For England, I'd definitely say defenders.

Even in an average team or lower leagues even, you can find a great defender that would be even better with good players around him. Manchester United got Chris Smalling from a non-league team for example.

Germany and their goalkeepers

Argentian usually has great forwards and dribblers (although this last isn't a position)

Also, Brazil and their offensive fullbacks.

France and DMs.....Spain and playmakers

Argentine forwards, Brazilian everything but GK's, though really forwards.

Italian defenders and GKs, Germany traditionally CMs and GKs ("CMs" meaning players who'd play as CMs now, so this would include players like Effenberg, Matthäus, Ballack, Beckenbauer etc.) - it really comes down to playing culture.

Italy and Germany emphasize (or used to) discipline and hard work, good organization above all else. This leads to Khediras. They also liked clinical counter-attacks, which lead to tall, clinical, physical strikers who don't necessarily have a lot of technique, though that is changing.

Spain and the South Americans, as well as the Portuguese, f*cking love flair players (Uruguay excluded) - that's why every kid tries to do tricks, stepovers etc, all that shit. Gives you forwards.

I'd say that traditionally France has been most balanced, but I guess that's due to the mainland-French thinking about football like a defensive form of rugby, while their immigrants from Africa and the Carribbean f*cking love flair players.

It's kind of moot now, though, with a lot of European powers having revamped their academy models and now following in the footsteps of Spain.
Look at Germany. We got flair players now. Sure, we instruct them to not show it, but we have them.

Germany- Box to box, durable work horse midfielders.

Holland- Absolute magic.

greece and no one

Italy-defence

Italy - Defence

Spain - Midfielders

England - Pretty balanced all around. Don't specialize in one area.

Germany - Goal Keepers

Portugal - Players that hack and play dirty

Brazil - Forwards + Attacking Full Backs

Argentina - Forwards

France - Pretty balanced / Good wingers

Dutch - Forwards / Wingers

Uruguay - Pretty balanced - Stronger in attack tho.

When you think of America the first thing seems to be that our main export is goal keepers, but overall I would think it would be defensive minded midfielders who are keen towards good defense and and endless gas tank. I would hope that we start churning out more players in the mold of Dempsey and Bradley, because I think they exhibit the toughness and creativity I would like to see out of our future American squads.

As of right now it looks like this:

Keepers: Germany (Neuer, Adler, Wiese, Weidenfeller, Rensing, Ter Stegen, Zieler, etc)
Defenders: Tossup between Italy (Chiellini, Nesta, Ogbonna, Barzagli, Cannavaro, Bonucci, Ranocchia, Maggio, etc) and Germany (Lahm, Howedes, Hummels, Badstuber, Boateng, Metzelder, Friedrich, Mertesacker, etc)
Center mids: Spain (Xavi, Busquets, Alonso, Fabregas, Thiago, etc)
Attacking mids: Germany (Gotze, Ozil, Reus, Podolski, Muller, Marin, Schurrle, Holtby, Kroos, etc)
Forwards: Argentina (Messi, Aguero, Tevez, Lavezzi, Higuian, etc)

Traditionally, it would look the same for Keepers and defenders, but Germany or Italy would take center mids, France would probably take attacking mids, and either Germany, Italy, or Brazil would take Forwards.

I think England has more good defenders than Italy to be honest.

England have Terry, Ferdinand, Cole, Johnson, Lescott, and who else? Dont follow the EPL that much, but isnt Ferdinand past it and Terry getting there too?

Brazil Defenders : Alves,Thiago Silva, David Luiz , Marcelo , Lucio, Maicon, Mario Fernandes , Danilo , Dede, Alex Sandro .

Mexico has several good but not great gk

Argentina usually have great defenders

Rebaño Sagrado wrote:Argentina usually have great defenders

Really? I was under the impression that Argentina's defence was pretty bad.

By the way, are you from Argentina?

holland - cam

Portugal - Wingers

Historically Argentina have had some great defenders

And no I'm not even Argentinian lol

Brazil are the best at producing players that stop caring at 29 and decline tremendously : lucas:

Also agreed with above, Passarella is probably one of the top 3 CBs of all time

Im assuming Passarella is from Argentina, but Top 3 is a bit far fetched in my opinion. I think Beckenbauer, Maldini, and Baresi are pretty hard to topple as the Top 3.

The question is about right now.

Le Samourai wrote:The question is about right now.

Then, Germany: GKs, CMs, DMs, AMs, wingers :vagi:

Portugal -> wingers. CR, Nani, Figo, Quaresma, Simao Sabrosa (just mentioning recent players).