So @Bacariza and I have many times discussed who the greatest players of all time are, but each time it ends up being a bunch of forwards or offensive players, no love is given to the rest of the team. With that in mind, we compiled our list of the ultimate fantasy TEAM that we think would destroy any other team. Country affiliations didn’t matter, personal attitudes of the players were ignored, just sheer skill and on field talent.
This list took a while to compile, so we ended up making 3 lineups: all time (last 100 years basically), last 20 years, and current active players.
The first is the all time list.
- Alfredo di Stéfano Forward
- Ferenc Puskás Forward
- Pele Forward
- Zinedine Zidane Right wing
- Lothar Matthäus Defensive Midfielder
- Johan Cruyff Left wing
- Franco Baresi Center back
- Franz Beckenbauer Center back
- Paolo Maldini rightback
- Roberto Carlos Left back
- Lev Yashin Goalie
You might be wondering why we picked these players, so here is a player by player breakdown.
 | Alfredo Di Stefano | Forward | Argentina |
| Why: Scored 377 goals in 521 games and won 5 champions league titles in a row. | |||
 | Ferenc Puskás | Forward | Hungary |
| Why: Scored 509 goals in 523 games. World Soccer Player and European Player of the Year: 1953 | |||
 | Pelé | Forward | Brazil |
| Why: Scored 643 goals 656 official games. FIFA Player of the Century : 2000. 3 World cup titles. | |||
 | Zinedine Zidane | Right Wing | France |
| Why: FIFA World Player of the Year – 1998, 2000, 2003. World cup title in 1998 & UEFA Euro 2000 | |||
 | Lothar Matthäus | Defensive Midfielder | Germany |
| Why: FIFA World Player of the Year: 1991. 595 career games played in 5 world cups. 1990 World Cup Champion | |||
 | Johan Cruyff | Left Wing | Netherlands |
| Why: European Footballer of the Year: 1971, 1973, 1974 voted European Player of the Century | |||
 | Franco Baresi | Center Back | Italy |
| Why: Played 532 games with AC Milan. Named Italian League Player of the Year. Named in FIFA 100. 1982 World Cup. | |||
 | Franz Beckenbauer | Center Back | Germany |
| Why: Twice selected the European Footballer of the Year, voted second place in the European player of the Century. 1974 World Cup champ. | |||
 | Paolo Maldini | Right Back | Italy |
| Why: 25 years at AC Milan 126 caps 8 years as captain. Played 647 Games for Milan. | |||
 | Roberto Carlos | Left Back | Brazil |
| Why: UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003. Three UEFA Champions League trophies . 2002 World Cup Champ. | |||
 | Lev Yashin | Goalie | Russia |
| Why: He was voted the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS 480 career clean sheets. Only goalkeeper ever to win the European Footballer of the Year Award (1963) | |||
Who do you think we missed? Who do you think should have been on here instead? Feel free to suggest someone but make sure you tell us what position they would be slotted into/who they would replace. Later this week we’ll publish the current/active player fantasy team, and the last 20 years team.
See @enzobalc‘s response here
Messi! He just turned 21.
Also: Lionel Messi won the World Soccer Young Player of the Year award in 2006 and 2007, Runner-up in World Soccer Player of the Year award in 2007, Third place in European Footballer of the Year in 2007 and runner-up in FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007.
Playing with Barcelona the team won the 2004-2005, 2005-2006 spanish primera liga(La Liga) title and 2005-2006 UEFA Champions League Trophy.
Messi! He just turned 21.
Also: Lionel Messi won the World Soccer Young Player of the Year award in 2006 and 2007, Runner-up in World Soccer Player of the Year award in 2007, Third place in European Footballer of the Year in 2007 and runner-up in FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007.
Playing with Barcelona the team won the 2004-2005, 2005-2006 spanish primera liga(La Liga) title and 2005-2006 UEFA Champions League Trophy.
Nina, Messi is on my list of greatest current players. coming on thursday.
He hasn’t yet accomplished enough to be all time greatest.
Nina, Messi is on my list of greatest current players. coming on thursday.
He hasn’t yet accomplished enough to be all time greatest.
Amazing list! They should add this team to the next FIFA game
Amazing list! They should add this team to the next FIFA game
What a great list, I am happy to see 2 of my favorites and none of the ones that even that were good players, do not deserve to be recognized due to “personal” qualifications..
I would include Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta as Goalie, 126 international games, took 100 goals in his carrer , played 4 world cups.
México 1986
Italia 1990
USA 1994
Francia 1998.
Thanks for jogging my memory ..
What a great list, I am happy to see 2 of my favorites and none of the ones that even that were good players, do not deserve to be recognized due to “personal” qualifications..
I would include Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta as Goalie, 126 international games, took 100 goals in his carrer , played 4 world cups.
México 1986
Italia 1990
USA 1994
Francia 1998.
Thanks for jogging my memory ..
I think M. Laudrup deserves a spot here, instead of who?… I wouldn’t dare to say.
I think M. Laudrup deserves a spot here, instead of who?… I wouldn’t dare to say.
Where are Garrincha, Maradona , Romário and Ronaldo ??????????????????
Where are Garrincha, Maradona , Romário and Ronaldo ??????????????????
Filipe, this list is per position, a lineup. if it were greatest of all time, and we could add more forwards, then sure. Maradona I refuse to put on this list. He was only good at using cocaine and wasting his natural god given talent.
Filipe, this list is per position, a lineup. if it were greatest of all time, and we could add more forwards, then sure. Maradona I refuse to put on this list. He was only good at using cocaine and wasting his natural god given talent.
Great list, very informed. But if pure talent, drive and accomplishments on the field are the measure then Diego Maradona must be on the list and either the great DiStefano or Puskas must be set aside.
Great list, very informed. But if pure talent, drive and accomplishments on the field are the measure then Diego Maradona must be on the list and either the great DiStefano or Puskas must be set aside.
ronaldo(brazilian)
ronaldo(brazilian)
Looks good but bit unbalanced — poor old Lothar might get a bit lonely trying to look after the middle of the park all by himself. How does this grab you?
9. Puskás.
11. Maradonna.
14. Cruyff. 10. Zidane. 8. Pélé. 7. Best.
5. Makalélé.
2. Beckenbauer. 3. Moore. 4. Baresi.
1. Schmeichel.
Bench:
16. Di Stefano
12. Banks
6. P Maldini
13. Keane
Looks good but bit unbalanced — poor old Lothar might get a bit lonely trying to look after the middle of the park all by himself. How does this grab you?
9. Puskás.
11. Maradonna.
14. Cruyff. 10. Zidane. 8. Pélé. 7. Best.
5. Makalélé.
2. Beckenbauer. 3. Moore. 4. Baresi.
1. Schmeichel.
Bench:
16. Di Stefano
12. Banks
6. P Maldini
13. Keane
Arthur Friedenreich ????? He is the best ever!!!!
On what universe is zidane better than maradona! U also missed bobby moore, george best, weah, garrincha, carlos alberto, eusebio, its clear that u have gaps in ur knowledge pal!!!!!!!! Also not sure what that maradona comment was about get off your high horse lad and what about heskey??????