Choosing the greatest player of all time in any sport is a very personal decision that is impacted by a lot of intangible elements. Still, Lionel Messi remains a strong contender for the record as the best football player of all time when you take into account his enormous goal total and trophy collection.
His ascent to the pinnacle of the sport was solidified when Argentina clinched the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, following a gripping final against France. Messi’s exemplary performance throughout the tournament, culminating in him securing the Golden Ball with seven goals and three assists, further bolsters his claim as the preeminent footballer of all time. Now, let’s delve into an exploration of the top 10 footballers in history.
List of Top 10 Football Players Of All Time
1. Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 802 goals, 42 trophies
Emerging from Barcelona’s academy La Masia, Lionel Messi quickly became one of the best players in football, winning his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at the age of 22. He went on to win seven of them. He won the coveted treble twice with Barcelona and finally ended his wait for a major international trophy with the Copa America 2021 and then added the FIFA World Cup 2022 trophy to his haul, which also includes an Olympic gold medal from Beijing 2008. He is also the only player in history to win two Golden Balls in World Cups (2014 and 2022).
2. Pele (Brazil) – 767 goals, 26 trophies
Three-time World Cup-winner Pele announced his arrival on the global stage with six goals in the 1958 World Cup. Renowned among modern day fans as the first superstar of football, the “Black Pearl” went on to score over 700 goals for club and country, also winning multiple titles with Brazilian club Santos.
3. Diego Maradona (Argentina) – 353 goals, 12 trophies
Widely rated by multiple fans and experts as one of the greatest attacking players in football, Diego Maradona inspired a generation of footballers with his ball control and trickery. He won the 1986 FIFA World Cup with Argentina, scoring two goals each in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of the tournament. He also drove Napoli to the only two league titles they won in their history.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 819 goals, 34 trophies
Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest goal-scorer in football history and won league titles in three different countries – England, Spain and Italy, over the course of his career. He also won five Champions League titles, four of which came during his iconic spell at Real Madrid.
5. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) – 433 goals, 22 trophies
Touted as the pioneer of “Total football”, Johan Cruyff is considered the most influential personality in football history for his contributions as player and manager. Johan Cruyff won three consecutive European Cup titles (currently Champions League) with Ajax, also winning the Ballon d’Or three times. With the Netherlands, he reached the FIFA World Cup finals two times in a row in 1974 and 1978.
6. Zinedine Zidane (France) – 156 Goals, 16 trophies
Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest football players ever. He was an embodiment of control and technique. He started as a youngster in Cannes but he was spotted by Bordeaux who signed him.
7. Gerd Muller (Germany) – 722 Goals, 16 trophies
Gerd Muller is a German football legend and one of the greatest footballing exports from the European country.
8. Ronaldo Nazario (Brazil) – 414 Goals, 15 trophies
Ronaldo was a prodigy who blossomed early in his career. Even years after a career blighted by injury, the Brazilian is still widely regarded as one of the best strikers ever.
9. Alfredo Di Stefano ( Argentina) – 509 Goals, 26 trophies
Real Madrid and Argentina legend Alfredo Di Stefano is widely regarded as one of the most complete players to grace the beautiful game.
10. Michel Platani (France) – 353 Goals, 12 trophies
The history of French football cannot be complete without that of Michel Platini being told. He was an excellent midfielder during his playing career.
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