The greatest lineups ever assembled

Every sport has its untouchable team — the squad fans measure everything else against. Here are sixteen of them across five sports, what made each one immortal, and where to draft their legends yourself.

Draft your own greatest XI

What makes an all-time XI?

Three things, usually. A season of dominance — a record like 72-10 or 38 games unbeaten that still jumps off the page decades later. Star power that ages into legend, the kind of names that need no introduction. And a moment of history: a curse broken, a perfect run, a trophy that defined an era. The squads below tick all three, which is why they keep winning the pub argument.

Every one of them is in Go Unbeaten's draft pool. Spin the wheel, land on one of these squads, and you can pull their legends into your own lineup — then simulate a full season and see whether your eleven (or your five) can match the originals. Each squad below links to its full breakdown: the famous starters, their in-game ratings, and the history behind the run.

Football clubs

Club football's greatest-ever argument usually starts in Europe: the Real Madrid side of the late 1950s, who won the first five European Cups with Alfredo Di Stéfano leading the line; the AC Milan team of the late 1980s built around Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard; and Pep Guardiola's Barcelona, whose 2009 vintage won six trophies in a single calendar year.

In England, two squads bookend the Premier League era. Arsenal's 2003-04 Invincibles — Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira — produced the only unbeaten season in Premier League history: 38 games, 26 wins, 12 draws, zero defeats. Two decades later, Manchester City's 2023-24 side completed something no English top-flight club had ever managed: a fourth consecutive league title.

Spin for these legends in a club run

World Cup nations

Brazil 1970 is the consensus pick for the greatest international side ever assembled — Pelé, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto won all six of their matches in Mexico, capped by one of the most famous team goals ever scored. But the modern era has produced champions with a genuine claim to rival them.

Brazil 2002 won all seven games on the way to a fifth title, powered by the famous front three of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho — with Ronaldo's eight goals taking the Golden Boot. France 2018 lifted the trophy in Russia behind a teenage Kylian Mbappé, the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pelé in 1958. And Argentina 2022 gave Lionel Messi his crowning moment, winning a final against France that is widely regarded as one of the greatest ever played.

Spin for these legends in a World Cup run

NBA

Basketball's best-ever debate has a usual winner: the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman went 72-10 — a record that stood for two decades — and finished the job with a championship. The 2015-16 Warriors eventually won 73 games, but lost the Finals, which is exactly why the Bulls usually keep the crown.

The dynasty era offers two more contenders. The 2000-01 Lakers of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant tore through the playoffs 15-1, the most dominant postseason anyone had ever seen at the time. Then the 2016-17 Warriors added Kevin Durant to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — four All-Stars — and went 16-1 through the playoffs, the best postseason record in NBA history.

Spin for these legends in an NBA run

NFL

The 1985 Chicago Bears are the standard for single-season dominance on the gridiron. They went 15-1, posted back-to-back playoff shutouts, then dismantled the Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX — all behind the legendary 46 defense that terrorised quarterbacks for an entire season.

The 2007 New England Patriots are the great what-if. Tom Brady threw a then-record 50 touchdown passes, Randy Moss caught a record 23 of them, and the team produced the NFL's only 16-0 regular season — before the Giants snatched perfection away in Super Bowl XLII. The 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only team to finish a season perfect, Super Bowl included.

Spin for these legends in an NFL run

NHL

Hockey historians tend to crown the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens, who lost just eight games all season. But for pure firepower nothing touches the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey scored an NHL-record 446 goals and won the first of five Stanley Cups in seven years.

Two more champions belong in the conversation. The 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings — Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidström, Brett Hull and more — were stacked with future Hall of Famers and delivered Scotty Bowman a record ninth Stanley Cup as head coach. And the 1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins swept the Final behind Mario Lemieux, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in back-to-back Cup runs.

Spin for these legends in an NHL run

MLB

Baseball's traditional answer is the 1927 Yankees and their Murderers' Row of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. The modern answer is the 1998 Yankees: 114 regular-season wins, a World Series sweep, and 125 victories in total — the most any team has ever recorded in a single season.

Two more squads earned immortality in October. The 2004 Boston Red Sox became the only MLB team ever to win a postseason series from 3-0 down — against the Yankees, no less — then swept the Cardinals to end an 86-year title drought. And the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, the Big Red Machine of Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Pete Rose, went a perfect 7-0 through the entire postseason to win back-to-back championships.

Spin for these legends in an MLB run

Now build one of your own

Reading about perfection is one thing — chasing it is the game. Spin a squad, draft a legend, repeat until your lineup is full, then simulate the season: 38 games in club football, 82 in the NBA and NHL, 17 in the NFL, 162 in MLB, or a seven-game World Cup run. Finish without a defeat and you join the tiers these real squads made famous.

Want the history first? Our unbeaten seasons page covers the real runs these squads produced, and the guides break down the strategy — chemistry, formations, and how to turn a lucky draft into a flawless record.

Start your run

Greatest-ever FAQs

What is the greatest football XI of all time?

There is no settled answer — it is the most argued question in the sport. Brazil's 1970 World Cup winners are the most common pick, with Real Madrid's five-time European champions of the 1950s, Arsenal's 2003-04 Invincibles and Pep Guardiola's Barcelona all regular candidates. Most debates come down to whether you value one perfect campaign or sustained dominance.

Which NBA team is considered the best ever?

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls top most lists: 72 wins, 10 losses and a championship. The 2016-17 Warriors, the mid-80s Celtics and Lakers, and the 2000-01 Lakers are the usual challengers. The 2015-16 Warriors won a record 73 games but lost the Finals — which is why the Bulls usually keep the crown.

Has any team ever had a truly perfect season?

In the NFL, only the 1972 Miami Dolphins finished perfect, winning every game including the Super Bowl. Arsenal went unbeaten across 38 league games in 2003-04 but drew 12, and the 2007 Patriots went 16-0 before losing the Super Bowl. In Go Unbeaten, perfection is the whole point — draft a lineup, simulate the season, and chase a flawless record of your own.