In football, top players always stand out. Some players are brilliant individually; others have a unique chemistry with teammates that makes for sensational attacking play. In fact, some of the iconic football players stood out as a trio. Below we pay respect to all the greatest attacking trios that have graced football.
From classic trios only your grandparents remember to new groups showing promise, below we list the 10 best attacking trios of all time. Continue reading to find out more!
Which are the 10 best attacking football trios?
- Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr (FC Barcelona)
- Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
- Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard (AC Milan)
- Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool)
- George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Dennis Law (Manchester United)
- Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo (Brazil National Team)
- Omar Sivori, John Charles, and Giampiero Boniperti (Juventus)
- Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento, and Ferenc Puskas (Real Madrid)
- David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
- Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, and Sjaak Swart (AFC AJAX)
10. Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, and Sjaak Swart (AFC Ajax)
In 1974, the Netherlands qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1938. They surprised audiences with the then innovative “Total Football” style of play. The players driving the strategy were three AFC Ajax stars who had spent years playing together – Johan Cruyff, Piet Keizer, and Sjaak Swart.
Although international audiences were surprised at the strength of the Dutch squad, on the club circuit, Ajax had been phenomenal for years. Together, the trio were responsible for helping the team win:
- 6 Eredivisie titles
- 3 European Cup (UEFA Champions League) titles.
The remnants of the Total Football strategy are still visible in football culture throughout the world (FC Barcelona’s “tiki-taka” style of gameplay was derived from it.) Ajax remains a strong team with many of their core tactics still resting on Total Football.
You can see this for yourself by booking a football trip to see Ajax!
9. David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes (Manchester United)
Beckham, Giggs, and Scholes are undisputable Manchester United icons. Unsurprisingly, they are considered three of the best football players of all-time. They were well known for their hard-working nature and skilful play.
Without a doubt, Paul Scholes is the best passer England has produced. Beckham was known for his precision and ability to score goals from long distances. Complement Beckham and Scholes with a speedy Ryan Giggs and you have yourself a dream team!
While this trio played for Manchester United, they won many titles. The most famous is probably their 1999 treble (Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League). It is still the only ever treble won by an English football team.
Even post-retirement, these three players are seen as one of the strongest group of players in football history. Manchester United is known for creating strong attacking squads with players like Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paul Pogba following in similar roles. This always makes booking a football trip to see Manchester United exciting.
8. Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento, and Ferenc Puskas (Real Madrid)
Before Real Madrid’s famous BBC frontline, a trio already made a mark in the club’s history. Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento and Ferenc Puskas won five UEFA Champions League titles in a row. One of their more notable performances includes a 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the European Cup final.
Alfredo Di Stefano is still considered one of the highest scorers in the UEFA Champions League, which is quite a feat given that teams play so many more games these days. Francisco Gento also remains the only player to win six European Cups. (Cristiano Ronaldo is surely chasing that record too!)
If you wanted to be assured you witness one of the best football teams in the world, book a football trip to see Real Madrid.
7. Omar Sivori, John Charles, and Giampiero Boniperti (Juventus)
In the 1950s, Juventus was in a bad spot. However, when Omar Sivori and John Charles joined the team in 1957, the team’s fortunes turned around. Together with Giampiero Boniperti, “El Trio Magico” was the best attacking trio anyone had seen.
This trio brought back Juventus to their glory days, winning:
- 3 Serie A titles
- 2 Italian Cups
Although we can’t travel back in time to see the Magical Trio in action, Juventus is still an amazing team. See for yourself by booking a football trip to see Juventus.
6. Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo (Brazil National Team)
The mythic 3 Rs: Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo made the Brazilian national football team a part of this list of best attacking trios. The trio made their first appearance in the Copa America where they proved difficult to beat.
Together, they scored 15 goals in seven games and made it possible for Brazil to win the 2002 World Cup – something the team itself wasn’t expecting. The trio also made it possible for a young Ronaldinho to thrive, going on to dazzle at Barcelona and AC Milan.
5. George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Dennis Law (Manchester United)
The ‘Holy Trinity’ is famous for marking the beginning of an era of good players at Manchester United. This trio terrified every team unlucky enough to play them.
George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Dennis Law brought their team:
- 660+ goals in 1300 matches together
- Manchester United’s first European Cup
This is the second time that Manchester United has been listed. Naturally, if you want to see another up-and-coming attacking football trio, you need to book a football trip to see Manchester United.
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4. Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Firmino (Liverpool FC)
MSF is a fortress of strikers playing for Liverpool FC. Over the last four years, they have helped Liverpool win:
- 1 Champions League
- 1 FIFA Club World Cup
- 1 UEFA Super Cup
- 1 Premier League title
Is this any surprise when they have scored over 300 combined goals for Liverpool?
Liverpool FC fans love watching this trio play because it is an unforgettable experience. Witness it yourself by booking a football trip!
3. Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard (AC Milan)
Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard are well-known for changing the tides for AC Milan. Van Basten was a clinical finisher, Rijkaard the best defensive midfielder of his time, and Gullit is still considered one of the top Dutch players of all-time.
Together, they helped the club win:
- 3 Serie A titles
- 2 UEFA Champions League titles
- 2 European Super Cups
AC Milan constantly builds teams with strong offensive and defensive units. If you want to see what they currently offer, book a football trip to see AC Milan.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Also known as BBC, together this trio recorded some insane accomplishments, including:
- 97 goals
- 3 UEFA Champions League titles in four years
- 1 La Liga title
With the help of BCC, Real Madrid became the first club to win three consecutive Champions League trophies (with competition in its current format.) The trio broke up when Ronaldo left for Juventus.
Although Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer at Real Madrid, you can still watch Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale play if you book a football trip to see Real Madrid.
1. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar Jr (FC Barcelona)
There was no other possibility than MSN for number one on this list. Between 2014 and 2017, Barcelona had the deadliest trio, combining the three best Latin American players. Between the three of them, they topped Real Madrid’s team goals in 2015, scoring 122 goals in a single season.
The following season they broke their own record with 131 goals. With the help of the trio, Barcelona managed to win the Champions League, Club World Cup, and La Liga.
Even though MSN are no longer together, you can still watch amazing attacking play during a football trip to FC Barcelona.
In conclusion, football history is full of amazing trios, and they are still showing up. With Lionel Messi’s transfer to PSG, there’s already a new possible trio in the making: Messi, Neymar, and Kylian Mbappé.
If you don’t want to miss your shot at being one of the first to watch this trio, you should book a football trip to see PSG.