The Ballon d'Or Dream Team is an all-time all-star team published by France Football on 14 December 2020 after conducting an internet poll of fans to select a football dream team starting from October 2020.[1] [2] [3] The final team was selected by 140 France Football correspondents around the world.[4] [5] A second and a third team were also published.[6] [7]
The nominations were announced from 5 October 2020 through 19 October 2020. The winners were revealed on 14 December 2020 and lined up in a 3–4–3 formation.[8] Brazil was the country with the highest number of nominated players (20 athletes), ahead of Italy (16), Germany (13), Netherlands (12), Spain (8), England and France (7).
The nominations for the goalkeepers were announced on 5 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon Banks | 1955–1978 | Leicester City (356) | 7th in 1972 | ||
 | scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Gianluigi Buffon | 1995–2023 | Juventus (674) | 2nd in 2006 |
 | Iker Casillas | 1999–2019 | Real Madrid (725) | 4th in 2008 | |
| Sepp Maier | 1962–1979 | Bayern Munich (651) | 5th in 1975 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Manuel Neuer | 2005–present | Bayern Munich (403) | 3rd in 2014 | |
 | Thomas N'Kono | 1974–1997 | Espanyol (234) | Not eligible | |
| Peter Schmeichel | 1981–2003 | Manchester United (398) | 5th in 1992 | ||
| Edwin van der Sar | 1991–2011 | Ajax (312) | 24th in 2008 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: gold" | Lev Yashin | 1950–1970 | Dynamo Moscow (326) | Winner in 1963 | |
| Dino Zoff | 1961–1983 | Juventus (479) | 2nd in 1973 |
The nominations for the right-backs were announced on 5 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giuseppe Bergomi | Inter Milan (757) | – | ||
 | Cafu | 1989–2008 | São Paulo (255) | 15th in 2002 | |
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Carlos Alberto | 1963–1981 | Santos (445) | Not eligible |
| Djalma Santos | 1948–1970 | Palmeiras (498) | Not eligible | |
| Claudio Gentile | 1972–1988 | Juventus (417) | – | |
| Manfred Kaltz | 1971–1990 | Hamburger SV (724) | – | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Philipp Lahm | 2002–2017 | Bayern Munich (517) | 6th in 2014 | |
| Wim Suurbier | 1964–1982 | Ajax (279) | – | ||
 | Lilian Thuram | 1991–2008 | Parma (228) | 7th in 1998 | |
| Berti Vogts | 1965–1979 | Borussia Mönchengladbach (528) | 4th in 1975 |
The nominations for the centre-backs were announced on 5 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Franco Baresi | 1978–1997 | Milan (719) | 2nd in 1989 |
| Franz Beckenbauer | 1964–1983 | Bayern Munich (575) | Winner in 1972 and 1976 | ||
| Fabio Cannavaro | 1992–2011 | Parma (288) | Winner in 2006 | |
| Marcel Desailly | 1986–2005 | Chelsea (222) | 8th in 1996 | |
| Ronald Koeman | 1980–1997 | Barcelona (264) | 5th in 1988 | ||
| Bobby Moore | 1958–1978 | West Ham United (647) | 2nd in 1970 | ||
 | Daniel Passarella | 1974–1989 | River Plate (291) | Not eligible | |
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Sergio Ramos | 2004–present | Real Madrid (660) | 6th in 2017 |
| Matthias Sammer | 1985–1998 | Borussia Dortmund (153) | Winner in 1996 | ||
| Gaetano Scirea | 1972–1988 | Juventus (554) | 12th in 1982 |
The nominations for the left-backs were announced on 5 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andreas Brehme | 1980–1998 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern (237) | 3rd in 1990 | |||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Paul Breitner | 1970–1983 | Bayern Munich (347) | 2nd in 1981 | ||
| Antonio Cabrini | 1975–1991 | Juventus (442) | 13th in 1978 | ||
| Giacinto Facchetti | 1961–1978 | Inter Milan (639) | 2nd in 1965 | ||
| Júnior | 1974–1993 | Flamengo (417) | Not eligible | ||
| Ruud Krol | 1968–1986 | Ajax (457) | 3rd in 1979 | |||
| Paolo Maldini | 1985–2009 | Milan (902) | 3rd in 1994 and 2003 | ||
| Marcelo | 2005–present | Real Madrid (514) | 16th in 2017 | ||
| Nílton Santos | 1948–1964 | Botafogo (485) | Not eligible | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Roberto Carlos | 1991–2012 | Real Madrid (527) | 2nd in 2002 |
The nominations for the defensive midfielders were announced on 12 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | József Bozsik | 1943–1962 | Budapest Honvéd (447) | 6th in 1956 | |
| Sergio Busquets | 2007–present | Barcelona (591) | 20th in 2012 | |
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Didi | 1946–1967 | Fluminense (150) | Not eligible |
| Paulo Roberto Falcão | 1973–1986 | Internacional (157) | Not eligible | |
| Steven Gerrard | 1998–2016 | Liverpool (710) | 3rd in 2005 | ||
| Gérson | 1959–1974 | Botafogo (243) | Not eligible | |
| Pep Guardiola | 1988–2006 | Barcelona (382) | 24th in 1994 | |
 | Josef Masopust | 1950–1970 | Dukla Prague (430) | Winner in 1962 | |
| Lothar Matthäus | 1979–2000 | Bayern Munchen (406) | Winner in 1990 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Johan Neeskens | 1968–1991 | Barcelona (181) | 5th in 1974 | |
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Andrea Pirlo | 1995–2017 | Milan (401) | 5th in 2007 |
| Fernando Redondo | 1985–2004 | Real Madrid (228) | 18th in 2000 | |
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Frank Rijkaard | 1980–1995 | Ajax (336) | 3rd in 1988 and 1989 | |
| Bernd Schuster | 1978–1997 | Barcelona (238) | 2nd in 1980 | ||
| Clarence Seedorf | 1992–2014 | Milan (432) | 17th in 1997 | ||
| Luis Suárez | 1951–1973 | Inter Milan (333) | Winner in 1960 | |
| Marco Tardelli | 1972–1988 | Juventus (379) | 15th in 1982 | |
| Jean Tigana | 1975–1991 | Bordeaux (371) | 2nd in 1984 | |
| Xabi Alonso | 2000–2017 | Real Madrid (236) | 10th in 2010 | |
| Xavi | 1997–2019 | Barcelona (767) | 3rd in 2009, 2010 and 2011 |
The nominations for the offensive midfielders were announced on 12 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberto Baggio | 1983–2004 | Juventus (200) | Winner in 1993 | ||
| Bobby Charlton | 1956–1976 | Manchester United (758) | Winner in 1966 | |||
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Alfredo Di Stéfano | 1945–1966 | Real Madrid (396) | Winner Super Ballon d'Or in 1989[9] Winner in 1957 and 1959 | |
| Enzo Francescoli | 1980–1997 | River Plate (233) | Not eligible | |||
| Ruud Gullit | 1979–1998 | Milan (171) | Winner in 1987 | |||
| Gheorghe Hagi | 1982–2001 |  Galatasaray (192) | 4th in 1994 | |||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Andrés Iniesta | 2002–present | Barcelona (674) | 2nd in 2010 | |
| Raymond Kopa | 1949–1968 | Reims (463) | Winner in 1958 | ||
| László Kubala | 1945–1967 | Barcelona (256) | 5th in 1957 | ||
| Diego Maradona | 1976–1997 | Napoli (259) | Winner of Ballon d'Or for services to football in 1995[10] Winner in 1986 and 1990[11] | ||
| Sandro Mazzola | 1961–1977 | Inter Milan (570) | 2nd in 1971 | ||
| Pelé | 1957–1977 | Santos (656) | Winner of Ballon d'Or for services to football in 2013Winner in 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1970 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Michel Platini | 1973–1987 | Juventus (224) | Winner in 1983, 1984 and 1985 | |
| Ferenc Puskás | 1943–1966 | Budapest Honvéd (358) | 2nd in 1960 | ||
| Gianni Rivera | 1959–1979 | Milan (658) | Winner in 1969 | ||
| Juan Alberto Schiaffino | 1945–1962 | Peñarol (227) | Not eligible | |||
| Sócrates | 1974–1989 | Corinthians (269) | Not eligible | ||
| Francesco Totti | 1993–2017 | Roma (786) | 5th in 2001 | ||
| Zico | 1971–1994 | Flamengo (505) | Not eligible | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Zinedine Zidane | 1989–2006 | Real Madrid (231) | Winner in 1998 |
The nominations for the right wingers were announced on 19 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| David Beckham | 1992–2013 | Manchester United (394) | 2nd in 1999 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | George Best | 1963–1984 | Manchester United (473) | Winner in 1968 | |
| Samuel Eto'o | 1997–2019 | Barcelona (199) | 5th in 2009 | |
| Luís Figo | 1990–2009 | Barcelona (249) | Winner in 2000 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Garrincha | 1953–1972 | Botafogo (325) | Winner in 1962 |
| Jairzinho | 1962–1983 | Botafogo (413) | Not eligible | |
| Kevin Keegan | 1968–1984 | Liverpool (321) | Winner in 1978 and 1979 | ||
| Stanley Matthews | 1932–1965 | Blackpool (428) | Winner in 1956 | ||
| Lionel Messi | 2003–present | Barcelona (778) | Winner in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023 | |
| Arjen Robben | 2000–2021 | Bayern Munich (309) | 4th in 2014 |
The nominations for the center-forward were announced on 19 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dennis Bergkamp | Arsenal (423) | 2nd in 1993 | |||
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Johan Cruyff | 1964–1984 | Ajax (367) | Winner in 1971, 1973 and 1974 | |
| Kenny Dalglish | 1969–1990 | Liverpool (502) | 2nd in 1983 | ||
| Eusébio | 1957–1978 | Benfica (440) | Winner in 1965 | ||
| Sándor Kocsis | 1946–1966 | Barcelona (265) | 8th in 1956 | |
| Gerd Müller | 1963–1982 | Bayern Munich (612) | Winner in 1970 | ||
| Romário | 1985–2009 | Vasco da Gama (350) | Winner in 1994 | |
| Ronaldo | 1993–2011 | Real Madrid (177) | Winner in 1997 and 2002 | |
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Marco van Basten | 1981–1995 | Milan (201) | Winner in 1988, 1989 and 1992 | |
 | George Weah | 1987–2001 | Milan (147) | Winner in 1995 |
The nominations for the left wingers were announced on 19 October 2020.[1] [8]
| Nationality | Player | Years | Club with most appearances | Best result at Ballon d'Or | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oleg Blokhin | 1969–1990 | Dynamo Kyiv (585) | Winner in 1975 | ||
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 2002–present | Real Madrid (438) | Winner in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 | ||
| Dragan Džajić | 1962–1978 | Red Star Belgrade (615) | 3rd in 1968 | ||
| Ryan Giggs | 1991–2014 | Manchester United (963) | 9th in 1993 | ||
| scope=col style="background-color: #cc9966" | Thierry Henry | 1994–2014 | Arsenal (377) | 2nd in 2003 |
| Rivaldo | 1989–2015 | Barcelona (235) | Winner in 1999 | |
| Rivellino | 1965–1981 | Corinthians (474) | Not eligible | |
| scope=col style="background-color: silver" | Ronaldinho | 1998–2015 | Barcelona (207) | Winner in 2005 |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 1974–1989 | Bayern Munich (422) | Winner in 1980 and 1981 | ||
| Hristo Stoichkov | 1982–2003 | Barcelona (267) | Winner in 1994 |