5 best team performances of 2016
2016 is at its end and as we do every year, we have seen some fabulous performances on the field in football. Ultimately, football is a team sport and as much as individual performances help the team, it is eventually the display as a team that wins teams football games.
This past year, there were some fantastic performances by teams that did not really have any star players but put in incredible performances. Liverpool put in two fantastic displays in the second legs of their Europa League matches against Borussia Dortmund and Villareal. Atletico Madrid were fantastic in their Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona. Portugal, throughout the Euros, relied on their character, fight and defensive doggedness to eventually win the title.
We take a look at some of the best team performances across the world this season. The performance on the day and the actual importance of that particular game was taken into account for this ranking.
#5 BRAZIL v Argentina
For both nations, this is the pinnacle and is the biggest football match for them. It was the fifth game of the CONMEBOL 2018 World Cup qualifiers and Argentina needed the win desperately as they had only five points from their four qualifiers prior to the game, while the Seleccao had won all their games.
Heading into the game, Argentina were at full strength, although they had left Sergio Aguero on the bench. Edgardo Bauza had the services of their superstar Lionel Messi for only the second time after he had announced his international retirement after the Copa America Centenario.
But on the field, La Albiceleste were taught a lesson by their fierce rivals. Brazil took the lead in the 24th minute with a stunning goal from Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho. He received a pass from Neymar and ran at the Argentine defenders before curling a stunning right-footed shot into the top corner giving Sergio Romero no chance in front of goal.
Paulinho put the result beyond doubt after Renato Augusto pulled a Marcelo cross back into his path.
Argentina were terrible on the day, but Brazil played some fabulous football as Messi’s side were not given a sniff.
For Brazil, it was slight redemption for the events that happened at the same venue two years ago, in the World Cup semi-final. They were humbled 7-1 by Germany at Belo Horizonte and in many ways, this win was to make up for the incredible failure of that night in June 2014.