Golden Ball Dream Team: see nominees in France Football election

France Football decided not to deliver the Golden Ball in 2020, arguing that the Covid-19 pandemic took away the equal conditions for athletes to compete for the trophy. However, another award was created by the magazine: the Golden Ball Dream Team.

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Unlike the FIFA Team of the Year, the French magazine wants to choose the best team in the history of football. Players from the past and the present will compete for votes to be part of this bold and select award.

The election will feature more than 170 experts from around the planet, who would normally vote for the Golden Ball. In the announcement of the new award, France Football stated that the list of titles should not weigh so much in the votes, but the “talent, brand and class” of the nominees. The winners will be revealed in December.

Each position will have a specific number of players indicated by France Football itself. Competitors for the goal and defensive line were announced on October 5, while names for the midfielder were released on October 12. Finally, on the 19th, the 30 strikers competing for three positions in the team were revealed.

No Brazilian goalkeeper or defender is among those selected in these positions. However, Brazil dominates on the sides. On the right side, Cafú, Carlos Alberto Torres and Djalma Santos appear on the list. On the left, even more Brazilians: Júnior, Marcelo, Nilton Santos and Roberto Carlos.

The same happens in the middle of the field. Pele, of course, tops the list, which also includes stars like Sócrates, Zico, Falcão, Gérson and Didi. In the attack, Garrincha and Jairzinho compete on the right side, Rivaldo, Rivelino and Ronaldinho on the left side and, as center forward, Romário and Ronaldo are among the selected.

Golden Ball Dream Team Nominees

Goalkeepers

Foto: Getty Images

• Gordon Banks (1955 – 1978)
• Gianluigi Bufon (1995 – present)
• Iker Casillas (1999 – 2019)
• Sepp Maier (1972-1979)
• Manuel Neuer (2005 – presente)
• Thomas Nkonko (1974 – 1997)
• Peter Schmeichel (1981 – 2003)
• Edwin van der Sar (1991 – 2011)
• Lev Yashin (1950 – 1970)
• Dino Zoff (1971 – 1983)

Right-backs

Foto: Getty Images

• Giuseppe Bergomi (1980 – 1999)
• Cafu (1989 – 2008)
• Carlos Alberto Torres (1963 – 1981)
• Djalma Santos (1948 – 1970)
• Claudio Gentile (1972 – 1988)
• Manfred Kaltz (1971 – 1990)
• Philipp Lahm (2002 – 2017)
• Wim Suurbier (1964 – 1982)
• Lilian Thuram (1991 – 2008)
• Berti Vogts (1965 – 1979)

Left-backs

Foto: Getty Images

• Andreas Brehme (1980-1998)
• Paul Breitner (1970-1983)
• Antonio Cabrini (1975 – 1991)
• Giancinto Facchetti (1961 – 1978)
• Junior (1974 – 1993)
• Ruud Krol (1968 – 1986)
• Paolo Maldini (1985 – 2009)
• Marcelo (2005 – present)
• Nilton Santos (1948 – 1964)
• Roberto Carlos (1991 – 2015)

Defenders

• Franco Baresi (1978 – 1997)
• Franz Beckenbauer (1964-1983)
• Fabio Cannavaro (1992 – 2011)
• Marcelo Desailly (1986 – 2005)
• Ronald Koeman (1980 – 1997)
• Bobby Moore (1958 – 1978)
• Daniel Passarella (1974 – 1989)
• Matthias Sammer (1985-1998)
• Gaetano Scirea (1972 – 1988)
• Sergio Ramos (2004 – present)

Flyers

Foto: Getty Images

• Jozsef Bozsik (1943 – 1962)
• Sergio Busquets (2007 – present)
• Didi (1946-1967)
• Falcon (1973 – 1986)
• Steven Gerrard (1998 – 2016)
• Gérson (1959 – 1974)
• Pep Guardiola (1988 – 2006)
• Josef Masopust (1950 – 1970)
• Lothar Matthaus (1979 – 2000)
• Johan Neeskens (1968 – 1991)
• Andrea Pirlo (1995 – 2017)
• Fernando Redondo (1985 – 2004)
• Frank Rijkaard (1980 – 1995)
• Bernd Schuster (1978-1997)
• Clarence Seedorf (1992 – 2014)
• Luis Suarez (1951 – 1973)
• Marco Tardelli (1972 – 1988)
• Jean Tigana (1975 – 1991)
• Xabi Alonso (2000 – 2017)
• Xavi (1997 – 2019)

Offensive socks

Foto: Getty/Goal composite

• Alessandro Mazzola (1961 – 1977)
• Pele (1957 – 1977)
• Michel Platini (1973 – 1987)
• Ferenc Puskas (1943 – 1966)
• Gianni Rivera (1959 – 1979)
• Juan Alberto Schiaffino (1945 – 1962)
• Socrates (1974 – 1989)
• Francesco Totti (1993 – 2017)
• Zico (1971 – 1994)
• Zinedine Zidane (1989 – 2006)
• Roberto Baggio (1983 – 2004)
• Bobby Charlton (1956 – 1976)
• Alfredo Di Stéfano (1945 – 1966)
• Enzo Francescoli (1980 – 1997)
• Ruud Gullit (1979 – 1998)
• Gheorghe Hagi (1982 – 2001)
• Andrés Iniesta (2002 – present)
• Raymond Kopa (1949 – 1968)
• László Kubala (1945 – 1967)
• Diego Maradona (1976 – 1997)

Alas right

Foto: Getty Images

• David Beckham (1992 – 2013)
• George Best (1963 – 1984)
• Samuel Eto’o (1997 – 2019)
• Luis Figo (1990 – 2009)
• Garrincha (1953 – 1972)
• Jairzinho (1962 – 1973)
• Kevin Keegan (1968 – 1984)
• Stanley Matthews (1932 – 1965)
• Lionel Messi (2003 – present)
• Arjen Robben (2000 – present)

Left wings

Photo: PAU BARRENA / AFP / Getty

• Oleg Blokhine (1969 – 1990)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (2002 – present)
• Dragan Dzajic (1962 – 1978)
• Ryan Giggs (1991 – 2014)
• Thierry Henry (1994 – 2014)
• Rivaldo (1989 – 2015)
• Roberto Rivelino (1965 – 1981)
• Ronaldinho (1998 – 2015)
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (1974-1989)
• Hristo Stoitchkov (1982 – 2003)

Forward

Foto: Getty Images

• Dennis Bergkamp (1986 – 2006)
• Johan Cruyff (1964 – 1984)
• Kenny Dalglish (1969 – 1990)
• Eusébio (1957 – 1978)
• Sándor Kocsis (1946 – 1966)
• Gerd Müller (1963-1982)
• Romario (1985 – 2009)
• Ronaldo (1993 – 2011)
• Marco van Basten (1981 – 1995)
• George Weah (1987 – 2001)