Skip to Content

The Best Players of All Time for Each Competition

  A brief explanation

For this article, we are only talking about the major competitions in the history of football, these can be championships, tournaments, national or international, provided that they lasted a minimum amount of time and had a notable importance in the history of this sport.

As for how to highlight players, it is about choosing an XI of players in a tactic existing at the time of the competition. These are not the best players who have played in each competition, but the players who have performed best in each competition.

POTT = Best Player of the Tournament

GOTY = Best Goalkeeper of the Tournament

YPOTT = Best Young Player of the Tournament

TOTT = Included in the Team of the Tournament

World Cup

Euro

Copa America

African Cup of Nations

Confederations Cup

Olympic Games

Champions League/European Champion Clubs' Cup

World Cup

World Cup XI

The Best World Cup XI


Gordon Banks

England

  • 2 participations (1966, 1970)
  • 9 games, 4 goals conceded, 6 clean sheets
  • 1 WC (1966)
  • 1 GOTT (1966), 1 TOTT (1966)


Djalma Santos

Brazil

  • 4 participations (1954, 1958, 1962, 1966)
  • 12 games, 0 goal, / assists
  • 2 WC (1958, 1962)
  • 3 TOTT (1954, 1958, 1962)


Nílton Santos

Brazil

  • 4 participations (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962)
  • 15 games, 1 goal, / assists
  • 2 WC (1958, 1962), 1 WC Final (1950)
  • 1 TOTT (1958)


José Nasazzi

Uruguay

  • 1 participation (1930)
  • 4 games, 0 goal, / assists
  • 1 WC (1930)
  • 1 POTT (1930), 1 TOTT (1930)


Franz Beckenbauer

Germany

  • 3 participations (1966, 1970, 1974)
  • 18 games, 5 goals, 1 assist
  • 1 WC (1974), 1 WC Final (1966), 1x 3rd at WC (1970)
  • 1 YPOTT (1966), 3 TOTT (1966, 1970, 1974)


Lothar Matthäus

Germany

  • 5 participations (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998)
  • 25 games, 6 goals, 1 assist
  • 1 WC (1990), 2 WC Finals (1982, 1986)
  • 1 TOTT (1990)


Didi

Brazil

  • 3 participations (1954, 1958, 1962)
  • 15 games, 3 goals, 10 assists
  • 2 WC (1958, 1962)
  • 1 POTT (1958), 1 TOTT (1958)


Diego Armando Maradona

Argentina

  • 4 participations (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994)
  • 21 games, 8 goals, 8 assists
  • 1 WC (1986), 1 WC Final (1990)
  • 1 POTT (1986), 2 TOTT (1986, 1990)


Lionel Messi

Argentina

  • 5 participations (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022)
  • 26 games, 13 goals, 8 assists
  • 1 WC (2022), 1 WC Final (2014)
  • 2 POTT (2014, 2022), 3 TOTT (2010, 2014, 2022)

Kylian Mbappé

France

  • 2 participations (2018, 2022)
  • 14 games, 12 goals, 3 assists
  • 1 WC (2018), 1 WC Final (2022)
  • 1 YPOTT (2018), 2 TOTT (2018, 2022)

Pelé

Brazil

  • 4 participations (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970)
  • 14 games, 12 goals, 9 assists
  • 3 WC (1958, 1962, 1970)
  • 1 POTT (1970), 1 YPOTT (1958), 2 TOTT (1958, 1970)

Euro

The Best Euro ​XI


Lev Yashin

USSR

  • 2 participations (1960, 1964)
  • 10 games, 9 goals conceded, 4 clean sheets
  • 1 Euro (1960), 1 Euro Final (1964)
  • 2 GOTT (1960, 1964), 2 TOTT (1960, 1964)

Lilian Thuram

France

  • 4 participations (1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)
  • 16 games, 0 goals, 0 assist
  • 1 Euro (2000)
  • 1 TOTT (2000)

Andreas Brehme

Germany

  • 3 participations (1984, 1988, 1992)
  • 12 games, 1 goal, 0 assist
  • 1 Euro Final (1992)
  • 2 TOTT (1984, 1992)

Pepe

Portugal

  • 5 participations (2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024)
  • 23 games, 2 goals, 0 assist
  • 1 Euro (2016)
  • 3 TOTT (2008, 2012, 2016)

Franz Beckenbauer

Germany

  • 2 participations (1972, 1976)
  • 22 games, 0 goal, 3 assists
  • 1 Euro (1972), 1 Euro Final (1976)
  • 2 TOTT (1972, 1976)

Jean Tigana

France

  • 1 participation (1984)
  • 9 games, 0 goal, 3 assists
  • 1 Euro (1984)
  • 1 TOTT (1984)

Xavier Hernández

Spain

  • 3 participations (2004, 2008, 2012)
  • 11 games, 1 goal, 4 assists
  • 2 Euro (2008, 2012)
  • 1 TOTT (2008)

Michel Platini

France

  • 1 participation (1984)
  • 10 games, 10 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 Euro (1984)
  • 1 POTT (1984), 1 TOTT (1984)

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal

  • 6 participations (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021, 2024)
  • 30 games, 14 goals, 8 assists
  • 1 Euro (2016), 1 Euro Final (2004)
  • 2 TOTT (2016, 2020)

Zinédine Zidane

France

  • 3 participations (1996, 2000, 2004)
  • 14 games, 5 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 Euro (2000)
  • 1 POTT (2000), 2 TOTT (2000, 2004)

Antoine Griezmann

France

  • 3 participations (2016, 2021, 2024)
  • 17 games, 7 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 Euro Final (2016)
  • 1 POTT (2016), 1 TOTT (2016)

Copa America

The Best Copa America ​XI


Sergio Livingstone

Chile

  • 6 participations (1941, 1942, 1945, 1947, 1949, 1953)
  • 34 games, 48 goals conceded, 11 clean sheets
  • 2 Copa America 3rd Place (1941, 1945)
  • 1 GOTT (1941), 1 POTT (1941), 1 TOTT (1941)

José Nasazzi

Uruguay

  • 7 participations (1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1935, 1935)
  • 15 games, 0 goals, / assists
  • 4 Copa America (1923, 1924, 1926, 1935)
  • 2 POTT (1923, 1935), 2 TOTT (1923, 1935)

Domingos da Guia

Brazil

  • 7 participations (1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929, 1935, 1935)
  • 15 games, 0 goals, / assists
  • 4 Copa America (1923, 1924, 1926, 1935)
  • 1 POTT (1945), 1 TOTT (1945)


Héctor Chumpitaz​

Peru

  • 2 participations (1975, 1979)
  • 11 games, 0 goals, / assists
  • 1 Copa America (1975)
  • /


José Leandro Andrade​

Uruguay

  • 5 participations (1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929)
  • 11 games, 1 goal, / assists
  • 3 Copa America (1923, 1924, 1926)
  • 1 POTT (1926), 1 TOTT (1926)


Didi

Brazil

  • 3 participations (1953, 1957, 1959)
  • 17 games, 10 goals, 4 assists
  • 3 Copa America Finals (1953, 1957, 1959)
  • /


José Manuel Moreno

Argentina

  • 3 participations (1941, 1942, 1947)
  • 16 games, 13 goals, / assists
  • 2 Copa America (1941, 1947), 1 Copa America Final (1942)
  • 1 POTT (1947), 1 TOTT (1947)


Zizinho

Brazil

  • 6 participations (1942, 1945, 1946, 1949, 1953, 1957)
  • 33 games, 17 goals, 23 assists
  • 1 Copa America (1949), 4 Copa America Finals (1945, 1946, 1953, 1957)
  • /


Lionel Messi

Argentina

  • 7 participations (2007, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024)
  • 39 games, 14 goals, 18 assists
  • 2 Copa America (2021, 2024), 2 Copa America Finals (2015, 2016)
  • 2 POTT (2015, 2021), 4 TOTT (2011, 2015, 2021, 2024)

Ángel Romano​

Uruguay

  • 9 participations (1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1926)
  • 23 games, 12 goals, / assists
  • 6 CA (1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1926), 1 CA Final (1919)
  • /

Héctor Scarone

Uruguay

  • 7 participations (1917, 1919, 1923, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1929)
  • 19 games, 14 goals, / assists
  • 4 CA (1917, 1923, 1924, 1926), 2 CA Finals (1919, 1927)
  • 1 POTT (1917), 1 TOTT (1917)

African Cup of Nations

The Best African Cup of Nations XI


Essam El Hadary​

Egypt

  • 7 participations (1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2017)
  • 43 games, 28 goals conceded, 20 clean sheets
  • 4 African Cups of Nations (1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
  • 3 GOTY (2006, 2008, 2010), 3 TOTT (2006, 2008, 2010)


Kolo Touré

Ivory Coast

  • 7 participations (2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015)  
  • 47 games, 3 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 African Cup of Nations (2015), 2 African Cups of Nations Finals (2006, 2012)
  • 1 TOTT (2015)

Rigobert Song

Senegal

  • 8 participations (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)
  • 42 games, 0 goal, 0 assist
  • 2 African Cups of Nations (2000, 2002), 1 African Cup of Nations Final (2008)  
  • 1 POTT (2002), 3 TOTT (2000, 2002, 2006)  


Lucas Radébé

South Africa

  • 3 participations (1996, 1998, 2000)
  • 17 games, 0 goal, 0 assist
  • 1 African Cup of Nations (1996)  
  • 1 TOTT (1996)  

Yaya Touré

Ivory Coast

  • 6 participations (2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015)  
  • 44 games, 11 goals, 9 assists
  • 1 African Cup of Nations (2015), 2 African Cups of Nations Finals (2006, 2012)
  • 1 TOTT (2015)  


Ahmed Hassan

Egypt

  • 8 participations (1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)  
  • 42 games, 12 goals, 7 assists
  • 4 African Cups of Nations (1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)  
  • 2 POTT (2006, 2010), 2 TOTT (2006, 2010)

Jay-Jay Okocha

Nigeria

  • 5 participations (1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006)
  • 26 games, 7 goals, / assists
  • 1 African Cup of Nations (1994), 1 African Cup of Nations Final (2000)
  • 1 POTT (2004), 1 TOTT (2004)  

Abedi Pelé

Ghana

  • 5 participations (1982, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998) 
  • 24 games, 7 goals, / assists
  • 1 African Cup of Nations (1982), 1 African Cup of Nations Final (1992) 
  • 1 POTT (1992), 1 TOTT (1992)

Sadio Mané

Senegal

  • 5 participations (2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024) ; 1 African Cup of Nations (2021)
  • 57 games, 24 goals, 13 assists
  • 1 African Cup of Nations Final (2019)
  • 1 POTT (2021), 2 TOTT (2019, 2021)  

Samuel Eto'o

Cameroon

  • 6 participations (2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010)  
  • 41 games, 23 goals, 6 assists
  • 2 Africans Cup of Nations (2000, 2002), 1 African Cup of Nations Final (2008)  
  • 2 POTT (2006, 2008), 2 TOTT (2006, 2008)

Hossam Hassan

Egypt

  • 8 participations (1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006)
  • 46 games, 23 goals, 3 assists
  • 3 Africans Cup of Nations (1988, 1998, 2006)
  • 1 TOTT (1998) 

Confederations Cup

The Best Confederations Cup ​XI


Jorge Campos

Mexico

  • 1 participations (1999)
  • 5 games, 6 goals conceded, 2 clean sheets
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1999)
  • 1 TOTT (1999)

Roberto Carlos

Brazil

  • 1 participations (1997)
  • 4 games, 0 goal, 0 assist
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1997)  
  • 1 TOTT (1997)

Cafu

Brazil

  • 1 participations (1997)
  • 3 games, 0 goal, 1 assist
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1997)  
  • 1 TOTT (1997)

Lúcio​

Brazil

  • 4 participations (2001, 2003, 2005, 2009)
  • 17 games, 1 goal, 0 assist
  • 2 Confederations Cups (2005, 2009)
  • 3 TOTT (2003, 2005, 2009)

Rafael Márquez

Mexico

  • 3 participations (1999, 2005, 2017) 
  • 10 games, 0 goal, 1 assist
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1999)
  • 1 TOTT (1999)

Fernando Redondo

Argentina

  • 1 participation (1992)
  • 2 games, 0 goal, 0 assist
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1992)
  • 1 POTT (1992), 1 TOTT (1992)

Kaká​

Brazil

  • 2 participations (2005, 2009)
  • 10 games, 3 goals, 3 assists
  • 2 Confederations Cups (2005, 2009)
  • 1 POTT (2009), 2 TOTT (2005, 2009)

Cuauhtémoc Blanco

Mexico

  • 2 participations (1997, 1999)
  • 8 games, 9 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1999)
  • 1 Confederations Cup TOTT (1999)

Ronaldinho

Brazil

  • 3 participations (1999, 2003, 2005)
  • 13 games, 9 goals, 9 assists
  • 1 Confederations Cup (2005), 1 Confederations Cup Final (1999)
  • 1 POTT (1999), 2 TOTT (1999, 2005)

Romário

Brazil

  • 1 participations (1997)
  • 4 games, 7 goals, 0 assist  
  • 1 Confederations Cup (1997)
  • 1 TOTT (1997)  

Fernando Torres

Spain

  • 2 participations (2009, 2013)  
  • 9 games, 8 goals, 2 assists
  • 1 Confederations Cup Final (2013)  
  • 2 TOTT (2009, 2013)

Olympic Games

The Best Olympic Games ​XI


Lev Yashin

Russia

  • 1 participations (1956)
  • 6 games, 3 goals conceded, 3 clean sheets
  • 1 Olympic Games Gold Medal (1956)
  • /

Dezső Novák

Hungary

  • 3 participations (1960, 1964, 1968)
  • 15 games, 2 goals, / assists
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (1964, 1968)
  • /

Ferenc Bene

Hungary

  • 1 participation (1964)
  • 7 games, 15 goals, / assists
  • 1 Olympic Games Gold Medal (1964)
  • /

Vivian Woodward

Hungary

  • 2 participations (1908, 1912)
  • 6 games, 5 goals, / assists
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (1908, 1912)
  • /

Héctor Scarone

Uruguay

  • 2 participations (1924, 1928)
  • 8 games, 8 goals, / assists
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (1924, 1928)
  • /

Javier Mascherano

Argentina

  • 2 participations (2004, 2008)
  • 12 games, 0 goal, 0 assist
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (2004, 2008)
  • /

José Nasazzi

Uruguay

  • 2 participations (1924, 1928)
  • 9 games, 0 goal, / assists
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (1924, 1928)
  • /

Neymar

Brazil

  • 2 participations (2012, 2016)
  • 12 games, 7 goals, 7 assists
  • 1 Olympic Games Gold Medal (2016), 1 Olympic Games Silver Medal (2012)
  • /

Kazimierz Deyna

Uruguay

  • 2 participations (1972, 1976)
  • 13 games, 10 goals, 3 assists
  • 1 Olympic Games Gold Medal (1972), 1 Olympic Games Silver Medal (1976)
  • /

Igor Netto

Russia

  • 2 participations (1952, 1956)
  • 8 games, 1 goal, / assists
  • 1 Olympic Games Gold Medal (1956)
  • /

José Leandro Andrade

Uruguay

  • 2 participations (1924, 1928)
  • 9 games, 0 goal, / assists
  • 2 Olympic Games Gold Medals (1924, 1928)
  • /

Champions League/European Champion Clubs' Cup

The Best Champions League/European Champion Club's Cup ​XI


Manuel Neuer

Germany

  • 17 participations (2007-09, 2010-25)
  • 152 games, 138 goals conceded, 64 clean sheets ​
  • 2 Champions Leagues (2013, 2020), 1 Champions League Final (2012)
  • 7 GOTT (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2020, 2023)

Paolo Maldini

Italy

  • 15 participations (1988-91, 1992-95, 1996-97, 1999-2001, 2002-08)  
  • 120 games, 3 goals, 6 assists
  • 5 Champions Leagues (1989, 1990, 1994, 2003, 2007), 3 Champions Leagues Finals (1993, 1995, 2005)  
  • 3 TOTT (1994, 2003, 2007)  

Dani Alves

Brazil

  • 12 participations (2007-19)
  • 114 games, 12 goals, 28 assists
  • 3 Champions Leagues (2009, 2011, 2015)
  • 5 TOTT (2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017)

Sergio Ramos

Spain

  • 19 participations (2005-24)  
  • 142 games, 17 goals, 10 assists  
  • 4 Champions Leagues (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)  
  • 4 TOTT (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018)  

Franz Beckenbauer

Germany

  • 6 participations (1969-70, 1972-77)
  • 40 games, 4 goals, 5 assists
  • 3 Champions Leagues (1974, 1975, 1976)
  • /

Zinédine Zidane

France

  • 9 participations (1996-99, 2000-06)  
  • 82 games, 14 goals, 30 assists  
  • 1 Champions League (2002), 2 Champions Leagues Finals (1997, 1998)  
  • 1 POTT (2002), 1 TOTT (2002)

Luka Modrić

Croatia

  • 16 participations (2006-08, 2010-11, 2012-25)
  • 153 games, 11 goals, 20 assists
  • 6 Champions Leagues (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024)
  • 1 POTT (2018), 6 TOTT (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024) 

Alfredo Di Stéfano

Argentina

  • 9 participations (1955-64)  
  • 58 games, 49 goals, 9 assists 
  • 5 Champions Leagues (1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960), 2 Champions Leagues Finals (1962, 1964)
  • /

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal

  • 20 participations (2002-2022)
  • 187 games, 141 goals, 49 assists
  • 5 Champions League (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), 1 Champions League Final (2009)  
  • 4 POTT (2008, 2014, 2016, 2017), 10 TOTT (2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)

Lionel Messi

Argentina

  • 19 participations (2004-2023)  
  • 163 games, 129 goals, 45 assists  
  • 4 Champions Leagues (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
  • 2 POTT (2009, 2015), 8 TOTT (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020)

Ferenc Puskás​

Hungary

  • 9 participations (1956-57, 1958-1966) 
  • 41 games, 36 goals, 4 assists  
  • 3 Champions Leagues (1959, 1960, 1966), 2 Champions Leagues Finals (1962, 1964)
  • / 

Mitropa Cup

The Best Mitropa Cup XI


František Plánička

Czech Republic​

  • 11 participations (1927-37)
  • 33 games, 60 goals conceded, 8 clean sheets
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1938)
  • /

Josef Smistik

Austria

  • 7 participations (1927-30, 1934-36)  
  • 32 games, 2 goals, / assists
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1930), 2 Mitropa Cup Finals (1927, 1928)  
  • /

Josef Blum

Austria

  • 4 participations (1929-32)
  • 16 games, 2 goals, / assists  
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1931)
  • /

Walter Nausch

Austria

  • 5 participations (1933-37)  
  • 29 games, 6 goals, / assists
  • 2 Mitropa Cups (1933, 1936)  
  • /

Karel Pešek​

Czech Republic

  • 5 participations (1927, 1929-32)
  • 21 games, 1 goal, / assists  
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1927), 1 Mitropa Cup Final (1930)
  • /

Matthias Sindelar​

Austria

  • 5 participations (1933-37)  
  • 31 games, 24 goals, / assists
  • 2 Mitropa Cups (1933, 1936)  
  • /

György Sárosi​

Hungary

  • 8 participations (1932, 1934-40)
  • 42 games, 50 goals, / assists  
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1937), 4 Mitropa Cup Finals (1935, 1938, 1939, 1940)
  • /

Giuseppe Meazza

Italy

  • 7 participations (1930, 1933-36, 1938-39)  
  • 27 games, 29 goals, / assists
  • 1 Mitropa Cup Final (1933)  
  • /

Kurt Hamrin

Sweden

  • 5 participations (1960, 1962, 1965-67)
  • 18 games, 17 goals, / assists  
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1966), 1 Mitropa Cup Final (1965)
  • /

Gyula Zsengellér

Hungary

  • 5 participations (1936-40)  
  • 19 games, 23 goals, / assists
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1939)  
  • /

Josef Bican

Austria

  • 4 participations (1934, 1936, 1938-39)
  • 15 games, 15 goals, / assists  
  • 1 Mitropa Cup (1938)
  • /
The Best Football Players by Decade