# The 20 Greatest Partnerships in Football History

> Strike pairs, midfield engines and a few duos who barely had to look up to find each other. Some won everything together; others are remembered for one perfect season.

*By YPB Team · Published September 27, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-20-greatest-partnerships-in-football-history*

---

## Current results (1 vote)

1. **Xavi & Iniesta** — score 1000/1000
   Barcelona's midfield pair who won four Champions Leagues together and led Spain to Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.
2. **Di Stéfano & Puskás** — score 757/1000
   Real Madrid's pair who scored all seven goals in the 1960 European Cup final.
3. **Totti & Cassano** — score 656/1000
   Roma's strike pair from 2001 to 2006; Totti called Cassano the strongest player he ever played with.
4. **Henry & Bergkamp** — score 568/1000
   Arsenal's partnership behind the 2003-04 Invincibles, unbeaten across a whole Premier League season.
5. **Dalglish & Rush** — score 515/1000
   Liverpool's pairing of the 1980s, European champions together in 1984.
6. **Modrić & Kroos** — score 515/1000
   Real Madrid's midfield from 2014 to 2024, with five Champions League titles together.
7. **Mancini & Vialli** — score 454/1000
   Sampdoria's 'goal twins', who won the club's only Scudetto in 1991 and reunited on Italy's Euro 2020 staff.
8. **Gullit & Van Basten** — score 454/1000
   Milan's Dutch pair who won the European Cup in 1989 and 1990, and Euro 88 with the Netherlands.
9. **Gerrard & Torres** — score 454/1000
   Liverpool's captain and striker from 2007 to 2011, Premier League runners-up in 2008-09.
10. **Kane & Son** — score 454/1000
   Tottenham's pair who hold the Premier League record for goal combinations, 47.
11. **Yorke & Cole** — score 454/1000
   Manchester United's strike pair in the 1999 treble season.
12. **Ronaldo & Benzema** — score 384/1000
   Real Madrid's attack from 2009 to 2018, with four Champions League titles together.
13. **Messi & Suárez** — score 303/1000
   Barcelona and Inter Miami team-mates who have combined for more than 110 club goals.
14. **Pelé & Garrincha** — score 303/1000
   Brazil's forwards of the 1958 and 1962 World Cup wins; Brazil never lost a match with both on the pitch.
15. **Pirlo & Gattuso** — score 206/1000
   Milan's midfield pair in the 2003 and 2007 Champions League wins, and world champions with Italy in 2006.
16. **Batistuta & Rui Costa** — score 206/1000
   Fiorentina's striker and playmaker from 1994 to 2000, Coppa Italia winners in 1996.
17. **Romário & Bebeto** — score 206/1000
   Brazil's strike pair at the 1994 World Cup win, remembered for Bebeto's cradle-rocking celebration.
18. **Del Piero & Trezeguet** — score 0/1000
   Juventus strike pair of the 2000s who both stayed for the 2006-07 Serie B season.
19. **Shearer & Sutton** — score 0/1000
   Blackburn's 'SAS', who scored 49 league goals between them as Rovers won the 1994-95 Premier League.
20. **Müller & Lewandowski** — score 0/1000
   Bayern Munich's pair from 2014 to 2022: eight Bundesliga titles in eight seasons and the 2020 Champions League.

Tags: football, players, duos