Gaffa XI
All-time XI · 1966–2026

Greatest World Cup XI of All Time

Eleven shirts. Sixty years of World Cup football. Build your team and see how it ranks.

BUILD YOUR XI →

Our shortlist for the all-time XI

Pick any eleven of these and you'd have a strong claim. This is one editor's greatest World Cup XI — your version is one game away.

  • GKLev Yashin · USSR 196692
  • RBCafu · Brazil 200292
  • CBFranz Beckenbauer · West Germany 197494
  • CBFranco Baresi · Italy 199093
  • LBPaolo Maldini · Italy 199493
  • CMLothar Matthäus · West Germany 199092
  • CMZinedine Zidane · France 199895
  • CMJohan Cruyff · Netherlands 197495
  • RWLionel Messi · Argentina 201494
  • STPelé · Brazil 197096
  • LWDiego Maradona · Argentina 198696

How to build the greatest World Cup XI

  1. Spin the wheel to land on a real World Cup nation + tournament.
  2. Draft one player from that exact squad into your formation.
  3. Repeat eleven times until your XI is complete.
  4. Simulate the knockouts and chase the trophy.

Common debates

  • ▸ Pelé or Maradona? Both fit — find a formation that takes them.
  • ▸ Yashin or Buffon in goal? Different eras, same all-time stature.
  • ▸ Where does Modrić sit in midfield against Zidane and Iniesta?
  • ▸ Is there room for a 2026 player in an all-time XI?

Frequently asked questions

What is the greatest World Cup XI of all time?
Ask ten pundits, get eleven answers. Most all-time XIs feature Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Zidane, Beckenbauer and Yashin — but the eleventh shirt is where the row starts. Gaffa XI lets you settle it: draft your own eleven from every World Cup squad since '66 and see how you rank.
Which players and tournaments can I pick from?
Every World Cup from 1966 to 2026 — sixteen tournaments, 76+ nations, 6,000+ squad selections. Icons and cult heroes sit on the same wheel: Garrincha, Schillaci, Baggio, Modrić — right through to the latest 2026 squads.
How does the draft work?
Spin the wheel, it lands on a real nation from a real World Cup — Argentina '86, Germany 2014, whatever comes up. You draft one player from that squad into your XI. Repeat eleven times and the team is named.
Can modern players make an all-time XI?
Course they can. Messi, Modrić, Mbappé and Kane are all in the pool alongside Pelé and Cruyff. Prove the modern lot belong or stack it with old-school legends — that's the fun.

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