1950 - 1959

In my opinion, the 1950s are the decade that, more than any other, produced an enormous amount of incredible talent.

The first decade after WWII saw a blossoming of incredible players in every position, and it was particularly difficult to choose just eleven!
The team lines up in a (3-2-5) formation, which is very traditional, with a 3-man defensive block, a two-man midfield, and five offensive players.

GOALKEEPER
The number 1 spot can only go to Lev Yashin, who is considered probably the greatest and most famous goalkeeper of all time.

DEFENSE
Choosing the full-backs was easy: Nilton and Djalma Santos are the obvious choices as they are regarded by many as two of the greatest full-backs in football history as well as extraordinary innovators. Both are decent markers (especially Djalma) but even better at attacking and going forward. The role of the defensive midfielder (a modern central defender) is a toss-up between Billy Wright and Santamaria, but overall, I prefer the latter.

MIDFIELD
There are various possibilities here. Liedholm and Didi could very well play instead of Schiaffino, but the level is very similar and I preferred the Uruguayan playmaker for his defensive skill. Next to him, a player who is talked about too little: Jozsef Bozsik, the midfielder and metronome of the great Hungary team of the 1950s.

ATTACK
Okay, let’s have some fun. Puskas and Di Stefano are indispensable. Neither of them can be left out. They are among the very first players of any era. The other spots are debatable. The number 9 is the Fireman Gunnar Nordahl, probably one of the strongest and most decisive number 9s of all time, while on the wings my choice falls on Kopa, star of Reims and Real Madrid, and the Hungarian Kubala.