EWB's Greatest XI of All Time

[Matt]

Goalkeepers Total

Gianluigi Buffon 9

Peter Schmeichel 8

Oliver Kahn 7

Edwin Van Der Sar 4

Iker Casillas 2

Lev Yaskin 2

Manuel Neuer 2

Peter Shilton 2

David Seaman 1

Dino Zoff 1

Gordon Banks 1

Jose Luis Chilavert 1

Petr Cech 1

Rogerio Ceni 1

Defenders Total

Cafu 9

Paulo Maldini 7

Lothar Mattheus 6

Javier Zanetti 5

Lillian Thuram 5

Alessandro Nesta 4

Franco Baresi 4

Jaap Stam 4

Phillip Lahm 4

Roberto Carlos 4

Franz Becknebauer 3

Bobby Moore 2

Fabio Cannavaro 2

Gary Neville 2

John Terry 2

Mattias Sammer 2

Bixtente Lizarazu 1

Cole 1

John Charles 1

Laurent Blanc 1

Rio Ferdinand 1

Ruud Gullit 1

Stuart Pearce 1

Thiago Silva 1

Midfielders Total

Zinedine Zidane 9

Andrea Pirlo 7

Xavi 7

Claude Makelelé 6

Andrés Iniesta 5

Paul Scholes 5

Ryan Giggs 5

Johan Cruyff 4

Luis Figo 4

Ronaldinho 4

Gheorge Hagi 3

Bobby Charlton 2

David Beckham 2

Frank Lampard 2

Paul Gascoigne 2

Pavel Nedved 2

Steven Gerrard 2

Alex 1

Bastien Schweinsteiger 1

Billy Bremner 1

Brian Laudrup 1

Bryan Robson 1

Cristiano Ronaldo 1

Diego Maradona 1

Duncan Edwards 1

Francesco Totti 1

Gianfranco Zola 1

John Barnes 1

Lionel Messi 1

Michael Laudrup 1

Patrick Vieira 1

Platini 1

Rivellino 1

Zico 1

Attackers Total

Cristiano Ronaldo 8

Lionel Messi 8

Ronaldo 6

Thierry Henry 6

Eric Cantona 4

Marco van Basten 4

Dennis Bergkamp 3

Diego Maradona 3

Pele 3

Raul 3

Eusebio 2

George Best 2

Kenny Dalglish 2

Rivaldo 2

Ruud Van Nistelrooy 2

Alan Shearer 1

John Charles 1

Del Piero 1

Ferenc Puskas 1

Gerd Muller 1

Gheorge Hagi 1

Giovanne Elber 1

Hristo Stoichkov 1

Ian Rush 1

Klinsmann 1

Ravanelli 1

Roberto Baggio 1

Zlatan Ibrahimovic 1

Those are the results, to the best of my counting abilities. So where do we go from here? Well if we eliminate the goalkeepers, defenders and midfielders with fewer than 4 votes and the forwards with fewer than 3 we're left with the following:

Gianluigi Buffon 9

Peter Schmeichel 8

Oliver Kahn 7

Edwin Van Der Sar 4

Cafu 9

Paulo Maldini 7

Lothar Mattheus 6

Javier Zanetti 5

Lillian Thuram 5

Alessandro Nesta 4

Franco Baresi 4

Jaap Stam 4

Phillip Lahm 4

Roberto Carlos 4

Zinedine Zidane 9

Andrea Pirlo 7

Xavi 7

Claude Makelelé 6

Andrés Iniesta 5

Paul Scholes 5

Ryan Giggs 5

Johan Cruyff 4

Luis Figo 4

Ronaldinho 4

Cristiano Ronaldo 8

Lionel Messi 8

Ronaldo 6

Thierry Henry 6

Eric Cantona 4

Marco van Basten 4

Dennis Bergkamp 3

Diego Maradona 3

Pele 3

Raul 3

Are we quite happy with that as a shortlist for the time being? Does anyone want to make a real case for anyone that's been cut?

Just a couple of notes I'd like to add as well:

John Charles received a vote as both a defender and a striker, but that's irrelevant anyway as he wouldn't get enough votes even if we were to transfer them to one position.

I made the assumption that Ronaldo was the Brazilian one unless you put C. Ronaldo or Cristiano Ronaldo, but they're both in anyway.

Maradona, C. Ronaldo and Messi each received 1 vote as a midfielder, so you could say their votes are at 4, 9 and 9 respectively rather than 3, 8 and 8.

Assuming there are no major objections, we can start debating the formation. Looking at the top vote earners, I think personally a 4-3-3 seems to be the way we're headed but we'll listen to all ideas. We can also start debating the goalkeepers too, really, since there's obviously only going to be the one.

Edit: Fixed formatting

Edited June 15, 2015 by Gary MattAllister

[Whisper]

Looks good - you can definitely tell what era most of us have watched football in though!

Lack of George Best votes is shameful!