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The most popular sport in the world, football, has had some true heroes who have transcended the game itself. These heroes have cemented their legacy in the minds of football fans forever. Is it even possible to pick the top football players of all time?
We have attempted to do just that in this article. It has been no easy task, but we have broken down the selection into three main factors: Ability to win matches single-handedly, longevity, and ability to handle pressure.
An athlete’s true mark of excellence is his ability to consistently step up under pressure and perform when it matters most. For this reason, the last two factors have been given more weight.
Let’s take a look at the ten best football players of all time now.
Best Soccer (Footballers) Players of All Time
Alfredo Di Stefano
Alfredo Di Stefano was an Argentine-born professional footballer and coach, regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time. He played for Real Madrid for many years and was a true legend of the game.
The Argentine led Madrid to the first five European Cup Championships. He was one of the greatest footballers of all time; he scored lethal goals.
He was a powerful, quick, skillful forward with great stamina and tactical ability. He was the most flawless player to grace the game.
In 282 games for Real Madrid, he scored 216 league goals. Di Stéfano was given the Ballon d’Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1957 and 1959.
He is Real Madrid’s third-highest league scorer and also the top scorer of El Clásico, alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese football player who plays as a forward for Juventus in Series A and who captains the Portugal national team.
One of the greatest players of all time, he is often regarded as the best player in the world. Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards, just behind Lionel Messi, who won 6.
Ronaldo holds the records for most goals (134) and assists (42) in the Champions League and the most goals in the European Championship (14). Currently, he is tied with Ali Daei for most international goals (109).
Ronaldo was the fastest player to reach 200 goals in La Liga. Additionally, he is the first player in the history of the game to score more than 50 goals in one season consecutively for six years.
Diego Maradona
One of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award was Diego Maradona. Diego Maradona was an Argentine professional football player. He was one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
Diego Maradona was the first player to twice set a world record transfer fee. First came in 1982 when he transferred to Barcelona for £5 million, and the second in 1984 when he moved to Napoli for a fee of £6.9 million. In terms of dribbling ability, he was just above everyone else.
Argentina won the 1986 World Cup with his own efforts. The goal he scored against England is still regarded as one of the best in the history of the game. Diego Maradona ranks third on our list of the top 10 greatest soccer players of all time.
Pele
Palé is a former Brazilian footballer who played as a forward. FIFA has labeled him “the greatest” player of all time.
Pele has the ability to score goals and is one of the best forward the world football has ever seen. He scored 1279 goals in 1363 matches. His game reading, strength, and dribbling ability are some of the best among the game’s other greats.
Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) and was one of two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century Award.
He was an integral part of the 1958, 1962, and 1970 world cup winning teams. He also won two Copa Libertadores titles and five league titles.
Melé is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 in 92 appearances. Santos’ all-time top goalscorer with 643 goals in 659 games.
Lionel Messi
Messi plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Argentina national team.
One of the greatest players of all time, he is widely regarded as the best player in the world. Messi has won six Ballon d’Or awards, a record.
Messi’s dribbling ability, passing, and finishing skills rank among the best in the game’s history. He’s won many individual awards. While he has been exceptional for the club over the years, the Copa America title cemented his place as the best player of all time.
Messi spent his entire professional career with Barcelona. He won a club-record 35 trophies, which include ten La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey titles, and four UEFA Champions Leagues.
The most goals ever scored by a player for a single club (Barcelona) are among his 750 senior career goals for club and country.
Michel Platini
Michael Platini was an attacking midfielder who scored 353 goals in 652 games. His passing and free-kick skills stood out, but he also had ruthless goal-scoring skills.
He led the French team to the 1984 European Championships with nine goals, almost single-handedly. During his club career, he won three league titles as well as the European Cup with Juventus.
FAQ’s
- Who is the top player of 2022?
Ans: Robert Lewandowski has been one of the best players over the last two years, and he gave us a stunning performance in 2022.
- Does Cristiano Ronaldo have the edge over Lionel Messi?
Ans: Cristiano Ronaldo is the favorite international with more international goals 85, and Messi is the 2nd most famous football player with 65 international goal scores in his career. Ronaldo has better skills to encourage the team and inspire the team under bad circumstances.
- Who is Alfredo Di Stefano?
Ans: Alfredo Do Stefano is a powerful football player with tactical ability. He played for Real Madrid for many years and was a true legend of the game.
Wrapping Up
The most popular game in the world is football of all time. And it is cemented their legacy in the mind of football fans forever because every year, people are eagerly waiting for the football league of the year to enjoy the game scenario. This article includes the currently active players who are popular according to their goals and social media engagements. Let us know if you met any of the above players and which year football league you have enjoyed.