The most popular sport in the world, football, has had some true heroes who have transcended the game itself and cemented their legacy in the minds of football fans forever. In this article, we have attempted to do just that. While it has been no easy task, we have tried to break down the selection into three main factors: Ability to win matches single-handedly, longevity, and performance under pressure.
10.Michael Platini, France
Full Name: Michel François Platini
Life:21 June 1955-Present
Position: Midfielder
Number 10 on is Michel Platini. France might well consider their greatest ever player to be Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest footballers of all time. Still, before the current Real Madrid manager had weaved his magic, Les Blues had another improbably talented playmaker in Platini.
9.Johan Cruyff, Netherlands
Full Name: Hendrik Johannes Cruyff
Life: 25 April 1947-24 March 2016
Position: Midfielder, Forward
No player and person in the history of the sport has had as much of an impact as Johan Cruyff. A pioneer who brought the brilliant idea of 'total football' to Ajax, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team, Cruyff had a distinguished career for both his club and national teams playing some beautiful football along the way.
8.Ronaldo Nazario, Brazil
Full Name: Ronaldo Luís Nazario de Lima
Life: 18 September 1976 -24 March 2016
Position: Forward
When a player plays for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan and still has no haters, you know that he is something special. Ronaldo Nazario, also popularly known as 'O Fenomeno' is probably the greatest striker ever to play the game. Ever since Ronaldo burst onto the scene as a talented 17-year-old kid at Cruzeiro, there was no doubting the fact that the Brazilian forward was destined to achieve great things in the game.
7.Alfredo Di Stefano, Argentina
Full Name: Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé
Life:4 July 1926-7 July 2014
Position: Forward
Real Madrid's greatest ever player and an integral part of their dominance in the 1950s, Alfredo Di Stefano had a long 20-year career where he was among the top footballers of the world for the entire duration. Best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, Di Stefano scored an incredible 307 goals in 396 appearances and won 15 major honours with Los Blancos, including five straight European Championships.
6.Ferenc Puskás, Hungary
Full name: Ferenc Purczeld (known as Ferenc Puskás 10)
Life: April 1, 1927–November 17, 2006
Position: Forward
Ferenc Puskás was probably the most precise goal scorer ever. Combining his finishing prowess with a general intelligence and ability to invent new skills (such as the drag-back), he scored a sensational 700 goals in 705 appearances during his career (1943–1966). For Real Madrid, he won three European Cups and five league titles. In Hungary, he won a further five league titles. At the international level, he led Hungary to the 1954 World Cup Final.
5.Zinedine Zidane, France
Full Name: Zinedine Yazid Zidane
Life: 23 June 1972-Present
Position: Midfielder
Winner of the Ballon d'Or in 1998, Zidane had a hugely successful career at both Juventus and Real Madrid. However, Zidane first truly came into the public conscience as a genuinely world-class player with his performance against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final.
4.Diego Maradona, Argentina
Full Name: Diego Armando Maradona
Life: 30 October 1960-25 November 2020
Position: Midfielder
Diego Maradona's entire persona as a player and person was probably captured in that fateful match against England in the 1986 World Cup. A cunning genius, the Argentine maestro, left the English defence in knots to score the greatest World Cup goal of all time.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
Full Name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Life: 5 February 1985-Present
Position: Forward
A precociously talented kid in Sporting CP, Cristiano Ronaldo was discovered by Sir Alex Ferguson, and it is at Manchester United that the Portuguese superstar first cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of our generation.
2. Lionel Messi, Argentina
Full Name: Lionel Andrés Messi
Life: 24 June 1987-Present
Position: Forward
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi along with Cristiano Ronaldo, is undoubtedly among the greatest players of our generation. Bursting onto the scene as a fresh-faced La Masia kid in 2005, Messi, first under the tutelage of Frank Rijkaard and then, more importantly, under Pep Guardiola, established himself as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game.
1. Pele, Brazil
Full Name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento Pelé
Life: 23 October 1940-Present
Position: Forward
Brazilian legend Pele is widely regarded as the greatest football player of all time. No player has won more World Cups than him, and that alone should be enough to justify the Brazilian's inclusion on the top of this list.
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