England have had so many top players in their history. From the World Cup winners of 1966 to the Golden Generation to the new guard – amalgamated by current England chief Gareth Southgate – that are bringing the nation together like never before. Despite their relative low levels of success, talent has certainly oozed from the very fabric of the England national team for years – but which players stand taller than the rest?

Sir Bobby Charlton, a Ballon d'Or winner, and Sir Bobby Moore, a West Ham United cult hero, starred for England in their only World Cup triumph in 1966. Paul Gascoigne, Gary Lineker and John Barnes were all exceptional for the Three Lions at the end of the 21st century, all the while multiple world-class players have turned out for England since the turn of the millennium, including the likes of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Ashley Cole.

The long list of household names, therefore, begs the question: who would feature in England's greatest ever XI? Fear not - IFFHS have saved everyone the trouble by completing their long-winded research and have managed to muster an answer to that very question. They've gone a step further too as they've named England's best-ever B and C sides too for those footballers that so narrowly miss out on being named in the best XI.

England's greatest ever side

GK Gordon Banks

RB Jimmy Armfield

CB Bobby Moore

CB Billy Wright

LB Ashley Cole

CM Bryan Robson

CM Bobby Charlton

RW Stanley Matthews

FW Gary Lineker

FW Jimmy Greaves

LW Tom Finney

What a side. The team features five players that turned out for England at the 1966 World Cup: Banks, Moore, Armfield, Charlton and Greaves and a host of other players that have flown the England flag high – and proud. Starting strong at the back is Banks - a typically underrated part of England’s success on the big stage. Named as one of the best Englishmen to never win a Champions League, his iconic save to thwart Pele’s header will forever hold a very special place in many hearts across the nation.

Greaves, whose finishing was considered ‘out of this world’, is partnered by Lineker up front, who notched 48 goals for his country, the third-most of any player in history. The former was sincerely the crème de la crème of England goalscorers during his time and had an impeccable record in front of goal. Notching 44 strikes in 57 appearances, the former Tottenham Hotspur man’s potency transcended across both domestic and international football.

Lineker, too, was no slouch when it came to putting the ball in the back of the net. With 48 goals in 80 England outings, the Leicester-born gem, known nowadays for his role on Match of the Day, made the art of being a poacher look simple – though it never was. Only the likes of Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney and Charlton have scored more goals on the international stage than Lineker - ranked as England's 11th best ever player. Criminally underrated.

Cole is the only player to have featured for England after 2000 that makes the side. Despite being booed by his home fans back in 2009, Cole was a remorselessly fine left-back and the greatest to ever don the fabled white of The Three Lions in the eyes of many. Someone who would benefit from Cole’s cross-field switches would be Matthews, who takes up the right-wing berth with ease. Winning the Ballon d’Or at a remarkable 41 years and 10 months old – the oldest to ever win – is an achievement on its own and Matthews, or ‘The Wizard of the Dribble’ as he was known, is a true English footballing great.

England's second greatest ever side

GK Peter Shilton

RB Gary Neville

CB Rio Ferdinand

CB Tony Adams

LB Ray Wilson

CM Duncan Edwards

CM Paul Gascoigne

RW Chris Waddle

FW Alan Shearer

FW Kevin Keegan

LW John Barnes

Another very strong side, but that just goes to show the myriad of talent that England – as a nation – have spat out over the years. Manchester United duo Neville and Ferdinand make up 50 percent of the backline and managed to forge an excellent relationship for both club and country thanks to the countless occasions of lining up alongside each other. Both players are included in Sir Alex Ferguson’s all-time most used XI (in terms of appearances) and that, in itself, is a testament to their talent.

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The Greater Manchester-based pairing are alongside Adams, commonly known as Mr. Arsenal, and Wilson at left-back. Adams, was a true defender who thrived in the toughest of climates. Looking past his own rendition of the cha-cha slide during his days at Granada, a prosperous playing career will be remembered as he remains Arsenal’s greatest-ever defender with an additional 66 England caps for good measure.

Gascoigne is one of England's most talented players ever and so nearly led England to glory at both the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1996. Involved in Newcastle’s greatest ever academy XI, Gascoigne’s innate talent was genuinely unrivalled – though his flair, technical ability, and all-round game were marred by off-field issues. His midfielder partner is Edwards. He only played 18 times for his national team before dying at the age of just 21 in the Munich air crash, so to make the side despite playing so few games shows just how supremely talented the Manchester United icon was.

Keegan is the only English player to win the Ballon d'Or twice (1978 and 1979) and so, unsurprisingly, makes the grade. Coupled next to him in the two-striker system is goal scorer-turned-pundit Shearer, who is the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer with a mouth-watering 260 net-busters. The Newcastle-born marksman mastered the art of bursting the net with such poise, but his tenacity to increase his tally was what was most impressive. Delivering balls for Keegan and Shearer would be Barnes, a magnificent winger who provided ample entertainment.

England's third greatest ever sideGK Frank Swift

RB Phil Neal

CB Terry Butcher

CB John Terry

LB Eddie Hapgood

RM David Beckham

CM Glenn Hoddle

CM Johnny Haynes

LM Martin Peters

FW Tommy Lawton

FW Wayne Rooney

A quick scan of the aforementioned 11 names, and you begin to realise the absurd amount of talent that England have had at their disposal. Terry, for example, was an exemplary defender, who rarely put a foot wrong for club or country but fails to break into the two teams above. Labelled as an ‘Era-Defining’ centre-back, the imperious defender was a staple part of Chelsea’s back line for the best part of 17 years and was key for England, too.

Partnered next to the west London mainstay is Butcher – a man scared of absolutely nothing. The iconic figure of him with a bandage round his head is synonymous with the nation and gives insight into what type of character he was. Fearless, ruthless and would put his body on the line at all costs – just what managers and fans alike love and adore. Born in Sinapore, Butcher played 77 times for his country and ensured no stone was left unturned. Every. Single. Time.

In the centre of the park is Beckham - one of the greatest Englishmen to earn his corn overseas. The global icon had some incredible highs during his England career – including being named captain in 2000 - while he also had some devastating lows. He makes the side having made 115 appearances with 17 goals added to his CV – a proper legend, who sincerely loved playing for his country. Not many English footballers can top Becks in terms of ‘moments’, no matter whether they were good or bad – thankfully, as time has passed, the positive moments come to the fore.

England's second-highest goalscorer Rooney, overtaken by Harry Kane, lines up alongside Lawton, who – per Transfermarkt - scored 22 goals in 23 appearances. Now that is impressive. Perhaps international longevity is the only facet preventing him from reaching the top echelons of Three Lions royalty but an incredible footballer nonetheless. Rooney – ranked as one of Manchester United’s greatest ever players – embodied everything about what it meant to represent your country and brought tenacity, goals and heaps of talent with him in his suitcase.

Hoddle, who later became the manager of England, was a maverick who made football look scarily simple. Somehow, the midfielder made just 53 appearances for his nation, but given his undeniable talent, that figure could’ve – and should’ve – been in the first team or B team. You know England have had some special players when Frank Lampard, Paul Scholes and Steven Gerrard don't feature at all. None of the current crop make any of the sides, although Bayern Munich talisman Kane could feature by the time he calls a day on his playing career. The Bundesliga star, just 30, has scored 62 times for his country and surpassed Rooney’s record to become the all-time leading bagsman and, therefore, it’s just a matter of time until his name is viewed in the same manner as some of the country's greats.