Englandvs.Brazil

As two of the most established and famous footballing countries on the planet, some of the finest players ever to grace a football pitch have turned out for one of these proud nations.

Spanning the past 80 years, England and Brazil have produced numerous Ballon d'Or winners and put together World Cup winning teams that have gone down in folklore.

Here, Sports Mole compiles the greatest-ever XI containing players from either the Three Lions or the Selecao.

GK: Gordon Banks

Starting off between the sticks is one of the most revered goalkeepers in footballing history, England's 1966 World Cup winner Gordon Banks.

Voted as FIFA World Goalkeeper of the Year on no fewer than six occasions, Banks was unfortunate to be in regular competition with Lev Yashin, as he would have collected even more personal accolades across a stellar career that also saw him pull off the 'Save of the Century' against Pele in 1970.

(Honourable mention: Claudio Taffarel)

RB: Carlos Alberto

One of the many illustrious members of Brazil's 1970 World Cup winning squad, Carlos Alberto was decades ahead of his time, showing incredible attacking pedigree despite his role as a defender.

Named in FIFA's Team of the 20th Century, 'Capita' remains forever ingrained in football history thanks to his goal in the 1970 final, often regarded as the best team goal of all time, which was finished off emphatically by the right-back.

(Honourable mentions: Cafu, Dani Alves)

CB: Bobby Moore

While all of England's 1966 heroes will be remembered for the rest of time, one man stands above all, as captain Bobby Moore is synonymous with that success, and the image of him lifting the Jules Rimet Trophy aloft at Wembley.

Like Carlos Alberto, Moore was named in FIFA's Team of the Century, a richly-deserved honour given to a man who was instrumental in providing England with their greatest-ever footballing moment, and only Gerd Muller stopped Moore from becoming the first defender to win the Ballon d'Or four years later, edging him out into second in 1970.

CB: John Terry

Brazil have never been renowned for producing world-class central defenders, given the focus on skill and flair many of their sides possessed in the the 20th century, so another England great partners Moore in this XI, John Terry.

Arguably the finest modern day defender from either nation, Terry won everything at club level with Chelsea, and despite falling short at the major tournaments with England, he was still named in the Team of the Tournament at the 2006 World Cup, alongside the great Fabio Cannavaro.

(Honourable mentions: Aldair, Rio Ferdinand)

LB: Roberto Carlos

Part of Real Madrid's Galacticos at club level and a World Cup winning squad for his country, it is safe to say not many left-backs enjoyed a career as illustrious as Roberto Carlos.

Victory at the 2002 World Cup, as well as two Copa America titles means Roberto Carlos will always go down as a Brazilian legend, and his individual accolades are just as impressive, notably coming second in the Ballon d'Or voting of 2002, a feat almost unheard of for a full-back.

(Honourable mention: Nilton Santos)

RM: Garrincha

One of the players the Brazilian population can thank for their dominant international success in the middle part of the 20th century, two-time World Cup winner Garrincha can lay claim to being one of the greatest wide players in footballing history.

With a name that translates literally as 'Little Bird' Garrincha was instrumental in Brazil's 1962 World Cup success, taking over the mantle with Pele out injured, becoming the first player to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the same World Cup, and he would go on to be retrospectively awarded the Ballon d'Or that year too.

(Honourable mention: Jairzinho)

CM: Zico

One of the most technically gifted footballers of all time, Zico had it all in an attacking sense, being a clinical goalscorer from midfield, and having the ability to dictate play and score the most incredible aesthetically pleasing free-kicks.

Sadly, the playmaker was never able to clinch a World Cup crown, being part of the 1982 Brazil squad often dubbed the greatest never to win football's most prized asset, as injury also affected the diminutive midfielder's career, but he will always be classed as an all-time great.

CM: Bobby Charlton

While Banks and Moore rightly get acclaim for the roles they played at the 1966 World Cup, it was Bobby Charlton who was awarded the Golden Ball and Ballon d'Or that year.

With over a century of his caps to his name, Charlton is universally adored due to his exploits for both England and Manchester United, a club where he is often regarded as their greatest-ever player.

(Honourable mentions: Socrates, Didi, Dunga, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Kaka)

LM: Rivaldo

In a close battle between Rivellino and Ronaldinho, Rivaldo takes the spot on the left-hand side of midfield, thanks largely to his performances at the 2002 World Cup, where he scored in Brazil's first five games, while also having a hand in the two goals which saw off Germany in the final.

Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari named Rivaldo as his Player of the Tournament for that World Cup, but it was 1999 when he enjoyed individual success, winning the Ballon d'Or after helping Brazil to a Copa America, and Barcelona to the La Liga title.

(Honourable mentions: Rivellino, Ronaldinho)

FW: Pele

A figure that transcends football and even sport itself, Pele remains the most well-known footballer of all time, and is still regarded as the greatest in some quarters, and for good reason.

A three-time winner, Pele scored in the final at both the 1958 and the 1970 World Cup, shared FIFA's Player of the Century award with Diego Maradona, and was retrospectively awarded seven Ballon d'Or trophies, in a career that saw him score more than 1,000 goals for club and country, and was Brazil's record goalscorer for over 50 years.

FW: Ronaldo

The natural successor to Pele's throne as one of Brazil's all-time great strikers was Ronaldo, who enjoyed varying levels of success with the Brazil national side, being unused in their 1994 World Cup success, winning the Golden Ball but falling ill on the day of the final in 1998, before returning to fire the Selecao to a fifth title in 2002.

'O Fenomeno' was unstoppable in 2002, scoring both goals in the final against Germany, putting the drama of 1998 behind him, as his performances in the Far East also earned Ronaldo a second Ballon d'Or, after his first in 1997.

(Honourable mentions: Romario, Wayne Rooney, Harry Kane)

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