Soccer debate - Club vs. National Team

[mosta]

I've been curious about this topic for a long time and it comes up now and then. I think there's been a dramatic change over the last twenty years or so. Not that long ago, most club leagues only allowed like 2 foreign players per team. I remember I think Barcelona had Romario, Hagi, and Stoichkov, and one of them would be benched!--and that was just 10 years ago. Now I think all club leagues allow all foreign players.

So not long ago, the world cup really was creme de la creme, so to speak, the best players, best teams, best competitions.

now there's so much money in the clubs and they can take all the best players and have them train and play together all year, that for the most part the clubs have overtaken. Players don't spend much time at all with their national teams, I don't think.

But not entirely. I think if you took the top 20 club teams and top 20 national teams, and had a round robin or whatever, I think the top 50% would be dominated by clubs. Like 15-5. But I tihnk the top 5 or so would probably go either way and be close to a split.

From the last WC, I don't think the likes of Sweden, Mexico, or even (as much as I liked them) Germany would really be competitive to win a top league, not to mention Ecuador or Ukraine etc. Argentina or Italy versus Barcelona or Man U, I don't know I think it would be awesome to see. Maybe the very top national teams should be the clear winners. But what about Portugal or Holland or England from last year?