Which country...

[Alioune DVToure]

... do you think produces the most good players, relative to the size of its population?

For me it has to be The Netherlands. They've got players in most of the top squads in Europe and there have been Dutch players in most of the sides that have won the Champions League. What's more, the national side tends to qualify for and do well in every international tournament - and this without relying on players from the diaspora (as the Irish do, for example).

Who are the other candidates? Argentina? Republic of Ireland? Uruguay? Portugal would probably be a good shout.

[Superbia]

Spain

[Dameerto]

Belgium is doing okay again - to say they only have around 11 million people.

[Swales4ever]

Spain indeed for the last decade, but alwais great respect for the Dutch school

[Ted Hughes]

Argentina.

[Rag_hater]

Croatia for me

[Nigels Tackle]

... do you think produces the most good players, relative to the size of its population?

For me it has to be The Netherlands. They've got players in most of the top squads in Europe and there have been Dutch players in most of the sides that have won the Champions League. What's more, the national side tends to qualify for and do well in every international tournament - and this without relying on players from the diaspora (as the Irish do, for example).

Who are the other candidates? Argentina? Republic of Ireland? Uruguay? Portugal would probably be a good shout.

presumably, the republic of ireland being mentioned above is a piss take??

over the last 40 odd years, i'd go with the argies and dutch

[Alioune DVToure]

presumably, the republic of ireland being mentioned above is a piss take??

over the last 40 odd years, i'd go with the argies and dutch

Ireland have a good record of qualifying for tournaments, especially compared to the Scots, who have a bigger population. Plus quite a lo of Irish players have played in the CL.

As for Spain, they have about 40-50 excellent players at present but that's not always been the case.

[Nigels Tackle]

presumably, the republic of ireland being mentioned above is a piss take??

over the last 40 odd years, i'd go with the argies and dutch

Ireland have a good record of qualifying for tournaments, especially compared to the Scots, who have a bigger population. Plus quite a lo of Irish players have played in the CL.

As for Spain, they have about 40-50 excellent players at present but that's not always been the case.

half of ireland's players have come through the english/scottish systems...

[spiny]

The States of the former Yugoslavia.

Many people still consider themselves Yugos in addition to being nationals of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovenia. Bit like us in Britain except we havnt yet broken up into nation states like them .... yet.

[s1ty m]

Tough one. The Netherlands is about 16 million, Argentina 40 million. I'd go with Argentina. So many class players: Messi, Maradona, Kun, Tevez, Batistuta, Kempes, it quickly becomes a list of fabulous players. 2 World Cup wins, 3 finals.

[Ted Hughes]

Tough one. The Netherlands is about 16 million, Argentina 40 million. I'd go with Argentina. So many class players: Messi, Maradona, Kun, Tevez, Batistuta, Kempes, it quickly becomes a list of fabulous players. 2 World Cup wins, 3 finals.

The list of great Argentinian players is a long one, then the list of excellent players goes on for even longer.

Most of the great Dutch players all played in the same team, nearly 40 years ago, apart from Van Basten, Gullit & Bergkamp.

Similarly, Spain had only a few great players until the current handful who are playing in their team now, & the best player in Spain is Argentinian.

[I Just Blue Myself]

Tough one. The Netherlands is about 16 million, Argentina 40 million. I'd go with Argentina. So many class players: Messi, Maradona, Kun, Tevez, Batistuta, Kempes, it quickly becomes a list of fabulous players. 2 World Cup wins, 3 finals.

Well, if we're talking success of the national team, you can't look past Uruguay surely? 15 copas, 2 world cups, 3 semis with a population of 3m is taking the piss.

[Lee_Kinda]

Not sure of the answer for this, but the netherlands cant really be counted!
Most of the top players are from Suriname but chose to play for the netherlands!

Royston Drenthe, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Andwélé Slory, Ryan Babel, Aron Winter, Romeo Castelen, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (lifted the list from wiki as I couldn't remember them all)

I am not sure which ones were born in suriname or from suriname descent.....but you get my point.


Thinking about it, as Suriname only has a population of around 500K, they could be the best country for producing quality footballers based on population.

Id also say Belgium's national team is looking pretty tasty at the moment!

[s1ty m]

Tough one. The Netherlands is about 16 million, Argentina 40 million. I'd go with Argentina. So many class players: Messi, Maradona, Kun, Tevez, Batistuta, Kempes, it quickly becomes a list of fabulous players. 2 World Cup wins, 3 finals.

Well, if we're talking success of the national team, you can't look past Uruguay surely? 15 copas, 2 world cups, 3 semis with a population of 3m is taking the piss.

Sure is. I think their first WC was the first tournament played, which was by invitation, I think....

The 1950 win in Brazil was a different story though. A list of great Uruguayan players though, well, here goes:

I don't know any. Lol. That said, I think I've missed the point of the OP.

[Dubaimancityfan]

Bosnia ! Dzeko is what counts for me !!

[Sister of fu]

Wales.

[Fidel Castro]

Not sure of the answer for this, but the netherlands cant really be counted!
Most of the top players are from Suriname but chose to play for the netherlands!

Royston Drenthe, Ruud Gullit, Frank Rijkaard, Edgar Davids, Clarence Seedorf, Andwélé Slory, Ryan Babel, Aron Winter, Romeo Castelen, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (lifted the list from wiki as I couldn't remember them all)

I am not sure which ones were born in suriname or from suriname descent.....but you get my point.

Thinking about it, as Suriname only has a population of around 500K, they could be the best country for producing quality footballers based on population.

Id also say Belgium's national team is looking pretty tasty at the moment!

Kluivert
Reiziger
Bogarde
Taument
Blinker
Melchiot
Zuiverloon
Emnes
and of course our very own NIGE

[s1ty m]

Denmark have done OKish, Laudrup x 2, Simonsen, that big goalkeeper fella. A few other decent players too. Jesper Olsen. Ugh.

[blue wine]

Switzerland
U-17 world cup winners
U-21 euro winners
With only 7million population