The best football XI from history.
If you had to pick eleven historical figures to play a World Cup, who makes the squad — and where?
GK — Leonardo da Vinci
Engineer's brain, polymath's reflexes. Da Vinci sees angles humans don't.
Defence — Joan of Arc, Henry VIII, Spartacus, Boudica
Centre-back is built for monarchs and revolutionaries: refuse to move, refuse to lose.
Midfield — Napoleon (CDM), Einstein (CAM), Cleopatra (CM)
The brain of the side. Napoleon shields, Einstein dictates, Cleopatra controls the room.
Forwards — Genghis Khan (ST), Joan of Arc-style flair on the wings
Conquerors finish moves. Genghis up top, Shakespeare and Mozart drifting in from wide.
Build your own
That's our XI. Yours will be wildly different — which is the entire point. Tap a button above to draft your own World Cup squad from 1,200+ historical legends.