Seven French, four Argentinians: a perfect eleven according to Villa Sorza | FIFA World Cup 2022

Wim de Koninck, as a former goalkeeper, can make a choice in goal. There the battle between Fabian Barthez and Ubaldo Fillol takes place.

Fillol is considered the best Argentine goalkeeper of all time. He played for Argentina between 1974 and 1985. Fabien Barthez was the legendary bald French goalkeeper who played for the national team between 1994 and 2005. He became world champion in his country in 1998 and European champion two years later.

“Fillol had something. South American goalkeepers weren’t often held in high esteem in the past. Now it’s different. But I still chose Fabien Barthez, because he was small for a goalkeeper (1.8 metres) and he’s still a world champion,” De Wim Konink explains. “I’m young too, but of course I never became a world champion.”

Frankie van der Elst selected three defenders out of five: Daniel Passarella, Javier Zanetti, Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly and Laurent Blanc.

“I’ll add Passarella anyway,” says Van der Elst at once.

Daniel Passarella played 70 caps for Argentina in the 1970s and 1980s, and his nickname was El Gran Capitan. He participated in the World Championships twice for Argentina. as captain in 1978. In 1986 he played an important role in the qualifiers, but did not play in the World Cup itself due to injury.

“Complete the defense with Thuram and then I doubt, but do it Desailly.”

Thuram is the French international record holder with 142 caps. Together with Desailly he became world champion in 1998 and European champion in 2000.

Yuri Mukder has the honor of selecting four midfielders. His options: Patrick Vieira, Jean Tigana, Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane from France. and Diego Maradona, Osvaldo Ardiles, and Fernando Redondo from Argentina.

“I choose Platini anyway. And Maradona too, of course… Yes, and Zidane too, of course. It’s obvious.”

Franky Van der Elst warns that “If you don’t choose Redondo, you immediately get a message from Frank Raes that it should be included”.

Redondo was the graceful Argentinean who brought grace and beauty to Real Madrid’s midfield until the late 1990s and then moved to AC Milan. He participated in only 29 matches with the Argentine national team. Partly because national coach Daniel Passarella (the man above) refused to call players with long hair for a while.

On offense, the choice wouldn’t be the easiest for TV maker Eric Goens.

He must choose three strikers from the list: Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Thierry Henry, Lionel Messi, Alfredo Di Stefano, Gabriel Batistuta and Mario Kempes.

Messi and Mbappe shine quickly. After that there is a moment of doubt.

“We only know Di Stéfano from the black and white photos. Kempes was a bit of a jerk. So I say Henry.”

Thierry Henry was still Roberto Martinez’s assistant in Qatar. As a player, he earned 123 caps for France. When he was 20 years old, he was already there at the World Cup in his country in 1998, where France became the world champion (pictured with No. 12). Two years later he also added the European Championship to his list of achievements.