Many have people often ask: who are the best gaelic footballers of all time?
While it's impossible to compare eras, and the sport has changed leaps and bounds in 15 years, there is still a common consensus on who the all-time greats are.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the PwC All-Star awards, we convened a panel of Armagh All-Ireland winner Oisín McConville, Tyrone legend Peter Canavan, and Galway All-Ireland winning manager John O'Mahony.
They selected the greatest team of the past 50 years, aka the TV era. If you're looking for a guide to the best GAA football players of all time, this is a great place to start.
Best GAA Footballers Of All Time: Canavan, O'Mahony and McConville's greatest All-Stars team
1. Stephen Cluxton (Dublin)
All-Star(6) - 2002, 2006, 2007, 2011, 2013, 2019
All-Irelands(8) - 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Cluxton is said to be the greatest goalkeeper the game has ever seen.
The Parnell club man made his senior debut for Dublin during the 2001 Championship and since then he has established himself as Dublin's first-choice goalkeeper.
He has won eight All-Ireland medals, winning six All-Ireland championships in a row from 2015 to 2020.
Cluxton is the only player in the history of the game to captain a team to seven championship titles. He has also won a record 17 Leinster football medals.
2. Páidi Ó Sé (Kerry)
All-Stars(5) - 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
All-Irelands(8) - 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986
Ó Sé played for his beloved Kingdom from 1974 to 1988, winning eight All-Ireland medals along the way.
Ó Sé is widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation, especially when it comes to man-marking opponents.
Peter Canavan: Páidi's record in terms of man-marking surpasses anyone.
He was always able to come forward and lead the charge. He was a footballer, a leader, he had a bit of grit and devilment in him.
22 September 1985; Paidi O Se, Kerry. Kerry v Dublin, All-Ireland Football Final, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Ray McManus / SPORTSFILE
3. Seamus Moynihan (Kerry)
All-Stars(3) - 1997, 2000, 2006
All-Irelands(4) - 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006
Moynihan was a member of the Kerry Senior Football Panel from 1992 to 2006.
Over his 14-year-long playing career Moynihan won four All-Ireland titles and eight Munster football medals with Kerry.
Oisín McConville said he was the "toughest opponent I ever had. I was always told how strong he was physically, especially his upper body.
I was told how good a reader of the game he was, but no one told me how quick he was! He was just the full package, and he could play ball."
9 April 2006; Seamus Moynihan, Kerry. Allianz National Football League, Division 1A, Round 7, Kerry v Dublin, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
4. Tony Scullion (Derry)
All-Stars(4) - 1987, 1992, 1993, 1995
All-Irelands(1) – 1993
Scullion was a part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship-winning winning team.
He is regarded as one of the best full backs of his generation. Scullion is among the very few players who have won four All-Stars over the course of their career.
14 May 1995; Tony Scullion of Derry during the Church & General National Football League Final match between Derry and Donegal at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
5. Lee Keegan (Mayo)
All-Stars(4) - 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
Although Lee Keegan never won an All-Ireland football medal, he is still seen by many people as one of the greatest wingbacks the game has ever seen and Mayo’s best Gaelic football player of all time.
Keegan had an impressive career with Mayo, and became the highest scoring defender of all-time before retiring in 2022.
6. Kieran McGeeney (Armagh)
All-Stars(3) - 1999, 2000, 2002
All-Irelands(1) – 2002
Kieran McGeeney was one of Armagh’s best gaelic football players of all time, He played for his county from 1992 until 2007.
He captained Armagh to the 2002 All-Ireland Senior Football Final which they won.
It was Armagh’s first and and only All-Ireland Football championship title they county has ever won.
Oisín McConville said he 'never met anybody with more drive. He led by his actions as much as what he said.
When he said something, he was able to back it up. Without him, we never would have won an All-Ireland.'
22 September 2002; Kieran McGeeney Armagh one of the best gaelic footballers in action against Eoin Brosnan of Kerry during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Armagh and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Damien Eagers/Sportsfile
7. James McCarthy (Dublin)
All-Stars(4) - 2014, 2017, 2018, 2020
All-Irelands(8) - 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
James McCarthy has been a crucial part of Dublin's success since he burst onto the scene in 2011. His presence in the backs or midfield, wherever it may be, has earned him a rightful spot in this All-Stars top team.
Peter Canavan asked 'would Dublin have won six-in-a-row without James McCarthy? Definitely not. He has been central to them. When the going gets tough, he's the one grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck.'
14 May 2023; James McCarthy of Dublin one of the best gaelic footballers during the Leinster GAA Football Senior Championship Final match between Dublin and Louth at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
8. Jack O'Shea (Kerry)
All-Stars(6) - 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985
All-Irelands(7) - 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986
O’Shea was a member of the Kerry senior football team from 1976 until 1992. He won seven All-Ireland medals with the Kingdom and went on to captain his side as well. O'Shea is regarded as one of the all-time greatest players.
Oisín McConville said he was a player 'ahead of his time. Of all the players who won All-Stars in that era, if Jack O'Shea came around now, he would fit seamlessly into the middle of the field for anybody.'
11 August 1991; Jack O'Shea of Kerry regarded as one of the best gaelic footballers during the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final match between Down and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
9. Brian Fenton (Dublin)
All-Stars(5) - 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
All-Irelands(6) - 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
In 2015, Fenton made his senior debut for the Dubs and his career got off to an exceptionally great start.
In his first year playing senior county football for Dublin, he won an All-Ireland medal, as well as the man of the Match award in the 2015 All-Ireland Final.
Fenton’s career has gone from strength to strength since his debut year.
He has gathered six All-Ireland medals, five all-stars' awards and he was the 2018 and 2020 GAA/GPA Footballer of the Year.
John O'Mahony described him as 'the Rolls Royce of modern midfielders. His interventions at vital times with scores, and the way he faded into positions to get those scores [has been incredible].'
14 September 2019; Brian Fenton of Dublin with the Sam Maguire cup following the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final Replay match between Dublin and Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Last week we brought you the @PwCIreland All-Stars "15 for 50" hurling XV, this week it's the gaelic football XV.
Ahead of the release of the full team on Friday, have a look at who Peter Canavan has in his half forward line.#PwCAllStars #15For50 pic.twitter.com/gpuKsvBgU1
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) November 24, 2021
10. Trevor Giles (Meath)
All-Stars(3) - 1996, 1997, 1999
All-Irelands(2) - 1996, 1999
Trevor Giles won two All-Ireland Senior medals with Meath, three Leinster Senior Football Championship titles and one National League Medals.
He played in the half-forward line for Meath and is widely regarded as Meath’s best forward.
Giles won 3 All-Star awards and was chosen as the All-Stars Footballer of the Year in 1996 and 1999, up until 2019 he was the only player to accomplish this.
6 June 1999; Trevor Giles of Meath during the Bank of Ireland Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter-final match between Meath and Wicklow at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
11. Larry Tompkins (Cork)
All-Stars(3) - 1987, 1988, 1989
All-Irelands(2) - 1989, 1990
Larry Tompkins first claimed an All-Ireland winners' medal as centre-forward on the 1989 Cork All-Ireland-winning team. He later went on to captain Cork to another win in the 1990 All-Ireland Championship.
Tompkins is widely considered one of the best players of his generation and among the best gaelic football players of all time. He was once described by former Kerry manager Mick O'Dwyer as 'one of the best players to ever play football', he was a three-time All-Star winner.
Larry Tompkins of Cork. best gaelic footballers Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile
12. Pat Spillane (Kerry)
All-Stars(9) - 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986
All-Irelands(8) - 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986
Spillane is widely seen as one of the greatest players in the game's history. His senior county career spanned seventeen years from 1974 to 1991.
Over the next seventeen years, Spillane won eight All-Ireland medals, beginning in 1975, he then went on to win a record-equalling four championships in a row from 1978 to 1981 and three championships in a row from 1984 to 1986.
He won twelve Munster medals, two National Football League medals and was named Footballer of the Year in 1978 and 1986.
He is said by many to be the best Gaelic football player of all time.
13. Colm Cooper (Kerry)
All-Stars(8) - 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
All-Irelands(5) - 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014
Colm "the Gooch" Cooper had a very impressive playing career that spanned over fifteen years, from 2002 to 2017.
Over the years, Cooper collected many awards individually and with Kerry.
He accumulated eight all-stars awards over 15 years and won five All-Ireland titles with the Kingdom.
1 July 2007; Colm Cooper, Kerry, turns inside Kieran O'Connor, Cork, on his way to scoring his side's only goal. Bank of Ireland Munster Senior Football Championship Final, Kerry v Cork, Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Picture credit: Brendan Moran / SPORTSFILE
14. Padraic Joyce (Galway)
All-Stars(3) - 1998, 2000, 2001
All-Irelands(2) - 1998, 2001
Joyce was a well-decorated player for both club and county, even for his country, earning him a spot on this All-Stars team of the last 50 years.
The Galway legend won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championships with his county, receiving three All-Stars Awards along the way.
He won four Galway Senior Football Championships while playing for his club Killererin.
He also captained Ireland in the International Rules Series.
27 June 1999; Padraic Joyce of Galway is tackled by Nigel Clancy of Sligo during the Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Football Championship Semi-Final match between Sligo and Galway at Markievicz Park in Sligo. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile
15. Peter Canavan (Tyrone)
All-Stars(6) - 1994, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2005
All-Irelands(2) - 2003, 2005
Canavan played inter-county football for Tyrone for 16 years and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history. He won two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six All-Stars Awards, which more than any other Ulster player, and joint third overall, four provincial titles, and two National Leagues.
He is certainly worthy of being on this list of the best Gaelic football players of all time.
28 September 2003; Tyrone captain Peter Canavan lifts the Sam Maguire cup after victory over Armagh. Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Armagh v Tyrone, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE *EDI*
See Also: The Best Hurlers Of All Time: The Greatest GAA Hurlers The Game Has Seen
