Rob Fielder

It took a bit longer than usual, but then again the season ended in an unusual way. But here it is!

New blogpost: Team of the Season 2024-2025

With player portraits by the amazing @lgambrose.bsky.social and @robfielder.bsky.social !

footballarguments.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/t...

Gelsenkirchen in particular is ridiculous. Compare it to, say, Cardiff where it is right in the city centre.

Very sad news. Nobody has had a bigger impact on British football writing.

Final plug for the new blogpost!

I’d agree. Also a lot of great games just swing one way and then the other, that had the ebb and flow across both legs. I think it’s the best ever.

And once Roque Junior got injured they were forced to play in a way that was completely different to their normal style.

Agree with all this generally. I’ve seen lots of people say it was a boring game but it really wasn’t. Certainly not the first 70 mins or so.

As always, really enjoyed being able to contribute to this.

Team of the Season 1956-1957 Manager: Matt Busby Bench: Carrizo, Dominguez, Roberto Lovati; Cervato, N. Santos, Federico Vairo; B. Wright, Santamaria, Happel; Marquitos, Giuseppe Farina, Giuseppe Corradi; Edwards, Ocwirk, Szym…

New blogpost, once again with the wonderful @robfielder.bsky.social:

Team of the Season 1956-57

Di Stefano produces a GOAT season, Argentinians en masse, the last full season of the Busby Babes - a memorable year for reasons both good and bad!

footballarguments.wordpress.com/2025/03/23/t...

I think it’s that. One hit can be year’s worth of effort.

I get a lot of requests from people on LinkedIn offering to pay me to share my knowledge on my industry (financial services). Also keep thinking, what is the scam here?

So did I initially. Very little between them really.

Thank you. Nice to see it displayed in that way.

I’m not sure why this thread got so little engagement, whether it’s just not an interesting topic or something about the way Bluesky displays threads. But at long last, I got to the end.

FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United Watch the 2010-2011 FC Barcelona vs. Manchester United Champions League Final full match held at Wembley (London) on Footballia

Barcelona 2008-11
Classic team: Valdes; Alves, Puyol, Pique, Abidal; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Villa
Classic match: 3-1 v Manchester United footballia.eu/matches/fc-b...

1. Barcelona (2008-11)
Manager: Pep Guardiola
La Liga: 2009 🏆, 2010 🏆, 2011 🏆
CL: 2009 🏆, 2011 🏆
The game’s best ever player in the game’s best side. The influence of Guardiola created a super team with Messi the man who set them apart from their rivals. A joy to watch.

AFC Ajax vs. Bayern München Watch the 1972-1973 AFC Ajax vs. Bayern München European Cup Quarter-finals, 1st leg full match held at Olympisch Stadion (Amsterdam) on Footballia

Ajax 1970-73
Classic team: Stuy; Suurbier, Hulshoff, Blankenburg, Krol; Neeskens, Haan, Muhren; Swart, Cruyff, Keizer
Classic match: 4-0 v Bayern Munich 1973 footballia.eu/matches/afc-...

2. Ajax (1970-73)
Manager: Michels, Kovacs, Knobel
Eredivisie: 1971 🥈, 1972 🏆, 1973 🏆
EC: 1971 🏆, 1972 🏆, 1973 🏆
A side centred around the remarkable talents of Johan Cruyff and played some of the best football the game has seen. Three times European champions but their influence was even greater.

Yes. Could easily have gone 87-90. But 92 was when I got to start watching them a lot.

AC Milan vs. FC Barcelona Watch the 1993-1994 AC Milan vs. FC Barcelona Champions League Final full match held at Olympiako Stadio (Athina) on Footballia

AC Milan 1992-95
Classic team: Rossi; Tassotti, Costacurta, Baresi, Maldini; Gullit, Rijkaard, Albertini, Donadoni; Van Basten Massaro
Classic match: 4-0 v Barcelona footballia.eu/matches/ac-m...

3. AC Milan (1992-95)
Manager: Fabio Capello
Serie A: 1993 🏆, 1994 🏆, 1995 4th
CL: 1993 🥈, 1994 🏆, 1995 🥈
Continuing the rich vein of success started under Arrigo Sacchi, Capello’s Milan were almost unbeatable at times with an an exceptional defence and array of attacking quality.

It’s men’s teams only. I don’t know enough about the women’s game.

Real Madrid vs. Eintracht Frankfurt Watch the 1959-1960 Real Madrid vs. Eintracht Frankfurt European Cup Final full match held at Hampden Park (Glasgow) on Footballia

Real Madrid 1957-60
Classic team: Dominguez; Marquitos, Santamaria, Pachin; Vidal, Zarraga; Canario, Del Sol, Di Stefano, Puskas, Gento
Classic match: 7-3 v Eintracht Frankfurt 1960 footballia.eu/matches/real...

4. Real Madrid (1957-60)
Managers: Carniglia, Munoz, Fleitas
League: 1958 🏆, 1959 🥈, 1960 🥈
EC: 1958 🏆, 1959 🏆, 1960 🏆
The side who dominated the early years of European football with 5 ECs in a row. Combination of Puskas and Di Stefano in attack was beyond compare.

Manchester City vs. Real Madrid Watch the 2022-2023 Manchester City vs. Real Madrid Champions League Semi-final, 2nd leg full match held at City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester) on Footballia

Manchester City 2020-23
Classic team: Ederson; Walker, Stones, Dias, Ake; Rodri; De Bruyne, Gundogan; Bernardo Silva, Haaland, Foden
Classic match: 4-0 v Real Madrid 2023 footballia.eu/matches/manc...

5. Manchester City (2020-23)
Manager: Pep Guardiola
League: 2021 🏆, 2022 🏆, 2023 🏆
Cup: 2023 🏆
CL: 2021🥈, 2023 🏆
Guardiola’s side finally conquered their Everest with the 2023 CL crown, capping a period of sustained dominance. European trophies have not fully matched the quality of their play.

Honved 1952-55
Classic team: Grosics; Palicsko, Lorant, Kovacs; Bozsik, Banyai; Budai, Kocsis, Machos, Puskas, Czibor
Classic match: 2-3 v Wolves 1954

6. Honved (1952-55)
Manager: Jeno Kalmar
League: 1953 🥈, 1954 🏆, 1955 🏆
The Mighty Magyars, arguably the finest side in history, were strongly founded on the Honved team who provided a host of top stars. The strike pairing of Puskas and Kocsis were supported by the midfield brilliance of Bozsik.

That’s really hard. I think Liverpool had more of a continuous run of success via evolution. The others had more distinct teams within those periods.

Yes that’s right.