Ballon d’Or Dream Team: See the nominees in France Football’s election

France Football decided not to hand over the Ballon d’Or in 2020, on the grounds that the Covid-19 pandemic took away the equal conditions of athletes to compete for the trophy. However, another award was created by the magazine: the Golden Ball Dream Team.

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Unlike FIFA’s Team of the Year, the French magazine wants to elect the best team in football history. Players of the past and present will compete for votes to be part of this daring and select award show.

The election will feature more than 170 experts from around the world, who would normally vote for the Ballon d’Or. In the announcement of the new awards, France Football said that the list of titles should not weigh so much on votes, but on the “talent, brand and class” of the nominees. The winners will be revealed in December.

Each position will have a certain number of players indicated by France Football itself. Competitors for goal and defensive line were announced on October 5th, while midfield names were announced on October 12th. Finally, on the 19th, the 30 forwards who compete for three positions on 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 is true in midfield. Pele, of course, tops the list, which also includes stars such as Sócrates, Zico, Falcão, Gérson and Didi. In attack, Garrincha and Jairzinho compete on the right side, Rivaldo, Rivelino and Ronaldinho on the left side and, as centre-forwards, Romário and Ronaldo are among the selected ones.

Ballon d’Or 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 – present)
• Thomas Nkonko (1974 – 1997)
• Peter Schmeichel (1981 – 2003)
• Edwin van der Sar (1991 – 2011)
• Lev Yashin (1950 – 1970)
• Dino Zoff (1971 – 1983)

right sides

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 sides

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)
• Gerson (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)
• Louis 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)
• Michael 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 Stefano (1945 – 1966)
• Enzo Francescoli (1980 – 1997)
• Ruud Gullit (1979 – 1998)
• Gheorghe Hagi (1982 – 2001)
• Andres Iniesta (2002 – present)
• Raymond Kopa (1949 – 1968)
• László Kubala (1945 – 1967)
• Diego Maradona (1976 – 1997)

right wings

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 wingers

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)

Center forwards

Foto: Getty Images

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