FIFA 100

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2004 list of greatest living footballers by Pelé

title: "FIFA 100" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["fifa-100", "2004-in-association-football", "march-2004-in-sports", "lists-of-association-football-players", "fifa", "pelé", "association-football-player-non-biographical-articles"] description: "2004 list of greatest living footballers by Pelé" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 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

::data[format=table title="{{sronly|Players appearing in the FIFA 100 list}}"]

Image	Player	Nationality	Position	Status (in 2004)
[[File:Gabriel_batistuta.jpg	75px	alt=Gabriel Batistuta pictured in 2006]]	Gabriel Batistuta
[[File:Hernán Crespo - 07FEB2007 - Francia - presidencia-govar.jpg	75px	Hernán Crespo pictured in 2007]]	Hernán Crespo
[[File:Di Stefano 1959.jpg	75px	Alfredo Di Stéfano pictured in 1959]]	Alfredo Di Stéfano
[[File:Kempes Valencia CF.jpg	75px	Mario Kempes pictured in 1982]]	Mario Kempes
[[File:Argentina celebrando copa (cropped).jpg	75px	Diego Maradona pictured in 1986]]	Diego Maradona
[[File:Passarella kicking.jpg	75px	Daniel Passarella pictured in 1979]]	Daniel Passarella
[[File:Javier Saviola 15abr2007.jpg	75px	Javier Saviola pictured in 2007]]	Javier Saviola
[[File:Omar Sivori.jpg	75px	Omar Sívori pictured in 1954]]	Omar Sívori
[[File:JSVerón-Estudiantes1995.jpg	75px	Juan Sebastián Verón pictured in 1995]]	Juan Sebastián Verón
[[File:Javier Adelmar Zanetti.jpg	75px	Javier Zanetti pictured in 2009]]	Javier Zanetti
[[File:Jan Ceulemans.jpg	75px	Jan Ceulemans pictured in 1980]]	Jan Ceulemans
[[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
[[File:Franky Van der Elst Lommel United.JPG	75px	Franky Van der Elst pictured in 2010]]	Franky Van der Elst
[[File:Carlos alberto cosmos.jpg	75px	Carlos Alberto Torres pictured in 1978]]	Carlos Alberto
[[File:Cafu 2007.jpg	75px	Cafu pictured in 2007]]	Cafu
[[File:Paulo Roberto Falcão, Roma 1983-84.jpg	75px	Paulo Roberto Falcão pictured in the 1983-84 season]]	Falcão
[[File:Leovegildo lins da gama júnior.JPG	75px	Léo Júnior pictured in 1983]]	Júnior
[[File:Pele con brasil (cropped).jpg	75px	Pelé pictured in 1970]]	Pelé
[[File:Rivaldo bunyodkor 2010.jpg	75px	Rivaldo pictured in 2010]]	Rivaldo
[[File:Rivellino 1970.jpg	75px	Rivellino pictured in 1970]]	Rivellino
[[File:Roberto Carlos 7221.jpg	75px	Roberto Carlos pictured in 2011]]	Roberto Carlos
[[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
[[File:Ronaldinho by Vicario.JPG	75px	Ronaldinho pictured in 2010]]	Ronaldinho
[[File:Ronaldo 2002 cropped.jpg	75px	Ronaldo pictured in 2002]]	Ronaldo
[[File:Djalma santos panini card.jpg	75px	Djalma Santos pictured in 1970]]	Djalma Santos
[[File:Nilton Santos 1 (1956).tif	75px	Nílton Santos pictured in 1956]]	Nílton Santos
[[File:Socrates87660.jpg	75px	Sócrates pictured in 2005]]	Sócrates
[[File:Zico 2012 3.jpg	75px	Zico pictured in 2012]]	Zico
[[File:Stoichkov in 2016.jpg	75px	Hristo Stoichov pictured in 2016]]	Hristo Stoichkov
[[File:Milla2008cropped.jpg	75px	Roger Milla pictured in 2008]]	Roger Milla
[[File:Elias figueroa inter.jpg	75px	Elías Figueroa pictured in 1974]]	Elías Figueroa
[[File:ZamoranoFCSG_cropped.JPG	75px	Iván Zamorano pictured in 2008]]	Iván Zamorano
[[File:Valderrama2010 (cropped).JPG	75px	Carlos Valderrama pictured in 2010]]	Carlos Valderrama
[[File:Football_against_poverty_2014_-Davor_Šuker(cropped).jpg	75px	Davor Šuker pictured in 2014]]	Davor Šuker
[[File:Josef Masopust official photo.jpg	75px	Masopust pictured in 1962]]	Josef Masopust
[[File:Pavel Nedvěd.jpg	75px	Pavel Nedvěd pictured in 2006]]	Pavel Nedvěd
[[File:Brian-Laudrup-Darren-Laver-Lars-Hogh (cropped).jpg	75px	Brian Laudrup pictured in 2013]]	Brian Laudrup
[[File:Michael Laudrup 2016c (cropped).jpg	75px	Michael Laudrup pictured in 2016]]	Michael Laudrup
[[File:Peter Schmeichel 2012-01-25 001.jpg	75px	Peter Schmeichel pictured in 2012]]	Peter Schmeichel
[[File:Gordon Banks en 1970.jpg	75px	Gordon Banks pictured in 1970]]	Gordon Banks
[[File:David Beckham 2010 LA Galaxy.jpg	75px	David Beckham pictured in 2010]]	David Beckham
[[File:LondonHouseAmsterdam1966 Bobby Charlton.jpg	75px	Bobby Charlton pictured in 2012]]	Bobby Charlton
[[File:Kevin keegan panini card (cropped).jpg	75px	Kevin Keegan pictured c. 1980]]	Kevin Keegan
[[File:Gary Lineker (cropped).jpg	75px	Gary Lineker pictured in 2010]]	Gary Lineker
[[File:Michael Owen.jpg	75px	Michael Owen pictured in 2014]]	Michael Owen
[[File:Alan Shearer 2008.jpg	75px	Alan Shearer pictured in 2008]]	Alan Shearer
[[File:Eric Cantona Cannes 2009.jpg	75px	Eric Cantona pictured in 2009]]	Eric Cantona
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet - Marcel Desailly - 240422 192752-3 (cropped).jpg	frameless	99x99px]]	Marcel Desailly
[[File:Didier Deschamps.jpg	75px	Deschamps in August 2000]]	Didier Deschamps
[[File:23.05.66_Just_Fontaine_dans_son_magasin_(1966)_-53Fi634(Cropped).jpg	75px	Fontaine in 1966]]	Just Fontaine
[[File:Thierry_Henry_2007.jpg	75px	Henry in 2007]]	Thierry Henry
[[File:Raymond Kopa 1963b.jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Raymond Kopa
[[File:PapinJP1997 (cropped).jpg	frameless	121x121px]]	Jean-Pierre Papin
[[File:Robert Pires 2011.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Robert Pires
[[File:Michel_Platini_en_1978,_%27Argentina_78%27,_Panini_figurina_n°90.jpg	frameless	102x102px]]	Michel Platini
[[File:Lilian Thuram - Février 2013.jpg	frameless	88x88px]]	Lilian Thuram
[[File:Marius Trésor en 1974.jpg	frameless	95x95px]]	Marius Trésor
[[File:David Trezeguet became Save the Dream Ambassador, 2017 (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	David Trezeguet
[[File:Patrick Vieira NYCFC (cropped).JPG	frameless	105x105px]]	Patrick Vieira
[[File:Zinedine Zidane by Tasnim 03.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Zinedine Zidane
[[File:10. Tag der Legenden 2014 69.jpg	frameless	109x109px]]	Michael Ballack
[[File:Franz Beckenbauer (1975).jpg	frameless	103x103px]]	Franz Beckenbauer
[[File:Paul Breitner 2011.jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Paul Breitner	{{Efn
[[File:2022-07-30 Fußball, Männer, DFL-Supercup, RB Leipzig - FC Bayern München 1DX 3179 by Stepro.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Oliver Kahn
[[File:Jürgen Klinsmann 14021113000678638425063004371092 64131.jpg	frameless	99x99px]]	Jürgen Klinsmann
[[File:6137Sepp Maier Torwart-Legende.JPG	frameless	110x110px]]	Sepp Maier	{{Efn
[[File:2019 Lothar Matthäus.jpg	frameless	110x110px]]	Lothar Matthäus	{{Efn
[[File:Gerd Müller c1973 (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Gerd Müller	{{Efn
[[File:2015-02-06 Rummenigge 0370 (cropped).JPG	frameless	100x100px]]	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge	{{Efn
[[File:Uwe Seeler NA.jpg	frameless	98x98px]]	Uwe Seeler	{{Efn
[[File:Abedi Pele 2007.jpg	frameless	122x122px]]	Abedi Pele
[[File:Puskas (1971).tif	frameless	102x102px]]	Ferenc Puskás
[[File:Roberto Baggio cropped.jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Roberto Baggio
[[File:Franco Baresi 2012.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Franco Baresi
[[File:Giuseppe Bergomi.jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Giuseppe Bergomi
[[File:Giampiero Boniperti - Juventus Football Club.jpg	frameless	107x107px]]	Giampiero Boniperti
[[File:Gianluigi Buffon (2014).jpg	frameless	98x98px]]	Gianluigi Buffon
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Alessandro Del Piero - 240421 155220 (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Alessandro Del Piero
[[File:1966–67 Inter Milan - Giacinto Facchetti.jpg	frameless	80x80px]]	Giacinto Facchetti
[[File:Paolo Maldini AC Milan Technical director 2018.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Paolo Maldini
[[File:Alessandro Nesta as Miami FC Manager.jpg	frameless	111x111px]]	Alessandro Nesta
[[File:Rivera.jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Gianni Rivera
[[File:Paolo Rossi at the 1982 FIFA World Cup (cropped).jpg	frameless	104x104px]]	Paolo Rossi
[[File:KL-2018 (4).jpg	frameless	122x122px]]	Francesco Totti
[[File:Christian Vieri (cropped).jpg	frameless	108x108px]]	Christian Vieri
[[File:Dino Zoff - 1972 - Juventus FC (cropped).jpg	frameless	80x80px]]	Dino Zoff
[[File:Hidetoshi Nakata in Okinawa.jpg	75px	Hidetoshi Nakata pictured in 2012]]	Hidetoshi Nakata
[[File:George Weah in 2019 (cropped).jpg	75px	George Weah pictured in 2019]]	George Weah
[[File:Hugo Sánchez 1988 (cropped).jpg	75px	Hugo Sanchez pictured in 1988]]	Hugo Sánchez
[[File:Marco van Basten (2) (cropped).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Marco van Basten
[[File:Dennis Bergkamp 2014 (cropped).jpg	frameless	95x95px]]	Dennis Bergkamp
[[File:Johan Cruijff (1974).jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Johan Cruyff
[[File:Edgar Davids (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Edgar Davids
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Ruud Gullit - 240422 131911 (cropped).jpg	frameless	106x106px]]	Ruud Gullit
[[File:Rene van de Kerkhof 1975c (cropped).jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	René van de Kerkhof
[[File:Willy van de Kerkhof 1975.jpg	frameless	84x84px]]	Willy van de Kerkhof
[[File:Patrick Kluivert at Web Summit 2024 (cropped 2).jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Patrick Kluivert
[[File:Johan Neeskens 1974.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Johan Neeskens
[[File:Ruud van Nistelrooy 2017.jpg	frameless	97x97px]]	Ruud van Nistelrooy
[[File:Rob Rensenbrink (1978).jpg	frameless	82x82px]]	Rob Rensenbrink
[[File:FrankRijkaard2.jpg	frameless	75x75px]]	Frank Rijkaard
[[File:Clarence Seedorf Introductory Press Conferences, 2 June 2025 - 40 (cropped).jpg	frameless	101x101px]]	Clarence Seedorf
[[File:Match legends 2017 CC (5).jpg	75px	Jay-Jay Okocha pictured in 2017]]	Jay-Jay Okocha
[[File:George best 1976.jpg	75px	George Best pictured in 1976]]	George Best
[[File:Romerito Barcelona.gif	75px]]	Romerito		Forward
[[File:Teófilo Cubillas 1978.jpg	frameless	105x105px]]	Teófilo Cubillas
[[File:Zbigniew Boniek 2015.jpg	frameless	110x110px]]	Zbigniew Boniek
[[File:Eusebio en 1973.jpg	frameless	100x100px]]	Eusébio
[[File:Luis Figo 2023.jpg	frameless	117x117px]]	Luís Figo
[[File:Rui Costa 2019.png	frameless	101x101px]]	Rui Costa
[[File:Roy keane 2014.jpg	75px	Roy Keane pictured in 2014]]	Roy Keane
[[File:Lansarea candidaturii Gabrielei Szabo pentru Camera Deputatilor, Voluntari - 04.05 (48) (14270956179) (cropped).jpg	75px	Gheorghe Hagi pictured in 2014]]	Gheorghe Hagi
[[File:Rinat Dasayev 2008.JPG	75px	Rinat Dasayev pictured in 2008]]	Rinat Dasayev
[[File:Kenny Dalglish 1980s (cropped).jpg	75px	Kenny Dalglish pictured in 1983 or 1984]]	Kenny Dalglish
[[File:El Hadji Diouf.jpg	75px	El Hadji Diouf pictured in 2011]]	El Hadji Diouf
[[File:Hong Myung-Bo.jpg	75px	Hong Myung-bo pictured in 2013]]	Hong Myung-bo
[[File:25th Laureus World Sports Awards - Red Carpet - Emilio Butragueño - 240422 191751-2 (cropped).jpg	75px	Emilio Butragueño pictured in 2024]]	Emilio Butragueño
[[File:Luis Enrique 2014.jpg	75px	Luis Enrique pictured in 2014]]	Luis Enrique
[[File:Raul Gonzalez Blanco Schalke.jpg	75px	Raúl pictured in 2011]]	Raúl
[[File:Rustu Recber 2010.jpg	75px	Rüştü Reçber pictured in 2010]]	Rüştü Reçber
[[File:Emre Belözoğlu'14.JPG	75px	Emre Belözoğlu pictured in 2014]]	Emre Belözoğlu
[[File:Andriy Shevchenko - 2004 - AC Milan (2).jpg	75px	Andriy Shevchenko pictured in 2004]]	Andriy Shevchenko
	Michelle Akers		Midfielder/Forward	Retired
[[File:MiaHamm Stl 1998.jpg	75px	Mia Hamm pictured in 1998]]	Mia Hamm
[[File:Francescoli vs ferro.jpg	75px	Enzo Francescoli pictured in 1984]]	Enzo Francescoli
::

Statistics

::data[format=table title="Footballers by nationality{{cite news|date=4 March 2004|title=Pele's list of the greatest|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/3533891.stm|website=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=23 April 2024|archive-date=26 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626170617/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3533891.stm|url-status=live}}{{cite news|date=4 March 2004|title=The Fifa 100|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/mar/04/newsstory.sport15 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=25 July 2024|archive-date=27 January 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240127115015/https://www.theguardian.com/football/2004/mar/04/newsstory.sport15|url-status=live}}"]

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
::

::data[format=table title="Footballers by playing position"]

Position	No.	Goalkeeper	Defender	Midfielder	Forward
9
20
43
53
::

::data[format=table title="Footballers by birth decade"]

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]].

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