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25 March 2024
Maurice Revello Tournament top 100 players : 10th to 6th
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On the occasion of its 50th edition, which will take place from 3 to 16 June 2024, the Maurice Revello Tournament is opening its history book. Since it was founded in 1967, the competition has seen many talented players. More than 2,000 have gone on to become senior internationals, and some of them have written football history. To celebrate its anniversary, the Tournament is updating its top 100, created in 2017. Until 29 March, our website will be displaying the updated rankings of the 100 greatest players to have taken part in the Tournament. And it continues today, with the rankings from 10th to 6th place.
10th : Ronald Koeman (Netherlands) - 1982
In 1982, the Netherlands took part in the Maurice Revello Tournament for the 6th time in their history. Finalists in 1979, they had never managed to win the competition and failed again 3 years later. After defeating the USSR (4-2) and Hungary (1-0), the Dutch clinched a place on the podium with a penalty shoot-out victory over East Germany. It was a remarkable achievement for a team with no shortage of talent, with 8 of its players going on to become senior internationals. Among them were the Koeman brothers. Erwin and Ronald are one of the few siblings to have played in the Tournament in the same year. While the former had a very honourable career, it was above all the latter who left his mark on football.
The younger was playing for FC Groningen when he took part in the Tournament. His career then took him to the Eredivise's big 3: Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord, interspersed with six seasons at FC Barcelona. In Catalonia, he won 7 trophies, including 4 La Liga titles and the Champions League in 1992. He also won the Dutch championship on 4 occasions, and won Euro 1988 with his national team, wearing the shirt 78 times. With 193 goals scored in 533 league games, he is the most prolific defender in the history of football, finishing top scorer in the Champions League several times and European Golden Shoe winner, thanks in particular to his surgical shot.
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9th : Hugo Sanchez (Mexico) - 1975 & 1976
With 27 appearances in 49 editions, Mexico is the 3rd most frequent participant in the Maurice Revello Tournament, behind France and Portugal. Their first 2 appearances came in 1975 and 1976. They got off to a promising start, finishing 4th and then 3rd in both years. The spearhead of this team, Hugo Sanchez revealed himself to the eyes of Europe during these 2 editions. Scoring against Portugal in 1975 and Italy in 1976, the Mexican striker was already demonstrating the qualities that would make him an outstanding goalscorer throughout his career.
While at Pumas UNAM, he did not head for Europe until 5 years later, when he joined Atlético de Madrid. But it was at Madrid's other club that Sanchez was to become a legend. He joined Los Merengues in 1985 and for 7 seasons piled up the goals (208 in 2082 matches) and the trophies: in total, 5 Spanish Leagues, a Spanish Cup, a UEFA Cup and 3 Spanish Supercups. He is still Real's 7th all-time top scorer. With his national team, of which he is the 9th top scorer with 29 goals, he won the Gold Cup in 1977.
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8th : Javier Mascherano (Argentina) - 2003
Cristiano Ronaldo versus Javier Mascherano. Before clashing at a number of Clasicos in the 2010s, the two men met for the first time in France, at the 2003 Maurice Revello Tournament. That year, Portugal won the competition. But it was the Argentinian who made the biggest impact. Voted best player of the edition, Javier Mascherano was just 19 years old at the time. The midfielder, who scored one goal in the group stage, stood out for his technique and vision.
At the time, Mascherano was playing for River Plate. After two seasons with the club of Buenos Aires and one in Brazil with Corinthians, he finally made the move to Europe in 2006. Recruited by West Ham, he arrived at the same time as another Argentinian, Carlos Tevez. But, like his compatriot, it was elsewhere that he made his name. Mascherano joined Liverpool in 2007 and finally became the player they had been waiting for, establishing himself as one of the Reds' key players. Enough to catch the eye of Barcelona, who signed him in 2010 and gradually turned him into a central defender. With the Catalan club, he won 19 trophies, including the Champions League on 2 occasions and 5 La Liga titles. Selected 147 times, he is also the second most capped player in the history of the Albiceleste, with whom he won 2 Olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008. Now coach of Argentina's U23 team, he took part in the 2022 Tournament again, this time as coach.
7th : Cafu (Brazil) - 1990
142 caps. More than 16 years with the Brazilian national team, beginning in 1990 on the pitch... at the Tournament. Before embarking on a rich and exceptional career with the Seleçao, Cafu took part in the Maurice Revello Tournament in 1990. The Brazilian right-back, just 20 at the time, helped the Seleção to a fine 3rd place finish. Alongside Leonardo, among others, he was one of the Brazilian players present that year who went on to become senior internationals.
He kept up his promise in the wake of the Tournament by winning the Brazilian League with Sao Paulo in 1991, then back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles in 1992 and 1993. After a brief spell with Zaragoza (1995) and then 2 seasons with Palmeiras (1995-1997), he finally discovered Europe in 1997. At Roma and then Milan, he enjoyed a string of top-class seasons, becoming one of the best full-backs in Serie A for 11 years. A tireless attacker on the wing, he was soon nicknamed "Il Pendolino", in reference to the fast Italian tilting train. He won a Champions League title (2007) with the Rossoneri, as well as 2 Scudetti. With the national team, he is one of the few players to have won two World Cups (1994, 2002) and even the only one in history to have played in three consecutive World Cup finals (1994, 1998, 2002). To this day, he remains the most capped Brazilian in the history of the Seleçao.
