The present invention provides an organic electroluminescent element including an anode, a cathode, and a plurality of organic compound layers including at least one organic luminescent layer between the anode and the cathode, in which the organic luminescent layer contains a host material and two or more phosphorescent materials; the organic luminescent layer is adjacent to the organic compound layers at both an anode side and a cathode side thereof; the organic compound layer disposed adjacent to the organic luminescent layer at the anode side thereby has a thickness of 50 nm or less in thickness; and the organic compound layer disposed adjacent to organic luminescent layer at the cathode side thereby contains a compound having an ionization potential of 6.0 eV or less. The present invention also provides a display device using the organic electroluminescent element.