Football, soccer as its known in states, is by far the
most played and watched sport in the world
and football has seen some of the greatest athletes over the years and
decades. Every time a golden generation hang up their boots a new breed
comes in and lift your heart. We take a look at 10 greatest footballers
of all times. But before we start our countdown here are a few things
which we considered in a player to be labled him as a true great of the
game.
Talent/Ability: The first thing to consider in this
kind of countdown is the talent a player posses and is/was he able to
replicate his talent into the success on the pitch. A player might have
all the talent in the world but it will be useless if he did not
replicate it on the pitch over long period of time consistently.
Success/trophies: Another most important factor is
success with the team, playing in most important matches and having a
big impact in those games and competitions. There have been players who
were not really flashy, or skilled like others but manage to win
trophies throughout their careers for example some of the golden
generation of spain who not only won 2010 world cup but two back to back
european titles as well as success with their club teams like Barcelona
and Real Madrid. One name comes to mind is Xavi who was integral part
of Spain & Barcelona success in last 10 years.
#1. PELE
Three time world cup winner with Brazil back in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and a
true icon of the game, Pele is widely considered as the greatest
footballer of last century and FIFA also recognized that with awarded
him the best footballer of 20th century. His international career was
upright success but his club success is debatable because he spent most
of his career playing for native Santos and a few years in American
league which was and still not considered a very competitive league.
Although Pele won everything there was to be won with Santos, scored
most number of goals (apparently the most by any footballer in history).
According to unofficial statistics Pele has scored 1,281 goals in 1,363
games. He scored more than 100 goals in a year three times for santos
in 1959, 1961 and 1965. Only downer in his career has been the fact that
he never played in Europe when european football was alot more
competitive than anywhere else in the world. But still his international
success with native Brazil and unprecedented ability to score important
goals consistantly truly made him the greatest football player of all
times.
#2. Lionel Messi
Most football fans now consider Messi the greatest footballer to have
ever played and more fans might join claim by the time Messi hangs up
his boots. because still at the age of 28 he has several years left in
him at the top of his game which is evident as after a lackluster 2014
he has turned up again in 2015 and currently have 53 goals to his name
this season. Lionel Messi joined Barcelona at the age of just 13, first
team debut at 17 and never looks back since than. He had a direct impact
on all the success Barcelona had over the last decade and Barcelona are
the most successfull team in europe having won the european cup three
times since Messi has been a regular fixture in the team.
Lionel Messi goals stats stand at 452 goals in 575 competitive matches,
he is Barcelona’s all time leading goal scorer with 407 goals to his
name he is also all time leading goalscorer of Spanish league having
scored 283 goals. Messi just recently overtook Ronaldo as the top goal
scorer in Champions League history with 77 strikes to his name. Goals
are just one side of his impact on the team, when he is not scoring he
is making and assisting goals with pinpoint though balls and lobs for
his team mates.
See Also:
Lionel Messi and Cristinao Ronaldo Indepth Statistics
His international career with Argentina hit its peak in 2014 World
Cup when he single handedly guided Argentina to World cup 2014 final but
failed to win the trophy as Germany beat Argentina by 1-0 in extra
time. But Messi ended up with Golden Ball (the best player in the
tournament). Messi has also won 4 ballon dor awards, Messi has won 4
champions league top scorer awards, 4 times La Liga top scorer, three
times European golden boot.
#3. Diego Maradona:
Probably the greatest dribble football has ever seen, Maradona guided a
very average Argentina to 1986 world cup glory and scored two of the
best goals in history of football in the process. Maradona’s name is
often mentioned in the same breath as Pele when we talk about greatest
soccer players of all times. Maradona unlike Pele played most of his
club career in Europe with FC Barcelona and Italian outfit Napoli.
See also:
Pele vs Maradona in-depth comparison
When he transfered to Barcelona it was at the time a world record
transfer fee but his time in Barcelona was short lived full of
controversies and underachievement as he only manage to win a “copa del
rey” trophy with Barcelona. He transferred to Napoli who were by no
means title contenders at the time with the likes of Juventus, AC Milan,
Roma and Inter Milan dominating Italian football.
But his time with Napoli turned out to be success as he guided them
to Italian Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990 plus couple of other trophies
like Coppa Italia in 1987 and UEFA Cup (now known as Europa League) in
1989. Napoli fans loved him and he turned up Napoli week and week out
with something special. Towards the end of his career he got into more
controversies with drugs abuse, overweight which left a bad taste in
mouth.
But on the basis of his peak years and his sheer ability to dribble
with the ball, he has to be up there as one of the greatest footballers
to have every played the game.
#4. Zinedine Zidane
Zidane rose to fame with ability to control games in french football
with Bordeaux where he spent 4 years before moving to Juventus in 1996
where his career really took off. Zidane scored those two beautiful
headed goals in the 1998 world cup final against Brazil and won France
their very first world cup title and he won the “golden ball” best
player in the competition. In his very first season with Juventus he won
the Italian League title and than helped Juventus win it again next
season. Juventus reached final of champions league twice in Zidan’s
first two years with the club but lost on both occassions. Than came the
biggest transfer in football history as he moved from Juventus to Real
Madrid in 2001.
See Also:
Most Expensive Transfers of all-times
In his very first season Zidan finally won the UEFA Champions League
title with Real Madrid and he scored a wonderull left footed volley from
the edge of the box in the final against Bayer Leverkusen, the goal
which is regarded as the greatest in Champions League. Zidan dominated
Spanish football with Real Madrid. But his real impact was on the
national team as he won UEFA Euro 2000 with France and than guided
France to 2006 World Cup final where his french team lost against Italy
on penalties. The final saw the most disappointing moment of Zidan’s
career as he was sent off for headbutting Italian defender Marco
Materazzi.
#5. Franz Beckenbauer
Bechenbauer is one of the most gracefull footballers of all times, he
was not only immensely talented but he revolutionized the game. Usually
played as a centre back but it was his ability on the ball as he brought
ball out of defense into attacks (known as libero) which made him
success. He had hugely successfull career with both his national team
(Germnay) and club team (Bayern Munich).
He started his career with SC Munchen youth teams (city rivals of
Bayern Munich) but he joined Bayern in 1958 and rest as they say is
history. He became a force in Bayern team and Bayern become a force in
world football. They won three back to back european titles 1974 to
1976. It was his time with Bayern when he innovated a new position
called “Sweeper” playing behind the two central defenders and act as
another line of defense while also had to licence to move the ball out
of defense in counter attacks. Some of his goals were pure class as he
started the move in his own half and finished it in the other.
His international career was nothing but a success, reaching world
cup 1966 final and winning the world cup in 1974 beating netherlands in
the final with their “total football” brand. He also win European
championship with Germany in 1972. He was not only a great player but a
visionary who would go on to have massive success as a coach with Bayern
and Germany as well. Towards the end of his career he played in MLS for
New York Cosmos and helped popularize the game in the states. His last
two seasons were in Germany with Hamburg winning another German league
title.
#6. Cristiano Ronaldo
Just like Lionel Messi, Ronaldo might go up a few places in the greatest
players of all times list by the time he hang up his boots. Currently
30 year old and still going strong at the top of his powers. Ronaldo is
one fit athlete who started his career in Portugese team Sporting Lisbon
playing as forward who had pace and wide range of skills to bamboozle
defenders. Manchester United saw the talent and signed him up at first
opportunity. Ronaldo graced the premier league in 2003 and showcased his
talent with outrageous fast step overs and other skill (often
frustrating his team mates). But with in a couple of years he was
matured and putting up top notch performances for United.
He was part of a very successful era in United history where they won
three back to back premier league titles and won 2008 Champions League
final against Chelsea and won Fifa best player of the year award (Ballon
Dor). In 2009 he moved to Real Madrid for a record-breaking fee $100
million. In Real Madrid his career really took off and he scored goals
for fun.
See also:
Real Madrid’s 10 Record Breaking Transfers
Moving to Spain meant he will be compared to other current great of
football Lionel Messi on weekly basis and both have developed a super
sporting rivalry where they are trying to ourscore each other every
week. Ronaldo won his second Champions League title this time with Real
Madrid and also won 2012-13 La Liga title with Real Madrid. His national
team career with Portugal has been disappointing to say the least but
we have seen flashes of brilliance.
#7. Alfredo Di Stéfano
Di Stefano is widely regarded as the greatest Real Madrid player of all
times, he scored in 5 consecutive European cup finals for Real Madrid
winning all 5 of them in a era dominated by Real Madrid in 1950s.
Stefano was born in Argentina and played his international football for
three national teams (Argentina, Spain, Colombia). Although he scored 35
goals in 43 matches his international career never really got off to
any heights because Argentina refused to play in 1950 and 1954 world
cups while after aquiring Spanish citizenship he was eligible to play
for spain who did not qualify for 1958 world cup. He played in
qualifying matches of 1962 world cup but a injury prevented him to
participate in what would be his last chance of being part of world cup
in 1962.
But with Real Madrid his ability to score goals from midfield helped
the team to become one of the most successful of that era. Scoring 216
goals in just 282 matches for Real Madrid made him all time top scorer
for the team at the time. Winning 5 european titles where his record of
49 goals in just 58 matches stood for decades when Raul broke it in
2005.
See Also:
Champions League all time top goal scorers
#8. Xavi Hernandez
This might come as surprise for some of the readers, but Xavi has been
so successfull with both FC Barcelona and Spain that he has to be in
every list of greatest soccer players of all times. Started in Barcelona
youth teams back in 1998 he broke into the first time in 2002 when a
struggling Barcelona were finding it hard to buy new players. At the
start of his career he was more of a defensive midfielder but it was his
touch and ability to control matches with superb compose passes which
makes him stand out.
He along with Iniesta and Messi were absolute tailor-made for
Barcelona’s tiki taka style which was later adopted by Spanish national
team. He is probably the greatest central midfielder of all times
without any competition. When he was at the peak of his career Barcelona
were winning trophies for fun here is his list of trophies.
Spanish La Liga: 8
times winner
Copa Del Rey: 3
time winner (2 time runner-up)
UEFA Champions League: 4
time winner (2005–06 | 2008–09 | 2010–11, 2014-15)
Fifa club world cup: 2 time winner
Spanish National Team:
European Championship: 2 time winner
World Cup: 1 time winner
#9. Johan Cruyff
dutch footballer Cruyff was one of the best attacking midfielder of his
generation and just like Beckenbauer, Cruyff revolutionized the game. He
was product of Ajax acedamy and played most of his career with Ajax
winning 7 dutch league titles and 3 european cups in process scored 190
goals in 240 matches before moving to Barcelona.
His time in Barcelona was not as successful as his time with Ajax
but the ideas he brought to Catalan club kind of started route to
success for later years. He guided holland 1976 world cup final where
they lost against Germany in the final but not before Holland stunned
the world with their new brand of football called “total football” where
players could interchange positions and Cruyff was the great benefactor
as he was equally good playing on the wings or in central attacking
areas. He scored 33 goals in 48 international matches for Holland.
Towards the end of his career he played two season’s in MLS before
returning to netherlands and finished his career at ajax fierce rivals
Feyenoord.
#10. Michel Platini
The greatest french player, Michel Platini played most of his 15 year
career in attacking midfield roles for Nancy, Saint-Étienne and
Juventus. Played over 432 games scored 224 goals helping his sides to
number of club honors. Highlight of his club career was 1985 European
cup win with Juventus where he played instrumental role and he became
the first player to win three back to back
Ballon d’OR awards in 1983,84 and 85.
He also captain France to 1984 European championship win which was
their very first major trophy in international football. He was declared
player of the 1984 european championship and also grabbed the top goal
scorer award. He went on to manage France from 1988 to 1992 and later
became “UEFA” president.
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