The Big Lead European Soccer Best XI For 2011-12
The season is all but over. Before we’re all swayed by the Champions League Final, here is our best eleven for the 2011-12 season.
F: Lionel Messi [Barcelona] In 47 appearances in the Primera Liga and the Champions League, Messi had 64 goals and 20 assists. It felt like a down year, since he ran out of gas at the end, but he still was absolutely insane.
F: Robin Van Persie [Arsenal] “He scores when he wants. He scores when he waaaaaants.” RVP was the Premier League’s top scorer, and had 36 goals in all competitions. He carried an underwhelming Arsenal team on his back to respectability after a rough start.
F: Cristiano Ronaldo [Real Madrid] In the same number of top level appearances as Messi, 47, Ronaldo had 56 goals and 15 assists. Still the second-best player in Spain. His only flaw is believing he has none.
M: Andrea Pirlo [Juventus] A.C. Milan let Pirlo walk on a free transfer last summer. It cost them the Scudetto. The 32-year-old is supremely intelligent and wields the ball like a paintbrush. This season he was fit, and thrived under a 4-3-3 at Juventus revamped to accommodate him. Pirlo led Serie A in assists and was instrumental in the club’s undefeated league season.
M: Yaya Toure [Manchester City] Manchester City was the only EPL club with a driving midfielder who could dominate physically and be a force box to box. That and his crucial goals were a major reason they won the title. He’s worth every penny, and gets paid quite a few of them.
M: Mesut Ozil [Real Madrid] “Avatar Eyes” led La Liga in assists with 17. His play is both perceptive and innovative. He was able to adapt and sublimate his game to fuel Ronaldo, sort of like Wayne Rooney did with Man U in 2008.
D: Philip Lahm [Bayern Munich] Never one to mince words, Lahm is versatile, consistent, tactically astute and great on the ball. Bayern Munich feeds off his link-up play with Arjen Robben. He’s an asset where many clubs have a liability.
D: Vincent Kompany [Manchester City] He’s a class act and a commanding leader. He excels at just about every facet of defending. He doesn’t make mistakes. Has a strong case to be EPL player of the season.
D: Thiago Silva [AC Milan] He’s a superb technical defender, and a fitting heir for Nesta/Maldini. The Brazilian should be the best player in Serie A for the next few seasons, but only because Barcelona may not have the cash to sign him.
D: Lukasz Piszczek [Borussia Dortmund] The Pole was a key member of a dynamic Dortmund back line. He was great going forward, chipping in four goals and seven assists. Like every breakout Bundesliga player, he should be off to Real Madrid in the summer.
GK: Iker Casillas [Real Madrid] Real Madrid seldom needed him. When they did he came through. He’s the best keeper in the world until he’s dislodged.
[Photos via Getty, Presswire]

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67 Responses to “The Big Lead European Soccer Best XI For 2011-12”
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May 14th, 2012 at 4:13 PM
This…this right here is why I love me some Duffy. What a perfect way of describing Cristiano. This is exactly his problem.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:15 PM
I’m sorry, we were looking for “Dobby.” “Dobby.”
He won this award last week.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:16 PM
Dude is so impressive. I always come away from Man City games thinking he’s their most integral player, even though Toure is a machine.
I also had no clue Juve didn’t lose a match this year in league play. Serie A is so painful to watch.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:16 PM
Ozil man, Ozil. He’s had such a great season. Let’s hope he can cap it off with a European Championship.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:16 PM
so then…what are his flaws? and if he doesn’t have any flaws, why would he believe he has them? and how could that be a flaw, in and of itself?
i just
blueblew my own mind.May 14th, 2012 at 4:17 PM
There are multiple official awards. None of them really worth a damn.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:17 PM
Duffy: I know its still little less than a month out, but were you planning on doing a Euro 2012 preview for each country as you did for the World Cup?
May 14th, 2012 at 4:18 PM
His look of disdain for Scholes will never fail to make me smile
May 14th, 2012 at 4:18 PM
Yeah wasn’t sure which you were referring to, that or PWA or who the fuck knows.
I think we can both agree that any player of the year award that DOESN’T go to Ryan Giggs or Paul Scholes is invalid, regardless of year or league.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:19 PM
I don’t see how Germany doesn’t win. Spain is banged up, and they’re the only other team with more talent. I never trust the Dutch side in Int’l competitions as they’re likely to attack each other on the field. France is really talented, but all of them are untested.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:22 PM
I sure hope so. My concern is that Germany over past 10 years have perfected the “close but no cigar” routine. Runners up in 2002 WC, Runners up in 2008 Euro, Semi-finalists in 2006 and 2010 world cup. Bayern being runners up in 2010 champions league. It’s been a long time (by german standard) since Germany or German clubs have actually won a big trophy.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:26 PM
They could get worn down in group play. When Russia bought the easiest group it put a great deal of pressure on top teams in group play. Netherlands could just go out and try to fight Germany and who knows what Portugal can do. Portugal won’t play like shit forever.
Russia, Greece
Germany, Nether
Spain, Ireland
France, Ukraine?!? I think England will be total shit.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:27 PM
Well, other than people who lack a soul, the entire world will be Bavarians this Saturday, but once Euro kicks off my hatred of Nazis will take over and I’ll pull for every nation except Italy over the Germans. Why? Because fuck Italy, that’s why.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:27 PM
Hoping to start this week.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:28 PM
I think France is the real dark horse. I agree with England. There isn’t much better in soccer than watching England fall on their face. Not so much that I don’t like their team, but more so because their media will go batshit crazy.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:32 PM
I recognize 2 names on that list. I have completely given up on soccer. It sucks.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:33 PM
You don’t recognize the first 3?
May 14th, 2012 at 4:33 PM
Watch out for Poland. lewandowski is having a career year. At home, they’ll be dangerous.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:34 PM
Cool, looking forward to them.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:34 PM
France at 12 / 1 is a good bet.
It warms my heart. Remember when they blamed the Canadian model for the keeper’s blunder against US? Fucking great times.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:35 PM
You used to like soccer? Not being a smart ass. Genuinely curious as to why you don’t watch anymore.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:37 PM
I find myself gravitating towards Arsenal in the EPL. I need to find a team in that league as it’s the most visible w/ ESPN having TV rights. I can’t stand Man U, don’t like the thought of pulling for Man City as they feel like Boston or NYY and Chelsea is just a horrible team to watch (as is Liverpool). At least Arsenal seem to be entertaining, albeit with a heavy does of futility surrounding them. I love me some Van Persi, too.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:37 PM
Whoa. She was damn hot.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:38 PM
Der Kaiser: Love soccer, been playing my whole life. To be honest, I’m not sure why i don’t watch it much anymore. I’m not sure what league’s teams are in, when the season starts, when it ends, yadda yadda. Too much going on in the leagues anymore i guess.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:38 PM
i don’t recognize persie, but ive heard of iker casillas before…SO FUCK YOU STABBIN.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:39 PM
Just Messi and Ronaldo. I’d probably know Van Persie if I saw him.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:40 PM
I’m hoping to get into a summer league again this season. I had so much fun last year after not being able to play for 2 because I wrecked my ankle. What sucks is when you used to be really good at something and then you try to get back into it and suck. Your brain tells you to do something that used to be really fucking easy, then you try it and fail in epic fashion. That pisses me off.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:41 PM
Germany should probably be considered the favorites if Bayern go on to win the Champions League, but the line about Spain being banged up seems a little too Barcelona-centric. Without Xavi and Ineista there’s still Mata, Silva, Javi Martinez, Lllorente, etc, all of whom are more seasoned than some of Germany’s young stars.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:43 PM
Whether they win or not they should be the favorites. Why would one game against a team full of players who won’t be playing in Euro change that?
Villa and Puyol are also out I believe.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:43 PM
Fixed.
Ronaldo’s an ass for sure. But in any other decade, he’d be getting votes for best player ever. His curse is that he has to play during the same time as the rightful holder of that title. I almost feel bad for him.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:44 PM
Why? You can watch almost any league in the world now on the internet. Even as an Arsenal fan, the EPL centric coverage of soccer here in North America gets boring after a while.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:45 PM
It’s been a long time (by german standard) since Germany or German clubs have actually won a big trophy.
I don’t know about club teams, but the national team last won a tournament in Euro 96, right. That’s the longest stretch since 1954 to 1972.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:46 PM
Defense is their biggest problem. Just like Barca!
May 14th, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Glad to see the inclusion of Ozil in here, he continues to amaze me every game I watch. It’s unfortunate I’m going to have to root against him and Khedira in the Euros however. Although, if they do somehow beat out Spain they would be my second choice just because they’re on the team. I’m not sure how the groups shape up, but I think those two countries will be in the final provided they don’t get matched up prior.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:47 PM
Because as DerKaiser mentioned, just getting over the hump and finally winning something would, I believe, have a hugely positive effect on the players going into the tournament.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:48 PM
I like my sports on my large HDTV in HD with a DVR so I can pause, rewind, and fast forward.
Fuck internet sports viewing.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:49 PM
I wholeheartedly agree with this, they need more La Liga and Bundesliga coverage. As of right now those leagues only get run on GolTV, and an occasional La Liga game on espn2.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:50 PM
I then think about the CL title he won, the money he’s made and the insane amount of smoking hot European vagina he’s torn through and I stop feeling bad for him.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:53 PM
ALL OF THIS. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, I hate watching sports (or anything, really) not on my massive HD TV with my sound system.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:54 PM
I hate that both FSC and GolTV have HD channels…. JUST NOT IN MY AREA!
May 14th, 2012 at 4:56 PM
Downside to EPL in HD: do you realize how ugly the average Brit is?
May 14th, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Yep. 16 years without a title is unacceptable in my opinion.
This. All of this. Really wish Bundesliga got more coverage in this country. I’m obviously biased, but it really is an exciting league featuring wide open play.
I would guess La Liga will gain more traction over next 10 years. Just as white american soccer fans have an affinity for the EPL, hispanics in this country have the same type of viewpoint when it comes to the spanish league.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:57 PM
Dude…everyone knows their hideous by and large. That’s what makes the hot ones SUPER hot. God gave them the awesome accent and then countered it by making their food horrible and their dental hygiene nonexistent.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:59 PM
No, it would be the Mexican league that gains traction before La Liga. The majority of Hispanics in this country have come from Mexico, not Spain.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:59 PM
Guess it depends on what you’re used to. One of the things I love most about soccer is being able to watch games taking place in random countries (Japan, Egypt, Russia, whatever), and the internet is great for stuff like that. You’ll only get working HD feeds for the big Champions League and EPL matches, and maybe Spain if Madrid or Barcelona are playing.
May 14th, 2012 at 4:59 PM
That and they have the two best teams in the world. Of course the problem is, if you take those two teams away from La Liga, the league is garbage.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:01 PM
I know, but ESPN deportes really caters to La Liga though. Mexican-Americans already watch their own league, but they also seem to watch a lot of La Liga games.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:07 PM
Which is why the Europa Cup final contained two La Liga teams.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:09 PM
Across Latin America, I think fans support one of the local teams in their country and then tack on an affiliation to either Madrid or Barcelona.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:10 PM
Totally with you here. “Almost…”
May 14th, 2012 at 5:13 PM
I learned something new. Real Madrid and Barcelona are not in the EPL.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:14 PM
That’s not really the point though – the English teams were by and large awful in Europe, but their league as a competitive spectacle is vastly superior to Spain’s. Outside of maybe Malaga, the other teams have no chance in the long run to build something special. Such a squad would get poached by the bigger clubs, or they’ll hit a wall once they realize that no one in Asia wants a Sevilla shirt.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:16 PM
That list needs more Arriaga.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:31 PM
It is the point though, just because the remaining teams are so far behind RM and Barca doesn’t mean they are shit teams, it just means that RM and Barca are that much better. We’re talking about two of the top 3 teams in the world, not just Spain. I watch a lot of La Liga matches because I’m a Madrid fan, so I can see there is quality in the other teams in the league. In the final 8 of the CL and EL, I believe there were 4 or 5 La Liga teams remaining. You can throw out the European matches if you want, but they still counted and they’d still be used to tout the EPL if they were successful. You can compare a league’s strength on how you think they’d match up, I’ll take a look at how they match up when they actually play each other.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:32 PM
And to be clear, I’m not saying the EPL isn’t good, I just take offense to saying that La Liga is a shit league just because the other teams finish so far behind RM/Barca, it simply isn’t true.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:35 PM
No Alan Iverson?!?!
May 14th, 2012 at 5:40 PM
League table, top to bottom strength…
EPL > La Liga > Serie A > Bundesliga
And very, very close between 1 & 2. Just the way things are right now. Discuss…
May 14th, 2012 at 5:47 PM
I don’t watch enough Serie A and Bundesliga to comment, but I agree with the rating of the first two.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:54 PM
I’m not implying that they’re bad teams, but La Liga even a few years ago had teams that were good and competitive. They’re supposed to be better than English teams, because Spain produces superior players to England, and they’ve usually attracted the best South American and Mediterranean-based players for the weather and lifestyle. The domestic authorities have squandered a golden generation of Spanish talent and watched it push off to England or to Madrid and Barcelona. Somehow the people in charge of the Premier League have taken a competition that was notoriously provincial, ugly, and unsophisticated, and turned it around into a huge financial success with some basic redistribution and outside investment. Whereas the big two in Spain have been allowed to make the competition virtually irrelevant for everyone outside their orbit – and that constant short-term thinking is going to make things even worse there.
May 14th, 2012 at 5:58 PM
There are probably more people who watch Fulham on a weekly basis than Athletic Bilbao, which explains everything about how incompetent Spain is at manufacturing an exciting domestic league.
May 14th, 2012 at 6:11 PM
So now we’re judging quality by attendance? Got it.
May 14th, 2012 at 6:21 PM
Allegri really does come off looking like a fool after telling Andrea Pirlo to walk. Going undefeated over 38 games is a big deal.
May 14th, 2012 at 6:28 PM
No, I’m saying that Atletico Madrid or Bilbao are better to watch than some of their counterparts in England, but the dearth of meaningful context outside the big two is clearly a reason why more people are tuning in to follow mid-table Premier League clubs over the good Spanish teams.
May 14th, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Ok, that makes sense ar, I can understand that. I do also believe that part of that is the sheer abundance of opportunities to see those EPL teams as well. GolTV is the main network for La Liga, but they split time with the Bundesliga and Argentinean league so there aren’t as many games on tv. Obviously they will show 95% of the RM or Barca matches as those are the two best teams. The only time espn shows La Liga matches, they involve either RM or Barca, and they’re on ESPN Deportes which isn’t available unless you buy the Latin package (it’s should be in the sports package imo). FSC shows a ton of EPL matches and they also have FSC Plus to show even more. ESPN has a deal to show EPL matches as well, and those go on the more readily available ESPN2 channel. I think if La Liga was shown more often, more people would definitely get into it. The product as a whole is a great product, very technical in nature.
May 14th, 2012 at 7:11 PM
Bingo. The fact that each team has to negotiate it’s own TV deal makes it completely unfair.
May 14th, 2012 at 10:35 PM
Hart > Casillas
May 14th, 2012 at 11:24 PM
And what? No goal of the year honor for Cisse?