The Ultimate Soccer League - The Stadiums

Estadio Azteca. 

Of the stadiums earmarked for the new league. The vaunted Azteca is the largest with a capacity of 104,000. The Azteca has hosted two World Cup Finals. The memorable 1970 World Cup finals and scene of the 1970 Brazilian World Cup triumph over Italy. In 1986 the Azteca also hosted another genius generally held up as Pele’s rival for the greatest ever. Diego Maradona. Maradona’s 1986 team triumphed over West Germany to win.

The Maracana Stadium

The Maracana Stadium is one of the most famous of all World Cup Stadiums and spiritual home of the Brazilian Soccer National Team. Host to 2 World Cup finals, it is famous for being the scene of the devastating 1-0 defeat to her South American rivals Uruguay in the World Cup Final 1950. Rebuilt for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics and Paralympics.

The Camp Nou

Why do people call this the Nou Camp? Home of the great Spanish giants Barcelona and the 2nd largest stadium in the new USL. I love the way the teams enter the pitch from underground and that song they play right of the end of every Barca game win or lose. If these fellows don’t like you, out will come those white hankies!

The Santiago Bernabeau 

Home to Spanish giants Real Madrid. The patrons of this stadium have seen the very best football of all time, from the Di Stefano, Puskas great teams of the 50’s, the Ye Ye team, the Vultre Squad, Vincent Del Bosque’s teams of the early 2000’s and the Christian Ronaldo led "La Decima" team which threatens to enter the realms of All Time Greats at present.

Estadio Centenario

Located in Montevideo Uruguay. Home to the Uruguay national football team. A fortress for the national team and listed by Fifa as a historical monument, the only such monument in football. Imagine travelling to take on a team here at this stadium in front of their baying passionate fans.

Estadio Monumental

Home to River Plate and Argentina national football team. Hosted the 1978 World Cup Final. As boy I remember the images on TV, the ticker tape, the partisan crowds, this stadium atmosphere more than any has been ingrained on my football consciousness since I was 12.

La Bombanera

The "Chocolate Box" host one of the most intimidating atmospheres in soccer. The home of Boca Juniors. Many great Boca legends have graced this arena, Maradona, Riquelme are just two of the modern legends to have graced this hallowed turf. The team that plays here will have the backing of the Boca fans, the "Cuerva"

Estadio Guiseppe Meazza (San Siro)

Home to two of Europe's greatest teams, AC Milan and Inter Milan. The Stadium has witnessed some of the greatest teams of all time. Players such as Facchetti, Luis Suarez, Gullit, Van Basten, Rijkaard, Baresi and many more. What chance any of these iconic players end up playing in the San Siro again in the USL?

Wembley

Home of English football opened in 1923 and renovated in 2007. This historic stadium has hosted many iconic football matches including the 1966 World Final. English football greats such as Stanley Matthews, Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Jimmy Greaves, Duncan Edwards have all graced this pitch.

Anfield

Known a great atmosphere on the Kop and the legendary song "You'll never walk alone". Will the players when they run out onto the pitch respond to the sign as they leave the dressing room . “This is Anfield".  Will the patrons of all of Liverpool get behind the team. What of Goodison Park? It may have to make do as the training ground.

Old Trafford

Home of Manchester United.  Nicknamed the "The Theatre of Dreams". It is a cathedral of football and home to the hallowed Busby Babes, the holy trinity of Best, Law, Charlton, King Eric and the class of 92. This has a lush pitch that stretches straight into football heaven.  

Ali Sami Yen

If I wanted a intimidating atmosphere for the stadiums in the league, then I need look no further than the Ali Sami Yen. When that stadium kicked off it kicked off! Welcome to "Hell".

Signal Iduna Park (Westfalenstadion )
The largest ground in Germany and the third largest in Europe. The "Temple of the Yellow Wall" is one of the great sights of football. On matchday it's fans produce a boisterous loud cacophony of sound for it's team, Borussia Dortmund.

Olympiastadion - Munich
Historic for Olympic and major tournament events Previous home to Bayern Munich and TSV 1860 Munich. The Olympiastadion was host to the 1974 World Cup final and the 1988 Euro Final. 

Olympiastadion - Berlin
The second largest Stadium in Germany and home to the German Cup final. The scene of Jesse Owens historic and symbolic 1936 Olympic triumphs and home to the passionate fans of Hertha Berlin. Also famous for the blue athletics track around the pitch.  

Estadio De Luz

Portugal and Benfica's stadium elected as the most beautiful stadium in Europe. Long before Sunderland adopted the stadium nickname this was the original Stadium of Light.   

Stadio San Paulo
The third biggest stadium in Italy, creates an intimidating atmosphere. Full of blue flares, loud explosive fireworks, boisterous chanting and singing in full voice, large banners and fans draping over the enormous upper tier curves. Yes this is a USL stadium no question.

De Kuip

An intimidating cauldron these fans demand maximum effort to their cause. Feyenoord and all things Rotterdam. Imagine the Kop on all four corners of the stadium, that's De Kuip.

Stadion Crvena
Nicknamed, "Marakana" and home to former European Champions and Serbian giants, Red Star Belgrade.  The Stadium generates and explosive atmosphere of noise and colour that intimidated all comers. Though an athletics track keeps the fans some distance away, make no mistake they are right there with with the players. 

Stadion Geoffrey Richard
Home to Saint Etienne, "le Chaudron", the "Green Hell", is home to one of France's iconic teams of the 1970's. During the 1970's this was a place that had the opposition quaking in their boots. Even today the fans conjure up a test to visiting fans nerves. 
  

The Ultimate Soccer League - Stadium Criteria

The Journey Begins – Stadium Criteria

So let’s start with stadiums. The world is full of great stadiums. But the stadiums I want to have in the leagues must be full of atmosphere, intimidation for the away team, passion, noise, smoke, flares and size. When players of this league step onto the turf they must know they are playing out their opera in front in the greatest cathedrals of soccer.

There are some obvious choices, and less obvious from old to new but it must be whittled down to 20. So in effect I have compiled a list of stadiums to choose from that will make the final cut. If I were the commissioner I would want this list on my table, your own list may vary, but these made the pool to choose from.  Effectively choice of stadium ensures home city, this may mean some countries will have more teams than others but that will be determined at the end. For now let’s look at the stadiums before making the final cut.

The Ultimate Soccer League - The Role of the commisioner

Every League needs a president or commissioner right? So in my role of commissioner, once all the personnel have been chosen, they would have to be allocated. I have chosen an American style draft by position.

For example, the top 40 goalkeepers ever are drafted first and distributed. To ensure even distribution of the greatest talent, two goalkeepers will be allocated per team. The goalkeeping draft pool will be divided into two levels. Gold and Silver.

The squads will be created as follows

2 Goalkeepers, 2 right backs, 2 left backs, 4 central defenders, 2 central/defensive midfielders, 2 attacking midfielders, 2 left midfielders/wingers, 2 right midfielders/wingers, and 4 forwards.

Some players have played in multiple positions, so I will choose their primary position. Diego Maradona for example would be an attacking midfielder even though his recognised position would be that of Trequartista.

The Ultimate Soccer League

For some time I have been intrigued with the idea of creating a Fantasy football League consisting of the greatest players to ever play soccer. While an ambitious project, it is also fun.

Imagine creating a Football League with Pele, Cruyff, Maradona, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Puskas, Maradona, Zidane, Christiano Ronaldo and Messi, playing for different teams against one another?

Who would manage them? Who would get in the league? How many teams? Who would get in? How exactly do you choose who is in? Where exactly would this league be played? In what stadiums would they play in?

First let me say that this project is nothing less than a suspension of disbelief. Pure, fantasy.

I have been inspired by Films such in “Once in a Lifetime” books such as The “All Time World Cup”, and the concept in games such as Football Manager, FIFA Soccer by EA Sport and Pro Evolution Soccer. In these games many would edit in their great players or build an ultimate team of players, such as you can in FIFA’s Ultimate Team and Pro Evolution Soccer’s’ My Club or Master League modes.