Former England striker Michael Owen has named his all-time World Cup XI in a feature for Daily Mail Sport, selecting a 4-2-3-1 formation that includes four Brazilians, two Argentines, two Englishmen, one Frenchman, one German, and one Italian. According to the report, the chosen players have won a combined 14 World Cups. Owen, who scored 40 goals in 89 caps for England and played in three World Cups, presented his ideal lineup ahead of launching his exclusive World Cup columns.

Four Brazilians and a German sweeper : Breaking down Owen’s 14-Cup roster

Owen’s XI features Gordon Banks in goal (England, 1966), Cafu at right-back (Brazil, 1994 and 2002), Franz Beckenbauer and Paolo Maldini as centre-backs, and Roberto Carlos at left-back (Brazil, 2002). His midfield pair is Zinedine Zidane (France, 1998) and Sir Bobby Charlton (England, 1966). The attacking trio consists of Lionel Messi (Argentina, 2022), Pelé (Brazil, 1958, 1962, 1970), and Diego Maradona (Argentina, 1986), with Ronaldo (Brazil, 1994 and 2002) leading the line. As Daily Mail Sport reported, these players account for 14 World Cup victories across six decades.

Why Cristiano Ronaldo and Cruyff are absent — a matter of era or bias?

Perhaps the most striking omission from Owen’s selection is Cristiano Ronaldo, the all-time international goalscorer and a World Cup winner with Portugal in 2016 (though not a World Cup title, he has played in five tournaments). Also missing are Johan Cruyff, Gerd Müller, and Lev Yashin. Owen’s choices skew heavily toward players from the 1990s and 2000s — the era in which he himself played. The source offers no explanation for these exclusions, leaving fans to wonder whether the list reflects objective greatness or personal memory. Headlines Orbit notes that Owen’s career overlapped with Zidane, Ronaldo (the Brazilian),and Roberto Carlos, which may have influenced his picks.

A single Frenchman: Zidane carries a nation’s legacy alone

While France has produced World Cup-winning sides in 1998 and 2018, Owen includes only Zidane. neither Kylian Mbappé nor Michel Platini makes the cut. According to the Daily Mail report, Owen’s midfield is entirely European (Zidane and Bobby Charlton), while the attack is all South American. This geographical split raises questions about balance: the squad features no African or Asian players, reflecting a historical bias in all-time lists. The report doesn’t address whether Owen considered modern stars like Mbappé, who won the World Cup in 2018 and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final.

What we still don’t know: Owen’s criteria and the role of recency

The Daily Mail article does not detail the specific criteria Owen used — whether he prioritised peak performance, longevity, or pure talent. It also remains unclear whether he considered players from earlier eras such as Garrincha or Bobby Moore. The source quotes Owen’s selections but offers no commentary on the thought process behind each choice. This omission leaves readers to speculate whether the 2001 Ballon d’Or winner favours players he watched live versus those he studied on tape.

An Englishman’s view: Charlton and Banks represent the Three Lions

Owen picks two Englishmen: Gordon Banks and Sir Bobby Charlton, both 1966 World Cup winners. Notably, he excludes Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker, or any defender from the modern England team. The report says Owen “played in three World Cups,” yet his XI includes no teammate from his own international career. This fact underscores the difficulty of picking an all-time squad — personal connection often yields to objective greatness. As Daily Mail Sport noted, the team “would be a force to be reckoned with on the biggest stage.”