The FIFA 100 is a list compiled by Brazilian professional footballer Pelé featuring his choices of the "greatest living footballers" at the time of its release. The list was unveiled on 4 March 2004 during a gala ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London, England, as 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.[1][2]
The figure 100 does not refer number of players nominated in the list, which is actually 125. Pelé was asked by FIFA to select 50 active players and 50 retired players from a shortlist of 300, but found it too difficult to limit himself and therefore picked 50 current and 75 former players.[1][3] The list contains 123 men and two women (Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm).
Players
| Player | Nationality | Position | Status (in 2004) | Born | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Batistuta |  Argentina
|
Forward | Active | 1969 | — |
| Hernán Crespo | Argentina
|
Forward | Active | 1975 | — |
| Alfredo Di Stéfano | Argentina[a]
|
Forward | Retired | 1926 | 2014 |
| Mario Kempes | Argentina
|
Forward | Retired | 1954 | — |
| Diego Maradona | Argentina
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1960 | 2020 |
| Daniel Passarella | Argentina
|
Defender | Retired | 1953 | — |
| Javier Saviola | Argentina
|
Forward | Active | 1981 | — |
| Omar Sívori | Argentina[b]
|
Forward | Retired | 1935 | 2005 |
| Juan Sebastián Verón | Argentina
|
Midfielder | Active | 1975 | — |
| Javier Zanetti | Argentina
|
Defender/Midfielder | Active | 1973 | — |
| Jan Ceulemans |  Belgium
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1957 | — |
| Jean-Marie Pfaff | Belgium
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1953 | — |
| Franky Van der Elst | Belgium
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1961 | — |
| Carlos Alberto |  Brazil
|
Defender | Retired | 1944 | 2016 |
| Cafu | Brazil
|
Defender | Active | 1970 | — |
| Falcão | Brazil
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1953 | — |
| Júnior | Brazil
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1954 | — |
| Pelé | Brazil
|
Forward | Retired | 1940 | 2022 |
| Rivaldo | Brazil
|
Midfielder | Active | 1972 | — |
| Rivellino | Brazil
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1946 | — |
| Roberto Carlos | Brazil
|
Defender | Active | 1973 | — |
| Romário | Brazil
|
Forward | Active | 1966 | — |
| Ronaldinho | Brazil
|
Midfielder/Forward | Active | 1980 | — |
| Ronaldo | Brazil
|
Forward | Active | 1976 | — |
| Djalma Santos | Brazil
|
Defender | Retired | 1929 | 2013 |
| Nílton Santos | Brazil
|
Defender | Retired | 1925 | 2013 |
| Sócrates | Brazil
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1954 | 2011 |
| Zico | Brazil
|
Midfielder/Forward | Retired | 1953 | — |
| Hristo Stoichkov |  Bulgaria
|
Forward | Retired | 1966 | — |
| Roger Milla |  Cameroon
|
Forward | Retired | 1952 | — |
| Elías Figueroa |  Chile
|
Defender | Retired | 1946 | — |
| Iván Zamorano | Chile
|
Forward | Retired | 1967 | — |
| Carlos Valderrama |  Colombia
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1961 | — |
| Davor Šuker |  Croatia[c]
|
Forward | Retired | 1968 | — |
| Josef Masopust |  Czech Republic[d]
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1931 | 2015 |
| Pavel Nedvěd | Czech Republic
|
Midfielder | Active | 1972 | — |
| Brian Laudrup |  Denmark
|
Forward | Retired | 1969 | — |
| Michael Laudrup | Denmark
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1964 | — |
| Peter Schmeichel | Denmark
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1963 | — |
| Gordon Banks |  England
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1937 | 2019 |
| David Beckham | England
|
Midfielder | Active | 1975 | — |
| Bobby Charlton | England
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1937 | 2023 |
| Kevin Keegan | England
|
Forward | Retired | 1951 | — |
| Gary Lineker | England
|
Forward | Retired | 1960 | — |
| Michael Owen | England
|
Forward | Active | 1979 | — |
| Alan Shearer | England
|
Forward | Active | 1970 | — |
| Eric Cantona |  France
|
Forward | Retired | 1966 | — |
| Marcel Desailly | France
|
Defender | Active | 1968 | — |
| Didier Deschamps | France
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1968 | — |
| Just Fontaine | France
|
Forward | Retired | 1933 | 2023 |
| Thierry Henry | France
|
Forward | Active | 1977 | — |
| Raymond Kopa | France
|
Forward | Retired | 1931 | 2017 |
| Jean-Pierre Papin | France
|
Forward | Retired | 1963 | — |
| Robert Pires | France
|
Midfielder | Active | 1973 | — |
| Michel Platini | France[e]
|
Forward | Retired | 1955 | — |
| Lilian Thuram | France
|
Defender | Active | 1972 | — |
| Marius Trésor | France
|
Defender | Retired | 1950 | — |
| David Trezeguet | France
|
Forward | Active | 1977 | — |
| Patrick Vieira | France
|
Midfielder | Active | 1976 | — |
| Zinedine Zidane | France
|
Midfielder | Active | 1972 | — |
| Michael Ballack |  Germany
|
Midfielder | Active | 1976 | — |
| Franz Beckenbauer | Germany[f]
|
Defender | Retired | 1945 | 2024 |
| Paul Breitner | Germany[f]
|
Midfielder/Defender | Retired | 1951 | — |
| Oliver Kahn | Germany
|
Goalkeeper | Active | 1969 | — |
| Jürgen Klinsmann | Germany[g]
|
Forward | Retired | 1964 | — |
| Sepp Maier | Germany[f]
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1944 | — |
| Lothar Matthäus | Germany[g]
|
Midfielder/Defender | Retired | 1961 | — |
| Gerd Müller | Germany[f]
|
Forward | Retired | 1945 | 2021 |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Germany[f]
|
Forward | Retired | 1955 | — |
| Uwe Seeler | Germany[f]
|
Forward | Retired | 1936 | 2022 |
| Abedi Pele |  Ghana
|
Forward | Retired | 1964 | — |
| Ferenc Puskás |  Hungary[h]
|
Forward | Retired | 1927 | 2006 |
| Roberto Baggio |  Italy
|
Forward/Midfielder | Active | 1967 | — |
| Franco Baresi | Italy
|
Defender | Retired | 1960 | — |
| Giuseppe Bergomi | Italy
|
Defender | Retired | 1963 | — |
| Giampiero Boniperti | Italy
|
Forward | Retired | 1928 | 2021 |
| Gianluigi Buffon | Italy
|
Goalkeeper | Active | 1978 | — |
| Alessandro Del Piero | Italy
|
Forward | Active | 1974 | — |
| Giacinto Facchetti | Italy
|
Defender | Retired | 1942 | 2006 |
| Paolo Maldini | Italy
|
Defender | Active | 1968 | — |
| Alessandro Nesta | Italy
|
Defender | Active | 1976 | — |
| Gianni Rivera | Italy
|
Defender | Retired | 1943 | — |
| Paolo Rossi | Italy
|
Forward | Retired | 1956 | 2020 |
| Francesco Totti | Italy
|
Forward/Midfielder | Active | 1976 | — |
| Christian Vieri | Italy
|
Forward | Active | 1973 | — |
| Dino Zoff | Italy
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1942 | — |
| Hidetoshi Nakata |  Japan
|
Midfielder | Active | 1977 | — |
| George Weah |  Liberia
|
Forward | Retired | 1966 | — |
| Hugo Sánchez |  Mexico
|
Forward | Retired | 1958 | — |
| Marco van Basten |  Netherlands
|
Forward | Retired | 1964 | — |
| Dennis Bergkamp | Netherlands
|
Forward | Active | 1969 | — |
| Johan Cruyff | Netherlands
|
Forward | Retired | 1947 | 2016 |
| Edgar Davids | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Active | 1973 | — |
| Ruud Gullit | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1962 | — |
| René van de Kerkhof | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1951 | — |
| Willy van de Kerkhof | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1951 | — |
| Patrick Kluivert | Netherlands
|
Forward | Active | 1976 | — |
| Johan Neeskens | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1951 | — |
| Ruud van Nistelrooy | Netherlands
|
Forward | Active | 1976 | — |
| Rob Rensenbrink | Netherlands
|
Forward | Retired | 1947 | 2020 |
| Frank Rijkaard | Netherlands
|
Midfielder/Defender | Retired | 1962 | — |
| Clarence Seedorf | Netherlands
|
Midfielder | Active | 1976 | — |
| Jay-Jay Okocha |  Nigeria
|
Midfielder | Active | 1973 | — |
| George Best |  Northern Ireland
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1946 | 2005 |
| Romerito |  Paraguay
|
Forward | Retired | 1960 | — |
| Teófilo Cubillas |  Peru
|
Forward | Retired | 1949 | — |
| Zbigniew Boniek |  Poland
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1956 | — |
| Eusébio |  Portugal
|
Forward | Retired | 1942 | 2014 |
| Luís Figo | Portugal
|
Midfielder | Active | 1972 | — |
| Rui Costa | Portugal
|
Midfielder | Active | 1972 | — |
| Roy Keane |  Republic of Ireland
|
Midfielder | Active | 1971 | — |
| Gheorghe Hagi |  Romania
|
Midfielder | Retired | 1965 | — |
| Rinat Dasayev |  Russia[i]
|
Goalkeeper | Retired | 1957 | — |
| Kenny Dalglish |  Scotland
|
Forward | Retired | 1951 | — |
| El Hadji Diouf |  Senegal
|
Forward | Active | 1981 | — |
| Hong Myung-bo |  South Korea
|
Defender | Active | 1969 | — |
| Emilio Butragueño |  Spain
|
Forward | Retired | 1963 | — |
| Luis Enrique | Spain
|
Midfielder | Active | 1970 | — |
| Raúl | Spain
|
Forward | Active | 1977 | — |
| Rüştü Reçber |  Turkey
|
Goalkeeper | Active | 1973 | — |
| Emre Belözoğlu | Turkey
|
Midfielder | Active | 1980 | — |
| Andriy Shevchenko |  Ukraine
|
Forward | Active | 1976 | — |
| Michelle Akers |  United States
|
Midfielder/Forward | Retired | 1966 | — |
| Mia Hamm | United States
|
Forward | Active | 1972 | — |
| Enzo Francescoli |  Uruguay
|
Forward/Midfielder | Retired | 1961 | — |
Statistics
|
|
|
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.[6] He suggested the geographical spread of inclusions indicated the list came from then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter rather than Pelé himself. BBC columnist Tim Vickery expressed similar assertions.[7]
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. Marco van Basten and Uwe Seeler refused to take part in the project on a point of principle.[3]
See also
Notes
- ^ Born in Argentina, De Stéfano played for both Spain and Argentina
- ^ Born in Argentina, Sívori played for both Italy and Argentina
- ^ Born in the Socialist Republic of Croatia, then part of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, Šuker played for both Yugoslavia and Croatia
- ^ Masopust played for Czechoslovakia
- ^ Born in France, Platini played for both Kuwait and France
- ^ a b c d e f Played for the West Germany national team
- ^ a b Played for both the West Germany and Germany national teams
- ^ Born in Hungary, Puskás played for Spain and Hungary
- ^ Dasayev played for the Soviet Union
References
- ^ a b "Fifa names greatest list". BBC News. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ "FIFA Names Top 100 players" (Press release). Oceania Football Confederation. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 12 December 2023. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
- ^ a b Davies, Christopher (4 March 2004). "Pele open to ridicule over top hundred". The Daily Telegraph. p. 42. Retrieved 10 February 2008 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ^ "The Fifa 100". The Guardian. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
- ^ Mellor, David (5 March 2004). "Sing up for Ken, a true Blues man". Evening Standard Ltd. p. 77.
- ^ Vickery, Tim (8 March 2004). "Pele pays price for popularity". BBC. Retrieved 30 April 2007.