Best XI (different clubs & countries)

[GDPR Redacted]

There's a challenge going around which is a twist on the usual best ever XI thing but with this you have to have players all of different nationalities and who have never played for the same clubs. It's trickier than it sounds and I found it a bit of fun to while away half an hour or so of lockdown boredom (you also end up with a couple you'd never have near a normal best ever xi - see Ally McCoist below ).

Neville Southall 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿
Javier Zanetti 🇦🇷
Franco Baresi 🇮🇹
Vincent Kompany 🇧🇪
Philipp Lahm 🇩🇪
Steven Gerrard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
Zinedine Zidane 🇫🇷
John Obi Mikel 🇳🇬
Mustapha Hadji 🇲🇦
Bebeto 🇧🇷
Ally McCoist 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

You have to have seen them play either in the flesh or on TV.

An additional challenge is to name a manager of a different nationality who never played for any of the clubs involved in your xi - for me, José Mourinho 🇵🇹

I think Jamie Carragher started it on Twitter.

Have a go if you're interested.

I've managed also to put together a best ever (union) xv (all different nationalities though a couple of clubs feature more than once). If someone could do a league xiii, I'd be fascinated to see it.

[Gray77]

The eleven different nationalities is one thing, it's the 'haven't played for same club' that makes it really tricky. I tried it the other day and got half way through, so I've now completed it after seeing your post. I think I've managed to get a different team to yours, more or less.

My XI...

1 Oliver Kahn - Germany (Kahlsruher, Bayern)
2 Javier Zanetti - Argentina (Talleres, Banfield, Inter)
3 Paulo Maldini - Italy (Milan)
4 Vincent Kompany - Belgium (Anderlecht, Hamburg, Man City)
5 Des Walker - England (N Forest, Sampdoria, Sheff Wed)
6 Xavi - Spain (Barcelona)
7 Kenny Dalglish - Scotland (Celtic, Liverpool)
8 Luka Modrić - Croatia (D Zagreb, Z Mostar, I Zepresic, Tottenham, Real Madrid)
9 Careca - Brazil (Guarani, Sao Paulo, Napoli, Kashiwa R, Santos, Campinas, Sao Jose)
10 Michel Platini - France (Nancy, St Etienne, Juventus)
11 Ryan Giggs - Wales (Man United)

[GDPR Redacted]

The eleven different nationalities is one thing, it's the 'haven't played for same club' that makes it really tricky. I tried it the other day and got half way through, so I've now completed it after seeing your post. I think I've managed to get a different team to yours, more or less.

My XI...

1 Oliver Kahn - Germany (Kahlsruher, Bayern)
2 Javier Zanetti - Argentina (Talleres, Banfield, Inter)
3 Paulo Maldini - Italy (Milan)
4 Vincent Kompany - Belgium (Anderlecht, Hamburg, Man City)
5 Des Walker - England (N Forest, Sampdoria, Sheff Wed)
6 Xavi - Spain (Barcelona)
7 Kenny Dalglish - Scotland (Celtic, Liverpool)
8 Luka Modrić - Croatia (D Zagreb, Z Mostar, I Zepresic, Tottenham, Real Madrid)
9 Careca - Brazil (Guarani, Sao Paulo, Napoli, Kashiwa R, Santos, Campinas, Sao Jose)
10 Michel Platini - France (Nancy, St Etienne, Juventus)
11 Ryan Giggs - Wales (Man United)

Yeah, I found getting the nationalities AND the different clubs difficult. One or the other would be handy enough I think but that makes it more interesting in my opinion.

I would say you have a better team than mine actually. Mustapha Hadji and Ally McCoist were decent players but far from world class which you could make a case for all the rest in both teams being. Actually, take McCoist out of my team and put Henrik Larsson in and it improves significantly in my opinion.

I've seen a few others on Carragher's Twitter feed including one where players have to have also played in the Premier League but given I don't really follow the EPL, that would be a bit beyond me.

[Mike Stephenson]

I've seen a few others on Carragher's Twitter feed including one where players have to have also played in the Premier League but given I don't really follow the EPL, that would be a bit beyond me.

I've had a go at at putting together a team from the PL era...

4-2-3-1

GK: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium & Chelsea)
RB: Pablo Zabaleta (Argentina, Man City & West Ham)
CB: Lucas Radebe (South Africa & Leeds)
CB: Sami Hyypiä (Finland & Liverpool)
LB: Leighton Baines (England, Wigan Athletic & Everton)
CM: Tugay Kerimoğlu (Turkey & Blackburn Rovers)
CM: Luka Modrić (Croatia & Tottenham)
RW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Man Utd)
AM: Juninho Paulista (Brazil & Middlesbrough)
LW: Gareth Bale (Wales, Southampton & Tottenham)
CF: Thierry Henry (France & Arsenal)

Not a bad team I don't think & certainly plenty of speed in attack!

Regards,

STEVO