SM
Arsenal vs. Man United: 1 day 1 hr 3 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
EN
Friendlies 1
Mar 23, 2024 at 7pm UK
Wembley Stadium
BN

England
0 - 1
Brazil


Bellingham (13')
FT(HT: 0-0)
Endrick (80')
Paqueta (34')

England vs. Brazil all-time combined XI: Who makes the cut alongside Pele, Ronaldo?

:Headline: England vs. Brazil all-time combined XI: Who makes the cut alongside Pele, Ronaldo?:
Ahead of England's clash with Brazil on Saturday, Sports Mole compiles an all-time greatest XI of players to have represented either nation.
Sports Mole

In a meeting of two previous World Cup winners, England and Brazil face off at Wembley in an international friendly on Saturday.

As two of the most established and famous footballing countries on the planet, some of the finest players ever to grace a football pitch have turned out for one of these proud nations.

Spanning the past 80 years, England and Brazil have produced numerous Ballon d'Or winners and put together World Cup winning teams that have gone down in folklore.

Here, Sports Mole compiles the greatest-ever XI containing players from either the Three Lions or the Selecao.


GK: Gordon Banks

Starting off between the sticks is one of the most revered goalkeepers in footballing history, England's 1966 World Cup winner Gordon Banks.

Voted as FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year on no fewer than six occasions, Banks was unfortunate to be in regular competition with Lev Yashin, as he would have collected even more personal accolades across a stellar career that also saw him pull off the 'Save of the Century' against Pele in 1970.

(Honourable mention: Claudio Taffarel)


RB: Carlos Alberto

One of the many illustrious members of Brazil's 1970 World Cup winning squad, Carlos Alberto was decades ahead of his time, showing incredible attacking pedigree despite his role as a defender.

Named in FIFA's Team of the 20th Century, 'Capita' remains forever ingrained in football history thanks to his goal in the 1970 final, often regarded as the best team goal of all time, which was finished off emphatically by the right-back.

(Honourable mentions: Cafu, Dani Alves)


CB: Bobby Moore

While all of England's 1966 heroes will be remembered for the rest of time, one man stands above all, as captain Bobby Moore is synonymous with that success, and the image of him lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy aloft at Wembley.

Like Carlos Alberto, Moore was named in FIFA's Team of the Century, a richly-deserved honour given to a man who was instrumental in providing England with their greatest-ever footballing moment, and only Gerd Muller stopped Moore from becoming the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or four years later, edging him out into second in 1970.


CB: John Terry

Brazil have never been renowned for producing world-class central defenders, given the focus on skill and flair many of their sides possessed in the the 20th century, so another England great partners Moore in this XI, John Terry.

Arguably the finest modern day defender from either nation, Terry won everything at club level with Chelsea, and despite falling short at the major tournaments with England, he was still named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup, alongside the great Fabio Cannavaro.

(Honourable mentions: Aldair, Rio Ferdinand)


LB: Roberto Carlos

Part of Real Madrid's Galacticos at club level and a World Cup winning squad for his country, it is safe to say not many left-backs enjoyed a career as illustrious as Roberto Carlos.

Victory at the 2002 World Cup, as well as two Copa America titles means that Roberto Carlos will always go down as a Brazilian legend, and his individual accolades are just as impressive, notably coming second in the Ballon d'Or voting of 2002, a feat almost unheard of for a full-back.

(Honourable mention: Nilton Santos)


RM: Garrincha

One of the players the Brazilian population can thank for their dominant international success in the middle part of the 20th century, two-time World Cup winner Garrincha can lay claim to being one of the greatest wide players in footballing history.

With a name that translates literally as 'Little Bird', Garrincha was instrumental in Brazil's 1962 World Cup success, taking over the mantle with Pele out injured, becoming the first player to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the same World Cup, and he would go on to be retrospectively awarded the Ballon d'Or that year too.

(Honourable mention: Jairzinho)


CM: Zico

One of the most technically gifted footballers of all time, Zico had it all in an attacking sense, being a clinical goalscorer from midfield, and having the ability to dictate play and score the most incredible aesthetically pleasing free kicks.

Sadly, the playmaker was never able to clinch a World Cup crown, being part of the 1982 Brazil squad often dubbed the greatest never to win football's most prized asset, as injury also affected the diminutive midfielder's career, but he will always be classed as an all-time great.


CM: Bobby Charlton

While Banks and Moore rightly get acclaim for the roles they played at the 1966 World Cup, it was Bobby Charlton who was awarded the Golden Ball and Ballon d'Or that year.

With over a century of his caps to his name, Charlton is universally adored due to his exploits for both England and Manchester United, a club where he is often regarded as their greatest-ever player.

(Honourable mentions: Socrates, Didi, Dunga, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Kaka)


LM: Rivaldo

In a close battle between Rivellino and Ronaldinho, Rivaldo takes the spot on the left-hand side of midfield, thanks largely to his performances at the 2002 World Cup, where he scored in Brazil's first five games, while also having a hand in the two goals which saw off Germany in the final.

Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari named Rivaldo as his Player of the Tournament for that World Cup, but it was 1999 when he enjoyed individual success, winning the Ballon d'Or after helping Brazil to a Copa America, and Barcelona to the La Liga title.

(Honourable mentions: Rivellino, Ronaldinho)


FW: Pele

A figure that transcends football and even sport itself, Pele remains the most well-known footballer of all time, and is still regarded as the greatest in some quarters, and for good reason.

A three-time winner, Pele scored in the final at both the 1958 and the 1970 World Cup, shared FIFA's Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona, and was retrospectively awarded seven Ballon d'Or trophies, in a career that saw him score more than 1,000 goals for club and country, and was Brazil's record goalscorer for over 50 years.


FW: Ronaldo

The natural successor to Pele's throne as one of Brazil's all-time great strikers was Ronaldo, who enjoyed varying levels of success with the Brazil national side, being unused in their 1994 World Cup success, winning the Golden Ball but falling ill on the day of the final in 1998, before returning to fire the Selecao to a fifth title in 2002.

'O Fenomeno' was unstoppable in 2002, scoring both goals in the final against Germany, putting the drama of 1998 behind him, as his performances in the Far East also earned Ronaldo a second Ballon d'Or, after his first in 1997.

(Honourable mentions: Romario, Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane)


All-time England-Brazil XI


Read more on England vs Brazil


body check tags ::

amp_article__539500 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2024-03-22 10:14:21:
html db last update - 2024-03-22 10:14:21 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Top 10 greatest World Cups of all time
Liverpool 'yet to make breakthrough' in contract talks with star player
Yoro is back! When could Man United centre-back make his debut?
Not time to Lee-ve: Could Carsley manage England again?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool1311112681834
2Arsenal1374226141225
3Chelsea1374226141225
4Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton136522217523
5Manchester CityMan City137242219323
6Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest136431613322
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1362528141420
8Brentford136252623320
9Manchester UnitedMan Utd135441713419
10Fulham135441818019
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle135441414019
12Aston Villa135441922-319
13Bournemouth135352019118
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham134361724-715
15Everton132561021-1111
16Leicester CityLeicester132471627-1110
17Crystal Palace131661118-79
18Wolverhampton WanderersWolves132382232-109
19Ipswich TownIpswich131661324-119
20Southampton1312101025-155
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

All-time PL combined XI: Man Utd vs. Arsenal

1

AP

A fab four: What club record could Arsenal set in Man United game?

NEW

2

AF

Preview: Lazio vs. Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

NEW

3

PL

Who is Europe's top league scorer in 2024?

4

WI

"They all want to play": Arteta hints at Arsenal injury boosts for Man United?

5

&A

PSG preparing 'bold' swap deal for Chelsea forward Nkunku

6

PP

Man City make decision over Luiz reunion ahead of January?

7

MC

Liverpool handed major boost as Newcastle star is an injury doubt

8

LH

Man United 'sent scouts' to watch in-demand £60m attacker

9

MU

Slot delivers Liverpool injury update, confirms Alisson return date

10

SD


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .