Best XI of players who retired in 2023 😢 | OneFootball

The game saw quite a few legends retire in 2023, and were here to pick the best XI of them.

Let’s see who makes the cut.

GK: Gianluigi Buffon

Buffon was an easy pick in between the sticks. The former Juventus man won 10 Serie A titles while also winning the 2006 World Cup. It felt like he may play forever, but sadly he put an end to a 28-year career in 2023 after making over 900 senior appearances.

CB: Diego Godín

One of the last great true defenders. Godín was the epitome of Diego Simeone’s Atlético de Madrid in the 2010s. The centre-back featured in four World Cups for Uruguay, and will rightly go down as one of the greats of his kind in the modern era.

CB: Miranda

One of two partners for Godín in this fantasy XI is fellow Atleti man Miranda. The Brazilian was yet another defensive stalwart across his 19-year career as a senior footballer, winning seven major trophies across stints with three different clubs, while also making the Brasileirão team of the year in four consecutive seasons between 2007-2010.

CB: Giorgio Chiellini

Rounding off our superb back three is none other than Giorgio Chiellini himself. The former Juve man will go down as one of this generation’s great centre-backs, winning a staggering nine Serie A titles, five Coppa Italia trophies and five domestic Supercups with the Old Lady. He also famously lifted the European Championships in 2021.

MID: Joaquín

Like the defenders that come before him in this list, Joaquín became famous for his longevity, playing at the top level throughout most of his 23-year career.

A Real Betis and LaLiga legend, Joaquín made 849 senior appearances after making his debut all the way back in 2000, racking up over 200 goal contributions in that time.

MID: David Silva

The shape of our team gets a little bit funky as we try to fit four incredible midfielders on the pitch. But Manchester City and Premier League legend David Silva must make the cut.

The World Cup winner was a key figure in City’s rise to prominence in the 2010s and beyond, scoring 77 goals and providing 140 assists in all competitions for the Premier League side over a decade-long career at the Etihad.

MID: Cesc Fàbregas

Our midfield remains as Spanish as ever, as Cesc Fàbregas will (of course) crack the list. With a World Cup under his belt in the era-defining Spain team, Fàbregas can potentially consider himself a legend at three different clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, and Barcelona – he made over 100 stellar appearances for all three.

Fàbregas retired with a staggering major trophy haul of 13 in his club career, and three in his international career.

MID: Mesut Özil

To round off our midfield four, it’s none other than Mesut Özil. The former Real Madrid and Arsenal man fell into our laps in one of the best eras for number tens.

His creativity was perhaps eclipsed by no other players through spells of the 2010s. Özil won the La Liga title with Real Madrid in 2012 and four FA Cups with Arsenal. The midfielder also played a key role in German’s World Cup triumph in 2014.

FWD: Eden Hazard

True flair players seem to be rare in the game these days, but Eden Hazard was truly one of the most watchable footballers on the planet in his prime.

While his move to Real Madrid did not pan out, he will be remembered as one of the all-time Premier League greats in attack, raking in over 200 goal contributions in just 352 Chelsea appearances.

FWD: Gareth Bale

On the other wing is probably the only man that top Eden Hazard’s highlight reel – and it’s none other than Gareth Bale. Three LaLiga titles, one Copa del Rey, and five Champions Leagues – now thats a trophy haul.

Bale, to many, will go down as the greatest British player to ever play the game, and they may have a point. The electric pace combined with ludicrous shooting ability made Bale almost unplayable on his day.

He would get into this list if I was picking players from the last decade, never mind the last 12 months.

FWD: Zlatan Ibrahimović

Finally, to round out this star-studded team, the lion – Zlatan. Yet another player with unthinkable longevity, hanging his boots up after a glittering career that spanned more than two decades.

Zlatan will go down as one of the great goal-scorers of our time, combining freak athleticism with precision finishing to end his senior career with a remarkable tally of 496 goals and 205 assists across 827 appearances, all while playing for the biggest clubs in European football.