Best XI of the 1960’s

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Legends of West Ham United, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Manchester United, Benfica and more feature in the best XI of the 1960’s.

Bobby Moore pictured centre following England’s victory at the 1966 World Cup

The 1960’s was something of a golden age for the beautiful game. The star of the decade was undoubtedly Pele. The Brazilian great regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all-time had been the star as Brazil won the World Cup in 1958, aged 17, and he would win the tournament once more in 1962 and 1970.

He didn’t have the decade all to himself though. England won the World Cup in 1966, and a couple of their greatest ever players make this XI, whilst some considered Northern Irish star George Best to be more naturally gifted than Pele himself. Even in his native Brazil, there were some who felt Garrincha was as important to the national team as Pele.

Manchester United, Inter Milan and Botafogo are the best represented teams in this XI, each with two players making the cut, whilst the likes of West Ham United, Barcelona, Santos and Benfica all have one. Here is our best XI of the 1960’s:

England’s Gordon Banks makes a great save from a header by Brazil’s Pele

Lev Yashin

Arguably the two greatest goalkeepers of all-time Lev Yashin and Gordon Banks played most of their football during the 1960’s. Yashin is widely regarded as the superior ‘keeper of the two though. A man who revolutionised the position and had cat-like reflexes, Yashin spent his entire at Dynamo Moscow, and remains the only goalkeeper to have won the Ballon d’Or, a feat he achieved in 1963.

Djalma Santos

The greatest right-back of all-time, Djalma Santos was another player who revolutionised a position, the role of full-back in his case. Unlike so many attacking full-back’s though, Santos was defensively superb. A two-time World Cup winner, Santos was as good in the 1950’s as he was in the 1960’s, and is one of just three players ever to have been named in three World Cup All-Star Teams.

Bobby Moore

England captain Bobby Moore kisses the Jules Rimet trophy

It would be sacrilege to leave Bobby Moore out of this XI. England’s World Cup winning captain played through the entirety of the 1960’s, spending the whole decade and more at West Ham United. Runner-up to Gerd Muller for the 1970 Ballon d’Or, Moore was a centre-half with an exquisite reading of the game. Pele called him the greatest defender he ever faced, whilst Franz Beckenbauer called him the greatest defender of all-time.

Albert Shesternyov

There are a few candidates to partner Bobby Moore here – Franz Beckenbauer is one, but he would make our 70’s XI, Billy McNeill could be another, but ultimately, the mantle goes to Albert Shesternyov. Arguably the greatest Russian footballer of all-time, Shesternyov’s career lasted just 13 years, but spanned the entire 1960’s, which he spent exclusively with CSKA Moscow. He won nominated for the Ballon d’Or four times.

Giacinto Facchetti

The greatest left-back of all-time? Possibly. The greatest left-back of the 1960’s? Certainly. Giacinto Facchetti was a tireless, marauding left-back with a tremendous reading of the game. He spent 18 years in football, all of which he spent with Inter Milan, winning four Serie A titles, two European Cup’s and finishing as runner-up to Eusebio in 1965 Ballon d’Or voting.

Garrincha

The joy of the people, Brazil never lost a match in which Garrincha and Pele were both playing. Often cited as the greatest dribbler of all-time, Garrincha was an explosive and exciting winger who made the World Team of the Twentieth Century and was named the seventh greatest player of the century. He won two World Cup’s and when France Football re-evaluated their Ballon d’Or winners to include players from outside of Europe, Garrincha was their 1962 winner.

Luis Suarez

One man who won a genuine Ballon d’Or was Luis Suarez. Possibly the greatest Spanish football of all-time, Suarez won the Ballon d’Or in 1960, came second in 1961 and 1964, and came third in 1965. A graceful playmaker who scored and assisted goals on a frighteningly regular basis, Suarez won two La Liga titles with Barcelona, going on to have even greater success at Inter Milan, winning two European Cup’s and four Serie A titles.

Bobby Charlton

Bobby Charlton, Jack Charlton and Stuart Pearce in the dressing room before the game

Partnering Suarez in midfield is arguably England’s greatest ever player, Sir Bobby Charlton. Formerly Manchester United and England’s all-time leading scorer, despite being a midfielder, Charlton’s greatest achievements include winning the European Cup in 1968 and the World Cup in 1966, the same year he won the Ballon d’Or. Those accomplishments are made all the more remarkable when one remembers Charlton was a survivor of the horrific Munich air disaster.

George Best

Another Manchester United legend, another Ballon d’Or winner and another 1968 European Cup champion. George Best doesn’t come anywhere near Charlton in terms of longevity, but his peak ranks among the greatest of any player to play the game. Best scored 32 goals in the 1967-68 season, by far his finest, aged 22, when Manchester United won the European Cup and he won the Ballon d’Or. For all his talent, Best’s career at the highest level effectively ended at 27.

Eusebio

If Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest Portuguese footballer of all-time, and he almost certainly is, Eusebio is the man he had to overtake. Born in Mozambique, the prolific forward had incredible athleticism and was ruthless in front of goal. He scored 423 goals in 431 games for Benfica, 41 goals in 63 games for Portugal, winning 11 league titles, one European Cup, a World Cup Golden Boot and the Ballon d’Or.

Pele

Pele celebrates scoring in the final of the 1970 World Cup

Eusebio would have been the greatest centre-forward of the 1960’s were it not for that pesky Brazilian Pele. A remarkable player who was so far ahead of his time, Pele was at his best between 1958 and 1965, but still had enough left in the tank to return with a bang in 1970 to help Brazil and himself to their third World Cup. Pele scored an officially recognised 643 goals in 656 games.