Ranking The All-Time Soccer Best XI

Gigi Buffon is still setting records at 38. Naturally, that led us to consider where he ranks among the best all-time goalkeepers. From there, why not do a best all-time soccer team? We filled out a Starting XI and a subs bench. Argue away.

Starting XI

GK – Gigi Buffon [Italy] Best goalkeeper in Serie A, if not Europe, for two decades. Still at or near the top at 38. World Cup winner. Narrowly edges a quite similar countryman.

D – Paolo Maldini [Italy] Fixture at Milan for more than two decades. Eyes of a handsome bond villain. Won Champions League/European Cup five times and went to eight finals. While he never won a tournament with Italy (two finals), was named to team of the tournament at five different tournaments.

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D – Franz Beckenbauer [Germany] Der Kaiser. Redefined the role of “defender.” From 1971 to 1976, he won three Bundesliga titles, three European Cups, a World Cup, a European Championship and two Ballon d’Ors.

D – Bobby Moore [England] Captained England to 1966 World Cup win. We’ll defer to contemporaries Pele and Beckenbauer who thought he was the best.

D – Cafu [Brazil] Brazil redefined the right back. We’ll give the edge to Cafu. Only Brazil player that appeared in all three World Cup finals from 1994 to 2002. Won two league titles and a Champions League playing in Italy.

M – Zinedine Zidane [France] Legend among legends. Led France to 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship. Nearly did it again on his way out the door in 2006. Not even dramatic male pattern baldness could kill his vibe. Good luck getting the ball from him.

M – Lothar Matthaus [Germany] The squad needs a driving, box-to-box midfielder who can defend. Matthaus was a fixture in German soccer for two decades. He won the Ballon d’Or after the German World Cup win in 1990. He won everything except the Champions League (reached the final twice.)

M – Michel Platini [France] Corrupt as an administrator, but among the finest players ever to kick a ball. Won three-straight Ballon d’Or’s from 1983 to 1985. His nine-goal effort at Euro 1984 may be the best tournament performance ever.

F – Pele [Brazil] Soccer’s first modern star. Many of the goals he tabulated were legit. Remembered as perhaps the greatest World Cup player ever, while being robbed of the two (1962, 1966) that happened in his prime by injury.

F – Johan Cryuff [Netherlands] Redefined Holland’s role in soccer. Won three Ballon d’Ors. Won three-straight European cups with Ajax. His 1974 Netherlands team was the greatest not to win (or at least everyone’s favorite.)

F – Lionel Messi [Barcelona] He’s the most dominant club player of all-time. Five Ballon d’Or awards. Seven league titles. Four champions leagues. 449 goals in 520 appearances for Barcelona. Lead a meh Argentina team to the World Cup final. 28 and still going to add to this.

Subs

GK – Dino Zoff [Italy] Hard to differentiate him and Buffon.

D – Franco Baresi [Italy] Maybe just sentiment that kept him off the first-team.

D – Carlos Alberto [Brazil] Scored one of defining World Cup goals.

M – Xavi Hernandez [Spain] May be the best pure passer ever.

M – Cristiano Ronaldo [Portugal] One of soccer’s most phenomenal talents. Messi makes everyone else better. That’s the difference.

F – Diego Maradona [Argentina] May have been the best at his best. Injuries and demons kept him from doing it consistently.

F – Gerd Muller [Germany] Short, fat Muller. 566 goals in 607 appearances for Bayern Munich. 24 goals in 18 major tournament appearances for Germany.