Gianluigi Buffon (GK): The 38-year-old Buffon is the most capped player in the history of the Italian national team. Tall, agile and commanding, he is considered by many as the greatest keeper of all time.
Paolo Maldini (LCB): Another Italian. Another legend. Although he did not win a tournament with Italy, he reached the final of the 1994 World Cup and Euro 2000, and the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1988.
Franz Beckenbauer (Sweeper): Nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, Beckenbauer is regarded to be one of the greatest defenders of all time.
Lilian Thuram (RCB): Most capped French national team player and perhaps the most versatile defender in our list. He was equally good as a marauding right-back as he was as an uncompromising centre back.
Lothar Matthäus (CDM): When Diego Maradona says "he is the best rival I've ever had" about a player, that is often enough to define any footballer in the planet. A versatile player, Matthäus was renowned for his vision, passing, positional awareness and well-timed tackling.
Xavi (RM): A product of the La Masia, Xavi is one of the players who brought the tiki-taka passing style of play into the limelight. He was part of the Spain team that won the World Cup in 2010 and EUROs in 2008 and 2012.
Zinédine Zidane (LM): How can we think of a list without Zizou? The current Real Madrid coach was known for his elegance, deft-touches, vision, ball control and technique in the field. He was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll in 2004.
Michel Platini (CAM): Possibly the best attacking midfielder of all time, Platini was a member of the French national team that won the 1984 European Championship, a tournament in which he was the top goalscorer.
Cristiano Ronaldo (LF): How can we not include (arguably) Europe's best forward in our team? Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation, during its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2015.
Marco van Basten (RF): Injury might have cut short his career, but Marco van Basten will always be remembered in history as one of the greatest strikers ever. He was named player of the tournament, at UEFA Euro 1988, scoring five goals that included a memorable volley in the final against the Soviet Union.
Gerd Mueller (CF): Averaging more than a goal a game with West Germany, Gerd Müller is 12th on the list of all time international goalscorers despite playing fewer matches than every other player in the top 25. Need we say more about the lethal finisher?
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