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Footy Factor’s Best of the Decade: Team

Posted by Trevor Cassidy on Dec 9, 2009 in Best of the Decade, Featured Articles, Teams | 3 comments

2010 is on the horizon and it’s safe to say that it’s been a wonderful decade for football. We here at Footy Factor have taken the opportunity to celebrate the greatest teams, players, and matches of the past 10 years. Our next award is…

Team of the Decade

Winner: Barcelona 2008-09. Never has a team epitomized the philosophy of Total Football more so than Pep Guardiola’s high-octane blend of superstar imports and home-grown Catalan flair. Led by a triumvirate of striking talent the sight of whom would raise anyone’s blood pressure, Barca destroyed everyone in their path, becoming the first Spanish club to win the elusive Treble by bagging the Copa del Rey, La Liga and the UEFA Champions League titles.

In every area of the pitch, they were a joy to behold. The side was loaded with players who could lace a pass through a packed penalty area or dribble their way out of a sticky corner. Whether you’re talking about club captain Carles Puyol commanding the defense… the mesmeric Anders Iniesta and Xavi setting the tempo… attack-minded wing-backs Dani Alves and Eric Abidal bombing down the sidelines… or Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto’o and Lionel Messi stroking the ball home, Barcelona’s Class of ’09 has simply been peerless this decade.

Runners Up: Spain 2008. It remains to be seen whether Spain’s current national team can end decades of World Cup hurt in South Africa this summer, but they’ve already made quite a mark this decade. As the first Spanish side to achieve a FIFA World Number 1 ranking, the reigning European Champions set the record for consecutive wins, at 15, and also went on a record 35-match undefeated run. Manchester United 2007-08. Champions League winners. Premiership winners. The irresistible trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez combined for 79 goals. Need we say more?

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Footy Factor’s Best of the Decade: Manager

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Footy Factor’s Best of the Decade: Hard Man

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3 Comments

Bundas / December 9, 2009

Arsenal’s unbeatables?

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davi / December 10, 2009

What about the Real Madrid team from 2002? Raul, Zidane, Figo, Makelele, Roberto Carlos, Hierro. They were legends.

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Baadier / March 20, 2010

i know im a bit late with the comment but i just saw this. That was a really great front line, the 3 forwards would scare the crap out of any defence. Just imagining the site of Henry, Messi and Eto’o coming at me would make me signal to the bench for a sub.

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