Falcão vs Lothar Matthäus
Brazil against Germany. The almanac states its case, the crowd votes, you decide.
Falcão
Brazil · 1982–83 · CM
- Almanac rating
- 93
- Rank in Brazil
- #9 of 33
- Caps
- 28 · 6 goals
- Clubs
- S.C. Internacional, AS Roma, São Paulo
Sarrià, 5 July 1982: Júnior rolled the ball to him twenty yards from Italy's goal and he drove it in with his weaker foot for 2-2, six minutes before Paolo Rossi settled the tie and sent Brazil home. Rome crowned him its eighth king after the 1983 scudetto, and he also took three Brazilian titles with Internacional, two Coppa Italia, and the silver ball as second-best player of the 1982 World Cup. Career record: 28 caps and 6 goals for Brazil; club career at S.C. Internacional, AS Roma, São Paulo.
Lothar Matthäus
Germany · 1980–91 · CM
- Almanac rating
- 94
- Rank in Germany
- #4 of 33
- Caps
- 150 · 23 goals
- Clubs
- Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Bayern Munich, Inter Milan
- Honours
- Ballon d'Or · 2× national Player of the Year (1990–1999) · 3× Hall of Fame (2018–2018)
Taking the ball from Augenthaler inside his own half at the San Siro on 10 June 1990, he carried it through the Yugoslav midfield, stepped past Davor Jozic and struck it from 25 metres. That summer he lifted the World Cup as captain in Rome, then took the Ballon d'Or and became the first FIFA World Player of the Year in 1991, on top of Euro 1980, the 1991 UEFA Cup, seven Bundesliga titles and 150 caps for Germany. Career record: 150 caps and 23 goals for Germany; club career at Borussia Mönchengladbach, FC Bayern Munich, Inter Milan; honours include Ballon d'Or, 2× national Player of the Year (1990–1999), 3× Hall of Fame (2018–2018).
The verdict
The almanac puts Lothar Matthäus ahead by 1 rating point, 94 against 93.
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