Rank 20, WorldCupStory Club Index 20,228
Tottenham Hotspur World Cup XI Dream Team
| Tottenham Hotspur | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Country | WCups | Games | Mins | Goals | Capt | |
| GK | Paul Robinson | England | 1 | 5 | 480 | 0 | 0 |
| RB | Danny Blanchflower | N Ireland | 1 | 5 | 450 | 0 | 5 |
| CB | Maurice Norman | England | 2 | 4 | 360 | 0 | 0 |
| CB | Sol Campbell | England | 1 | 4 | 390 | 0 | 0 |
| LB | Mel Hopkins | Wales | 1 | 5 | 450 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Osvaldo Ardiles | Argentina | 1 | 5 | 450 | 1 | 0 |
| MF | Glenn Hoddle | England | 2 | 7 | 585 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Paul Gascoigne | England | 1 | 6 | 630 | 0 | 0 |
| MF | Martin Peters | England | 1 | 4 | 351 | 1 | 0 |
| ST | Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany | 1 | 5 | 450 | 3 | 5 |
| ST | Gary Lineker | England | 1 | 7 | 713 | 4 | 0 |
| 13 | 57 | 5309 | 9 | 10 |
Tottenham’s dream is indeed a team of two halves; a defence which looks more than a little flaky, but a midfield and strike force to have the fans drooling. I guess this should not be any surprise, given the club’s philosophy.
Paul Robsinson was an easy selection in goal, only facing competition from Norway’s Frode Grodas. The full backs hark back to 1958, with Mel Hopkins of Wales on the left and Danny Blanchflower being asked to play somewhat out of position, from his normal wing half role, on the right. Alf Ramsey and Christian Ziege were the unlucky contenders for the full back positions but neither had really played enough to justify a change in selection. Maurice Norman, from England’s 1962 campaign and the 1998 Sol Campbell complete the back four.
Moving on to the midfield, and what a lineup it is! Ossie Ardiles, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne and Martin Peters may perhaps be as creative a midfield as any club could put out. Quite how they might win the ball, I am not sure, and they are a bit light on goals, but apart from Blanchflower, only Alan Mullery and Darren Anderton provided any competition for places here.
Up front Gary Lineker and Jurgen Klinsmann make a compelling case to the exclusion of Jimmy Greaves, whose solitary goal in 1962 does not measure up. Both Lineker and Klinsmann are members of the very exclusive club of players who have scored at least 10 world cup but only a minority in each case has been whilst on the books at White Hart Lane.
The stats are a bit down on world cup experience and goals compared to Arsenal, but if this midfield hits its straps, this Spurs side would be a match for anyone.
