The beautiful game of soccer has produced countless legends over the years. Choosing the top 10 greatest soccer players of all time is a challenging task, but here's an article highlighting some of the most remarkable players who have left an indelible mark on the sport.
The game of football have known some amazing players that dominated the game during their careers. So it is not an easy task to say exactly Who is the greatest footballer of all times ? but from our ranking of the Top Ten Greatest footballers of all times, you can say who is the greatest from their statistics too.
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Ranking of the Best Footballers of All Times
The game of football is one of the highest paid sports and it also holds the record of the most popular sport in the World looking at the huge number of fans that follow the game.
So today we are here to make a ranking of the Greatest Soccer Players of All Time that the game has ever seen.
10. Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is a Brazilian retired professional footballer well known for his magical skills and goals. He played mostly as an attacking midfielder during his career but was also used as a winger.
Ronaldinho's outstanding technical skill was one of his biggest assets. He had incredible ball control and dribbling ability. He had the instinctive ability to glide past defenders with an air of effortless grace, often catching them off guard. The combination of Ronaldinho's close ball control, agility, and quickness made him impossible for opposition defenders to contain.
Furthermore, Ronaldinho stands out from his contemporaries thanks to his innovation and flair. On the field, he possessed the amazing capacity to create magical moments. Few players could match Ronaldinho's degree of excitement and unpredictability in the game, whether it was through his daring flicks, sly backheels, or captivating step-overs.
He is Considered by many to be among the top 10 football players of all time, Ronaldinho is regarded as one of the best players of his generation.
A Ballon d'Or and two FIFA World Player of the Year honors went to Ronaldinho. His technical prowess, originality, and dribbling talents are overly astounding.
Many great players of this generation have adopted his use of feints, overhead kicks, no-look passes, and tricks. He played a crucial role in Barcelona's 2005–06 UEFA Champions League victory. One of the select few athletes to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid supporters at the Santiago Bernabéu is Ronaldinho.
9. Zinedine Zidane
French maestro Zinedine Zidane was renowned for his elegance, ball control, and vision. Zidane's technical skills and composure on the ball allowed him to orchestrate the game from midfield and deliver unforgettable performances for club and country.
One of the best playmakers, Zidane was known for his grace, clarity of vision, passing, and ball control. He received numerous individual honors throughout his career, including the 1998 Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 1998, 2000, and 2003.
His career with France has been dazzling as well; they won the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championships. Zidane won numerous awards during his time in Spain, including the UEFA Champions League and the La Liga championship.
Many people rank his left-footed volleyed winner in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final as one of the best goals in the history of the event.
His elegance with the ball is quite amazing. Zidane is one of eight players to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or. He experienced tremendous success with both the club and the country.
8. Ronaldo Nazario
Brazilian striker Ronaldo Nazário, often referred to as "The Phenomenon," was a true goal-scoring machine. Blessed with incredible speed, agility, and finishing ability, he won numerous titles and captivated fans with his awe-inspiring performances.
One of the greatest attackers of all time was the Brazilian. His individual achievements include winning two Ballon d'Or medals and three FIFA World Player of the Year titles.
He was crowned the 1996 FIFA World Player of the Year at the age of 20, making him the youngest player to win the honor. For Brazil, he scored 62 goals in 98 games. He made a strong impression on both the club and the nation.
He received the Ballon d'Or in 1997 at the age of 21, and he is still the youngest laureate of the honor. Ronaldo had more than 200 goals for club and country by the age of 23. His achievements and stats speak for themselves.
7. Ferenc Puskas
One of the most overt goal scorers in the game's history was definitely Ferenc Puskás. Throughout his career, he scored an astounding 808 goals in 794 games for recognized teams.
In addition to leading his country to the World Cup final in 1954, he won the Olympic gold medal in 1952. His Real Madrid career has also been fairly impressive, winning five league championships and three European Cups.
He ranks as the third best goalscorer in history. FIFA announced the creation of the FIFA Puskás Award in October 2009, which is granted to the player who has scored the "most beautiful goal" in the previous calendar year.
6. Johan Cruyff
Dutch legend Johan Cruyff epitomized elegance and innovation on the field. His playing style and vision revolutionized the game, particularly during his time with Ajax and Barcelona. Cruyff's influence extended beyond his playing days, as he became an influential manager as well.
He had a strong, technically adept football player with excellent ball control. Cruyff was also a reliable goal scorer. He is regarded as one of the best soccer players to have ever lived.
Cruyff won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player and guided the Netherlands to the 1974 FIFA World Cup final. He performed a feint at the 1974 finals that was eventually given his name, the "Cruyff Turn".
Many of the top athletes of this generation still used the maneuver. He is regarded as one of the most important individuals in football history. Managers and players all around the world have evolved as a result of Cruyff's playing style and football philosophies.
5. Alfredo Di Stefano
ZRecognized as one of the pioneers of modern soccer, Alfredo Di Stefano was a multidimensional forward who played a crucial role in Real Madrid's success during the 1950s and 1960s. His technical prowess, versatility, and goal-scoring ability set him apart.
Madrid won the first five European Cup Championships under the Argentine's direction. a deadly goal scorer who ranks among the best in football history.
He was a forward with tremendous stamina, speed, skill, and tactical awareness. The most perfect player to ever grace the game was Stefano.
He played 282 games for Real Madrid and scored 216 league goals. In 1957 and 1959, Di Stéfano received the Ballon d'Or as the best footballer in Europe.
Along with Cristiano Ronaldo, he is Real Madrid's joint-leading scorer in El Clásico history and the third-highest goalscorer for the club.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has consistently dazzled fans with his incredible athleticism and goal-scoring prowess. With numerous league titles and individual accolades, he has cemented his place among the greatest players in soccer history.
One of the most decorated and productive football players in history is Cristiano Ronaldo. He is the all-time highest scorer for both the Portuguese national team and club teams. He has won five Ballon d'Or trophies, the most of any player. In addition to winning the Champions League five times, he has won league championships in England, Spain, and Italy.
Ronaldo is a physical freak with amazing athleticism, speed, and power. Additionally, he has a remarkable capacity to score goals from any distance, making him a great goal scorer. He can both create opportunities for his teammates and score goals on his own, and he is an excellent playmaker and dribbler as well.
Ronaldo holds the records for most goals (134) and assists (42) in the Champions League and the most goals in the European Championship (14). He is currently tied with Ali Daei for most international goals (109).
The Portuguese international is one of the most physically gifted and skillful players the world has ever seen. He has great speed, is a good header of the ball, is a lethal finisher, and is a goal-scoring machine.
Ronaldo was the fastest player ever to score 200 goals in La Liga. He is also the first player in the history of the game to score more than 50 goals in a season that too consecutively for six years.
He is also the star of the tournament when Portugal won the Euro in 2016. Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down even at the age of 36. He is number 4 in our list of the top 10 greatest soccer players of all time.
3. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona played football professionally and is from Argentina. He is regarded as one of the sport's all-time great players. One of the two winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award was Maradona.
He possesses a unique gift that the world has never seen before. His charismatic leadership, astounding ambitions, and captivating persona are simply too much to manage.
His dribbling skills were simply superior to everyone else's. Maradona was the first athlete to double the previous transfer record. The first was a £5 million trade to Barcelona in 1982, and the second was a £6.9 million transfer to Napoli in 1984.
2. Pele
Hailing from Brazil, Pele is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. Known for his creativity, skill, and prolific goal-scoring ability, he won three World Cups with Brazil and scored over 1,000 professional goals throughout his career.
Pele has the ability to goal-scoring and is one of the best forward the world football has ever seen. He scored a total of 1279 goals in 1363 games. His game reading, strength, and dribbling ability are some of the best comparing the other greats of the game.
Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century.
He was an integral part of the World Cup-winning team of 1958, 1962, and 1970. He also won two Copa Libertadores and five league titles.
Pelé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 92 games. He is also Santos’ all-time top goalscorer with 643 goals from 659 games.
Many greats have regarded Brazilian as the greatest footballer of all time. No player has won more World Cups than him in the history of the game.
In Brazil, he is recognized as a national hero for his accomplishments in football. He is the youngest player ever to score (17 years 249 days) at a World Cup.
1. Lionel Messi
Forward and captain of the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi is an Argentine professional football player. From the moment Messi made his debut for FC Barcelona as a young prodigy, it was clear that he possessed exceptional talent and promise.
He continually displayed his outstanding abilities throughout his successful career, enthralling spectators around the globe with his spellbinding dribbles, incredible speed, and exceptional goal-scoring ability.
Messi stands out from other players due to his incredible longevity and consistency at the highest level. He consistently put on outstanding performances, shattering innumerable records and changing the course of history.
Regardless of the competition or opposition, Messi's ability to continuously perform magic on the field is a testament to his unmatched skill and football acumen. Messi's impact on the game has been apparent, whether it was in domestic leagues, international competitions, or individual honors.
Messi has had a big impact on the international level in addition to his club's success. Messi has never wavered in his commitment to the Argentine national team despite obstacles and criticism.
He led Argentina to victory in the 2021 Copa America, ending a 28-year trophy drought for the national team. This triumph solidified his status as not just a club legend but also a national hero. Messi also led Argentina to win the finalissima and World Cup in 2022 which was against Italy and France.
He is widely regarded as the best player in the world and one of the greatest players of all time. Messi has won a record six Ballon d’Or awards.
Messi spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he won a club-record 35 trophies, which includes ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions Leagues.
He has scored more than 750 senior career goals for club and country and also has the most goals ever by a player for a single club(Barcelona).
Final Thoughts On Top 10 Best Football Players of All Time
Choosing the greatest players ever is subjective, and many other incredible players deserve recognition for their contributions to the game. Nevertheless, these ten players have undeniably left an enduring legacy on the world of soccer, inspiring generations of players and fans alike.
Please note that these rankings are subjective and may vary based on personal opinions and preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the greatest player in the football history?
The greatest player in football history is no other than Lionel Messi who has achieved everything in Football.
Who is the king of football all time?
Brazilian legend Pele held the title of being the greatest football player of all time and in the opinion of several people, especially those fans from the older generation, he is still the king.