Retrospectively, Football sports was created in the 1860s and it has been reformed and developed for more than the Century. Era over era, there are so many superstars and legends being created chronologically. I'm proud to propose the list of "The Greatest Footballers of All-Time" in complete version. The main ranking is primarily established based on total performance in overall career and is considered based on competition level. The conditional margin which includes Highest State, Lowest State of Performance and Total Ability is the additional factor value. Ability is main tool to reduce the difference variance of the comparison between positions, is a combination set of main football function are, Physical, Defensive and/or Offensive. Ability is the internal potential of footballer by no application to football role while Skill is set level of importance base on the role. However, there are some exceptional cases of player that cannot take place just from their total performance and their greatness to impact history of their club or nation is regarded as Bonus in addition to the basic rating.
“Uns Uwe” Uwe Seeler is one of the most consistent strikers of
all-time as well as one of the best players to have never won Ballon'Dor.
Seeler is full of atheletic characteristic, He was energetic and effective
goalscorer with considerable technique, working to score inside or outside the
penalty area. He was also very creative and was renowned for his overhead-kick
and back-heading and even got deep to midfield to win the ball from opponent.
He was rated by kicker in 7.5 World-Class seasons and also 7.5 seasons of
international-class which is the second best only to Beckenbauer. Note that his
career was achieved the peak prior to the Bundesliga era. According to German
footballer of the year voting, he was German forward of the year for 7 times.
He prominently won his third German footballer of the year at his 34 years
old.Seeler was also a tremendously popular player due to his fairness, modesty,
and kindness. The DFB made him the second honorary captain of the German
national team in 1972. In 2003 he became honorary citizen of his hometown
Hamburg, the first time the honor was bestowed on a sportsman.
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"The Architect"
Luis Suarez Miramontes is regarded as the greatest Spanish footballer of
all-time and the best European midfielder in the early 1960s, is one of the
greatest midfielders in history of European Cup. Luis Suarez is also one of the
best passers ever. He was the great organizers of the classic era. Not content
to direct from a distance, he help modernized the forward-looking more
free-ranging creative midfielder and known as his elegant movement. He was also
noted for his perceptive passing and explosive shot. Suárez first played
as an inside left for Barcelona and in 1960 he became the only
Spanish-born player to date to have won Ballon D’or awards. In 1961 Suárez
became the world's most expensive footballer when Barcelona sold him to Inter Milan
where he was an equally prominent member of the legendary Great Inter side of
the 1960s as a deep-lying playmaker. He retired as a player after the last
three seasons at Sampdoria. Luis Suarez also finished fourth place Ballon'Dor
in 1959.
48. Neymar
Date Of Birth : 5 February 1992Professional Score Record : 356 Goal/217 Assists/575 Games
1 Time French Cup, 1 Time French Ligue
1 Time Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Brazil Cup, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
2011 Copa Libertadores Cup, 2015 UEFA Champion League, 2020 Runner-Up
Neymar is the greatest
Brazilian player during the 2010s and is considered as one of the greatest
players in the World in the mid-2010s. He debuted international game at his
only 18 years old when he just first play his first professional season and
achieved as a top scorer immediately. He is considered as one of the best
youngest players ever when he was awarded South American footballer of the year
at his 20 years old. Neymar developed his early career with Santos and moved to
Barcelona where he has been overshadowed by Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez and
later his career was spent with tremendous injury with Paris-Saint Germain but
he still superbly perform and is regarded as the highest peak performer in
history of Ligue I. He is always an indispensable player for Brazil national
team during its dark era. A prolific scorer and also famous for his dribbling
ability with an incredible quick step. Although he could play as a deep-lying
forward, Neymar's best position is a side forward that allowed him to utilize
his speed to score by himself or creates assists. He holds the record
all-time most assists and top scorer for Brazil national team. Aside from 2015
and 2017 that he finished third place in FIFA Ballon'Dor, he also finished at
5th twice, was named in 2018 ESM team of the year and 2020 UEFA Team of the
year.
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Height : 185 cm, Position : Target Striker
4 Times DFB-Pokal, 1 Time Polish Cup
2013 UEFA Champion League Runner-Up
International Honours : None
3 Times Eastern European Footballer of the Year (2013,2015,2019)
2015 IFFHS World Top Scorer of the Year
2017 Bundesliga Player of the Year
2018 World Cup UEFA Zone Qualification Top Scorer
Robert Lewandowski is the greatest Eastern European player during the 2010s and is regarded as the best target striker in Bundesliga over four decades after era of Gerd Muller. He became Polish star when playing for Lech Poznan and moved for Dortmund where he led the club finish runner-up in UEFA Champion League and finally reached his peak career with Bayern Munich. He made a miracle moment scoring 5 goals in only 9 minutes un match against Wolfburg in 2015 Bundesliga.U nfortunately, he always failed in major international tournament particularly Euro 2016 and World Cup 2018. An accurate and efficient finisher with his head and both feet, A well-rounded forward, he possess almost all the necessary qualities of a traditional number nine: height, strength, balance, pace, intelligent movement and proficiency with both feet. He primarily operates as a goal-poacher in the penalty area, due to his positional sense, ability to shoot first time, and strength in the air, his excellent technical skills, quick feet, vision, and physique also enable him capable of dropping into deeper roles on the pitch, in order to create space for teammates with his movement. He is rated by kicker in 5 World-Class and 6 International-Class seasons and also finished 4th at 2015 Ballon'Dor. In 2020, He led Bayern won triple champion.
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1952 Hungarian Football Federation Player of the Year
Height : 177 cm, Position : Target Striker
Major Club : Budapest Honved
World Cup Participation : 1954 (5 Games with 11 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 418 Goals/ 470 Games
Club Honours : 4 Times Hungarian League
2 Times Spanish La Liga, 2 Times Copa Del Rey
1960 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup
International Honours : 1952 Olympic Game Gold Medal
1953 Central European Champions, 1954 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 3 Times Hungarian League Top Scorer
2 Times European and World League Top Scorer (1952, 1954)
1954 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - Best Player
All-Time Highest NT Scorer In A Single Year (23 Goals)
Sandor Kocsis is considered as the greatest target striker in history of Eastern European football, and the finest main striker in the world during the first half 1950s, is one of the greatest aerial scorers ever, is believed to be the best player in the World in 1954. He was an all round forward being a magnificent finisher, very strong, great at positioning and most of all brilliant in aerial battle. He is regarded as the best players ever as heading scorer. Kocsis was one of the legendary Mighty Magyars. After the 1956 Hungarian Revolution he moved to Spain where he became a prominent member of the successful CF Barcelona team of the late although he played irregularly due to injury. With Hungary, He played as inside-right but his duty was expected as a final finisher. 1954 was his best year that he was a top scorer of league in the World, and was a top scorer in World Cup tournament. Kocsis was one of the most prolific scorers ever in national team career, registered hat-trick for Hungary for seven times. Kocsis scored 47 hat-tricks and 2 double-hat-tricks in his whole career.
2 Times European Defender of The Year (1965, 1968)
Facchetti is best remembered as the greatest wing-back ever in history of the European football. He primarily played as wing-back in club career, would make marauding run upfield using his wonderful running, dribbling and crossing, even sometimes done well as left-winger to make scores. When switch to play for Italy, Facchetti stayed deeper position as a full-back and in the late career he could also play as center-back which his tackling was used great effect, possessed excellent stamina, great leadership and scored important goals. He is compared by some as “Beckenbauer in version of side-back” for his leadership and technical ability. He was one of the Le Grande Inter which was notable with completely defensive game and the club was successful to reach three European Cup Final matches. He was also voted 5th Ballan D’or in 1968. Facchetti is the only player to be retired number for Inter Milan which he is one of the greatest players n history of the club and played 634 official games with scoring 75 goals.
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Italian Series A All-Time Most Clean Sheets
Dino
Zoff is one of the best goalkeepers the world has ever seen. He has set lots of
records in Italian and world football. He debuted his international game in the
1968 UEFA Euro at his 26 years old and is the oldest player to win the World
Cup. In 1982 at the age of 40 he could collect the trophy as captain of Italy's
team. And he is also the goalkeeper to have kept a clean sheet the longest
time, from September 1972 to June 1974 (consecutive 1142 minutes or 12 Matches)
was unbeaten and also own the Juventus record longest streak without conceding
a goal in the intersected period with 903 minutes. According to being main pillar
of Italy national team over decade, He became the most iconic player of his
nation. Zoff was medium in stature but quick on his feet and excellent
positioning and shot-stopping skills. He was a level-headed goalkeeper, capable
of staying calm during the toughest and the most exhilarating moments. He
always held back both out of modesty and respect for his opponents. Zoff made
360 clean sheets from 720 first-level club games or 50 %. He was voted in 11th,
6th and 8th Ballon'Dor in 1980, 1981 and 1982. Zoff was finished 5th in UEFA
Jubilee Poll as the best European footballer in the last 50 years.
2 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1990, 1993)
"O Baixinho" Romario the greatest
players in the World during the mid-90s, is one of the most prolific
goalscorers in history of the game. He scored more than 1,000 goals during his
career including unofficial matches. He is one of the greatest first touch
goal-getters of all-time, processed great shooting and dribbling technique.
While Romario was sometimes criticized for “Disappearing” during games, he
would then crop up and score one or more goals. A Master of Zen-like “no-play,”
He would let the action sweep around him until it was his time to strike. When
man-marked, He often stopped moving, reasoning that his marker’s natural
tendency was to move rather than stand still. After his markers moved, He was
off in the other direction for a pass or goal opportunity. Because of his
freedom style of attitude, He played for Barcelona for twice seasons and back
to play in Brazil in the rest of his career. Romario also achieved Brasil Cup
all-time top scorer and was also voted in top ten World Soccer Player of
the Year twice in the late 1980s. He holds the record most goals in a
single season in history Brazilian football league with 70 goals in 2000.
Date Of Birth : 25 January 1980
Height : 170 cm, Nation : Spain, Caps :133 Games
2009 Spanish National Sportsman of The Year
A Puppet Master"
Xavi Hernandez is one of the most team decorated footballers of all-time and
was one of the most valuable players in history of Spanish football, was the
best midfielder in the World in the very late 2000s to the beginning 2010s. He
is a key man of the achievement for Barcelona and Spain that meet their golden
era, has made more than 180 assists for his club. Xavi is not a style of
spectacular and all-round player style but full of intelligent and
effectiveness in central midfield area as an indispensable organisor with
reliable ball controlling and his ability to find and exploit spaces and made
very accurate short passing as an embodiment of Tiki-Taka tactical strategy,
having assisted to a lot goals. Xavi won the best player of Euro 2008
tournament plus man of the match in 2009 UEFA Champion league final round.Xavi
holds the record most appearances in UEFA Champion League. Xavi was named
in UEFA Team of the year five times and FIFPro World XI six times In 2008,
Xavi was also voted 5th European footballer of the year. Xavi made around 180
assists in overall career.
Nation : Spain, Caps : 111 Games
Height : 170 cm, Position : Left-Playmaker
Major Club : Barcelona
World Cup Participation : 2006,10, 14, 18 (14 Games)
Club Honours : 9 Times Spanish La Liga, 6 Time Copa Del Rey
4 Times UEFA Champion League (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
3 Times FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2011, 2015)
International Honours : 2010 FIFA World Cup Champion
2 Times European Championship Winners (2008, 2012)
Individual Achievement : 2009 Spanish Footballer of The Year
2 Times UEFA Euro Bext XI (2008, 2012), 2012 Best Player
2010 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
2010 Silver Ball, 2012 Bronze Ball FIFA Ballon’Dor
2011 - 2012 UEFA Best Player In Europe
The Illusionist" Andreas Iniesta is one of the most team decorated footballers of all-time and is one of the best midfielders in the World between the late 2000s to early 2010s, is one of a prominent members of Barcelona and national team in their glory years. Iniesta is a productive player from Barcelona Youth team. He is a remarkably intelligent midfielder with a valuable set of dribble and inventive skill combine with physical balance, agile ability and work ethic. Although he scored average number of goals in overall career, he is best remembered as the winning scorer in the 2010 FIFA World Cup final match. He is also a versatile player, originally started as defensive midfielder, is sometimes switched to play as left-winger if essential. Iniesta was rated by kicker as the best layer of the 2010 World Cup tournament and the man of the match in the 2015 UEFA Champion Leageu final match, is also voted 4th place in the 2009 Ballon'Dor and the 2011 UEFA Best Player In Europe Award and is consecutively selected four times in UEFA and five times FIFPro XI. He also finished 6th in the 2014 FIFA Ballon'Dor.
"Kinglet Park" Rivelino is widely regarded as one of the most skillful-graceful footballers ever, was the greatest South American footballer in the first half 1970s and is also one of the most underrated players in football history. He was famous for his extremely potent left-foot shot, thunderous long-range free kicks, excellent long passes, quick thinking, distinct way of handling the ball and large moustache. He invented a football move called the "Elastico", also known as "flip flap", famously copied by Ronaldinho and C.Ronaldo in recent years. Rivelino played for Corinthians during the most troubled periods in the history of the club, didn’t win any state trophy and this reason effect him never won first place in any individual awards. He later move on Fluminense and finally won state trophies. He was a key player for Brazil to reach semi-final in World Cup twice times during the 1970s. Aside from the year he was named in top three South American footballer of the year, he was named in top ten three times. He is selected in FIFA All-Time South America team of the Century in 1998.
2 Times European Defender of The Year (1989, 1993)
Position : Left-Winger, Caps : 37 Games (9 Goals)
BBC Sports Personality Lifetime Achievement
“Dangerous Divine” George Best is one of the most talent footballers of all-time. If consider only his prime, He would be the greatest player in history of British football without any hesitation but he was known for his unprofessional behavior as an alcoholism effected his career not consistency. George Best was a left-winger who was tremendously skilled an innovative footballer. Unsurpassed on dribble and penetration, would often pass off the score after rather than take the goal himself. He was one of few players with virtually ambidextrous ball control with both feet. Best scored 185 goals in 465 matched for Manchester United. In his native Northern Ireland the admiration for him is summed up by the local saying: "Maradona good; Pelé better; George Best. He was one of the world legends never participated in World Cup. He finished second place BBC Sports Personality of The Year in 1971 and third place in 1969. According to Ballon'Dor ranking, Best is the greatest European winger three times. He was voted 8th,12th and 16th World player of the century by World Soccer, France Football and IFFHS’s poll, respectively.
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1989 Cuo Winners Cup Top Scorer
“The Divine Ponytail” Roberto Baggio is one of
the most popular footballers of all-time, is the most talent Italian
player ever. He played as a creative forward and is one of the best technical
players in history of the game. He played as a creative forward. An
elegant player, was an excellent dribbler and defense infiltrator and free-kick
specialist. He was best remembered for his phenomenon performance in World Cup
1994. Among the pressured situation of Italy in several matches due to their
non-proficient in attacking game, Baggio scored important goals until leading
Italy reached final round. However, It is him to miss the final penalty kick
affecting Italy lost in that match. Baggio is one of a few players to play for
all three famous clubs in Italian series A consist of AC Milan, Inter Milan and
Juventus. He was very consistency trough his career, still had a great form in
his late career with Bologna and Brescia until his retirement at 36 year olds.
In Series A, he made 26 % assists and 36.5 % penalty goals per total games
played and 46 % of his series A goals were decisive goals. He was also voted as
the fifth best in 1995 FIFA World Player of the year. Baggio was voted
eighteenth in a poll organised by the French weekly magazine France Football.
He is also regarded by some as the best Italian player ever.
2000 Bronze Ball FIFA World Player of The Year
2000 IFFHS International Top Scorer
2 Times FIFA World Cup All-Stars Team (1998,2002)
Rivaldo is regarded as
the the greatest player in the World during late 1990s. He played in the area
between attacking midfielder and deep-lying forward but he was more exerting as
scorer than creator. Rivaldo could dribble, shot and pass with the best.
Especially, His shooting was combined with powerful and precision. He was renown
of his superb by-cycle kicking. After his glory years in Barcelona, he was
transferred to AC Milan. His time in Milan proved a mutually disappointing
affair, was a starter through the first season but he didn’t play even a game
in the next one partially due to injury problems. Within 5 seasons in
Spain, he was named La Liga team of the season four times. He was voted as
the 5th and 4th best player of the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament,
respectively. Rivaldo is named in ESM team of the month 14 times and
team of the year 2 times, was also voted in fifth place Ballon'Dor in 1998
and fifth place in FIFA World Player of the Year twice in 2001 and 2002.
Gyorgi Sarosi is one of the symbolic Hungarian legends, was the greatest footballer in the Europe during the second half 1930s. He is one of the most completed footballers of all-time, played in several positions for Ferencváros and Hungary. Essentially an inside-forward and center-forward, he could also operate in midfield as a world-class center-half or even an international-class central defender, played these role in the early and the late career. Sarosi was an extraordinary dribbler and scorer with aggressive character, had got great physical option as a true leadership and very good teamwork ability. Sarosi is one of the best players in history of Mitropa Cup, was a superstar and reached four final matches. He captained Hungary to the 1938 FIFA World Cup finals and scored five goals. Sarosi made phenomenon record in the 1935 -1936 season, scored 36 goals in 20 league games. In the 1937 international club, he scored seven goals in single match against Czechoslovakia. For his role as a forward, he scored 331 goals in 317 league games, 49 goals in 43 Mitropa cup games and approximately scored 40 goals in 40 national team games. Sarosi scored 54 hat-tricks and 4 double-hat-tricks in his whole career.
Frank Rijkaard is the greatest defensive midfielder of all-time,
is the best defensive midfielder in history of European Cup. His primitive race
is Suriname. He started his professional career as central defender but he was
transformed into a world-class holding midfielder at AC Milan and became an
indispensable player alongside his comrades like Ruud Gullit and Marco Van
Basten to build their glory year. Rijkaard basically played as man’s marker for
Netherlands national team. He possessed tremendous determination and excellent
technique, both of which served him well in controlling the middle of the
field. His vision and ability to advance forward also made him a formidable
defensive force. Rijkaard was remembered of his unsuitable behavior spat in
Voller’s hair. This led him to be sent off and Holland finally lost to West
Germany. He ended his career with a luxury scene winning the first UEFA
Champion League in 1995. In spite of a defensive player, He scored more than
100 goals in all club competition. Rijkaard was also voted in top ten World
Soccer Player of the Year twice in the early 1990s.
Gigi Buffon is the greatest goalkeeper in the World in the 2000s and is considered by many Italian journalists in www.channel4.com in 2010 as the greatest goalkeeper ever in history of Italian series A. He is also the only goalkeeper to win UEFA club footballer of the Year. Buffon has gotten very good shape for being goalkeeper, very agile, perfectly reading the game and becoming one of the most consistency keepers ever. He unbelievably became the long-period first choice GK of Parma at 1996 which he was just 17 years old. He still holds the most expensive goalkeeper record for moving to Juventus. He had to play in Italian Series B one season because of punishment to Juventus for match fix scandal. In world cup 2006, He kept consecutive five matches clean sheets in addition to 453 minute scoreless. He never won UEFA Champion League and finished runner-up 3 times. Buffon has made 18 consecutive years of international appearances and holds the record all-time most caps for Italy. He is named in UEFA team of the year only three times and was named in UEFA Euro All-Time XI in 2016. He has made around 350 clean sheets in first-level matches of all competitions or 42 % approximately.
4 Times Dutch League Top Scorer, 1985 Dutch Footballer of The Year
1988, 1992 World Soccer Player of The Year, 1989 Silver,1987 Bronze
2 Times IFFHS World Best Player of the Year (1988, 1989)
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28. Ronaldinho
Position : Left-Winger/ Attacking Midfielder
2006 Bronze Ball FIFA World Player of The Year
2012 Brazilian League Footballer of The Year,2013 South American Footballer of The Year
FIFA Confederation Cup Greatest Player Ever
“Black Octopus” Lev Yashin is the greatest goalkeeper in history
of the game and regarded as Soviet Union‘s greatest footballer ever. He is the
only goalkeeper to win European footballer of the year award. Yashin is known
for his superior athleticism, imposing stature, routine amazing reflex saves
and inventing the idea of goalkeeper sweeping. During his career, He had
stopped around 150 penalty kick which is the best record of all-time. He kept
24 clean sheets for Soviet Union. Moreover, Yashin won 270 clean sheets from
approximately 420 career games played or almost 65 percent. Yashin is five
times Soviet goalkeeper based on analysis and the 1960s awards. He was also
voted in top five in Ballon d’Or 3 times aside from the 1963 that he won the first
place. In 1994, FIFA established the Lev Yashin Award for the best goalkeeper
in world cup final tournament. Yashin was finished 8th in UEFA Jubilee Poll as
the best European footballer in the last 50 years. For his outstanding service
to the people and to his country, Yashin was awarded the Order of Lenin in
1967, the highest award of the USSR. A Bronze statue of Lev Yashin was erected
at the Dynamo Stadium in Moscow.
26. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Position : Second Striker
5 Times Argentinian League, 2 Times Colombian League
“El
Charro” Jose Manuel Moreno is the greatest footballer in the World in the early
1940s and is one of the most completed footballers of all-time. He has been
regarded by Argentinean old-timers to be a better player than Alfredo Di
Stefano who ever mentioned by himself that there are many greater footballers
than him in Argentina during his era but they was not lucky to get opportunity
to play in Europe, A few football fans around the World have ever heard his
name because he never participated in World Cup due to the disappearance of
tournament during the war-time and refusing to enter World Cup 1950 by
Argentina football association. Moreno is the most outstanding player in the
legendary famous team “ La Maquina”. He played as inside-right but sometimes played
as attacking midfielder according to “Total Football” Style of play that La
Maquina is the first team to play. Moreno was a superb technical player, was a
world-class creator, passer and dribbler and scored many career goals by
header. However, he is also known for his unprofessional attitude, often missed
the training and smoking. He was selected among the 25 best players in the
world in the 20th century by the IFFHS in 1999. He also ranked as the fifth
best player in South America, and as the third best in Argentina.
1993 Bronze Ball World Soccer Player of The Year
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Copa America Greatest Player Ever
"Master
Ziza" Zizinho was the greatest South American footballer in the late 1940s
and is the most complete South American midfielder of all-time. He played as an
inside-right but could operate his game in central midfield with his stamina to
help defensive game and he was equally comfortable playing in the wing, is
noted for his combination of shooting and passing ability and also a good
crosser of the ball, fantastic dribbling skills and great pace. He mostly spent
his career with Flamengo at his prime and moved to Bangu in his second part
career during the 1950s in three second division seasons of paulista and still
capped until 1957. In overall club career, he scored 338 goals in 718 games. In
the 1950 World Cup he came to international prominence and helped Brazil to
progress to the final, but their surprise 2-1 defeat to Uruguay tarnished his
reputation. Pelé always said that Zizinho was the best player he ever saw.
"He was a complete player. He played in midfield, in attack, he scored
goals, he could mark, head and cross." Zizinho holds the record most
appearances in history of South American Championship-Copa America with 28. He
came in 4th place in the IFFHS Brazilian Player and 10th place South American
player of the 20th Century.
Position : Central Holding Midfielder
Major Club : Botafogo
Raymond Kopa is the great legendary French footballer who is
regarded as the finest playmaker in the World during the second half 1950s and
is one of the most successful international footballers ever. Kopa was the
progeny of a Polish immigrant family. He was a free-role playmaker who ran to
many areas in attacking line, quick, agile and excellent in dribble combined
with playmaking abilities. He played or Stade Reims in his early career during
their glory years. After he with the club lost Real Madrid in European Cup
final 1956, He was signed to the Santiago Bernabeu, played for them for three
seasons primarily as right-winger and fortunately won European Cup all seasons.
Kopa was an important key player as attacking midfielder to lead France won
third place in World Cup 1958 with his many assists to Just Fontaine who
overshadowed him by scoring so many goals. Kopa return to play for Stade Reims
for eight seasons. Kopa holds the record all-time most assists in one single
World Cup tournament with nine in 1958.
Date Of Birth : 11 October 1937Bobby Charlton is the
greatest English footballer of all-time and was the greatest midfielders in the
World during the mid-1960s. Although his talent was not among the best ever,
his consistency in effectiveness through his career is marked as a spiritual
athleticism. In his early year, he primarily performed as left-side
midfielder before switched to his best position later. Charlton was one of
a few survivors from Munich Disaster and incredibly recovered his condition in
a short time, was named as a runner-up in BBC Sports Personality of the Year in
1958 and 1959. He was a speedy withdrawn attacking midfielder with excellent
close control and he combined those attributes as a devastating dribbler in the
open field and was known for his uncompromising attitude. He packed
considerable power with either foot and use it to score many spectacular goals
and even had a high quality in defensive game. Charlton also finished fifth
place Ballon'Dor in 1965 and finished 10th, 12th and 14th place in IFFHS, World
Soccer and UEFA Jubilee poll, respectively.
Date Of Birth : 25 January 1942
Nation : Portugal, Caps : 64 Games (41 Goals)
Position : Forward, Height : 177 cm, Major Club : Benfica
World Cup Participation : 1966 (6 Games / 9 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 511 Goals/ 554 Games
Club Honours : 11 Times Portuguese League
5 Times Portuguese Cup, 1962 European Cup Winners
2 Times European Cup Runner-Up (1963, 1965, 1968)
International Honours : 1966 FIFA World Cup Third Place
Individual Achievement : 7 Times Portuguese Liga Top Scorer 1965 Ballon'Dor, 2 Times Silver Ball (1962,1966) 1966 BBC Oversea Sports Personality of The Year 1966 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, Best Player 3 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1965,1966,1968) 2 Times European Golden Shoe, World League Top Scorer (1968,1973) 2 Times Portuguese Athletic of The Year (1970, 1973) Benfica Greatest Player Ever - All-Time Top Scorer Portuguese League Greatest Player Ever
Portuguese Cup All-Time Top Scorer
UEFA Jubilee Award (Portugal), IFFHS Portugal Player of The Century |
“The Black Tiger of Mozambique” Eusebio Ferreira Da Silva is the greatest footballer ever to born in The Africa Continent and the finest player ever to play for Portugal. He was a striker in the center-forward mold. Eusebio was the possessor of one of the most fearsome shots to have graced the planet, powerful stamina and strength, great in air, and also had sublime dribbling and passing skills. Eusebio was born and played football in Mozambique until 18 year olds before moved to play in Portugal, and decided to transfer his nationality to be Portugal in next year. He played for Benfica in their golden era alongside his famous teammate like Mario Coluna, reached European Cup final for five times, and helped Portugal to win the only medal in their World Cup history. He made total 34 hat-tricks in the whole career. In 1966, He regrettably lost Bobby Charlton just a point to win Ballon d’Or. Aside from years he won medal in this award, He was also voted in top five for three times. He was voted 9th and 10th the greatest footballer of the century BY IFFHS and World Soccer, respectively, and was voted 7th by UEFA Jubilee poll.
1970 European Footballer of The Year, 1972 Silver Ball
Bundesliga Most Consecutive Games Scorer
Individual Achievement
Date Of Birth : 22 September 1976Height : 183 cm, Position : Fast Striker
3 Times Bravo Awards (1995, 1997, 1998)
2 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
1997 La Liga Player of The Year
2006 CONMEBOL FIFA World Cup Qualification Top Scorer
1997 IFFHS International Top Scorer
1998 Italian Series A Footballer of The Year
1998 UEFA Club Most Valuable Player And Best Forward
Date Of Birth : 21 March 1961 Nation : Germany, Caps : 150 Games (23 Goals) Position : Box-To-Box Midfielder, Height : 175 cm Major Club : Inter Milan,Bayern Munich World Cup Participation : 1982,1986,1990,1994,1998 (25 Games) Club Honours : 1 Time Italian Series A 7 Times Bundesliga Champions, 2 Times DFB-Pokal 2 Times UEFA Cup (1991, 1996) 2 Times UEFA Champion League Runner-Up (1987, 1999) International Honours : 1990 FIFA World Cup Champion 1986 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up |
1990 World Soccer/IFFHS World Best Player of the Year
“The Superman” Lothar Matthaus is the greatest
central midfielder of all-time, was a powerful dynamo midfielder, has played in
five World Cups more than any other outfield player, and holds the record for
the most World Cup appearances with 25 games. He also played in Euro four
tournaments. He is the most capped German player of all time with 150. The
first half of his career was performed as a box-to-box midfielder. Kicker
Magazine rated him as a world-class player in World Cup 1986, 1990 and 7.5
international-class seasons as a midfielder in Bundesliga. However, He also
reaches 3 world-class years at Inter Milan where he won many big individual
awards. Aside from 1990 and 1991, He won 4th in Ballon’ Dor in 1989.
Afterwards, He moved down to play as Libero, was rated a half world-class
season and 5.5 seasons international-class, noted for his two years injury. He
was renowned for his perceptive passing, positional sense, movement, tireless,
acceleration and well-timed tackling, as well as his explosive shot. According
to German Footballer of the year voting, He also finished second place three
times, was German defender of the year three times and German midfielder of the
year four times and was most appeared in Bundesliga team of the week in
twice seasons in 1985 and 1994. He played in professional level for 22 seasons.
Matthaus was voted 15th World’s player of century in IFFHS’s poll and the same
place in UEFA Jubilee’s poll.
__________________________________________________
6 Times Brazil State Championship Top Scorer
2 Times Brazil National Championship Top Scorer
South American Footballer of The Year : Gold (1977,1981,1982), Silver (1976,1980)
1982 FIFA World Cup All Stars Team
World Soccer Player of The Year : 1983 Gold, 1984 Bronze
Flamengo's All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Campeonato Carioca All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame
"Rooster of Quintinho" Zico is commonly considered as one of the most skilled dribblers and finishers ever and was the world's best player of the early 80's. An excellent organizor and creator, but also the deadly dribbler on the run, Zico was equally proficient finisher. Many of his goals were sudden and unexpected but spectacular efforts. He was also known as one of history's greatest free kick specialists, able to bend the ball with pace and accuracy as well as having an extremely powerful shot, scoring around 100 FK goals in his career. He holds the record all-time Top Scorer in Flamengo's history and won silver ball Brazilian footballer of the year 5 times. He played for Udinese for 2 seasons. The first one was great done with his 24 goals from 33 games but the injury made him had a hard time in the second season. He was voted 5th place best player of the tournament in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. Despite Zico is one of the best players the world has ever seen but he was not ranked in top 10 the greatest footballer ever in many polls due to his unsuccessful in World Cup. But still, He was finished 9th the greatest player ever by France football’s poll.
Height : 174 cm, Position : Forward
4 Times Hungarian league Top Scorer
4 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
3 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1960, 1962, 1964)
1948 European League - World League Top Scorer
1953 Central European International Cup Top Scorer
L’Equipe European Footballer of The Century
1960 Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1999 IFFHS Hungary Player of The Century
Hungarian League Greatest Player Ever
Hungary All-Time Top Scorer
UEFA Jubilee Awards (Hungary)
"The Galloping Major" Ferenc Puskas is rated as the
greatest Eastern European footballer of all-time and one of the most prolific
scorers ever. He had great striking technique and was a deadly goal finisher
with his precision left-foot which is regarded as the greatest ever in this
skill. Puskas operated his game as an inside-left and always performed a
formidable ball control to the nearby penalty box area and shot by himself or
assist to his teammate. He was also known for his professionalism, is one of the
most consistency footballers, is one of the best players in the world at the
highest age at 33 years old in 1960 and remained making scores until retirement
at 39 years old. He was both a prominent member and captain of the legendary
Hungarian national team, known as the Mighty Magyars. However, he was injury
and played only twice games in the 1954 World Cup First Round. Puskas
prominently scored consecutive 13 games and scored seven goals in a single
match in the 1949 NB I. In 1958, two years after the Hungarian Revolution, he
emigrated to Spain where he played for the legendary Real Madrid team and went
on to play for Spain for four games. Puskas scored four goals against
Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup final match Puskas which is the record for
the final game. He made one of the most hat-tricks in first level matches in
Europe with 61. Puskas was voted 6th the greatest player of the century by IFFHS’s poll
and 7th by World Soccer and France Football’s poll.
9. Zinedine Zidane
2000 UEFA Euro Player of The Tournament
International Honours : 1947 Copa America Winner
2 Times Colombian League Top Scorer
5 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
2 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1958, 1962)
2 Times South American League Top Scorer (1947, 1951)
4 Times Spanish Player of The Year (1957, 1959, 1960, 1964)
European Footballer of The Year : Gold (1957, 1959), 1956 Silver Ball
Real Madrid Greatest Player Ever
European Cup All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 IFFHS Spain Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS Bronze European and South American Player of The Century
UEFA Jubilee Award (Spain)
Individual Achievement
“Napolean of Football” Michel Platini is widely considered
as the greatest midfielder in history of European football and the finest
footballer in the world during the early 1980s. He was famous as a leader of
“The Magic Sqaure” alongside Alain Giresse, Luis Fernández and Jean Tigana ,
the group of midfield players that formed the heart of the French national team
throughout the 1980s. He is also widely regarded as the greatest passer in
football history as well as one of history's greatest free kick specialists and
finishers and also possessed superlative reading the game skill, intelligently
movement to score a large number of goals. He holds the record for most goals
(9) scored in European Championship final tournaments despite only appearing in
one such tournament (1984). Despite being a midfielder, he held the national
team top scorer record until striker Thierry Henry surpassed in 2007. Platini
also finished in 4th to 5th Ballon'Dor three times. He was voted 4th best
player of the 1986 FIFA World Cup Tournament. Platini was voted 5th, 5th,7th
World’s greatest footballer of all-time by France Football, World Soccer and
IFFHS poll, Respectively.
(1966, 1968, 1974, 1976)
3 Times FIFA World Cup Team Of Tournament (1966, 1970, 1974)
2 Times European Championship Team Of Tournament (1972, 1976)
1966 FIFA World Cup Young Player Of Tournament
1974 FIFA World Cup Best Defender
European Footballer Of The Year : Gold (1972, 1976), Silver (1974, 1975), 1966 Bronze
Bayern Munich - Bundesliga Greatest Player Ever
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1998 FIFA World Team Of Century
1999 IFFHS Germany Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS Bronze World Player of The Century
European Footballer of The Year : Gold (1971, 1973, 1974), 1975 Bronze
1977 Spanish La Liga Player of The Year, 1978 Best Foreigner
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 IFFHS Netherlands Player of The Century
1999 Silver Ball IFFHS World Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS European Player of The Century
1999 Bronze Ball France Football’s Football Player of The Century
1999 Bronze Ball World Soccer Greatest Player of The Century
Ajax Amsterdam All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Eredivisie Greatest Player Ever
UEFA Jubilee Awards (Netherlands)
"Pythagoras in boots" Johan Cruyff is the greatest European footballer of all-time and one of the most completed attacking player to ever play the game. Cruyff was the most famous exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football, explored by Rinus Michels. He was the key to the execution and refinement of this system. Cruyff played centre forward in this system. But he would drop deep to confuse his markers or suddenly move to the wing with devastating effect. He was known for his technical ability, speed and acceleration, but his greatest quality was vision as an orchestrator of “The Controlled Chaos” of The Orange Machine, based on an acute sense of his team-mates' positions as an attack unfolded. He is a top scorer in the 1974 World Cup qualifying round UEFA zone. Cruyff also perfected a move now known as the "Cruyff Turn." He retired from international football in 1977, having helped the national team qualify for the upcoming World Cup. Without him, the Netherlands finished runners-up in the World Cup again. Initially the reason given for missing were political reasons given a military dictatorship was in power in Argentina at that time. In 2004, he was finished 3rd the best European footballer in the last 50 years by UEFA Jubilee Poll.
2 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Series A
2 Times FIFA Club World Cup (2008, 2014)
2016 UEFA Euro Winner
UEFA Champion League All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
European Championship All-Time Top Scorer
Portugal & Real Madrid All-Time Top Scorer
Date Of Birth : 30 October 1960Caps : 91 Games (34 Goals/28 Assist)
Individual Achievement
3 Times Argentinean League Top Scorer (1979, 1980, 1981)
6 Times El Mundo South American Footballer of The Year
(1979,1980,1986,1989,1990,1992),1982 Silver Ball, 1983 Bronze Ball
1985 Guerin Italian Series A Footballer of The Year
FIFA World Cup : 1986 Golden Ball, 1990 Bronze Ball
2 Times Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of the Year (1979, 1986)
World Soccer Player of The Year : 1986 Gold, 1987 Silver, 1985 and 1990 Bronze
1986 United Press International Athletic of The Year
1999 Argentine Sports Writers' Sportsman of The Century
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 Silver Ball World Soccer Player of The Century
1999 Silver Ball France Football’s Footballer of The Century
1999 IFFHS Silver South American - Argentinian Player of The Century
2000 FIFA Best Football Player of The Century
2002 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
Napoli - Italian Series A Greatest Player Ever
Caps : 92 Games (77 Goals/30 Assists)
Individual Achievement
FIFA World Cup All-Time Top Assister
1. Lionel Messi
4 Times UEFA Champion League (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
2021 Cop America Winner, 3 Times Copa America Runner-Up
Individual Achievement
6 Times European Golden Shoe (2010,2012,2013,2017,2018,2019)
2 Times IFFHS International Top Scorer (2011, 2012)
6 Time La Liga Foreign Player of The Year (2009 - 2013, 2015)
6 Times La Liga Player of The Year (2009, 2010, 2011,2012,2013,2015)
2 Times UEFA Champion League Best Forward and MVP (2009, 2011)
2015 UEFA Champion League Top Assist Provider
4 Times FIFA Ballon'Dor (2010 - 2012, 2015), 2 Times Silver Ball (2013, 2014)
Spanish La Liga All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Barcelona All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Argentina All-Time Top Scorer
Fritz Walter is historically considered as the greatest personality of the circle of German football. A gifted technician and a great strategist, he was the most influenced player in retrieving Germany from being devastated from the World War II. Walter could score a hat-trick as soon as his debut with the national team. He was drafted into the armed forces in 1942, . Walter was a prolific scorer in his early career during the war-time in German regional league and German national team. However, the end of the war found 24 year old Fritz. He narrowly fortunate survived from that war and suffered from Malaria, finally return to make a large impact level on Kaiserslautern and at his prime, he switched to deeper position as a brilliant playmaker with great ability to read the game and even helped the team in defensive game, finally leading them to win German Championship twice within four finalists. He was recalled to the national team in 1951, and he was named captain and led his country won their first World Cup in 1954 ironically. Walter received his last cap during the 1958 World Cup which Germany won fourth place, and retired from football at age of 39 years old. The Fritz Walter Stadium was named for his honor to be the home of Kaiserslautern.
________________________________________________________________________
“The
Wizard of The Dribble” Sir Stanley Matthews is the great legend in history of
football, is the greatest old footballer ever. He is the only player to have
been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both
the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers' Association
Footballer of the Year awards. A vegetarian teetotaller, he kept fit enough to
play at the top level until he was 50 years old, the oldest player ever to play
in England's top football division. He played his final competitive game in
1970, at the age of 55, holds the record longest span career in history of
football with almost 33 years. The Second World War interrupted his prime
career. After the war, he fell out with Stoke and was transferred to Blackpool.
He won Ballon'Dor at his 40 years old and the second FWA footballer of the year
at 48 years old but the awards was given as a special honour. He was famous as
one of the most skillful dribblers and one of the most accurate crossers ever.
Matthews was a right-side midfielder who assisted many goals after done his
great speed, stamina and dribble. He was voted 11th and 17th World player of
the century by IFFHS and World Soccer’s poll, respectively.
Statistics (Top 50 )
By Nation
|
By Decade
|
By Position
|
Brazil
: 11
Italy
: 8
Germany
: 5
Argentina : 4
Netherlands
: 4
Hungary : 4
France
: 3 Spain : 3 England : 2
Portugal
: 2 Poland : 1
Denmark : 1
Soviet
Union : 1
Northern
Ireland : 1
|
1930s
: 2
1940s
: 3
1950s
: 7
1960s
: 9
1970s
: 7
1980s
: 8
1990s
: 7
2000s : 2.5 2010s : 5 2020s : 0.5
|
Goalkeeper
: 3
Defender
: 6
Central
Midfielder : 5
Offensive
Lateral : 3
Offensive
Midfielder : 12
Forward
: 14
Striker
: 7
|
Class : Crown
-
|
||
Class : King
|
||
Gold
Lionel Messi, Pele,
Diego Maradona |
Silver
Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer,
Cristiano Ronaldo |
Bronze
-
|
Class : Queen
|
||
Gold
Alfredo Di Stefano, , Zico,
Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane,
Ferenc Puskas,
Lothar Matthaeus, Gerd Muller, Bobby Charlton, Garrincha
Ronaldo, Eusebio
|
Silver
Giuseppe Meazza, Ruud Gullit Lev Yashin, Didi,
Paolo Maldini,
Raymond Kopa,
Jose Manuel Moreno,
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,
Gianni Rivera, Roberto Baggio, Zizinho, Marco Van Basten |
Bronze
George Best, Dino Zoff, Fritz Walter, Frank Rijkaard Franco Baresi, Ronaldinho Matthias Sindelar
Giacinto Facchetti, Rivaldo,
Uwe Seeler, Sandor Kocsis
Gianluigi Buffon,
Jozsef Bozsik,
Luis Suarez Miramontes,
Michael Laudrup, Xavi Hernandez
Andres Iniesta, Robert Lewandowski |
The 1910s
|
|
1.
Imre Schlosser
2. Arthur Friedenreich
3. Vaclav Pilat
|
|
1st Half 1920s
|
2nd Half 1920s
|
1. Hector Scarone
2. Gyorgi Orth
3. Arthur Friedenreich
4. Alan Morton
5. Kalman Konrad
|
1. Jose Leandro Andrade
2. Dixie Dean
3. Ricardo Zamora
4. Jose Nasazzi
5. Jimmy Mcgrory
|
1st Half 1930s
|
2nd Half 1930s
|
1. Giuseppe Meazza
2. Matthias Sindelar
3. Luis Monti
4. Ricardo Zamora
5. Raimundo Orsi
|
1. Gyorgi Sarosi
2. Arsenio Erico
3. Jose Manuel Moreno
4. Antonio Sastre
5. Giuseppe Meazza |
1st Half 1940s
|
2nd Half 1940s
|
1. Jose Manuel Moreno
2. Adolfo Pedernera
3. Josef Bican
4. Antonio Sastre
5. Domingos Da Guia
|
1. Zizinho
2. Valentino Mazzola
3. Ferenc Puskas
4. Stanley Matthews
5. Obdulio Varela
|
1st Half 1950s
|
2nd Half 1950s
|
1. Ferenc Puskas
2. Alfredo Di Stefano
3. Sandor Kocsis
4. Fritz Walter
5. Juan Schiaffino
|
1. Alfredo Di Stefano
2. Raymond Kopa
3. Didi
4. Pele
5. Garrincha
|
1st Half 1960s
|
2nd Half 1960s
|
1. Pele
2. Garrincha
3. Luis Suarez Miramontes
4. Lev Yashin
5. Omar Sivori
|
1. Eusebio
2. George Best
3. Pele
4. Bobby Charlton
5. Franz Beckenbauer
|
1st Half 1970s
|
2nd Half 1970s
|
1. Johan Cruff
2. Franz Beckenbauer
3. Gerd Muller
4. Rivelino
5. Dino Zoff
|
1. Zico
2. Diego Maradona
3. Michel Platini
4. Daniel Passarella
5. Kevin Keegan
|
1st Half 1980s
|
2nd Half 1980s
|
1. Zico
2. Michel Platini
3. Karlheinz Rummenigge
4. Diego Maradona
5. Falcao
|
1. Diego Maradona
2. Marco Van Basten
3. Lothar Matthaeus
4. Ruud Gullit
5. Franco Baresi
|
1st Half 1990s
|
2nd Half 1990s
|
1. Roberto Baggio
2. Paolo Maldini
3. Romario
4. Frank Rijkaard
5. Michael Laudrup
|
1. Ronaldo
2. Zinedine Zidane
3. Rivaldo
4. Luis Figo
5. Gabriel Batistuta
|
1st Half 2000s
|
2nd Half 2000s
|
1. Zinedine Zidane
2. Ronaldinho
3. Thierry Henry
4. Luis Figo
5. Ronaldo
|
1. Lionel Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Kaka
4. Xavi Hernandez
5. Samuel Eto’o
|
1st Half 2010s
2nd Half 2010s
The Most Completed Footballers Ever
The Most Sustainable Players Ever
2. Johan Cruyff
3. Pele
4. Garrincha
5. Lionel Messi
6. Ronaldo
7. Eusebio
8. Zico
9. Ronaldinho
10. George Best
