FIFA World Cup Dream Team

The FIFA World Cup Dream Team is an all-time FIFA World Cup all-star team published by FIFA in 2002 after conducting an internet poll of fans to select a World Cup dream team. It was announced on 18 June 2002 during the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Background

After publishing the World Team of the 20th Century including the contintental selections just before the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, FIFA decided to release an XI about the best players featured in a World Cup from 1930 until 2002. It was the second time that FIFA organized an Internet poll after the FIFA Player of the Century poll in 2000. The result of the XI would be announced during the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan.

Poll

More than one-and-a-half million fans worldwide voted in the poll, conducted by the official FIFA website, www.FIFAworldcup.com, with Diego Maradona of Argentina receiving 111,035 the most votes of every player. ^[1] Brazil's Pelé, who played for three World Cup-winning teams, won 107,539 votes, 1974 World Cup Champion with West Germany Franz Beckenbauer received 81,442 and Zinedine Zidane who scored twice for France in their 1998 triumph, came in fourth with 80,527. ^{[1] [2]} It was the second time in two years that Maradona would beat Pele in an internet worldwide poll. ^{[3] [4]}

Top 5 by votes

Rank	Player	Nationality	Votes
1	Diego Maradona	Argentina	111,035
2	Pelé	Brazil	107,539
3	Franz Beckenbauer	Germany	81,442
4	Zinedine Zidane	France	80,527
4	Paolo Maldini	Italy	58,523

FIFA Goal of the century
Diego Maradona's second goal against England in their 1986 quarter-final was also voted the FIFA goal of the century. ^[5]

Selection

It is an eleven-member side divided as one goalkeeper, three defenders, four midfielders, and three forwards (3–4–3 formation). The XI includes three defenders with left-back Paolo Maldini chosen as a right back.

3–4–3 formation

Player [1]	Career playing position	National side(s) Years represented	Votes
Lev Yashin	Goalkeeper	Soviet Union 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970	24,587
Paolo Maldini	Left-back and central defender	Italy 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002	58,523
Franz Beckenbauer	Central defender	West Germany 1966, 1970, 1974	81,442
Roberto Carlos	Left-back defender	Brazil 1998, 2002, 2006	58,200
Roberto Baggio	Second striker, or as an attacking midfielder	Italy 1990, 1994, 1998	55,625
Zinedine Zidane	Attacking midfielder	France 1998, 2002, 2006	80,527
Michel Platini	Advanced midfield playmaker	France 1978, 1982, 1986	53,783
Diego Maradona	Attacking midfielder or as a second striker	Argentina 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994	111,035
Romário	Striker	Brazil 1990, 1994	29,480
Johan Cruyff	Forward or attacking midfielder	Netherlands 1974	53,645
Pelé	Forward or attacking midfielder	Brazil 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970	107,539

See also

• FIFA 100
• FIFA World Cup awards
• World Team of the 20th Century

References

1. "FIFA DREAM TEAM: Maradona voted top player". Express India. 19 June 2002. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
2. Marcelo Leme de Arruda (24 July 2014). "World All-Time Teams". RSSSF . Retrieved 2 August 2017.
3. Maradona beats Pele and Beckenbauer in poll to decide the all-time greatest team (2002) - independent.co.uk
4. Pele 'freezing me out' of FIFA says Maradona -timesofmalta.com
5. Maradona lands in Tokyo - BBC