When having to think about such squad, at first I thought it could have been done within 20 minutes. However, as I got to half of the formation, this job actually became very stressful, and even painful.
Of course, choosing the first 3-4 players of the Dream-Team was easy: the unquestioned legends easily took their spot. The problem came as I started to realize that for each position there are two or more individuals that would absolutely deserve a place in such team. Great surprise!!!
For a few days, and just for fun, I experienced the same problems the Nazionale's great managers have had in the past. I felt like Ferruccio Valcareggi in 1970, who had the ability to arrive to a World Cup final but was never able to make a final choice between Sandro Mazzola & Gianni Rivera. He invented the historic, and quite controversial, Staffetta (Relay): the Interista would play the first 45 minutes of the game, and would then be substituted by the Milanista.
I also felt like Cesare Maldini in 1998, having to choose between Roberto Baggio & Alessandro Del Piero. Or like Dino Zoff in 2000, arriving to the Euro final with the infinite dispute between Francesco Totti and, again, Del Piero.
All this might be the only downside of having such a rich history: a quite embarrassing wealth of options. On the bright side, as much as I wanted to select way more than 11 players, it also came into my mind that it didn't really matter as any team I chose would probably be more competitive than any other all-time best XI of any other country!
So, finally getting to the point, this is my best XI squad (3-4-3):
What a great team it turned out to be. In reality, I have no idea how Valentino Mazzola and Giuseppe Meazza were as players. Their presence in this team is more symbolic than anything else. For what they represent and how they are remembered, they deserved a spot in this team.
Giuseppe Meazza is the symbol of the Italy back to back World Champion of the 30's. Impossible not having one member of that generation. The same deal for Valentino Mazzola, captain of the Great Torino of the 40's. That amazing team won 5 "Scudetti" in a row and represented more than half of the Nazionale of that time. The 1950 World Cup would have been a whole different story without the tragedy of Superga.
Don't forget, however, that Italian football experts consider Meazza and V. Mazzola the greatest players ever produced in the country.
If my bestXI would have to be only for players I have actually seen playing (in videos or real live), I would have to replace V. Mazzola for Giuseppe Bergomi as a right back and have a 4-3-3. Then, to replace Meazza, I would use Christian Vieri.
BONUS:
Given the huge list of honorable mentions of the Nazionale's greatest players, I decided to do a second selection. This one, has a different formation (4-3-3)
These 11 players could not remain behind. Each of these players would deserve to be in the first team as well. Silvio Piola, World Champion in 1938, is also the top scorer in Serie A history (274 goals). Impossible not to add him, despite not having seen in play. If I were to only add players I have seen, I would replace him with either Gianluca Zambrotta or Roberto Donadoni, who would play as left midfielder in a 4-4-2.
Other honorable mentions:
- Gianluca Pagliuca
- Roberto Donadoni
- Angelo Schiavio
- Salvatore Schillaci
- Alessandro Costacurta
- Giampiero Boniperti
- Gianluca Zambrotta
- Alessandro Del Piero
- Valentino Mazzola
- Silvio Piola
- Tarcisio Burgnich
- Massimo Oddo
- Giuseppe Bergomi
- Francesco Totti
- Dino Baggio
- Alessandro Altobelli
- Antonio Cabrini
- Roberto Bettega
- Gennaro Gattuso
- Enrico Albertosi
- Angelo Domenghini
- Giuseppe Giannini
- Gabriele Oriali
- Walter Zenga
- Fulvio Collovati
- Franco Causio
- Giancarlo Antognoni
- Giancarlo De Sisti
#ForzaItalia
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