Welcome to our blog series of Fantasy 5-A-Side, in which we take legendary clubs from the game of football and build a dream 5-a-side line-up of their past and present players. We pick them based on their achievements for the club in question and also their impact on the game as a whole, meaning their best work doesn’t necessarily have to have happened at the club we are talking about, but you’ll see what we mean as we go on. Similarly, we are picking these players in their prime, meaning players now in their 70s/80s aren’t rocking around the AstroTurf with their walking stick.

The next post in this series is a special to celebrate our World Cup fever that has taken over. We have picked our all-time team from every World Cup, mixing in both their World Cup, international and club form to create an absolute powerhouse. We have tried our best to pick this team based purely on World Cups, however we of course have been influenced by some legends of the game who deserve to be in the team. This selection was certainly our toughest so far with so many big names to be selecting from, so hopefully we’ve done our job.

As with everything we do, these are based on our personal opinion, so please don’t be offended if we miss out a legend of the 1950s, as we simply don’t possess that knowledge. Despite that, if you have any comments to make on our selection, or want to tell us you selections for the squad, head over to Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) and tell us what you think.

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon (C)

Between the sticks I have gone for my favourite goalkeeper of all-time (alongside Edwin van der Saar), Gigi Buffon. He was selected ahead of one of the most legendary goalkeepers of all-time Lev Yashin, as I simply have never seen him play and also because this is based on World Cup showings, Buffon does have the 2006 trophy to his name, whereas Yashin never claimed the prestigious trophy for the Soviet Union, despite playing in 3 tournaments. Buffon also edged past Casillas who was perhaps unfortunate to miss, out but as we will discuss shortly, Buffon’s showing in World Cup’s, especially 2006 is pure brilliance.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, Buffon has had an outstanding career for both club and country. The Italian keeper has played in five World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, and 2014) for Italy, keeping a total of 10 clean sheets in 17 games. He was a key player in Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning team, conceding only two goals in the entire tournament.

In a 5-a-side game, Buffon’s shot-stopping ability and quick reflexes would be invaluable in keeping the opposition from scoring. His experience and leadership would also be important in organizing the defence and coordinating with his teammates. We also elected to choose him as our captain of the side, as he would demand everything from the players in front of him, he would not be fazed by the big names he is alongside and he is Italy’s highest capped captain of all-time, taking the armband a huge 80 times out of his 176 appearances across a 21 year international career.

Defence: Franz Beckenbauer

Beckenbauer is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time. He was a commanding presence at the back and had a knack for reading the game. In a 5-a-side game, his ability to defend one-on-one and intercept passes would be vital in preventing the opposition from scoring. Furthermore, as a manager of a World Cup winning Germany side, along with a title winning Marseille and Bayern Munich, he has all the organisational skills needed for a 5-a-side match.

Beckenbauer played in three World Cups (1966, 1970, and 1974), winning the tournament as a player in 1974 and as a coach in 1990. He played 18 games in total and scored 5 goals. A 2x World Cup winner, 2x Ballon d’Or winner and arguably the greatest defender to ever play the game, the German would be a first pick for any all-time side.

In this team selection, there will be a lot of work for a 1 man defensive unit, however if any player can deal with this, it has to be Beckenbauer.

Attack: Pelé & Diego Maradona & Lionel Messi

Okay yes I know how obvious this selection is, and yes I know that 60% of my squad is playing in attack, but quite frankly I don’t think any opponent would ever get the ball off of these 3 linking up, and all have capabilities to drop deeper if needed. Furthermore, it’s my selection, so if you don’t like it then make your own.

First up we have Brazilian legend and icon of the sport Pelé. Pelé is another footballing legend who won three World Cups with Brazil. He was a complete forward, equally adept at scoring and creating goals. In a 5-a-side game, his vision and passing ability would be invaluable, as he could create opportunities for his teammates with his precise distribution.

Pelé played in four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966, and 1970), scoring 12 goals in 14 appearances. He won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962, and 1970 and is the only player to have achieved this feat.

He was almost challenged for his place in this side by fellow Brazilian Ronaldo, however I don’t think you can have a World Cup squad without Pelé involved, as he is one of the first things I think of when discussing the World Cup.

Our second attacker keeps us in South America, and provides the first of 2 Argentine greats. Maradona is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. His performances in the 1986 World Cup, where he led Argentina to victory, are the stuff of legend. Maradona had a unique blend of skill, speed, and creativity that made him almost impossible to stop. In a 5-a-side game, his dribbling and close control would be crucial in breaking down opposition defences.

Maradona played in four World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, and 1994), scoring 8 goals in 21 appearances. He is best remembered for his performances in the 1986 tournament, where he scored 5 goals and provided 5 assists, leading Argentina to victory.

Our final selection to the 5 has to be the most recent captain to lift the trophy, and truly cement his legacy in World football, following his unbelievable club career (which continues on as strong as ever). Messi is a modern-day footballing phenomenon who has won numerous accolades, including four Champions Leagues and seven Ballon d’Or awards. He has an incredible record in the World Cup, having scored thirteen goals in five tournaments, including his 7 in the 2022 edition. In a 5-a-side game, Messi’s dribbling and finishing ability would be essential in creating and scoring goals.

Messi has played in five World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022), scoring 13 goals in 26 appearances. Named Golden Ball winner in both 2014 and 2022, he finally added the final missing piece to his trophy collection this winter to cement his legacy and in my opinion prove to the world that he is the greatest footballer of all-time, and a perfect finale to our 5-a-side selection.

Don’t forget to head over to Twitter (@NextGoalWinBlog) or Instagram (@NextGoalWin) to tell us who’d make your World Cup dream team.