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FIFA 100

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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).

The list was controversial. 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.[4] 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.[5]

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]

Players

Players appearing in the FIFA 100 list
Image Player Nationality Position Status (in 2004)
Gabriel Batistuta pictured in 2018 Gabriel Batistuta  Argentina Forward Active
Hernán Crespo pictured in 2007 Hernán Crespo  Argentina Forward Active
Alfredo Di Stéfano pictured in 1959 Alfredo Di Stéfano  Argentina[a] Forward Retired
Mario Kempes pictured in 1982 Mario Kempes  Argentina Forward Retired
Diego Maradona pictured in 1986 Diego Maradona  Argentina Midfielder Retired
Daniel Passarella pictured in 1979 Daniel Passarella  Argentina Defender Retired
Javier Saviola pictured in 2007 Javier Saviola  Argentina Forward Active
Omar Sívori pictured in 1954 Omar Sívori  Argentina[b] Forward Retired
Juan Sebastián Verón pictured in 1995 Juan Sebastián Verón  Argentina Midfielder Active
Javier Zanetti pictured in 2009 Javier Zanetti  Argentina Defender/Midfielder Active
Jan Ceulemans pictured in 1980 Jan Ceulemans  Belgium Midfielder Retired
Jean-Marie Pfaff pictured in 1980 Jean-Marie Pfaff  Belgium Goalkeeper Retired
Franky Van der Elst pictured in 2010 Franky Van der Elst  Belgium Midfielder Retired
Carlos Alberto Torres pictured in 1978 Carlos Alberto  Brazil Defender Retired
Cafu pictured in 2007 Cafu  Brazil Defender Active
Paulo Roberto Falcão pictured in the 1983-84 season Falcão  Brazil Midfielder Retired
Léo Júnior pictured in 1983 Júnior  Brazil Midfielder Retired
Pelé pictured in 1970 Pelé  Brazil Forward Retired
Rivaldo pictured in 2010 Rivaldo  Brazil Midfielder/Forward Active
Rivellino pictured in 1970 Rivellino  Brazil Midfielder Retired
Roberto Carlos pictured in 2011 Roberto Carlos  Brazil Defender Active
Romário pictured in 1989 Romário  Brazil Forward Active
Ronaldinho pictured in 2010 Ronaldinho  Brazil Midfielder/Forward Active
Ronaldo pictured in 2002 Ronaldo  Brazil Forward Active
Djalma Santos pictured in 1970 Djalma Santos  Brazil Defender Retired
Nílton Santos pictured in 1956 Nílton Santos  Brazil Defender Retired
Sócrates pictured in 2005 Sócrates  Brazil Midfielder Retired
Zico pictured in 2012 Zico  Brazil Midfielder/Forward Retired
Hristo Stoichov pictured in 2016 Hristo Stoichkov  Bulgaria Forward Retired
Roger Milla pictured in 2008 Roger Milla  Cameroon Forward Retired
Elías Figueroa pictured in 1974 Elías Figueroa  Chile Defender Retired
Iván Zamorano pictured in 2013 Iván Zamorano  Chile Forward Retired
Carlos Valderrama pictured in 2010 Carlos Valderrama  Colombia Midfielder Retired
Davor Šuker pictured in 2014 Davor Šuker  Croatia[c] Forward Retired
Masopust pictured in 1962 Josef Masopust  Czech Republic[d] Midfielder Retired
Pavel Nedvěd pictured in 2006 Pavel Nedvěd  Czech Republic Midfielder Active
Brian Laudrup pictured in 2013 Brian Laudrup  Denmark Forward/Midfielder Retired
Michael Laudrup pictured in 2016 Michael Laudrup  Denmark Midfielder Retired
Peter Schmeichel pictured in 2012 Peter Schmeichel  Denmark Goalkeeper Retired
Gordon Banks pictured in 2007 Gordon Banks  England Goalkeeper Retired
David Beckham pictured in 2010 David Beckham  England Midfielder Active
Bobby Charlton pictured in 2012 Bobby Charlton  England Midfielder/Forward Retired
Kevin Keegan pictured c. 1980 Kevin Keegan  England Forward Retired
Gary Lineker pictured in 2023 Gary Lineker  England Forward Retired
Michael Owen pictured in 2014 Michael Owen  England Forward Active
Alan Shearer pictured in 2008 Alan Shearer  England Forward Active
Eric Cantona pictured in 2009 Eric Cantona  France Forward Retired
Marcel Desailly  France Defender Active
Didier Deschamps  France Midfielder Retired
Just Fontaine  France Forward Retired
Thierry Henry  France Forward Active
Raymond Kopa  France Forward Retired
Jean-Pierre Papin  France Forward Retired
Robert Pires  France Midfielder Active
Michel Platini  France[e] Forward Retired
Lilian Thuram  France Defender Active
Marius Trésor  France Defender Retired
David Trezeguet  France Forward Active
Patrick Vieira  France Midfielder Active
Zinedine Zidane  France Midfielder Active
Michael Ballack  Germany Midfielder Active
Franz Beckenbauer  Germany[f] Defender Retired
Paul Breitner  Germany[f] Midfielder/Defender Retired
Oliver Kahn  Germany Goalkeeper Active
Jürgen Klinsmann  Germany[g] Forward Retired
Sepp Maier  Germany[f] Goalkeeper Retired
Lothar Matthäus  Germany[g] Midfielder/Defender Retired
Gerd Müller  Germany[f] Forward Retired
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge  Germany[f] Forward Retired
Uwe Seeler  Germany[f] Forward Retired
Abedi Pele  Ghana Forward Retired
Ferenc Puskás  Hungary[h] Forward Retired
Roberto Baggio  Italy Forward/Midfielder Active
Franco Baresi  Italy Defender Retired
Giuseppe Bergomi  Italy Defender Retired
Giampiero Boniperti  Italy Forward Retired
Gianluigi Buffon  Italy Goalkeeper Active
Alessandro Del Piero  Italy Forward Active
Giacinto Facchetti  Italy Defender Retired
Paolo Maldini  Italy Defender Active
Alessandro Nesta  Italy Defender Active
Gianni Rivera  Italy Defender Retired
Paolo Rossi  Italy Forward Retired
Francesco Totti  Italy Forward/Midfielder Active
Christian Vieri  Italy Forward Active
Dino Zoff  Italy Goalkeeper Retired
Hidetoshi Nakata pictured in 2012 Hidetoshi Nakata  Japan Midfielder Active
George Weah pictured in 2019 George Weah  Liberia Forward Retired
Hugo Sanchez pictured in 1988 Hugo Sánchez  Mexico Forward Retired
Marco van Basten  Netherlands Forward Retired
Dennis Bergkamp  Netherlands Forward Active
Johan Cruyff  Netherlands Forward Retired
Edgar Davids  Netherlands Midfielder Active
Ruud Gullit  Netherlands Midfielder Retired
René van de Kerkhof  Netherlands Midfielder Retired
Willy van de Kerkhof  Netherlands Midfielder Retired
Patrick Kluivert  Netherlands Forward Active
Johan Neeskens  Netherlands Midfielder Retired
Ruud van Nistelrooy  Netherlands Forward Active
Rob Rensenbrink  Netherlands Forward Retired
Frank Rijkaard  Netherlands Midfielder/Defender Retired
Clarence Seedorf  Netherlands Midfielder Active
Jay-Jay Okocha pictured in 2017 Jay-Jay Okocha  Nigeria Midfielder Active
George Best pictured in 1976 George Best  Northern Ireland Midfielder Retired
Romerito  Paraguay Forward Retired
Teófilo Cubillas  Peru Forward Retired
Zbigniew Boniek  Poland Midfielder Retired
Eusébio  Portugal Forward Retired
Luís Figo  Portugal Midfielder Active
Rui Costa  Portugal Midfielder Active
Roy Keane pictured in 2014 Roy Keane  Republic of Ireland Midfielder Active
Gheorghe Hagi pictured in 2014 Gheorghe Hagi  Romania Midfielder Retired
Rinat Dasayev pictured in 2008 Rinat Dasayev  Russia[i] Goalkeeper Retired
Kenny Dalglish pictured in 1983 or 1984 Kenny Dalglish  Scotland Forward Retired
El Hadji Diouf pictured in 2011 El Hadji Diouf  Senegal Forward Active
Hong Myung-bo pictured in 2013 Hong Myung-bo  South Korea Defender Active
Emilio Butragueño pictured in 2024 Emilio Butragueño  Spain Forward Retired
Luis Enrique pictured in 2014 Luis Enrique  Spain Midfielder/Forward Active
Raúl pictured in 2011 Raúl  Spain Forward Active
Rüştü Reçber pictured in 2010 Rüştü Reçber  Turkey Goalkeeper Active
Emre Belözoğlu pictured in 2014 Emre Belözoğlu  Turkey Midfielder Active
Andriy Shevchenko pictured in 2004 Andriy Shevchenko  Ukraine Forward Active
—  Michelle Akers  United States Midfielder/Forward Retired
Mia Hamm pictured in 1998 Mia Hamm  United States Forward Active
Enzo Francescoli pictured in 1984 Enzo Francescoli  Uruguay Midfielder Retired

Statistics

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Born in Argentina, Di Stéfano played for Spain, Argentina, and Colombia, though the latter was not recognised by FIFA at the time.[6]
  2. ^ Born in Argentina, Sívori played for both Italy and Argentina.[7]
  3. ^ Born in the Socialist Republic of Croatia, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Šuker played for both Yugoslavia and Croatia.[8]
  4. ^ Masopust played for Czechoslovakia.[9]
  5. ^ Born in France, Platini played for both Kuwait and France
  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 Spain and Hungary
  9. ^ Dasayev played for the Soviet Union.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Fifa names greatest list". BBC News. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 5 August 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ Mellor, David (5 March 2004). "Sing up for Ken, a true Blues man". Evening Standard Ltd. p. 77.
  5. ^ Vickery, Tim (8 March 2004). "Pele pays price for popularity". BBC. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  6. ^ Glanville, Brian (7 July 2014). "Alfredo Di Stéfano obituary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Omar Sivori". The Daily Telegraph. 19 February 2005. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  8. ^ "Davor Šuker (Player)". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 27 February 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  9. ^ Slavík, Jiří (10 July 2003). "Josef Masopust – International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Rinat Dasaev 1988". IFFHS News. IFFHS. 28 December 2018. Archived from the original on 29 November 2024. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  11. ^ "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 26 June 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  12. ^ "The Fifa 100". The Guardian. 4 March 2004. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.