FIFA 100

The FIFA 100 is a list of Brazilian footballer Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, England, the list was 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.

Pelé in 2008

The figure 100 refers to the 100th anniversary of FIFA and not the number of players listed, which is actually 125. Pelé was asked to select 50 active players and 50 retired players, from a shortlist of 300, but found it too difficult to limit the number of retired players to 50.[1] The list contains 123 men and two women (Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm). At the time the FIFA 100 was unveiled, 50 of the players were still active, with the remaining 75 retired from the game.

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.[2] He argued that a true selection would have been biased towards Europe and South America and suggested the geographical spread of inclusions indicated the list came from, then-FIFA president, Sepp Blatter. BBC columnist Tim Vickery expressed similar assertions.[3]

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.[4] Marco van Basten and Uwe Seeler refused to take part in the project on a point of principle.[5]

List

Following is the list of the "FIFA 100" greatest living footballers as nominated by Pelé in March 2004.[6][7][8][9]

Nationality Player Position Status Born Died
 ArgentinaGabriel Batistuta Forward Active 1969 n/a
 ArgentinaHernán Crespo Forward Active 1975 n/a
 ArgentinaAlfredo Di Stéfano Forward Retired 1926 2014
 ArgentinaMario Kempes Forward Retired 1954 n/a
 ArgentinaDiego Maradona Midfielder Retired 1960 2020
 ArgentinaDaniel Passarella Defender Retired 1953 n/a
 ArgentinaJavier Saviola Forward Active 1981 n/a
 ArgentinaOmar Sívori Forward Retired 1935 2005
 ArgentinaJuan Sebastián Verón Midfielder Active 1975 n/a
 ArgentinaJavier Zanetti Defender/Midfielder Active 1973 n/a
 BelgiumJan Ceulemans Midfielder Retired 1957 n/a
 BelgiumJean-Marie Pfaff Goalkeeper Retired 1953 n/a
 BelgiumFranky Van der Elst Midfielder Retired 1961 n/a
 BrazilCarlos Alberto Defender Retired 1944 2016
 BrazilCafu Defender Active 1970 n/a
 BrazilFalcão Midfielder Retired 1953 n/a
 BrazilPelé Forward Retired 1940 2022
 BrazilJúnior Midfielder Retired 1954 n/a
 BrazilRivaldo Midfielder Active 1972 n/a
 BrazilRivelino Midfielder Retired 1946 n/a
 BrazilRoberto Carlos Defender Active 1973 n/a
 BrazilRomário Forward Active 1966 n/a
 BrazilRonaldinho Midfielder/Forward Active 1980 n/a
 BrazilRonaldo Forward Active 1976 n/a
 BrazilDjalma Santos Defender Retired 1929 2013
 BrazilNílton Santos Defender Retired 1925 2013
 BrazilSócrates Midfielder Retired 1954 2011
 BrazilZico Midfielder/Forward Retired 1953 n/a
 BulgariaHristo Stoichkov Forward Retired 1966 n/a
 CameroonRoger Milla Forward Retired 1952 n/a
 ChileElías Figueroa Defender Retired 1946 n/a
 ChileIván Zamorano Forward Retired 1967 n/a
 ColombiaCarlos Valderrama Midfielder Retired 1961 n/a
 CroatiaDavor Šuker Forward Retired 1968 n/a
 Czech RepublicJosef Masopust Midfielder Retired 1931 2015
 Czech RepublicPavel Nedvěd Midfielder Active 1972 n/a
 DenmarkBrian Laudrup Forward Retired 1969 n/a
 DenmarkMichael Laudrup Midfielder Retired 1964 n/a
 DenmarkPeter Schmeichel Goalkeeper Retired 1963 n/a
 EnglandGordon Banks Goalkeeper Retired 1937 2019
 EnglandDavid Beckham Midfielder Active 1975 n/a
 EnglandBobby Charlton Midfielder Retired 1937 n/a
 EnglandKevin Keegan Forward Retired 1951 n/a
 EnglandGary Lineker Forward Retired 1960 n/a
 EnglandMichael Owen Forward Active 1979 n/a
 EnglandAlan Shearer Forward Active 1970 n/a
 FranceEric Cantona Forward Retired 1966 n/a
 FranceMarcel Desailly Defender Active 1968 n/a
 FranceDidier Deschamps Midfielder Retired 1968 n/a
 FranceJust Fontaine Forward Retired 1933 2023
 FranceThierry Henry Forward Active 1977 n/a
 FranceRaymond Kopa Forward Retired 1931 2017
 FranceJean-Pierre Papin Forward Retired 1963 n/a
 FranceRobert Pires Midfielder Active 1973 n/a
 FranceMichel Platini Forward Retired 1955 n/a
 FranceLilian Thuram Defender Active 1972 n/a
 FranceMarius Trésor Defender Retired 1950 n/a
 FranceDavid Trezeguet Forward Active 1977 n/a
 FrancePatrick Vieira Midfielder Active 1976 n/a
 FranceZinedine Zidane Midfielder Active 1972 n/a
 GermanyMichael Ballack Midfielder Active 1976 n/a
 GermanyFranz Beckenbauer Defender Retired 1945 n/a
 GermanyPaul Breitner Midfielder/Defender Retired 1951 n/a
 GermanyOliver Kahn Goalkeeper Active 1969 n/a
 GermanyJürgen Klinsmann Forward Retired 1964 n/a
 GermanySepp Maier Goalkeeper Retired 1944 n/a
 GermanyLothar Matthäus Midfielder/Defender Retired 1961 n/a
 GermanyGerd Müller Forward Retired 1945 2021
 GermanyKarl-Heinz Rummenigge Forward Retired 1955 n/a
 GermanyUwe Seeler Forward Retired 1936 2022
 GhanaAbédi Pelé Forward Retired 1964 n/a
 HungaryFerenc Puskás Forward Retired 1927 2006
 ItalyRoberto Baggio Forward/Midfielder Active 1967 n/a
 ItalyFranco Baresi Defender Retired 1960 n/a
 ItalyGiuseppe Bergomi Defender Retired 1963 n/a
 ItalyGiampiero Boniperti Forward Retired 1928 2021
 ItalyGianluigi Buffon Goalkeeper Active 1978 n/a
 ItalyAlessandro Del Piero Forward Active 1974 n/a
 ItalyGiacinto Facchetti Defender Retired 1942 2006
 ItalyPaolo Maldini Defender Active 1968 n/a
 ItalyAlessandro Nesta Defender Active 1976 n/a
 ItalyGianni Rivera Defender Retired 1943 n/a
 ItalyPaolo Rossi Forward Retired 1956 2020
 ItalyFrancesco Totti Forward/Midfielder Active 1976 n/a
 ItalyChristian Vieri Forward Active 1973 n/a
 ItalyDino Zoff Goalkeeper Retired 1942 n/a
 JapanHidetoshi Nakata Midfielder Active 1977 n/a
 LiberiaGeorge Weah Forward Retired 1966 n/a
 MexicoHugo Sánchez Forward Retired 1958 n/a
 NetherlandsMarco van Basten Forward Retired 1964 n/a
 NetherlandsDennis Bergkamp Forward Active 1969 n/a
 NetherlandsJohan Cruyff Forward Retired 1947 2016
 NetherlandsEdgar Davids Midfielder Active 1973 n/a
 NetherlandsRuud Gullit Midfielder Retired 1962 n/a
 NetherlandsRené van de Kerkhof Midfielder Retired 1951 n/a
 NetherlandsWilly van de Kerkhof Midfielder Retired 1951 n/a
 NetherlandsPatrick Kluivert Forward Active 1976 n/a
 NetherlandsJohan Neeskens Midfielder Retired 1951 n/a
 NetherlandsRuud van Nistelrooy Forward Active 1976 n/a
 NetherlandsRob Rensenbrink Forward Retired 1947 2020
 NetherlandsFrank Rijkaard Midfielder/Defender Retired 1962 n/a
 NetherlandsClarence Seedorf Midfielder Active 1976 n/a
 NigeriaJay-Jay Okocha Midfielder Active 1973 n/a
 Northern IrelandGeorge Best Midfielder Retired 1946 2005
 ParaguayRomerito Forward Retired 1960 n/a
 PeruTeófilo Cubillas Forward Retired 1949 n/a
 PolandZbigniew Boniek Midfielder Retired 1956 n/a
 PortugalEusébio Forward Retired 1942 2014
 PortugalLuís Figo Midfielder Active 1972 n/a
 PortugalRui Costa Midfielder Active 1972 n/a
 Republic of IrelandRoy Keane Midfielder Active 1971 n/a
 RomaniaGheorghe Hagi Midfielder Retired 1965 n/a
 RussiaRinat Dasayev Goalkeeper Retired 1957 n/a
 ScotlandKenny Dalglish Forward Retired 1951 n/a
 SenegalEl Hadji Diouf Forward Active 1981 n/a
 South KoreaHong Myung-bo Defender Active 1969 n/a
 SpainEmilio Butragueño Forward Retired 1963 n/a
 SpainLuis Enrique Midfielder Active 1970 n/a
 SpainRaúl Forward Active 1977 n/a
 TurkeyRüştü Reçber Goalkeeper Active 1973 n/a
 TurkeyEmre Belözoğlu Midfielder Active 1980 n/a
 UkraineAndriy Shevchenko Forward Active 1976 n/a
 United StatesMichelle Akers Midfielder/Forward Retired 1966 n/a
 United StatesMia Hamm Forward Active 1972 n/a
 UruguayEnzo Francescoli Forward/Midfielder Retired 1961 n/a

See also

References
  1. "Fifa names greatest list". BBC. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  2. Mellor, David (5 March 2004). "Sing up for Ken, a true Blues man". Evening Standard Ltd. p. 77.
  3. Vickery, Tim (8 March 2004). "Pele pays price for popularity". BBC. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  4. "Pele names his top 100 soccer players". Independent Online. Reuters. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. Davies, Christopher (4 March 2004). "Pele open to ridicule over top hundred". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 13 March 2007. Retrieved 10 February 2008.
  6. "FIFA Names Top 100 players" (Press release). Oceania Football Confederation. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. "Fifa names greatest list". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. "The Fifa 100". The Guardian. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.