Puyol, Xavi, Iniesta

I just read that these 3 have now accomplished the feat of winning a title in every possible "category" that a footballer competes in:

Domestic league
Domestic cup
Champions League
World Club cup
Domestic Super Cup
European Super Cup
Euro Championships
World Cup

Are there any other players who have done this?

And where would these 3 rate among the greats? Note that all 3 of them have played key parts in the successes above, they haven't been passengers in the squads.

I certainly think at least Xavi should now join the "2nd tier" of great players: below Zidane/Pele/Maradona, but on par with Cruyff, Platini, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, etc.

Puyol probably won't go down as anything beyond a Barça legend. And Iniesta is only halfway through his career...he could still achieve greatness. But he needs to learn to shoot and start scoring goals.

What do you think?

kas wrote:

And where would these 3 rate among the greats? Note that all 3 of them have played key parts in the successes above, they haven't been passengers in the squads.

Puyol will be a legend for Barca but I don't think he is that highly appreciated outside of Catalunya.

The other two will be rated pretty highly I imagine.

I'd make a 3rd tier for them, alongside Ryan Giggs

Desailly, Zidane, Henry (possibly some other Frenchies) won all the ones that count of them (super cups and world club cup are glamourized friendlies)..

Xavi will certainly be seen as a central player in Spain's double success. Iniesta, less so, but he has more time to win more. And clearly scoring the winning goal in WC final helps mark your name in history!

Agree on assessment of Puyol, as a Barca/Spain hero but not a world great.

The Bayern Munich/Germany players from the Seventies must have won basically everything too?

They won all them trophies within the last two years which makes it more of an achievement!

Six wrote:The Bayern Munich/Germany players from the Seventies must have won basically everything too?

I read somewhere they didn't win the domestic cup? could be wrong

Casillas has basically won everything that really matters also. I suppose you could hold the Copa Del Rey against him but he's pretty much done it all.

King Pipita wrote:Casillas has basically won everything that really matters also. I suppose you could hold the Copa Del Rey against him but he's pretty much done it all.

and his bird is amazing

Just read on Barça's website that Henry has also won all these trophies, but also has the Confederations Cup. And of course he's also won titles in the same category in different countries.

So if most people here agree that Xavi is now among the top players of all time, where does that put Henry

Roberto Carlos won them all...no Euros obviously but he has a Copa America I'm pretty sure.

Lizarazu aswell?

Lizarazu doesn't have any Super Cups. Minor point of course, but for the purposes of this thread, we currently have just 2 names: Henry and Roberto Carlos.

kas wrote:Lizarazu doesn't have any Super Cups. Minor point of course, but for the purposes of this thread, we currently have just 2 names: Henry and Roberto Carlos.

You can exclude Henry though because he was shit.

Henry has domestic titles from more than one country which makes his CV look that little bit more impressive.

Luis wrote:

Six wrote:The Bayern Munich/Germany players from the Seventies must have won basically everything too?

I read somewhere they didn't win the domestic cup? could be wrong

They did, they just didn't win it in 1974. If they had they would have won every major competition they played in that year - domestic league, european cup, domestic cup and world cup.

Xavi should be seen as one of the GOAT in his position withoubt doubt.

Its his performances in the winning of these trophies as well as the silverware itself which is why Henry should still always be considered shit and a c**t.

For his position, I think Puyol deserves to be def recognized. I think people always huddle around midfielders and forwards and award them all the credit. If it wasn't for the Spanish and Barca defense systematically shutting and breaking teams down offensively, none of this would have happened. Puyol in particular has been one of the most important parts to club and country success. So I think its wrong to say, outside of Barca he won't be considered a hero.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Xavi should be seen as one of the GOAT in his position withoubt doubt.

Its his performances in the winning of these trophies as well as the silverware itself which is why Henry should still always be considered shit and a c**t.

You Wha

COTR wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Xavi should be seen as one of the GOAT in his position withoubt doubt.

Its his performances in the winning of these trophies as well as the silverware itself which is why Henry should still always be considered shit and a c**t.

You Wha

Henry has the trophies but without consistently performing in the big games.

ie We shouldn't deem Xavi to be great just on trophies won otherwise people like Phil Neville are almost greats.

Cafu must clearly win this contest?

he has an amazing haul of trophies!

with Sao Paulo:

Copa Libertadores x 2,
Supercopa Sudamericana (2nd most important club comp in SA at the time),
Recopa Sudamericana (SA supercup)
Intercontinantal cup x 2
+ all these wacky Brazilian leagues/cups

with Zaragoza:

Cup winner's cup

with Roma:

Serie A
Domestic Supercup

With Milan:

Serie A
Domestic Supercup
CL
European Supercup
FIFA Club world Cup

With Brasil:

Copa America x 2
World Cup x 2
Confederations Cup


Perhaps a little lucky to be part of some truly great teams (Sao Paulo early 90's, Milan in the last decade, Brazil in general), but he was always a big contributor. You can easily slot him in as right back in a All Time greatest XI.

Pierre Littbarski wrote:

COTR wrote:

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Xavi should be seen as one of the GOAT in his position withoubt doubt.

Its his performances in the winning of these trophies as well as the silverware itself which is why Henry should still always be considered shit and a c**t.

You Wha

Henry has the trophies but without consistently performing in the big games.

ie We shouldn't deem Xavi to be great just on trophies won otherwise people like Phil Neville are almost greats.

Let's not forget that Henry is also a hero for his handball, which enabled France to qualify for the World cup finals.

Pfff, none of the players cited has won the UEFA Cup / Europa League.

Xavi should ask to be loaned to some russian or german side if he really care about everlasting achievements.

when will puyol start getting the respect he deserves

I think a lot of people respect him for what he's achieved, but don't necessarily think he's an all-time great.

As Pierre has already mentioned, if we're going to base "greatness" on honours, the likes of Phil Neville are among the greatest players of all-time.

Xavi...now surely up among the all time greats?

Iniesta on his way too. I am stunned by just how good he is.

ALL 3 are greats in my eyes,

I for one will never forget the likes of Puyol, Xavi and Iniesta for as long as I live.

I am more of a Pique fan because of his elegance and ball distribution ability, but Puyol is underrated in this department because the first thing you think of is that he is a BEAST and its difficult to link elegance with beastiality but PUYOL is an inspiration for defenders such as myself.. never let c**ts like Ronaldo breathe, you must always be more stubborn that such c**ts.

Anyone how doesn't think xavi is one of the all time greats is out of their mind, right up their with zidane as the best midfielders of the past decade or so.

Look Xavi is an outstanding player, great to watch and any team dreams of having him, but when Zidane was on the ball I feel scared because I know the damage is imminent (it sucks that he played for all the teams I despise R. Madrid, Juve, France).