Pele or Diego Maradona? Brazil 1970 or Brazil 1958? Barcelona 2008-11 or Real Madrid 1955-60?
Discussing the greatest of all time is pretty much the default debate for every football supporter. Such is the rich history of the sport, that any player or team hyped up by today’s media must constantly be measured against the context and quality of the past. But can you really compare against eras? Is it really possible to separate the best without resorting to bias – either due to time or support?
This website is dedicated to at least attempting to objectively decide those answers. Over the next few months, you’ll find the 50 greatest club sides of all time, the 25 greatest international teams and many more…
Granted, the idea of such lists may not be unique. But we believe our criteria are. In devising relevant formulae for each list and stripping away the subjectivity that confuses such matters, we hope to provide answers that are objective as possible.
So you won’t see Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of any players’ list because his goals are so recent. Or Barcelona in here on account of topics like their ‘wow factor’.
We wouldn’t be so arrogant as to claim these answers are definitive. But, at the least, they’ll hopefully help refine the debate. And that’s also where you come in. We want you get engaged with or enraged by our results. And we’re open to any suggestions for improvements or enhancements. The long-term goal of this site is to continually refine and update our findings, so that it does exactly what it claims: provides a football pantheon.
As well as the lists, you’ll also find articles and essays on the teams and individuals involved as well as a feast of stats.
For regular updates you can follow us on @migueldelaney or @darrenmccarra.