AI bot ChatGPT has named its ultimate Premier League line-up – but many fans may be surprised by some controversial omissions.
MailOnline asked the tool, ‘Can you give me your ultimate Premier League football team?’ and it gave 11 Premier League winners in a 4-3-3 formation.
But some big names are missing from the lineup, including Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Gareth Bale. It even omitted Ryan Giggs – who has more Premier League winners’ medals than any other player.
Also missing are modern greats including Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, who now holds the record for most goals in a single Premier League season.
Chelsea fans may be incensed as the chatbot has only included one Blues star in its line-up – although Manchester City fans may be even more annoyed.
Do you agree? ChatGPT named its ultimate Premier League line-up – and made some controversial omissions. The hugely popular AI tool ChatGPT has been trained on a massive amount of text so it can generate human-like answers to questions
Despite City winning the title six times, not a single Premier League winner with the northern club has been included in the selection.
ChatGPT – which was released by US firm OpenAI in November – was built using large language models (LLMs), deep learning algorithms that can recognise and generate text based on knowledge gained from massive datasets.
It said its decision was ‘based on my analysis of the players’ skills and performances in the league’ – and it denied being a Manchester United fan.
Here’s a look at ChatGPT’s ultimate Premier League line-up and its reasoning for each selection.
GOALKEEPER – PETER SCHMEICHEL
Denmark’s Peter Schmeichel played eight seasons at Manchester United and won five league titles, three FA Cups and one League Cup.
He also captained the side during their famous Champions League glory in Barcelona in May 1999, which capped a remarkable treble that season.
That Champions League final, in which he wore the captain’s armband in Roy Keane’s absence, proved to be Schmeichel’s last game for United as he moved to Sporting Lisbon that summer.
ChatGPT said: ‘Schmeichel was an integral part of the Manchester United team that won five Premier League titles in seven years.
‘He was an excellent shot-stopper and commanding presence in the penalty area.’
Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel, pictured prior to a UEFA Champions League match against Bayern Munich in September 1998, was described as ‘excellent shot-stopper’
ChatGPT is a large language model that has been trained on a massive amount of text data, allowing it to generate eerily human-like text in response to a given prompt
RIGHT BACK – GARY NEVILLE
Another Manchester United ace of the 1990s, Gary Neville was described as his manager Alex Ferguson as ‘the best English right-back of his generation’.
The one-club player was a member of ‘Fergie’s Fledglings’ along with David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and his brother Phil.
Neville won 20 trophies at United, making him one of the most decorated English footballers of all time.
ChatGPT said: ‘Neville spent his entire career at Manchester United, winning eight Premier League titles and establishing himself as one of the best right-backs in the league’s history.’
CENTRE BACK – VIRGIL VAN DIJK
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is the only player in ChatGPT’s ultimate line-up that is currently playing in the Premier League.
The Dutch star signed from Southampton in January 2018 and quickly gained a reputation as a strong and formidable barrier for even the best strikers.
He’s since won every top competition there is to be won for a player in England, including the Premier League in 2020 and the Champions League in 2019.
ChatGPT said: ‘Van Dijk has been a dominant force at the heart of Liverpool’s defence since joining the club.
‘He played a key role in their Premier League title-winning season in 2019-20 and has been widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world.’
Gary Neville (pictured in April 1999) won 20 trophies at United, including eight Premier Leagues
ChatGPT called Dutch captain Virgil Van Dijk ‘a dominant force at the heart of Liverpool’s defence’
CENTRE BACK – RIO FERDINAND
Rio Ferdinand, who made his senior debut at West Ham in May 1996, won 18 trophies during his time at Manchester United.
The club forked out £30 million on Ferdinand in July 2002 to make him the most expensive British footballer in history at the time of his move from rivals Leeds United.
ChatGPT said: ‘Ferdinand was a rock in Manchester United’s defence for over a decade, winning six Premier League titles and forming a formidable partnership with Nemanja Vidic.’
Although ChatGPT’s selection was heavy with Manchester United players, the bot denied being a fan of the club when asked.
It said: ‘As an AI language model, I don’t have personal preferences or feelings like humans do, so I don’t have a favourite football team.
‘I provide information and insights based on data and analysis, regardless of the teams or players involved.
‘I strive to remain neutral and objective in my responses to provide the most helpful and accurate information possible.’
LEFT BACK – ASHLEY COLE
Ashley Cole left Arsenal fans devastated when he moved to London rivals Chelsea in the summer of 2006.
ChatGPT said Cole had won three Premier League titles with Arsenal and two titles with Chelsea – although this is actually incorrect.
Ashley Cole (right) celebrates with Frank Lampard during a Premier League match between Arsenal and Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on May 10, 2009
Rio Ferdinand is pictured during a Premier League match between Manchester United and his former club Leeds United at Old Trafford in March 2003
Cole’s sole league glory with Chelsea was in the 2009-10 season, and he was only in the Arsenal academy when the club won the first of its three Premier League titles in 1998.
OpenAI has already admitted that ‘ChatGPT sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers’.
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Nevertheless, the bot was full of praise for Cole, calling him ‘one of the best left-backs in the league’s history with his defensive abilities and attacking prowess’.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER – PATRICK VIEIRA
One of two Frenchmen in ChatGPT’s line-up is midfielder Patrick Vieira, a former Arsenal captain and surely one of the most beloved midfielders among Gunners fans.
In nine seasons with the North London club, Vieira lifted four FA Cups and three league titles before departing for Italy in 2005.
ChatGPT said: ‘Vieira was a key figure in Arsenal’s dominant teams of the early 2000s, winning three Premier League titles and providing a physical and technical presence in midfield.’
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER – STEVEN GERRARD
Considered by many as Liverpool’s greatest player, Steven Gerrard spent his entire career at Liverpool.
He won the Champions League, FA Cup, and League Cup – but never the Premier League, despite coming very close in 2014.
ChatGPT said: ‘He was a dynamic and versatile midfielder who could score goals and create chances.’
Gerrard also holds the most appearances in the PFA Team of the Year in the Premier League era with eight.
Considered by many as Liverpool’s greatest player, Gerrard spent his entire career at Liverpool. Pictured is Gerrard after scoring at Anfield in a legends charity match on March 25, 2023
Patrick Vieira celebrates his goal during the FA Cup semi final against rivals Tottenham Hotspur in April 2001
CENTRAL MIDFIELDER – PAUL SCHOLES
Paul Scholes, another one of Fergie’s Fledglings, spent his entire career at Manchester United, where he won 11 Premier League titles.
He retired in 2011 at the age of 36 but made a surprise return to the club for another season and a half the following year.
ChatGPT said Scholes was ‘renowned for his passing ability and long-range shooting’.
Along with Gerrard, Scholes can ‘dictate the play and create chances for the front three’ in this ultimate line-up, it added.
Paul Scholes (pictured here in August 2000) was one of manager Alex Ferguson’s most reliable players during their time together at Manchester United
RIGHT WINGER – CRISTIANO RONALDO
As Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is considered one of the game’s greatest ever players, his inclusion comes as no surprise.
Ronaldo spent six seasons at Manchester United, winning three Premier League titles, a Champions League title and more.
He established himself ‘as one of the best players in the world’ while at Manchester United with his pace, skill, and goalscoring ability, ChatGPT said.
He joined the club for a second spell in summer 2021 – but this all ended in acrimony last year following a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan.
Now 38, he plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr following a deal ‘believed to be worth more than 200 million euros’.
Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring with teammates during his second stint at Manchester United
LEFT WINGER – THIERRY HENRY
Frenchman Thierry Henry won two Premier League titles with Arsenal and was the league’s top scorer four times.
Along with Vieira, Henry had international success with France, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2000.
ChatGPT called Henry ‘a technically gifted striker’ who could score goals ‘from anywhere on the pitch’.
Henry and Ronaldo were ‘two of the most gifted and prolific goalscorers in Premier League history’, it added.
STRIKER – ALAN SHEARER
No chatbot worth its salt could possibly overlook the greatest Premier League goal machine of all time.
Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time top scorer with 260 goals, although Tottenham’s Harry Kane is closing in on this record fast.
Alan Shearer pictured with the Premier League trophy after winning the title at Liverpool, May 14, 1995
Thierry Henry of Arsenal runs with the ball during the FA Cup fifth round match against Chelsea at Highbury, February 2001
Shearer won the league title with Blackburn Rovers in 1995 before moving to Newcastle United, with whom he reached the FA Cup final twice.
ChatGPT called Shearer ‘a prolific and physical striker who could score all types of goals’ with ‘physicality and finishing ability make him a perfect target man’.
The bot decided to play Shearer at the tip of the 4-3-3 formation, which overall would provide ‘a good balance of defensive solidity, midfield creativity and attacking firepower’.
MANAGER – SIR ALEX FERGUSON
Every title-winning squad needs a great manager, although MailOnline had no doubt which one ChatGPT would opt for.
Sir Alex Ferguson won an incredible 13 Premier League titles with Manchester United – a feat that even the great Pep Guardiola is far from equalling.
The legendary Scot also won Manchester United two Champions League titles as well as five FA Cups, three League Cups and one Club World Cup.
Sir Alex Ferguson (left) and first team Coach Rene Meulensteen of Manchester United pose with the Premier League trophy during Manchester United’s parade on May 30, 2011
ChatGPT said: ‘For the ultimate manager of this team, I would have to go with Sir Alex Ferguson.
‘He was a master at man-management and was able to build and rebuild successful teams throughout his career.
‘His ability to motivate players and make shrewd tactical decisions was unmatched, and he was able to consistently get the best out of his players.
‘With his track record of success and his ability to manage and develop some of the best players in the league’s history, I think he would be the perfect fit to lead this ultimate Premier League team.’
ChatGPT stressed that its ultimate Premier League team is subjective and that ‘others may have a different opinion’.
What was ChatGPT’s worst omission? Tell us in the comments below
