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FIFA 100

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Pelé

Brazil professional footballer

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The FIFA 100 is a list of Brazilian footballer Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, England, the list was part of the celebrations commemorating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the international governing body of football.

The figure 100 refers to the 100th anniversary of FIFA and not the number of players listed, which is actually 125. Pelé was asked to select 50 active players and 50 retired players, from a shortlist of 300, but found it too difficult to limit the number of retired players to 50.[1] The list contains 123 men and two women (Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm). At the time the FIFA 100 was unveiled, 50 of the players were still active, with the remaining 75 retired from the game.

Criticism

Writing in the Evening Standard, politician turned football pundit, David Mellor, felt the selections were politically motivated rather than being made on purely footballing grounds.[2] He argued that a true selection would have been biased towards Europe and South America and suggested the geographical spread of inclusions indicated the list came from, then-FIFA president, Sepp Blatter. BBC columnist Tim Vickery expressed similar assertions.[3]

Brazilian midfielder Gérson, who played alongside Pelé at the 1966 and 1970 FIFA World Cups, reacted to his omission by tearing up a copy of the list on a Brazilian television programme.[4] Marco van Basten and Uwe Seeler refused to take part in the project on a point of principle.[5]

List

Following is the list of the "FIFA 100" greatest living footballers as nominated by Pelé in March 2004.[6][7][8][9]

Nationality Player Position Status Born Died
 Argentina Gabriel Batistuta Forward Active 1969 —
 Argentina Hernán Crespo Forward Active 1975 —
 Argentina[a] Alfredo Di Stéfano Forward Retired 1926 2014
 Argentina Mario Kempes Forward Retired 1954 —
 Argentina Diego Maradona Midfielder Retired 1960 2020
 Argentina Daniel Passarella Defender Retired 1953 —
 Argentina Javier Saviola Forward Active 1981 —
 Argentina[b] Omar Sívori Forward Retired 1935 2005
 Argentina Juan Sebastián Verón Midfielder Active 1975 —
 Argentina Javier Zanetti Defender/Midfielder Active 1973 —
 Belgium Jan Ceulemans Midfielder Retired 1957 —
 Belgium Jean-Marie Pfaff Goalkeeper Retired 1953 —
 Belgium Franky Van der Elst Midfielder Retired 1961 —
 Brazil Carlos Alberto Defender Retired 1944 2016
 Brazil Cafu Defender Active 1970 —
 Brazil Falcão Midfielder Retired 1953 —
 Brazil Pelé Forward Retired 1940 2022
 Brazil Júnior Midfielder Retired 1954 —
 Brazil Rivaldo Midfielder Active 1972 —
 Brazil Rivelino Midfielder Retired 1946 —
 Brazil Roberto Carlos Defender Active 1973 —
 Brazil Romário Forward Active 1966 —
 Brazil Ronaldinho Midfielder/Forward Active 1980 —
 Brazil Ronaldo Forward Active 1976 —
 Brazil Djalma Santos Defender Retired 1929 2013
 Brazil Nílton Santos Defender Retired 1925 2013
 Brazil Sócrates Midfielder Retired 1954 2011
 Brazil Zico Midfielder/Forward Retired 1953 —
 Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov Forward Retired 1966 —
 Cameroon Roger Milla Forward Retired 1952 —
 Chile Elías Figueroa Defender Retired 1946 —
 Chile Iván Zamorano Forward Retired 1967 —
 Colombia Carlos Valderrama Midfielder Retired 1961 —
 Croatia[c] Davor Šuker Forward Retired 1968 —
 Czech Republic[d] Josef Masopust Midfielder Retired 1931 2015
 Czech Republic Pavel Nedvěd Midfielder Active 1972 —
 Denmark Brian Laudrup Forward Retired 1969 —
 Denmark Michael Laudrup Midfielder Retired 1964 —
 Denmark Peter Schmeichel Goalkeeper Retired 1963 —
 England Gordon Banks Goalkeeper Retired 1937 2019
 England David Beckham Midfielder Active 1975 —
 England Bobby Charlton Midfielder Retired 1937 2023
 England Kevin Keegan Forward Retired 1951 —
 England Gary Lineker Forward Retired 1960 —
 England Michael Owen Forward Active 1979 —
 England Alan Shearer Forward Active 1970 —
 France Eric Cantona Forward Retired 1966 —
 France Marcel Desailly Defender Active 1968 —
 France Didier Deschamps Midfielder Retired 1968 —
 France Just Fontaine Forward Retired 1933 2023
 France Thierry Henry Forward Active 1977 —
 France Raymond Kopa Forward Retired 1931 2017
 France Jean-Pierre Papin Forward Retired 1963 —
 France Robert Pires Midfielder Active 1973 —
 France[e] Michel Platini Forward Retired 1955 —
 France Lilian Thuram Defender Active 1972 —
 France Marius Trésor Defender Retired 1950 —
 France David Trezeguet Forward Active 1977 —
 France Patrick Vieira Midfielder Active 1976 —
 France Zinedine Zidane Midfielder Active 1972 —
 Germany Michael Ballack Midfielder Active 1976 —
 Germany[f] Franz Beckenbauer Defender Retired 1945 2024
 Germany[f] Paul Breitner Midfielder/Defender Retired 1951 —
 Germany Oliver Kahn Goalkeeper Active 1969 —
 Germany[g] Jürgen Klinsmann Forward Retired 1964 —
 Germany[f] Sepp Maier Goalkeeper Retired 1944 —
 Germany[g] Lothar Matthäus Midfielder/Defender Retired 1961 —
 Germany[f] Gerd Müller Forward Retired 1945 2021
 Germany[f] Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Forward Retired 1955 —
 Germany[f] Uwe Seeler Forward Retired 1936 2022
 Ghana Abédi Pelé Forward Retired 1964 —
 Hungary[h] Ferenc Puskás Forward Retired 1927 2006
 Italy Roberto Baggio Forward/Midfielder Active 1967 —
 Italy Franco Baresi Defender Retired 1960 —
 Italy Giuseppe Bergomi Defender Retired 1963 —
 Italy Giampiero Boniperti Forward Retired 1928 2021
 Italy Gianluigi Buffon Goalkeeper Active 1978 —
 Italy Alessandro Del Piero Forward Active 1974 —
 Italy Giacinto Facchetti Defender Retired 1942 2006
 Italy Paolo Maldini Defender Active 1968 —
 Italy Alessandro Nesta Defender Active 1976 —
 Italy Gianni Rivera Defender Retired 1943 —
 Italy Paolo Rossi Forward Retired 1956 2020
 Italy Francesco Totti Forward/Midfielder Active 1976 —
 Italy Christian Vieri Forward Active 1973 —
 Italy Dino Zoff Goalkeeper Retired 1942 —
 Japan Hidetoshi Nakata Midfielder Active 1977 —
 Liberia George Weah Forward Retired 1966 —
 Mexico Hugo Sánchez Forward Retired 1958 —
 Netherlands Marco van Basten Forward Retired 1964 —
 Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp Forward Active 1969 —
 Netherlands Johan Cruyff Forward Retired 1947 2016
 Netherlands Edgar Davids Midfielder Active 1973 —
 Netherlands Ruud Gullit Midfielder Retired 1962 —
 Netherlands René van de Kerkhof Midfielder Retired 1951 —
 Netherlands Willy van de Kerkhof Midfielder Retired 1951 —
 Netherlands Patrick Kluivert Forward Active 1976 —
 Netherlands Johan Neeskens Midfielder Retired 1951 —
 Netherlands Ruud van Nistelrooy Forward Active 1976 —
 Netherlands Rob Rensenbrink Forward Retired 1947 2020
 Netherlands Frank Rijkaard Midfielder/Defender Retired 1962 —
 Netherlands Clarence Seedorf Midfielder Active 1976 —
 Nigeria Jay-Jay Okocha Midfielder Active 1973 —
 Northern Ireland George Best Midfielder Retired 1946 2005
 Paraguay Romerito Forward Retired 1960 —
 Peru Teófilo Cubillas Forward Retired 1949 —
 Poland Zbigniew Boniek Midfielder Retired 1956 —
 Portugal Eusébio Forward Retired 1942 2014
 Portugal Luís Figo Midfielder Active 1972 —
 Portugal Rui Costa Midfielder Active 1972 —
 Republic of Ireland Roy Keane Midfielder Active 1971 —
 Romania Gheorghe Hagi Midfielder Retired 1965 —
 Russia[i] Rinat Dasayev Goalkeeper Retired 1957 —
 Scotland Kenny Dalglish Forward Retired 1951 —
 Senegal El Hadji Diouf Forward Active 1981 —
 South Korea Hong Myung-bo Defender Active 1969 —
 Spain Emilio Butragueño Forward Retired 1963 —
 Spain Luis Enrique Midfielder Active 1970 —
 Spain Raúl Forward Active 1977 —
 Turkey Rüştü Reçber Goalkeeper Active 1973 —
 Turkey Emre Belözoğlu Midfielder Active 1980 —
 Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko Forward Active 1976 —
 United States Michelle Akers Midfielder/Forward Retired 1966 —
 United States Mia Hamm Forward Active 1972 —
 Uruguay Enzo Francescoli Forward/Midfielder Retired 1961 —
  1. ^ Born in Argentina, De Stéfano played for both the Spain and Argentina national teams
  2. ^ Born in Argentina, Sívori played for both the Italy and Argentina national football teams
  3. ^ Born in SR Croatia, Yugoslavia, Šuker played for both the Yugoslavia and Croatia national teams
  4. ^ Masopust played for the Czechoslovakia national team
  5. ^ Born in France, Platini played for both the Kuwait and France national teams
  6. ^ a b c d e f Played for the West Germany national team
  7. ^ a b Played for both the West Germany and Germany national teams
  8. ^ Born in Hungary, Puskás played for both the Spain and Hungary national teams
  9. ^ Dasayev played for the Soviet Union national team

See also

References

  1. ^ "Fifa names greatest list". BBC. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  2. ^ Mellor, David (5 March 2004). "Sing up for Ken, a true Blues man". Evening Standard Ltd. p. 77.
  3. ^ Vickery, Tim (8 March 2004). "Pele pays price for popularity". BBC. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  4. ^ "Pele names his top 100 soccer players". Independent Online. Reuters. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. ^ Davies, Christopher (4 March 2004). "Pele open to ridicule over top hundred". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
  6. ^ "FIFA Names Top 100 players" (Press release). Oceania Football Confederation. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fifa names greatest list". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. ^ "The Fifa 100". The Guardian. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
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