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FIFA 100

2004 list of greatest living footballers by Pelé

The FIFA 100 is a list compiled by Brazilian professional footballer Pelé featuring his choices of the "greatest living footballers" at the time of its release. The list was unveiled on 4 March 2004 during a gala ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London, England, as 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.

The figure 100 does not refer number of players nominated in the list, which is actually 125. Pelé was asked by FIFA to select 50 active players and 50 retired players from a shortlist of 300, but found it too difficult to limit himself and therefore picked 50 current and 75 former players. The list contains 123 men and two women (Michelle Akers and Mia Hamm).

The list was controversial. 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. He suggested the geographical spread of inclusions indicated the list came from then-FIFA president Sepp Blatter rather than Pelé himself. BBC columnist Tim Vickery expressed similar assertions.

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

Players

Image	Player	Nationality	Position	Status (in 2004)
[[File:Gabriel_batistuta.jpg	75px	alt=Gabriel Batistuta pictured in 2006]]	Gabriel Batistuta		Forward	Active
[[File:Hernán Crespo - 07FEB2007 - Francia - presidencia-govar.jpg	75px	Hernán Crespo pictured in 2007]]	Hernán Crespo		Forward	Active
[[File:Di Stefano 1959.jpg	75px	Alfredo Di Stéfano pictured in 1959]]	Alfredo Di Stéfano		Forward	Retired
[[File:Kempes Valencia CF.jpg	75px	Mario Kempes pictured in 1982]]	Mario Kempes		Forward	Retired
[[File:Argentina celebrando copa (cropped).jpg	75px	Diego Maradona pictured in 1986]]	Diego Maradona		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Passarella kicking.jpg	75px	Daniel Passarella pictured in 1979]]	Daniel Passarella		Defender	Retired
[[File:Javier Saviola 15abr2007.jpg	75px	Javier Saviola pictured in 2007]]	Javier Saviola		Forward	Active
[[File:Omar Sivori.jpg	75px	Omar Sívori pictured in 1954]]	Omar Sívori		Forward	Retired
[[File:JSVerón-Estudiantes1995.jpg	75px	Juan Sebastián Verón pictured in 1995]]	Juan Sebastián Verón		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Javier Adelmar Zanetti.jpg	75px	Javier Zanetti pictured in 2009]]	Javier Zanetti		Defender/Midfielder	Active
[[File:Jan Ceulemans.jpg	75px	Jan Ceulemans pictured in 1980]]	Jan Ceulemans		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Training Belgisch nationale voetbalelftal in Mechelen voor de wedstrijd woensdag, Bestanddeelnr 931-1533.jpg	75px	Jean-Marie Pfaff pictured in 1980]]	Jean-Marie Pfaff		Goalkeeper	Retired
[[File:Franky Van der Elst Lommel United.JPG	75px	Franky Van der Elst pictured in 2010]]	Franky Van der Elst		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Carlos alberto cosmos.jpg	75px	Carlos Alberto Torres pictured in 1978]]	Carlos Alberto		Defender	Retired
[[File:Cafu 2007.jpg	75px	Cafu pictured in 2007]]	Cafu		Defender	Active
[[File:Paulo Roberto Falcão, Roma 1983-84.jpg	75px	Paulo Roberto Falcão pictured in the 1983-84 season]]	Falcão		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Leovegildo lins da gama júnior.JPG	75px	Léo Júnior pictured in 1983]]	Júnior		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Pele con brasil (cropped).jpg	75px	Pelé pictured in 1970]]	Pelé		Forward	Retired
[[File:Rivaldo bunyodkor 2010.jpg	75px	Rivaldo pictured in 2010]]	Rivaldo		Midfielder/Forward	Active
[[File:Rivellino 1970.jpg	75px	Rivellino pictured in 1970]]	Rivellino		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Roberto Carlos 7221.jpg	75px	Roberto Carlos pictured in 2011]]	Roberto Carlos		Defender	Active
[[File:Training PSV voor de Europa Cup I wedstrijd tegen Real Madrid, voetballer Romari, Bestanddeelnr 934-4107 (cropped).jpg	75px	Romário pictured in 1989]]	Romário		Forward	Active
[[File:Ronaldinho by Vicario.JPG	75px	Ronaldinho pictured in 2010]]	Ronaldinho		Midfielder/Forward	Active
[[File:Ronaldo 2002 cropped.jpg	75px	Ronaldo pictured in 2002]]	Ronaldo		Forward	Active
[[File:Djalma santos panini card.jpg	75px	Djalma Santos pictured in 1970]]	Djalma Santos		Defender	Retired
[[File:Nilton Santos 1 (1956).tif	75px	Nílton Santos pictured in 1956]]	Nílton Santos		Defender	Retired
[[File:Socrates87660.jpg	75px	Sócrates pictured in 2005]]	Sócrates		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Zico 2012 3.jpg	75px	Zico pictured in 2012]]	Zico		Midfielder/Forward	Retired
[[File:Stoichkov in 2016.jpg	75px	Hristo Stoichov pictured in 2016]]	Hristo Stoichkov		Forward	Retired
[[File:Milla2008cropped.jpg	75px	Roger Milla pictured in 2008]]	Roger Milla		Forward	Retired
[[File:Elias figueroa inter.jpg	75px	Elías Figueroa pictured in 1974]]	Elías Figueroa		Defender	Retired
[[File:ZamoranoFCSG_cropped.JPG	75px	Iván Zamorano pictured in 2008]]	Iván Zamorano		Forward	Retired
[[File:Valderrama2010 (cropped).JPG	75px	Carlos Valderrama pictured in 2010]]	Carlos Valderrama		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Football_against_poverty_2014_-_Davor_Šuker_(cropped).jpg	75px	Davor Šuker pictured in 2014]]	Davor Šuker		Forward	Retired
[[File:Josef Masopust official photo.jpg	75px	Masopust pictured in 1962]]	Josef Masopust		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Pavel Nedvěd.jpg	75px	Pavel Nedvěd pictured in 2006]]	Pavel Nedvěd		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Brian-Laudrup-Darren-Laver-Lars-Hogh (cropped).jpg	75px	Brian Laudrup pictured in 2013]]	Brian Laudrup		Forward/Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Michael Laudrup 2016c (cropped).jpg	75px	Michael Laudrup pictured in 2016]]	Michael Laudrup		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Peter Schmeichel 2012-01-25 001.jpg	75px	Peter Schmeichel pictured in 2012]]	Peter Schmeichel		Goalkeeper	Retired
[[File:Gordon Banks en 1970.jpg	75px	Gordon Banks pictured in 1970]]	Gordon Banks		Goalkeeper	Retired
[[File:David Beckham 2010 LA Galaxy.jpg	75px	David Beckham pictured in 2010]]	David Beckham		Midfielder	Active
[[File:LondonHouseAmsterdam1966 Bobby Charlton.jpg	75px	Bobby Charlton pictured in 2012]]	Bobby Charlton		Midfielder/Forward	Retired
[[File:Kevin keegan panini card (cropped).jpg	75px	Kevin Keegan pictured c. 1980]]	Kevin Keegan		Forward	Retired
[[File:Gary Lineker (cropped).jpg	75px	Gary Lineker pictured in 2010]]	Gary Lineker		Forward	Retired
[[File:Michael Owen.jpg	75px	Michael Owen pictured in 2014]]	Michael Owen		Forward	Active
[[File:Alan Shearer 2008.jpg	75px	Alan Shearer pictured in 2008]]	Alan Shearer		Forward	Active
[[File:Eric Cantona Cannes 2009.jpg	75px	Eric Cantona pictured in 2009]]	Eric Cantona		Forward	Retired
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet - Marcel Desailly - 240422 192752-3 (cropped).jpg	frameless	99x99px]]	Marcel Desailly		Defender	Active
[[File:Didier Deschamps.jpg	75px	Deschamps in August 2000]]	Didier Deschamps		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:23.05.66_Just_Fontaine_dans_son_magasin_(1966)_-_53Fi634_(Cropped).jpg	75px	Fontaine in 1966]]	Just Fontaine		Forward	Retired
[[File:Thierry_Henry_2007.jpg	75px	Henry in 2007]]	Thierry Henry		Forward	Active
[[File:Raymond Kopa 1963b.jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Raymond Kopa		Forward	Retired
[[File:PapinJP1997 (cropped).jpg	frameless	121x121px]]	Jean-Pierre Papin		Forward	Retired
[[File:Robert Pires 2011.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Robert Pires		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Michel_Platini_en_1978,_%27Argentina_78%27,_Panini_figurina_n°90.jpg	frameless	102x102px]]	Michel Platini		Forward	Retired
[[File:Lilian Thuram - Février 2013.jpg	frameless	88x88px]]	Lilian Thuram		Defender	Active
[[File:Marius Trésor en 1974.jpg	frameless	95x95px]]	Marius Trésor		Defender	Retired
[[File:David Trezeguet became Save the Dream Ambassador, 2017 (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	David Trezeguet		Forward	Active
[[File:Patrick Vieira NYCFC (cropped).JPG	frameless	105x105px]]	Patrick Vieira		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Zinedine Zidane by Tasnim 03.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Zinedine Zidane		Midfielder	Active
[[File:10. Tag der Legenden 2014 69.jpg	frameless	109x109px]]	Michael Ballack		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Franz Beckenbauer (1975).jpg	frameless	103x103px]]	Franz Beckenbauer		Defender	Retired
[[File:Paul Breitner 2011.jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Paul Breitner	{{Efn	name=WG}}	Midfielder/Defender
[[File:2022-07-30 Fußball, Männer, DFL-Supercup, RB Leipzig - FC Bayern München 1DX 3179 by Stepro.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Oliver Kahn		Goalkeeper	Active
[[File:Jürgen Klinsmann 14021113000678638425063004371092 64131.jpg	frameless	99x99px]]	Jürgen Klinsmann		Forward	Retired
[[File:6137Sepp Maier Torwart-Legende.JPG	frameless	110x110px]]	Sepp Maier	{{Efn	name=WG}}	Goalkeeper
[[File:2019 Lothar Matthäus.jpg	frameless	110x110px]]	Lothar Matthäus	{{Efn	name=WGG}}	Midfielder/Defender
[[File:Gerd Müller c1973 (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Gerd Müller	{{Efn	name=WG}}	Forward
[[File:2015-02-06 Rummenigge 0370 (cropped).JPG	frameless	100x100px]]	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	{{Efn	name=WG}}	Forward
[[File:Uwe Seeler NA.jpg	frameless	98x98px]]	Uwe Seeler	{{Efn	name=WG}}	Forward
[[File:Abedi Pele 2007.jpg	frameless	122x122px]]	Abedi Pele		Forward	Retired
[[File:Puskas (1971).tif	frameless	102x102px]]	Ferenc Puskás		Forward	Retired
[[File:Roberto Baggio cropped.jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Roberto Baggio		Forward/Midfielder	Active
[[File:Franco Baresi 2012.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Franco Baresi		Defender	Retired
[[File:Giuseppe Bergomi.jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Giuseppe Bergomi		Defender	Retired
[[File:Giampiero Boniperti - Juventus Football Club.jpg	frameless	107x107px]]	Giampiero Boniperti		Forward	Retired
[[File:Gianluigi Buffon (2014).jpg	frameless	98x98px]]	Gianluigi Buffon		Goalkeeper	Active
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Alessandro Del Piero - 240421 155220 (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Alessandro Del Piero		Forward	Active
[[File:1966–67 Inter Milan - Giacinto Facchetti.jpg	frameless	80x80px]]	Giacinto Facchetti		Defender	Retired
[[File:Paolo Maldini AC Milan Technical director 2018.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Paolo Maldini		Defender	Active
[[File:Alessandro Nesta as Miami FC Manager.jpg	frameless	111x111px]]	Alessandro Nesta		Defender	Active
[[File:Rivera.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Gianni Rivera		Defender	Retired
[[File:Paolo Rossi at the 1982 FIFA World Cup (cropped).jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Paolo Rossi		Forward	Retired
[[File:KL-2018 (4).jpg	frameless	122x122px]]	Francesco Totti		Forward/Midfielder	Active
[[File:Christian Vieri (cropped).jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Christian Vieri		Forward	Active
[[File:Dino Zoff - 1972 - Juventus FC (cropped).jpg	frameless	80x80px]]	Dino Zoff		Goalkeeper	Retired
[[File:Hidetoshi Nakata in Okinawa.jpg	75px	Hidetoshi Nakata pictured in 2012]]	Hidetoshi Nakata		Midfielder	Active
[[File:George Weah in 2019 (cropped).jpg	75px	George Weah pictured in 2019]]	George Weah		Forward	Retired
[[File:Hugo Sánchez 1988 (cropped).jpg	75px	Hugo Sanchez pictured in 1988]]	Hugo Sánchez		Forward	Retired
[[File:Marco van Basten (2) (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Marco van Basten		Forward	Retired
[[File:Dennis Bergkamp 2014 (cropped).jpg	frameless	95x95px]]	Dennis Bergkamp		Forward	Active
[[File:Johan Cruijff (1974).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Johan Cruyff		Forward	Retired
[[File:Edgar Davids (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Edgar Davids		Midfielder	Active
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Ruud Gullit - 240422 131911 (cropped).jpg	frameless	106x106px]]	Ruud Gullit		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Rene van de Kerkhof 1975c (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	René van de Kerkhof		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Willy van de Kerkhof 1975.jpg	frameless	84x84px]]	Willy van de Kerkhof		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Patrick Kluivert at Web Summit 2024 (cropped 2).jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Patrick Kluivert		Forward	Active
[[File:Johan Neeskens 1974.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Johan Neeskens		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Ruud van Nistelrooy 2017.jpg	frameless	97x97px]]	Ruud van Nistelrooy		Forward	Active
[[File:Rob Rensenbrink (1978).jpg	frameless	82x82px]]	Rob Rensenbrink		Forward	Retired
[[File:FrankRijkaard2.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Frank Rijkaard		Midfielder/Defender	Retired
[[File:Clarence Seedorf Introductory Press Conferences, 2 June 2025 - 40 (cropped).jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Clarence Seedorf		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Match legends 2017 CC (5).jpg	75px	Jay-Jay Okocha pictured in 2017]]	Jay-Jay Okocha		Midfielder	Active
[[File:George best 1976.jpg	75px	George Best pictured in 1976]]	George Best		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Romerito Barcelona.gif	75px]]	Romerito		Forward	Retired
[[File:Teófilo Cubillas 1978.jpg	frameless	105x105px]]	Teófilo Cubillas		Forward	Retired
[[File:Zbigniew Boniek 2015.jpg	frameless	110x110px]]	Zbigniew Boniek		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Eusebio en 1973.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Eusébio		Forward	Retired
[[File:Luis Figo 2023.jpg	frameless	117x117px]]	Luís Figo		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Rui Costa 2019.png	frameless	101x101px]]	Rui Costa		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Roy keane 2014.jpg	75px	Roy Keane pictured in 2014]]	Roy Keane		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Lansarea candidaturii Gabrielei Szabo pentru Camera Deputatilor, Voluntari - 04.05 (48) (14270956179) (cropped).jpg	75px	Gheorghe Hagi pictured in 2014]]	Gheorghe Hagi		Midfielder	Retired
[[File:Rinat Dasayev 2008.JPG	75px	Rinat Dasayev pictured in 2008]]	Rinat Dasayev		Goalkeeper	Retired
[[File:Kenny Dalglish 1980s (cropped).jpg	75px	Kenny Dalglish pictured in 1983 or 1984]]	Kenny Dalglish		Forward	Retired
[[File:El Hadji Diouf.jpg	75px	El Hadji Diouf pictured in 2011]]	El Hadji Diouf		Forward	Active
[[File:Hong Myung-Bo.jpg	75px	Hong Myung-bo pictured in 2013]]	Hong Myung-bo		Defender	Active
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet - Emilio Butragueño - 240422 191751-2 (cropped).jpg	75px	Emilio Butragueño pictured in 2024]]	Emilio Butragueño		Forward	Retired
[[File:Luis Enrique 2014.jpg	75px	Luis Enrique pictured in 2014]]	Luis Enrique		Midfielder/Forward	Active
[[File:Raul Gonzalez Blanco Schalke.jpg	75px	Raúl pictured in 2011]]	Raúl		Forward	Active
[[File:Rustu Recber 2010.jpg	75px	Rüştü Reçber pictured in 2010]]	Rüştü Reçber		Goalkeeper	Active
[[File:Emre Belözoğlu'14.JPG	75px	Emre Belözoğlu pictured in 2014]]	Emre Belözoğlu		Midfielder	Active
[[File:Andriy Shevchenko - 2004 - AC Milan (2).jpg	75px	Andriy Shevchenko pictured in 2004]]	Andriy Shevchenko		Forward	Active
	Michelle Akers		Midfielder/Forward	Retired
[[File:MiaHamm Stl 1998.jpg	75px	Mia Hamm pictured in 1998]]	Mia Hamm		Forward	Active
[[File:Francescoli vs ferro.jpg	75px	Enzo Francescoli pictured in 1984]]	Enzo Francescoli		Midfielder	Retired

Statistics

Rank	Nationality	No.	1	2	4	5	7	8	12	16
Brazil	15
France	14
Italy
Netherlands	13
Argentina	10
Germany
England	7
Belgium	3
Denmark
Portugal
Spain
Chile	2
Czech Republic
Turkey
United States
Bulgaria	1
Cameroon
Colombia
Croatia
Ghana
Hungary
Japan
Liberia
Mexico
Nigeria
Northern Ireland
Paraguay
Peru
Poland
Republic of Ireland
Romania
Russia
Scotland
Senegal
South Korea
Ukraine
Uruguay

Position	No.	Goalkeeper	Defender	Midfielder	Forward
9
20
43
53

Decade	No.	1920s	1930s	1940s	1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s
5
7
15
22
35
37
4

Notes

References

(4 March 2004). "Fifa names greatest list".
(4 March 2004). "FIFA Names Top 100 players". [[Oceania Football Confederation]].
Davies, Christopher. (4 March 2004). "Pele open to ridicule over top hundred". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
Mellor, David. (5 March 2004). "Sing up for Ken, a true Blues man". Evening Standard Ltd..
Vickery, Tim. (8 March 2004). "Pele pays price for popularity". BBC.
Glanville, Brian. (7 July 2014). "Alfredo Di Stéfano obituary".
(19 February 2005). "Omar Sivori". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
"Davor Šuker (Player)".
Slavík, Jiří. (10 July 2003). "Josef Masopust – International Appearances". [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]].
(28 December 2018). "Rinat Dasaev 1988". [[IFFHS]].
(4 March 2004). "Pele's list of the greatest".
(4 March 2004). "The Fifa 100". [[The Guardian]].

Info: Wikipedia Source

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