note; his free kick against France is the single greatest feat in soccer history. Anyone who disagrees, I dare you to find someone who can bend a ball like that from 40 yards out WITH THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR LEFT FOOT.

(CDM) Roy Keane
While most of this team has been built on flair and being on the front foot, I would be remiss to not have someone who is willing to show the opposing team what it means to “Get bent” a few times each game.

(CM) Zindine Zidane
Typically Zizou would play the attacking role in the midfield, but if I had to pick between him and Maradona to actually listen to instructions, I trust Zidane more, hence why he’s in the heart of the midfield. His ability to make the incredible seem effortless while also making the players around him better, is something I don’t think we will ever see again.

(ACM) Diego Maradona
Like Charlie Day says on Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia “Every crew needs a wild card” There is nothing on earth that could stop Maradona in his prime. Defenders, hepatitis, paternity tests...you name it. And from a team standpoint, you always need one player who defies rationale and logic in the most difficult moments who then goes on to score a worldly. Therefore “The Golden Boy” has to be on the field.

(RF) Lionel Messi
The GOAT. I’m not explaining this to you. Don’t @ me

(LF) Cristiano Ronaldo
We all know how good he is now. But we often forget the flamboyant, cocky teenager at Manchester United who sometimes looked like he was more interested in doing 42 scissors and breaking ankles than actually doing something with the ball. That’s who I want.

(ST) Samuel Eto’o
You could argue there are better strikers to choose from. But Eto’o’s ability to find of space behind defenders, combined with his quickness and lethal finishing ability makes him the ideal player to be up top.

Coach VanBenschoten holds it down in between the pipes

Coach Matt VanBenschoten answered the call for picking a formation and filling it with players whom he’d most like to join on the field. he gave us an ideal 4-3-3 and we gave him two rules:

You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…