So to continue our discussion of best soccer / football / futbol players ever or best lineup possible, we’re making one with only currently active players.

Here is our list of the current most dangerous lineup one could compile (assuming money had no bearing on anything).
Think you can compile a better list? post the position and the person in the comments.

• Casillas Goalie
• Puyol Center back
• John Terry center back
• Sergio Ramos center back
• Xavi center mid
• Andres Iniesta center mid
• Messi Right wing
• Kaka CAM
• Franck Ribery Left wing
• Cristiano Ronaldo Forward
• Eto’o Forward

	Samuel Eto’o	Forward	Cameroon
	Why: Just won La Liga, copa del rey and champions as well as scoring 30 goal in a season. His speed and ability to finish make him one of the most dangerous players in the world.

	Cristiano Ronaldo	Forward	Portugal
	Why: 08 fifa player of the year Ballon d’Or: 2008, just became the most expensive player in history and at 24 years old the sky is the limit. His speed and attacking ability make him one of the worlds most dangerous players

	Franck Ribéry	Left Wing	France
	Why: French Player of the Year: 2007, 2008 German Footballer of the Year: 2008. lead Bayern Munich to 08 league title with his speed and ball control make him the worlds best left winger.

	Kaká	Center Attacking Mid	Brazil
	Why: 07 fifa player of the year the creating master mind behind Brazilian national team and one of the best playmakers in the world.

	Lionel Messi	Right Wing	Argentina
	Why: UEFA Champions League Top Scorer: 2008-2009. He will with out question win the 09 fifa player of the year award. scored 38 goals and 18 assist in 09 season and is with out question the worlds best player at the moment.

	Andres Iniesta	Center Mid	Spain
	Why: With out question the playmaking master mind behind Barcas triple crown, as well as the Spanish national team. His ability to play anywhere in mid field as well as his vision make him one of the worlds best center midfielders.

	Xavi	Center Mid	Spain
	Why: Was 5th in Ballon d’OR rankings and the second part of the Barca midfield that won the triple crown. His ability to play on both ends of the pitch make him one of the most well rounded mids in the world.

	Sergio Ramos	Center Back	Spain
	Why: FIFA.com Team of the Year: 2008, UEFA Team of the Year: 2008. a staple in the real madrid D his speed and crossing ability make him very dangerous attacking from the back. his tackling ability also make him one of the best defendors in the world.

	John Terry	Center Back	England
	Why: UEFA Club Football Awards Best Defender: 2005, 2008 english national team captain and only defendor on the list for FIFA player of the year

	Carles Puyol	Center Back	Spain
	Why: Barcelona team captain just lead his team to la liga title, copa del rey title and champions league all in the same year(first time in history). As well as spains euro08 title

	Iker Casillas	Goalie	Spain
	Why: Only goalie among finalist for FIFA 08 player of the year award where he ended 4th, first ever goalie to captain a national team to a Euro championship win. The world best one v one goalie and named 3rd best goalie of all time by IFFHS

Continuing our list of top players/ultimate fantasy soccer teams. @Bacariza and I compiled this list of the top team from the last 20 years. This list is sure to spark some controversy, but hey, that’s why its up here.

If you’re wondering why this is a spanish heavy team, well @Bacariza is from spain, and I’m American, and none of my countrymen made it on the list…

• Buffon    golie
• Roberto Carlos    left back
• Nesta    center back
• hierro    center back
• maldini    right back
• zidane    left mid
• Figo    right mid
• Ruud Gullit    def mid
• Rivaldo    Attacking mid
• Raul    forward
• hugo sanchez    forward

Feel free to list your lineup in the comments.

	Hugo Sanchez	Forward	Mexico
	Why: 5 Pichichis (1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990 2nd leading score in la liga history. scored single season goal record for la liga 38goals.

	Raul (Raul Gonzalez)	Forward	Spain
	Why: Real Madrid all time leading scorer. Champions league & UEFA all time leading scorer, all time leading scorer for Spanish national team

	Rivaldo	Attacking Midfielder	Brazil
	Why: FIFA World Player of the Year: 1999 European Footballer of the Year: 1999 World Soccer Player of the Year: 1999. 2002 World Cup

	Zinedine Zidane	Left Mid	France
	Why: FIFA World Player of the Year – 1998, 2000, 2003. World cup title in 1998 & UEFA Euro 2000

	Ruud Gullit	Defensive Midfielder	Netherlands
	Why: European Footballer of the Year in 1987 and World Soccer Player of the Year in 1987 and 1989

	Luis Figo	Right Midfielder	Portugal
	Why: 2000 European Footballer of the Year, the 2001 FIFA World Player of the Year,

	Fernando Hierro	Center Back	Spain
	Why: UEFA Best Defender: 1997-98 second most caps for on-field player for spain 3rd all time leading scorer for spain

	Alessandro Nesta	Center Back	Italy
	Why: four-time member of the annual UEFA Team of the Year. Serie A Defender of the Year: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. World Cup 2006

	Paolo Maldini	Right Back	Italy
	Why: 25 years at AC Milan 126 caps 8 years as captain. Played 647 Games for Milan.

	Roberto Carlos	Left Back	Brazil
	Why: UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003. Three UEFA Champions League trophies . 2002 World Cup Champ.

	Gianluigi Buffon	Goalie	Italy
	Why: Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year: 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008. European Footballer of the Year (Silver Ball): 2006. World Cup 2006

Think you can make a better list? Let’s see it.

So @Bacariza and I have many times discussed who the greatest players of all time are, but each time it ends up being a bunch of forwards or offensive players, no love is given to the rest of the team. With that in mind, we compiled our list of the ultimate fantasy TEAM that we think would destroy any other team.  Country affiliations didn’t matter, personal attitudes of the players were ignored, just sheer skill and on field talent.

This list took a while to compile, so we ended up making 3 lineups: all time (last 100 years basically), last 20 years, and current active players.

The first is the all time list.

• Alfredo di Stéfano            Forward
• Ferenc Puskás             Forward
• Pele            Forward
• Zinedine Zidane            Right wing
• Lothar Matthäus            Defensive Midfielder
• Johan Cruyff            Left wing
• Franco Baresi            Center back
• Franz Beckenbauer            Center back
• Paolo Maldini            rightback
• Roberto Carlos            Left back
• Lev Yashin            Goalie

You might be wondering why we picked these players, so here is a player by player breakdown.

	Alfredo Di Stefano	Forward	Argentina
	Why: Scored 377 goals in 521 games and won 5 champions league titles in a row.

	Ferenc Puskás	Forward	Hungary
	Why: Scored 509 goals in 523 games. World Soccer Player and European Player of the Year: 1953

	Pelé	Forward	Brazil
	Why: Scored 643 goals 656 official games. FIFA Player of the Century : 2000. 3 World cup titles.

	Zinedine Zidane	Right Wing	France
	Why: FIFA World Player of the Year – 1998, 2000, 2003. World cup title in 1998 & UEFA Euro 2000

	Lothar Matthäus	Defensive Midfielder	Germany
	Why: FIFA World Player of the Year: 1991. 595 career games played in 5 world cups. 1990 World Cup Champion

	Johan Cruyff	Left Wing	Netherlands
	Why: European Footballer of the Year: 1971, 1973, 1974 voted European Player of the Century

	Franco Baresi	Center Back	Italy
	Why: Played 532 games with AC Milan. Named Italian League Player of the Year. Named in FIFA 100. 1982 World Cup.

	Franz Beckenbauer	Center Back	Germany
	Why: Twice selected the European Footballer of the Year, voted second place in the European player of the Century. 1974 World Cup champ.

	Paolo Maldini	Right Back	Italy
	Why: 25 years at AC Milan 126 caps 8 years as captain. Played 647 Games for Milan.

	Roberto Carlos	Left Back	Brazil
	Why: UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2003. Three UEFA Champions League trophies . 2002 World Cup Champ.

	Lev Yashin	Goalie	Russia
	Why: He was voted the best goalkeeper of the 20th century by the IFFHS 480 career clean sheets. Only goalkeeper ever to win the European Footballer of the Year Award (1963)

Who do you think we missed? Who do you think should have been on here instead? Feel free to suggest someone but make sure you tell us what position they would be slotted into/who they would replace. Later this week we’ll publish the current/active player fantasy team, and the last 20 years team.

See @enzobalc‘s response here