United Kingdom All-time 23 member team

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

Great Britain in 2012

The United Kingdom completed as the Great Britain at the early Olympics.  Then, in 2012, the team was reborn again when the Olympics were hosted at home in London.

If there were an All-Time World Cup, this would be the 23 players I would bring to the tournament. I have also created  Ireland/Northern Ireland combined team.  This all-time team from the United Kingdom consists of players from the Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Players from the Republic of Ireland are not considered to be from the United Kingdom.

Please look at my all-time teams for England, Scotland,Wales and Northern Ireland.  I have also created an all-time Ireland/Northern Ireland combined team here.

 GK: Peter Shilton (England)
Peter Shilton is considered one of the greatest keepers ever.  He is England's all-time cap record-holder with 125.  He earned his first cap in 1970 and his last 20 years later in 1990.  He took England to 4th place in WC 1986.  He also won two straight European Cups in 1979 and 1980 with Nottingham Forrest.



GK: Gordon Banks (England)
Named FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year 6 times.  He won the WC in 1966.  He made one of the game's great saves to prevent a Pelé goal in the 1970 World Cup.  Along with Lev Yashin, he is considered the greatest keepers of his generation.

GK: Pat Jennings (N.Ireland)
Considered among the greatest goalkeeper of all-time.  He played for both Tottenham Hotspurs and Arsenal.  He earned 119 caps for Northern Ireland and went to two WC Finals. 

RB: Jimmy Armfield (England)
Blackpool's greatest player.  He captained England for 15 times.  He was voted "the best right-back in the world" after the 1962 WC in Chile.

RB: Danny McGrain (Scotland)
SFWA Player of the Year in 1976-1977.  He was an All-time great for Celtics.  He was among the best ever rightback coming out of United Kingdom.

CB/ST: John Charles (Wales)
He was the greatest Welsh player.  He was equally adept at centre-forward or centre-back.  His best part of career was with Juventus. He was Serie A's top scorer with 28 goals, and was voted player of the season as Juventus won the Scudetto. He played in Turin for five years, scoring 93 goals in 155 matches, winning the scudetto (Italian league championship) three times, and the Italian Cup twice. He was 3rd in the Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) in 1959. He was never booked in his entire career.

CB: Bobby Moore  (England)
Captain of the 1966 WC winning team. Regarded one of the greatest defenders of all time.  He won a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup with West Ham.  He won a total of 108 caps for the England team, which at the time of his international retirement in 1973 was a national record.

SW: Alan Hansen (Scotland)
Among the greatest defender ever from United Kingdom.  He won three European Cups and 8 English league titles with the great Liverpool team of the 1970's and 1980's.

CB: Billy Wright (England)
The first football player in the world to earn 100 caps(105 total), captaining England 90 times in 3 WC Finals. He was one of England's finest center-backs.  He spent his whole career at Wolverhampton Wanderers. 

LB: Eddie Hapgood (England)
Captained both Arsenal and England during the 1930s. He was one of first star players in England.  He was capped 30 times.

LB: Ashley Cole (England)
Ashley Cole was considered one of the finest leftbacks of his generation.  He was voted the England Player of the Year in 2010. He played in 3 WC Finals.  He is also England's most-capped full-back in history.  He played with Arsenal, but moved to its rival Chelsea.  He won the Champions' League in 2012 with Chelsea. 

CM/DM/LB: Dave MacKay (Scotland)
Known for his toughness and passing abilities. He won the Double with Tottenham Hotspurs in 1961 and the Cup Winners' Cup in 1963.  He was selected as one of the Football Heros stamp series to celebrate the 150 years of English FA.


CM: Graeme Souness (Scotland)
He was one of the greatest Liverpool players.  He won three European Cups with them, captaining the team in the early 1980's.  He was also the Player-Manager for Rangers.

CM/AM:  Danny Blanchflower 
He won the Double in 1961 with Tottenham Hotspurs.  He won the FA Cup the following year, and then, a Cup Winners' Cup in 1963.  He was the PWA Player of the Year in 1958 and 1961. He went to the World Cup in 1958. 

CM: Duncan Edwards (England)
He was one of the Busby Babes of Manchester United.  He died in 1958 during the Munich Air Disaster.  Many people considered him to be England's greatest player.  

LW/RW: George Best (N.Ireland)
Considered to be one of the greatest players ever played the game.  He was one of the "United's Trinity".  He led Manchester United to their first (and also first ever for an English club) European Cup in 1968.  He won the PWA PLayer of the Year award and the Ballon d'Or that year.

George Best

RW: Stanley Matthews (England)
The only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year awards. Sir Matthews is widely considered the greatest English player of all-time. Between 1937 and 1957 he won 54 caps for England, playing in the World Cup in 1950 and 1954, and winning nine British Home Championship titles.  He played with Stoke and Blackpool.

LW: Ryan Giggs (Wales)

Sir Alex's longest serving player at Manchester United. 
He also holds the club record for competitive appearances. During his time at United, he won 13 Premier League winner's medals, four FA Cup winner's medals, three League Cup winner's medals and two Champions League winner's medals.

AM: Bobby Charlton (England)
He was considered one of the greatest midfielders of all-time.  He led England to WC victory in 1966 and then, Manchester United to its first European Cup in 1968. He is also England's all-time leading scorer.  He won the Ballon D'Or in 1966.

AM: Alex James (Scotland)
He was one of the greatest player ever for Arsenal.  He was known as a pioneer in his position.  He was a member of "Wembley Wizards".

ST: Kenny Dalglish  (Scotland)
He was the greatest player for Liverppol in an era where Liverpool was considered to be among the greatest club sides in history.  He won three European Cups with them. He is the cap record holder and their top ever scorer for Scotland. 

ST: Ian Rush (Wales)
He was voted as the third greatest Liverpool player by fans in 2013. He was Liverpool's all-time leading scorer. He won both the PFA Player of the year and FWA Player of the Year in 1984.  he was European Golden Boot winner in the same year.

ST/SS: Jimmy Greaves (England)
Top scorer in the English league for 4 seasons. He won the FA Cup in 1962 and 1967, and the UEFA Cup in 1963. He spent 9 seasons with Tottenham Hotspurs.  He was a member of the World Cup winning team in 1966.  However, he lost his starting position after suffering an injury against France.

Honorable Mention
Tom Finney(England), Denis Law (Scotland), Kevin Keegan (England), Dixie Dean (England).

Starting Lineup
I use the British 4-4-2.  John Charles can also start as the centerback.  I would then start Greaves as the striker.