Close menu

England's 1,000 games: Your England all-time XI revealed

Last updated on .From the section Englandcomments1151

Your England all-time XI: Gordon Banks; Gary Neville, Bobby Moore, Rio Ferdinand, Ashley Cole; David Beckham, Bobby Charlton, Paul Gascoigne; Jimmy Greaves, Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker

Gordon Banks or Peter Shilton? Bobby Moore or Terry Butcher? Gary Lineker or Wayne Rooney?

England's men play their 1,000th match when they face Montenegro on 14 November, and to mark the occasion we asked you to pick your all-time Three Lions XI.

Over 147 years, 19 managers have selected 1,244 players, but through consultation with a collection of BBC Sport's finest football minds, we narrowed it down to 53 of the best from which you could choose.

We had over 126,000 submissions and you can see information about the team you selected below.

The results were discussed in a special programme on BBC Radio 5 Live on Wednesday.

You can still select your own XI for fun using the selector at the bottom of this page, but your choices will not count towards the final results.

GOALKEEPER

Gordan Banks

Gordon Banks Career span: (1963-72). Caps/goals: 73/0. Major tournaments (in squad) World Cups (WC) 66, 70. European Championships (EU) 68.

World Cup winner who kept 35 clean sheets for England and made 'that' save from Pele. Named Fifa goalkeeper of the year six years in a row from 1966 onwards.

Teams selected in: 61%

DEFENDERS

Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand, Bobby Moore, Ashley Cole

Gary Neville (1995-2007) 85/0. WC 98, 06. EU 96, 00, 04.

At home in a back three in his early career or more regularly at right-back, and was first choice for more than a decade. England's finest right-back? You clearly think so.

Teams selected in: 42%

Rio Ferdinand (1997-2011) 81/2. WC 98, 02, 06, 10

Was the youngest defender to play for England when he made his debut in 1997, one of only three players to be named in four World Cup squads but never played at a Euros - he sat out Euro 2004 after missing a drugs test.

Teams selected in: 41%

Bobby Moore (1962-73) 108/2. WC 62, 66, 70. EU 68

An icon. Was England's youngest captain at the age of 22 and went on to lead the team on 90 occasions - a record shared with Billy Wright. Lifted the World Cup at Wembley in 1966.

Teams selected in: 78%

Ashley Cole (2001-14). 107/0. WC 02, 06, 10. EU 04, 12

No outfield player has played more times for England without scoring - the left-back was truly world class for the majority of his time in the white shirt. Only Peter Shilton has played in more World Cup finals games for the Three Lions.

Teams selected in: 58%

MIDFIELDERS

David Beckham, Bobby Charlton, Paul Gascoigne

David Beckham (1996-2009). 115/17. WC 98, 02, 06. EU 00, 04.

Went from the ignominy of being sent off in France in 1998 to carrying England to the next World Cup virtually single-handed. Scored in three World Cups - the first Englishman to do so. Captain on 59 occasions which puts him fourth on the overall list.

Teams selected in: 50%

Bobby Charlton (1958-70). 106/49. WC 58, 62, 66, 70. EU 68.

One of three men to be picked in four World Cup squads and was England's record appearance holder and goalscorer when he retired after the 1970 World Cup. Made his England debut two months after surviving the Munich air disaster - won the Ballon d'Or in 1966.

Teams selected in: 61%

Paul Gascoigne (1988-98) 57/10. WC 90. EU 96.

The best player of his generation? 'Gazza' was a genuine superstar who captured a nation's hearts in 1990. Only played in two tournaments and lost a semi-final in a shootout to German opposition in both. Iconic player who scored one of England's finest ever goals against Scotland in 1996.

Teams selected in: 50%

FORWARDS

Jimmy Greaves, Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer

Jimmy Greaves (1959-67) 57/44. WC 62, 66

Scored on his debut at the age of 19 and barely stopped - firing six hat-tricks during his career. Injured during the 1966 World Cup and lost his place to Geoff Hurst for the final. Was England's top scorer when he stopped playing and is only behind Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton and Gary Lineker to this day.

Teams selected in: 40%

Gary Lineker (1984-92) 80/48. WC 86, 90. EU 88, 92

Golden Boot winner at the 1986 World Cup, where he scored a hat-trick against Poland, and scored four more in Italy four years later. His World Cup total of 10 goals is only bettered by seven players in history. Ended his career one goal shy of Bobby Charlton's record and is now third on the nation's all-time scoring list. The oldest player to score a hat-trick for England.

Teams selected in: 58%

Alan Shearer (1992-2000) 63/30. WC 98. EU 92, 96, 00

Scored on his debut alongside Gary Lineker and on his final appearance alongside Michael Owen. Captained England at his only World Cup and was top scorer at Euro 96.

Teams selected in: 47%

SUBSTITUTES

These are the players who narrowly missed out on your XI and the percentage of teams they were selected in...

Steven Gerrard (39%), Wayne Rooney (35%), Bryan Robson (28%), Stuart Pearce (28%), Peter Shilton (27%), Paul Scholes (27%), John Terry (24%), Tony Adams (24%), Stanley Matthews (20%).

All statsexternal-link correct as of 10 November 2019.

Pick England's all-time XI

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

1151 comments

  • Comment posted by U17985470, at 21:26 13 Nov 2019

    A flawed poll. Suffers from unconscious recency bias as 7 out of 11 of the choices are modern day. Not representative of 147 years worth of existence.

    Utterly pointless.

  • Comment posted by Dale Hanson, at 21:17 13 Nov 2019

    Bobby Charlton was once quoted as saying Duncan Edwards was the best player he ever played with and he played with Best and Law, two European footballers of the year, but there's no mention of Dunc here. I'm a United fan but there's no mention of Keegan either, a double European footballer of the year. I think it's fair to say David Beckham is fortunate to be even considered for this team.

  • Comment posted by pawcypig, at 21:22 13 Nov 2019

    Beckham wasn't the best English midfielder in his club team!

  • Comment posted by Grits n Gravy, at 21:08 13 Nov 2019

    Why is Gary Neville included? He was average at best and completely one footed.

  • Comment posted by TC117, at 21:17 13 Nov 2019

    Any side that claims to be the all-time XI and includes David Beckham has to be a joke.

  • Comment posted by cbeb, at 21:09 13 Nov 2019

    Banks only being seleted in 61% of teams proves that 39% of people commenting here know nothing about football.

  • Comment posted by Rainfordian, at 21:17 13 Nov 2019

    No Duncan Edwards? Actually amazed the selection hasn't started from 1992...

  • Comment posted by LyleBarnes, at 21:07 13 Nov 2019

    No Carlton Palmer?

  • Comment posted by Vox Populi, at 21:13 13 Nov 2019

    I would have gone for a different team. Younger fans here would not appreciate the greatness of Tom Finney and Stan Matthews. They were the closest we have had to a Cruyff, Best or Messi.

    My team: Banks, Armfield, A Cole, Moore, Billy Wright, Ball, B Robson, Finney, Charlton, Matthews, Greaves.

    Bryan Robson in midfield- unlike likes of Gerrard and Beckham he was better for country than club.

  • Comment posted by Andy P, at 21:06 13 Nov 2019

    Neville, are you for real! an insult to every player not selected.

  • Comment posted by the boring one , at 21:24 13 Nov 2019

    fashion icon and underwear model David Beckham is in the greatest England team ever, lol bbc Salford you've outdone yourself this time....

  • Comment posted by Neil, at 21:20 13 Nov 2019

    Beckham! Haha haha.

  • Comment posted by gastrocnemius, at 21:22 13 Nov 2019

    I am “only” 50 years old, but even I think you should start with the ‘66 squad, and then try to justify removing any of them....

  • Comment posted by Ceciliars, at 21:42 13 Nov 2019

    Beckham?.....hahahahaha. Really?

    That one selection alone makes a mockery of this whole exercise

  • Comment posted by chatsy, at 21:13 13 Nov 2019

    agree with 8 & 9, the selection of a bang-average player in Beckham over Scholes proves this exercise was a farce

  • Comment posted by D1679523946532, at 21:10 13 Nov 2019

    A very unbalanced side. Sums up the lack of knowledge from English football fans that they voted for that side.

  • Comment posted by mychess51, at 21:24 13 Nov 2019

    I went for Banks Adams Campbell Moore Wright Finney Charlton Mathews Lineker Lofthouse Bloomer.

    Its difficult to compare players across the generations.

    I would have included Duncan Edwards but wasn't on the list :(

  • Comment posted by charlieboy, at 22:22 13 Nov 2019

    For those 60% who did not vote for Greaves, look at his goal to game ratio. Plus he never played for England beyond 27. If he continued the goal scoring record would now be out of sight.

    I hope football celebrates his 80th birthday next Feb.

    Every striker since knows he is the guvnor.

    Look up his goals on YouTube.

  • Comment posted by philip, at 21:44 13 Nov 2019

    David Beckham over any player from the 1966 squad is surely a treasonable offence. Even Pickles, the dog did more for England.

  • Comment posted by U DO MY EDIN DZEKO, at 21:33 13 Nov 2019

    I reckon Gary Neville has multiple BBC user ids

Also in Sport

Elsewhere on the BBC