All-time rankings

Best Champions League XI of all time

This is the strongest possible eleven from the 152-player 17-0 legends pool: the highest-rated genuine specialist at each of the eleven positions, no player used out of role. Combined squad rating 92. Ratings blend attack, defence, technique and big-game mentality, weighted differently for each position.

Draft your own XI About the simulator

The XI, position by position

Goalkeeper
Iker Casillas
Real Madrid · 2000s
92
Right Back
Philipp Lahm
Bayern München · 2010s
87
Centre Back
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern München · 1970s
92
Centre Back
Paolo Maldini
AC Milan · 1990s
91
Left Back
Nilton Santos
Botafogo · 1960s
86
Defensive Mid
Matthias Sammer
Borussia Dortmund · 1990s
87
Central Mid
Luís Figo
Real Madrid · 2000s
90
Attacking Mid
Lionel Messi
Barcelona · 2010s
97
Right Wing
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid · 2010s
97
Striker
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Real Madrid · 1950s
95
Left Wing
Johan Cruyff
Ajax · 1970s
94

Top three at every position

Every role in the pool, ranked. Players who genuinely covered two roles appear in both.

Goalkeeper

1. Iker Casillas92
2. Gianluigi Buffon92
3. Manuel Neuer92

Right Back

1. Philipp Lahm87
2. Javier Zanetti86
3. Carles Puyol86

Centre Back

1. Franz Beckenbauer92
2. Paolo Maldini91
3. Franco Baresi89

Left Back

1. Paolo Maldini91
2. Philipp Lahm87
3. Nilton Santos86

Defensive Mid

1. Franz Beckenbauer92
2. Philipp Lahm87
3. Matthias Sammer87

Central Mid

1. Luís Figo90
2. Andrés Iniesta88
3. Luka Modrić88

Attacking Mid

1. Lionel Messi97
2. Alfredo Di Stéfano95
3. Ronaldinho93

Right Wing

1. Cristiano Ronaldo97
2. Lionel Messi97
3. Garrincha93

Striker

1. Cristiano Ronaldo97
2. Alfredo Di Stéfano95
3. Ronaldo Nazário94

Left Wing

1. Cristiano Ronaldo97
2. Johan Cruyff94
3. Ronaldinho93

Think you can build better?

The draft only offers four random candidates per position, so the perfect XI above is almost never available. That's the game.

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