Greatest Soccer (Football) Players of All Time

“ronaldo is the greatest striker ever played football with that speed an skill he’s the best ever may i call him the phonomonen, the king , the number 9,the best ever rooooooooooooooooooonaldo”

“ronaldo is football”

munkeelinc97

“ronaldo rulez. ,. ,”

darkztar

read more comments on Ronaldo (Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima)

4) Ronaldinho

“even greater than pele
”

“that’s stupid cristiano is no where near to how ronaldinho was at his prime, anyone who knows soccer would agree that he was the most perfect and unstoppable player ever”

magnoliafan

“ronaldino rules”

jiggebottom5466

read more comments on Ronaldinho

5) Diego Maradona

“Diego Maradonna was the greatest and had skill no other footballer could even dream of. He was better than Pele.

Some of the names on this list though are an absolute joke like Beckham rated at 11 and Michael Owen being rated so highly. Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer are way better footballers than both Owen and Beckham who shouldn’t even be anywhere near the list. Especially Beckham the most over rated player in the history of the game.”

steviejj

“greatest player in the world...”

prithakmitra

“the most talented player to ever live.”

daftdavy

read more comments on Diego Maradona

6) Zinedine Zidane

“he is my hero no matter what he did in the game v italy, he will always be my hero and my rollmodel (along with podolski and alan shearer)”

soccerman

“have you ever seen a magician on a football field?”

sumitgd3

“only one or the most one that help people over the world.”

asho707

read more comments on Zinedine Zidane

7) Zico

“his free kick could kill any goalkeeper...”

Mpafoklaniaris

“He is a coach of FENERBAHÃ‡E...

FenerbahÃ§e was played quarter final match with chelsea in CL.

FenerbahÃ§e will be most valuable football clup with Arthur ZÄ°CO

WE LOVE WHÄ°TE PELE ’ZÄ°CO’”

MAWENSY

“The best.

Better than Pele.

Unfortunatelly was injured early.

He is a legend.”

read more comments on Zico

8) Jari Litmanen

“See some old footage him playing... Simply the best!”

“pass and pass.”

9) Enzo Francescoli

“zinedine’s idol. he named his son after him.”

manya93

“He played 72 times for the Uruguay national team between 1982 and 1997, making him the most capped outfield player in Uruguayan international football. [1] He currently is the vice president of GOL TV and Tenfield.
His official debut was with the Uruguayan team Montevideo Wanderers. He played several years for River Plate of Argentina where he won five league titles and the Copa Libertadores in 1996 in his two spells with the club.

He also played for the French Racing Club de Paris (Matra Racing Paris at the time), Olympique de Marseille, and the Italian teams Cagliari and Torino.
He won the Copa AmÃ©rica three times with Uruguay in 1983, 1987 and 1995, he also played in the 1989 and 1993 editions of the tournament.
”

Allie22

“Francescoli, who was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, was one of the best players of the modern era. He was a striker with unusual grace and elegance on the football pitch. He was affectionately known as "El Principe. " Watch him play and you will see an artist at work, and understand why he was called "The Prince. "
He was one of the most elegant players of his generation.
”

read more comments on Enzo Francescoli

10) Gheorghe Hagi

“truly one of the greatest players what the world had, only a miracle had held back Romania to reach the World Cup 1994 Semi Finals with him”

MatrixGuy

“the bomb”

Chezlovakian

“The BEST player in Turkey and one of the best in the world.. Turkey and Galatasaray will never forget him!..”

LEO75

read more comments on Gheorghe Hagi

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Choices Not In The Top Ten

11) David Beckham

“amazing skills”

blindsk8ter

“david beckham is the best soccer player in the whole intire world I mean yeah he is loosing a little skill but he cuold beat peal anyday and he nail ronaldo also”

soccer_rox

“his agreat soccer player remember when england needed awin against greece he did it his england #cap.
”

» more comments on David Beckham

12) Steven Gerrard

“he is going to be the best player to play for liverpool!... infact, I think he’s even better than kenny dalglish, thats saying something”

kameel

“Such a talented player with such a big heart. That’s one and only Stevie G!”

correction

“THE BEST CAPTAIN IN THE WORLD”

LFCFAN9

» more comments on Steven Gerrard

13) Thierry Henry

“whoever voted for anyone else never watched an arsenal game before 2007”

arsenal193

“This is Henry... the master!”

Assassin

“speed kills”

josh49080

» more comments on Thierry Henry

14) Michael Owen

“Was best on English Fifa World Cup team besides Beckham”

Flyingcobra

“he is one of the best finishers in the world. it is same the injuries have destroyed him but he will come back as he always did
”

“Amazing striker and still has time 2 get to englands all time top goal scorer”

» more comments on Michael Owen

15) Ally McCoist

“One the the Rangers best players, it was a pleasure to watch him play.”

Dileas

16) Hakan Şükür

“all time best player of turkey”

17) Lio Messi

“why would anyone put David Beckham, Thierry Henry, and Cristiano Ronaldo in front The God Leo Messi!?”

dragon_force18

“Him and Maradona are gods”

ashleyg106

“#1 best argentian soccer player”

» more comments on Lio Messi

18) Francesco Totti

“Totti is easily one of the top 5 best players ever. Here is my list.
1. Pele
2. Zidane
3. Steven Gerrard
4. Ronaldo
5. Francesco Totti”

peru12345

“he is the best....”

frattbellamy

“man he’s the best and he’s the reason I started playing soccer”

» more comments on Francesco Totti

19) George Best

“George THE "Best"”

fabregas16

“wtf! best should be 1”

eddie95mufc

“Most God Gifted Footballer ever more Gifted than Pele and the biggest self distructure ever a true Genius. once he said if I was born ugly you have never heard of the name Pele”

Maklet901

» more comments on George Best

20) Johan Cruyff

“what the hell? How is Cruyff 16th and george best 15th? They are miles better than beckham, cristiano ronaldo and totti.”

whufc

“Have any of the people who’ve voted on this thing actually seen any of these legends play? Cos I’ve seen Cruyff and he was simply the best.”

“I agree Cruyff should be the second or third of the list of great players. His speed, agility and overall smarts on the pitch are unforgettable. If you count his contribution to the game as a manager, he is possibly first or second in the history of the game.”

» more comments on Johan Cruyff

21) Kaka

“He should be Top Ten”

KaKa

“Another great brazilian i think.

his name is just weird.”

supreme

“he’s #1”

mexico

» more comments on Kaka

22) Franz Beckenbauer

“Best defender in all of sports no doubt about it.”

“should be higher up on the list”

“easily the greatest defender of all time
”

23) Hugo Sanchez

“Clearly in my top 10”

Coach

“most of his goals were bicycle kicks, HE IS THE BEST PLAYER WHO EVER PLAYED IN REAL MADRID”

“5 PICHICHIS (more goals in spanish league)”

» more comments on Hugo Sanchez

24) Alessandro Del Piero

“The man that Juventus can be very proud”

MatrixGuy

“Fantastic, Unbelievable, Genius! If not the all-times number 1, he certainly deserves a place in all-times top 10. Personally, I could only compare him with Maradona.”

“Watson: "Del Piero is the icon of Italian football." No truer words have been said in football in a long time, Alessandro is truly a legend and his name will forever be engraved in the history books of not Italian football, but across the wolrd”

» more comments on Alessandro Del Piero

25) Roberto Baggio

“The best italian soccer player and should in the top 10”

“Baggio is italian soccer how can you put totti and del piero in front of him!!!”

“his soccer as poetry..unforgettable”

» more comments on Roberto Baggio

26) Eusebio (Eusebio da Silva Ferreira)

“he scored something like 320 goals in 300 appearances for benfica”

dottle

“The best!”

“eusebio is THE BEST PLAYER OF ALL TIME. ronaldiniho gerrard henry dont deserve to be in the top 100”

» more comments on Eusebio (Eusebio da Silva Ferreira)

27) Cesc Fàbregas

“he is now the best player of his age and good looks too
”

“best passer inb the premier league go arsenal”

28) Ferenc Puskas

“think about it. how many times he has played in the champions league final and has scored in one. he got 4 goals in the 7-3 win in 1960”

“I have not seen him play, but as I heard of him I can visualize a general marching towards the summit of his goal undaunted, even in those days when tackling was like punches inside the boxing ring.”

“Have seen them all. Best opf all was Puskas at Hampden Park in the ’50s. A goal he scored that day must surely be the best. Anyone remeber? $ golas in the final, also at Hampden Park!! Greeting from the States.”

» more comments on Ferenc Puskas

29) Wayne Rooney

“he is #1”

acdcthunderstruck

“wayne is #1 not 32 he is the best soccer player ever”

acdcthunderstruck

“He’s an amazing player.”

Lottie

» more comments on Wayne Rooney

30) Fernando Torres

“El Nino is one of the best! I adore him...”

dandeli0n

“he is the best he always scoring goals for liverpool i used to go for man u then i changed when he came to liverpool he should be number 1 and christino ronaldo 2”

james001

31) Jorge "Mágico" González

“very good deserves the top ten not the best but the best el salvadorian player they will ever had he knows how to put magic in the game "El Magico"”

“the best ever”

“HE had all the skills he needed to be the best,and to tell u the truth he was the best ever,he was a MAGICO”

» more comments on Jorge "Mágico" González

32) Raúl Gonzalez

“Surely the best striker and one of the best players ever. Football is not only dribles.
RAUL 7 RUUUUUUUUUUUUULES.”

i-love-rock-n-roll

“Brilliant player! He has everything. He’s been my idol for many many years”

“raul the highest goal scorer of the champions league history
the highest goal scorer in spain history and over 200 league goals!”

33) Dennis Bergkamp

“what a legend should be number one
”

“he’s skills and he’s goal are superb”

34) Frank Lampard

“the most wickedest player in the world”

“Lampard’z Really wicked
”

“lampard at present is arguably the best midfielder in english football..he has it all he can score from long distance
+ he can also put in those lovely passes for the strikers to score ..”

» more comments on Frank Lampard

35) Roy Keane

“Most passionate player ever”

Grizleybear

“Greatest Midfielder of all time, he dragged United to the Champions league final and Ireland to the 2002 world cup and didn’t get to play in either.”

“he is a star in the game no doubt
”

» more comments on Roy Keane

36) Alan Shearer

“who votes on here you can’t tell me the great alan shearer and GEORGE BEST are not in this top ten and are behind the likes of keane owen, ronaldo what a load of wank people forget to easily”

pommy

“THE best striker ever! how on earth is there people like micheal owen or david beckham ahead of him! wake up!”

FOSTER69a

“Best striker the premier league has ever see.”

» more comments on Alan Shearer

37) Juan Roman Riquelme

“best all time postplayer”

38) Alfredo Di Stéfano

“1 Di Stefano
2 Maradona
3 Pele
4 Cruyff”

alexthecat

“scored 216 goals in 282 league matches between 1953 and 1964. One 14 league titles, European cup 5 times and was European footballer of the year twice.
and the best reason to have him in the top ten is because maradona said- "I don’t know if I was a better player than Pelé, but I can say without any doubt that Di Stéfano was better than Pelé. I am proud when one speaks of Di Stéfano.... I can say that Maradona could be worse than Pelé. But I emphasize Di Stéfano was better".
”

“Sorry I had to vote for the great Di Stefano just to get him above Harry Kewell!!!!!”

39) Andriy Shevchenko

“Simply the best, he can make a come back!!!”

“As a AC Milan supporter fan, he did the best, he won a golden ball, he was the best, the kind of Milano, now he left for money milan to go to the chealse and now? what happen to him?”

40) Roberto Carlos

“he has the best left foot in the world...”

gfbmzb

“The Best Free Kick In The History Of Soccer. Better Than Beckham.”

“The best left foot in football history”

41) Teofilo Cubillas

“one of the top ten players”

“DESERVES TO BE HIGHER THEN SOME PEOPLE IN THIS LIST.”

“The best 10 after Pele in the 70s and 80s. Star of Benfica”

42) Zlatan Ibrahimović

“Underrated”

“i cannot believe he is not up here already, this player holds one of the most impressive highlight reels to date. dribbling through what seems to be an entire team and promptly puts the ball in the net. players like c. ronaldo make many pretty moves, but do not put the ball in the net. this player does.”

43) Michael Laudrup

“Greatest playmaker ever and a true gentleman.
Easily goes in top 20.”

44) Henrik Larsson

“scores from left right and centre, just a fantastic player”

mikeyeggo

“i have a huge poster of him in my room he is my football inspiration and he played for my favourite club celtic wooooo!!!!!”

hergibob

“another legend ignored by you people.he played for the three greatest clubs of all time”

» more comments on Henrik Larsson

45) Memo Ochoa

“he should be in one of the 10 best players in the world!!!!

seriusly
”

“The Best goal keeper in Mexico”

46) Michael Ballack

“he’s a legend”

richie4life

47) Luis Figo

“one of the best portugal has offered and one of the best the world has seen”

PR1MET1ME101

“He has the greatest class of any player, with his trademark curl, he is Portugal’s greatest asset.”

“A blessing sent by the soccer Gods!! One of the most fantastic players ever...clearly in the top 20...”

48) Eric Cantona

“eric should be on the top ten”

“he turned united from a great team to one wanted for breach of competition laws for monopolising the premeirship”

“He truely is the best french player ever”

» more comments on Eric Cantona

49) Gabriel Batistuta

“ohhhh! he was a total legend of Argentina. His goal scoring ability was great. He’s the best!”

50) Majed Abdullah

“This Legend was choosen as The Best Arabian Football Player in The Century”

nawaf316

“This LEGEND is a member in the FIFA judges committee who choose the Best Player in The World annullay”

nawaf316

“Surely, one of the best football strikers in the game history. Listed into FIFA’s top football experts in the world.”

51) Lev Yashin

“the single most agile and most brilliant goalkeepe the world will ever see!”

52) Carlos Valderrama

“without question the best no doubt
el pibe!”

“Great Overall player, full with joy, happiness and motivation that a lot of players lack today surely one of the best”

“Best Colombian player ever”

53) Marco Van Basten

“Forza Milan!
Van Basten is the biggest player all-time!”

VampireResurrection

54) George Weah

“I think George Weah is the best. The only world class who has not played world cup but yet won the FIFA, EUROPE, AFRICA the same year”

55) Augustine Azuka ("Jay-Jay") Okocha

“Ja-Jay Okocha, is the best 10 Africa has ever produce and the best africa Player from 19994 - 2005, despite, Africa Man will always be an Africa Man, refuse to Honour Him as the best Africa at least Twice. For You to won an Award from BBC, goes to tell a lot. Thanks”

“this is the genius of our time,, talked in the same lines as the maradonas and peles of this world..love ronnie but he is not #1 .okochais in the top 5 of the world ..#1 in africa..”

“was so brilliant with the ball”

56) Ryan Giggs

“He would not have played 700 games for Man Utd if he wasnâ€™t one of the best!”

57) Bobby Charlton

“BEST ENGLAND PLAYER EVER”

58) Michael Essien

“One of the graetest all time and best tactical midfielder to date. He won the best French player, sent his team to the world cup, won the the best player in his club team and can play all the positions in midfield and the defends. What a player!”

59) Samuel Eto’o

“definetly NOT 97th all time best! one of the best strikers in barcelona history to me! definately the best not only in cameroon but in Africa!”

“all time African best player”

60) Ole Gunnar Solskj

“Ole Gunnar, one of the best plyers in all time......come on, there are tons of plyers better than him.
Ridiculous!!!”

“best finisher ever”

61) Rıdvan Dilmen

“fast, tecnique.. amazig player....
”

Obscure

62) Titus Bramble

63) Georgi Asparuhov (Gundi)

“the best bulgarian footballplayer”

64) Romário

“I don´t believe you guys forgot him!!! he won the 1994 world cup alone!! he´s one of the best striker alive.. end he doesn´t even like to training.”

65) David Bentley

“How can the next David Beckham not be on the list?”

66) Harry Kewell

“great technique pin point crossing a typical winger”

$Vote for Gianfraco Zola$ 67) Gianfraco Zola

“What a legend and such a nice guy. How the hell is Titus Bramble above him?”

sixsixone

“best player eva you know he has the best attacking midfielder or mid ever in those days”

“he is just the ultimate player should be in da top 10”

68) Rivaldo

“Deserves to be higher than some of players that are in the list”

“amazing”

“best brazilian midfielder ever”

69) Bambang Pamungkas

70) Younis Mahmoud

“Yasser al Qahtani didnt deserve to win the afc award Younis should have!
Plus YOUNIS IS THE BEST!”

“mohammad younes is the best footbal player lted 1000.000.000.of persons happy
”

“he is a good player halping his team and making good goals and he letted 1000000 of persons to get happy
”

» more comments on Younis Mahmoud

71) Abedi Pelé

“heartbeat of contemporary african and world soccer”

“he was the most skillful african player”

72) Didier Drogba

“He kills and he got the most goals for Chelsea in 2006. Better than all the other Africans. Go Ivory Coast.”

“Legend”

“he is the best.”

73) Ruud Van Nistelrooy

“nistelrooy has proved over the years that he is certainly the best finisher in the present game >”

“the best”

“simply the greatest. Why hasnt he been listed already? or did i miss something”

74) Paolo Maldini

“greatest left back ever the face of Milan for the past 20 or so years”

75) Landon Donovan

76) René Higuita

77) Shunsuke Nakamura

“the best ever japanese player and probably the best freekick specialist in the world.”

78) Andrés Guardado

“He is the best player
”

“NOT ONLY HE’S MEXICAN HE IS THE BEST SOCCER PLAYER EVERRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

79) Michael Essien

“there is no football player as hard working as essien ..he is a managers player cause he can play as a defender + he can score in critical situations ...>”

“he is just the boss!”

80) Paul Scholes

“1 of the best mid-feilders of all time ....ginja ninja!”

“BAller”

81) Cuauhtémoc Blanco

“he is the best of the world”

“he has having a great season with Chicago fire and got Club America to the final”

“"he doesn’t play for the money he plays because he loves it"
"best soccer player in Mexico""he will always be the best socccer player in Mexican soccer"”

82) Guillermo Ochoa

“best goalie ever”

83) Petr Cech

“Amazing Goal Keeper. So sad that he was knocked unconscious. Still, after all that, he is an awesome goalie. Best Czech player by far and the most talented goalie in the EPL and before the injury, the best goalie in the world (and he has the trophie to prove it!). The goalie is the most vital part of the team. so often we overlook our defence. Look at the top ten! a bunch of strikers and midfielders. We need to learn to appreciate our defenders and goalies much more.”

84) Omar Bravo

“i don’t know why the heck heâ€™s not on the list. People probably forgot about the chivas i guess. For everybody who doesn’t know who the chivas are they are the best soccer team in mexico and omar bravo is their best player and he really is the best mexican soccer player ever why do you think his last name is bravo”

85) Marcelo Salas

“Magical”

“When he was playing in river & then in Lazio he rocked!”

86) Robinho - Robson de Souza

“i agree he should be in the top 20 atleast”

“made most goals in copa america
dribbles better than teves
Marco ortiz is awesome me”

87) Nery Castillo

“he good and he can go by you like crazy!”

“Best goals in the copa America ...
best Mexican player right know..”

88) Bobby Moore

“Only man to captain England to World Cup victory. Now that’s something”

“master defender

a great player and a gentleman
hailed by pele as the best defender he has played against”

89) Ruud Gullit

“The best AC Milan player of all time.”

90) Giovanni Dos Santos

“very good! one of the best young players ive ever seen! lot to learn but fantastic player!”

“Best Mexican Soccer Player ever!!”

91) Lukas Podolski

92) Gerd Müller

“If 68 goals in 62 internationals is not enough, consider 14 World Cup goals, and one of just 3 to score 10+ goals in a single edition (1970) of the World Cup (the others being Fontaine and Kocsis and they did it in the 1950’s when the scores tended to be higher). Definitely one of the top 10 strikers of all-time.
”

Relayer1971

93) Hernan George Crespo

“doesnt get to play alot in inter which is stupid”

“He is amazing
Best Argentinian striker!
Has knowledge of the game!
Is not fat like Ronaldo”

94) John Terry

“king of defenders.master of headers.”

95) Tom Finney

“one of the world greats, played in 3 world cup finals, one time England top goalscorer and modest too”

“should be mentioned in yhe all time greats.”

96) Younes Mahmoud

“he is most best football player , he always halp his team
”

97) Garrincha (Manuel Francisco dos Santos)

“Simply Legend!”

98) Hazem Emam

“Emam won the Pepsi World Challenge competition in 2001, beating the likes of Rivaldo, Rui Costa, Roberto Carlos, Juan Veron, David Beckham and many others.
Selected in best team of African cup 1996 and 2002
Top scorer of African Qualifications for African Cup of Nations 1998
won a lot of titles with zamalek
he’s legend & deserves a good position”

i_spidy

“the best playmaker in football history”

99) Stanley Matthews

“Players can only be judged where they stood at the time they were in their prime. Sir Stanley was one of the top ten players in England. He should be in the top 25 of all time.”

“He played pantastic football for England. Look at his dribbling. No doubt the top player of all time.”

100) Saviola

“defently bestt socer player in the world.. =D”

“Hes amazin 2nd best argentinian striker”

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