Top 10 Best Trios In Football History (Definitive List)

This is the list of the top 10 best trios in soccer history. Football is really fun, and what makes the game even more interesting is that certain trios beat the limitations of ordinary teamwork, boosting the beautiful game to new heights.

This list has brought with it a fresh perspective on the history of the sport, allowing us to reflect on the past and present to identify the most dangerous three ever to play the game.

In this post, I will share with you my best trios, and be it, I can watch the game because of them, and won’t be after the after due to how fantastic they play together to wow the fans.

So, if you want to learn about these dangerous three, then be with me.

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Top 10 Best Trio In Football History

  1. Lionel Messi – Xavier Hernández – Andres Iniesta (M.H.A)
  2. Alfredo Di Stefano – Francisco Gento – Ferenc Puskas (D.G.P)
  3. Rivaldo – Ronaldo – Ronaldinho (R.R.R)
  4. Lionel Messi – Luis Suarez – Neymar (M.S.N)
  5. Marco van Basten – Ruud Gullit – Frank Rijkaard (V.G.R)
  6. Johan Cruyff – Johnny Pep – Piet Keizer (C.P.K)
  7. Pele – Jairzinho – Tostao (P.J.T)
  8. Gareth Bale – Karim Benzema – Christiano Ronaldo ( B.B.R )
  9. George Best – Denis Law – Bobby Charlton (B.D.C)
  10. David Beckham – Ryan Giggs – Paul Scholes (B.G.S)

Let’s get to it.

1. Lionel Messi – Xavier Hernández – Andres Iniesta (M.H.A)

Messi, Xavi, Iniesta - The Greatest Trio | End of an Era

These three were like a dream team that made magic on the field. They were mind-blowing.

So, you know how in some games, players pass the ball around quickly, and it looks like they have personal communication? That’s what Messi, Xavi, and Iniesta did.

They had this style of play called tiki-taka, and it was like a secret language only they understood. With this magical way of playing, they made Barcelona one of the best teams ever.

They won four Champions League trophies and six La Liga titles together. Now, Messi is known for scoring tons of goals, right? Well, a big part of his success is due to Xavi and Iniesta. These guys would pass the ball to Messi, and he’d score like it was the easiest thing in the world.

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2. Alfredo Di Stefano – Francisco Gento – Ferenc Puskas (D.G.P)

The Greatest Trio in Football History | Puskás - Di Stéfano - Gento

Let’s take a trip back in time to when soccer was just starting to become famous. Alfredo Di Stefano, Francisco Gento, and Ferenc Puskas were like the pioneers of greatness on the field.

They kicked off the era of legendary football squads in Europe, and trust me, they were epic. Alfredo Di Stefano was just one piece of a huge puzzle of amazing players.

It was like he was the captain of a team full of superheroes, and these superheroes rocked the entire football world with their extraordinary performances.

Ferenc Puskas was like a goal-scoring machine as he could find the back of the net anytime. He scored just as many goals as Di Stefano, you can imagine having two goal-scoring wizards on the same team.

Also, Francisco Gento was like the secret sauce that made the squad even more incredible. His special touch on the field was like magic, with him around, the team managed to win five European Cups in a row.

In addition, Gento came back later and helped Real Madrid win their sixth European Cup. If you ask me buddy, the trio from the ’50s is the one that every football fan around the world will always remember. They were the ones who started it all, who set the stage for the amazing football squads we see today.

3. Rivaldo – Ronaldo – Ronaldinho (R.R.R)

When The Iconic 'R' Trio ( Ronaldo, Ronaldinho & Rivaldo ) Destroyed Argentina

As we call them, RRR, these three were one of the deadliest trios in football history. In the 2002 World Cup, these three amigos were responsible for 15 out of 18 of Brazil’s goals. They practically owned the scoreboard, winning a total of six FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

These guys were like three musketeers of soccer skills, as each of them could dribble like they were dancing with the ball, set up amazing plays for each other, and score goals that would leave your jaw on the floor. The defense had a nightmare trying to decide who to stop because all three were so darn good.

In 2002, they showed the world just how dangerous the Brazilian way of playing football could be, winning the World Cup together.

It was like they were playing a different game from everyone else. They create moments that’ll be talked about for generations. These players were the superstars of their time, no questions asked.

Ronaldo was the guy who could score goals in his sleep, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho were like midfield magicians with moves that left opponents dizzy. Plus, they could take free kicks like it was no big deal.

Even though all three played for Barcelona at some point, they never played together there. I mean, Rivaldo was already off to Milan, Ronaldinho joined a year later, and Ronaldo had moved on by then.

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4. Lionel Messi – Luis Suarez – Neymar (M.S.N)

10 Times The MSN Trio Impressed The World ► Messi - Suárez - Neymar

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar, aka ‘MSN’ were one of the most dangerous three in football history, a trio you wouldn’t want to mess with.

Starting from 2014 until 2017, these three friends from Barcelona were like a goal-scoring machine that couldn’t be stopped.

Messi, with his crazy skills and mind-blowing goals, Suarez with his speed and amazing shots, and Neymar, who could dance around defenders, were invisible. When they played together, they scored over 100 goals in a single season, twice.

They weren’t just amazing players, they were also best buddies off the field. Imagine hanging out with your best friends, but instead of playing video games, you’re winning football matches together.

Also, they loved spending time with their families and had a blast together. They were the key players when Barcelona won everything in their first year together, winning all the big championships.

5. Marco van Basten – Ruud Gullit – Frank Rijkaard (V.G.R)

Soulmates | Rijkaard, van Basten & Gullit

Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard were great players that turned a club’s fate upside down. Immediately they arrived, it was game over for the competition. When AC Milan brought in these three soccer wizards, they conquered the football world.

They won three league titles, two UEFA Champions League trophies, and two European Supercups, and let’s not forget that 58-game unbeaten streak they recorded.

Van Basten was their goal-scoring machine. If the ball was anywhere near him, it was probably going into the net. And Rijkaard was a master of the midfield, like the ultimate guardian of the team’s defense.

While Gullit is one of the best No. 10s I have ever seen. When you’ve got players of such crazy talent joining forces, you know something magical is about to happen.

They were like puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. I would say these guys were the reason AC Milan reached the summit of football, they turned AC Milan into a soccer dynasty.

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6. Johan Cruyff – Johnny Pep – Piet Keizer (C.P.K)

Piet Keizer, De Legende [Goals & Skills]

I could remember an era when Dutch soccer was like a painting come to life. Johan Cruyff, Johnny Pep ( I’m talking about Johan Neeskens, but let’s stick with the cool nickname), and Piet Keizer together known as C.P.K. were soccer sorcerers in the ’70s.

The Dutch have produced amazing footballers, but this trio was a whole new level of great. They were the architects of something called Total Football, a strategy where players can switch positions seamlessly.

It wasn’t just popular in the Netherlands, the world was watching and learning. In the 1974 World Cup when the Netherlands reached the final, C.P.K. were the heartbeats of the team.

But it was at Ajax where they made history. Ajax owes a huge chunk of its glory to this trio, leading the team to three European Cups in a row. They kicked off the golden age of Ajax like rock stars.

7. Pele – Jairzinho – Tostao (P.J.T)

Jairzinho, O Furacão [Goals & Skills]

Pele, Jairzinho, and Tostao – or P.J.T. for short were the kings of the game, one of the most dangerous three have ever seen in the game. Pele had not just one but three iconic trios in his career.

First up, he was like a force of nature when he played alongside Pepe and Coutinho for Santos. And then, together with Garrincha and Vava, he won not one, but two World Cups in 1958 and 1962.

The mother of all attacking line-ups came in the 1970 World Cup. Brazil was an unstoppable juggernaut, and Pele was at the heart of it. This wasn’t just a front-three deal because Tostao was in the mix too.

But the real damage came from Pele, Jairzinho, and Tostao. On the left, Jairzinho on the right, and Pele right in the middle, they were the soccer Avengers, each with their superpower. In the 1970 World Cup, Brazil bulldozed their way to victory, and this trio was the soul of that triumph.

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8. Gareth Bale – Karim Benzema – Christiano Ronaldo ( B.B.R )

Ronaldo - Benzema - Bale | The Greatest Football Trio • The Movie

Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo, known as ‘BBC’ wowed fans everywhere. The Real Madrid fans witnessed pure soccer black magic during the era of ‘BBC’. This trio was a goal-scoring hurricane.

In their very first season together in 2014, they scored an astounding 97 goals. Not one, not two, but four UEFA Champions League trophies were claimed by ‘BBC’ over just four years.

Plus two Copa del Rey trophies they bagged along the way. Real Madrid became the first club ever to win three consecutive Champions League titles.

When these guys were at their best, it was like trying to stop a freight train with a feather. These three were unstoppable forces.

9. George Best – Denis Law – Bobby Charlton ( B.D.C )

Soccer Legends - Best, Law and Charlton

When a trio has each won the Ballon d’Or, you know you’re looking at something heroic. George Best, Denis Law, and Bobby Charlton or B.D.C. – were the soccer gods of their time.

They were the heart of Manchester United, and together, they formed one of the deadliest three in football history. In 1968, they helped Manchester United become the first English club to win the European Cup.

These trios together scored 660 goals in 1300 matches. And each of them won the Ballon d’Or, George Best won it in 1968, Bobby Charlson won it in 1966, and Denis Law won it in 1964.

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10. David Beckham – Ryan Giggs – Paul Scholes ( B.G.S )

Beckham to Giggs-Manchester united Duo

David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, and Paul Scholes, together known as B.G.S are living football icons, and If you’re a young football player looking for inspiration, look no further.

They proved themselves time and again, and every very match they played was a lesson in dedication and skill. Scholes and Giggs composed beautiful harmony of passes and plays.

Speaking of Scholes, this guy had a superpower when it came to passing. He was the best passer of the ball during his days, and his skills were out of this world. People argue that he might just be the best passer England has ever produced, and that’s saying something.

Beckham was the king of style both on and off the field as he could bend it like no one else, making free kicks and crosses look like a piece of cake.

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Conclusion

So, soccer fans, if you ask me, Lionel Messi – Xavier Hernández – Andres Iniesta ( M.H.A ), Alfredo Di Stefano – Francisco Gento – Ferenc Puskas ( D.G.P ), Rivaldo – Ronaldo – Ronaldinho ( R.R.R ), Lionel Messi – Luis Suarez – Neymar ( M.S.N ), Marco van Basten – Ruud Gullit – Frank Rijkaard ( V.G.R ), Johan Cruyff – Johnny Pep – Piet Keizer ( C.P.K ), Pele – Jairzinho – Tostao ( P.J.T ), Gareth Bale – Karim Benzema – Christiano Ronaldo ( B.B.R ), George Best – Denis Law – Bobby Charlton ( B.D.C ), and David Beckham – Ryan Giggs – Paul Scholes ( B.G.S ) are the best, most dangerous, and the deadliest three in football history.