XIs, 1950: International areopage meeting in Saarbrücken
Unknown | 16/02/1950

The final phase of the World Cup will look, in a certain way, like a Europe-South America duel. Without doubt it is this prospect which encourages professional football observers everywhere to indulge in the classification game.

To top only the most recent, a very international areopagus gathered in Saarbrücken and made up of Heinrich "Wudi“ Müller, trainer of Austrian Wien, Ossi Müller, trainer of Saarbrücken, and M. Menzel, the well-known specialist of the Kicker, has just formed the following two European teams:

Two selections.

Moro (Italy); Rudas (Hungary), Marche (France); Čajkovski (Yugoslavia), Parola (Italy), Piccinini (Italy); Jonsson (Sweden), Kocsis (Hungary), Mermans (Belgium), Puskás (Hungary), Vukas (Yugoslavia).

Team I.

Svensson (Denmark); Happel (Austria), Becattini (Italy); Bozsik (Hungary), Ocwirk (Austria), Anoul (Belgium); Boniperti (Italy), Hansen (Denmark), Nordahl (Sweden), Bobek (Yugoslavia), Şükrü (Turkey).

Team II.

That these rankings are questionable is an assertion that does not need to be demonstrated. International contacts are too lacking in regularity and continuity to allow the establishment of a hierarchy based on more solid elements than mere impressions.

The French are very satisfied to see that one of their best defenders, Rémois Roger Marche, caught the attention of the Saarbrücken jury. After attending the Itâliè-England match in London, we are not sure that the tough champenous defender is superior to the Italian Giovanini.

As for the Belgian Pol Anoul, classified in the continental second team at the position of half, he is undoubtedly among the best continental defenders.

Without insisting on the inevitable imperfections of these purely platonic speculations, let us agree that we find united in the two formations set up in Saarbrücken most of the authentic European stars.

Some forgotten.

Note, however, that the elements whose names follow deserved the attention of sélectionneurs:

Halves: Annovazzi (Italy), Gonzalvo III. (Spain).

Forwards: Carappelese, Martino, Amadei (Italy); Nyers (Hungary); Gren, Carlsson, Liedholm (Sweden); Gainza (Spain); Petkov (Bulgaria); Wilkes (Holland).

Finally, the tours of Soviet teams in England, Sweden and Czechoslovakia made it possible to classify:

L. Solovyov, Bobrov among the safest values ​​in international football.