The 55 Greatest Soccer Players of All Time. Ranking the 55 best players in history isn't easy. It's also a topic that can cause some serious arguments. How can you even compare stars from different generations like Zidane, Ronaldo, CR7, Messi, Maradona? But there's always a way to handle tough challenges, so this list was carefully analyzed, keeping each player's 'peak' in mind. This list isn't just the 'TOP 50 greatest players of all time'; it's also a ranking of the highest point each player reached. 55. Manuel Neuer 54. Wayne Rooney 53. Gheorghe Hagi 52. Kenny Dalglish 51. Neymar Júnior 50. Kylian Mbappé 49. Luka Modrić 48. Hugo Sánchez 47. Jairzinho 46. Omar Sívori 45. Paolo Rossi 44. Paul Breitner 43. George Weah 42. Kaká 41. Lev Yashin 40. Gunnar Nordahl 39. Kevin Keegan 38. Hristo Stoichkov 37. Gianluigi Buffon 36. Johan Neeskens 35. Xavi Hernández 34. Luis Suárez Miramontes 33. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 32. Andrés Iniesta 31. Rivelino 30. Bobby Moore 29. Sócrates 28. Sándor Kocsis 27. Lothar Matthäus 26. Ronaldinho 25. Ruud Gullit 24. Bobby Charlton 23. Giuseppe Meazza 22. Raymond Kopa 21. Romário 20. Eusébio. Like Romário, Eusébio was a stellar goal-scorer. But unlike Romário, Eusébio never declared that he broke the 1,000-goal mark, even though he came very close. 19. Marco van Basten. The fact that Marco van Basten won the Ballon d'Or three times, and that he still leaves fans wondering 'what could have been' (due to injury), is a testament to how incredible he was. Technically superb while also having massive power, Van Basten was the perfect number 9. He could score, and did score, every kind of goal imaginable. 18. George Best. Nicknamed 'the Fifth Beatle,' George Best seems to be remembered more for his antics off the pitch than his accomplishments on it. But that doesn't mean he wasn't a player of extraordinary talent. He 100% was. In fact, he’s the most naturally gifted player the UK and Irish islands have ever produced. A Ballon d'Or and European Cup winner, Best’s peak came early in his career, but man, what a peak it was. 17. Zico. Zico was *that* guy. A genius who saw the game differently, a genius who could create something out of nothing, a genius who made those around him better players. The best goalscorer in Flamengo history. The best playmaker in Flamengo history. The best player in Flamengo history.
16. Franco Baresi. Unlike many other players on this list, the 'peak' criteria meant he had to drop a few spots. After all, the Italian’s biggest strength was his incredible consistency over a 20-year career. Despite this, Baresi is still one of the top 20 players ever. The reason? If you look at the time when this defender was in his 'prime,' he was simply unbeatable.
15. Cristiano Ronaldo. Peak: 2012-16. Ronaldo is just another player, like Franco Baresi, who suffers due to the list's criteria (peak performance). That absolutely doesn't mean we don't see him as a fantastic footballer. He is a fantastic player. The stats prove it. The scoring proves it. The five Ballons d'Or prove it. CR7 is one of the greatest players of his generation. He scored goals so consistently that a 40-goal season actually felt somewhat disappointing.
14. Ferenc Puskás. Peak: 1950-54. In the early 1950s, he was in his absolute prime, leading one of the greatest teams in history. This star player was the complete footballer in many ways: strength, technique, scoring ability, and, most importantly, leadership. Just look at the goals he scored in the 'Match of the Century' against England at Wembley Stadium. Taking the ball at the edge of the six-yard box, dragging the ball back to trip Billy Wright, and then blasting the shot into the top of the net. That goal shows just how incredible Puskás was.
13. Paolo Maldini. Peak: 1994-2003. If a perfect player were manufactured in a lab, the result would probably be Paolo Maldini. Maldini was the most complete footballer of the last 30 years. At the very least, he was a 9/10 in every position he could play, and a solid 10/10 every week as a defender. There was a phrase used in a Nike commercial: 'Italy’s Goalkeeper: The Easiest Job in the World.' They were right. Maldini made it the easiest job in the world. He made everything his teammates did the easiest job in the world.
12. Gerd Müller. Peak: 1970-74. The sky is blue, and the grass is green. And Gerd Müller is one of the greatest goalscorers of all time. He scored 68 goals in 62 games for West Germany. He once scored 67 goals in a single season—and that was in only 49 matches. He also led West Germany to the 1974 World Cup title by scoring the winning goal against Cruyff’s Netherlands in the final. He was a scorer who scored in big moments, small moments, and every moment in between.
11. Garrincha. Peak: 1958-62. Garrincha is the original Samba soccer star. He played football on the streets of Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo, and the Samba football he displayed then led Brazil to two World Cup victories on the international stage.
10. Alfredo Di Stéfano. Peak: 1956-62. Pelé: People debate between Pelé and Maradona. But Di Stéfano is the best. He is far more complete. Alex Ferguson: A truly great footballer. His physical balance was miraculous, his movements beautiful and elegant. I was heavily influenced by Di Stéfano. To me, he was truly an idol. Eusébio: The most complete footballer in history. Bobby Charlton: He is the most intelligent player I have ever seen. If I could pick one player to save my life, it would be him. These are just some of the praises for Di Stéfano mentioned above. What more needs to be said? 9. Roberto Baggio. Peak: 1990-94. Baggio almost single-handedly delivered biblical performances, and fans could see a divine fragment when watching him play. A player who was divinely inspired, turning impossibilities into realities on the field, and forever changing Italian fans' perception of beautiful football. 8. Michel Platini. Peak: 1982-85. Remember how we said above (in the Bobby Charlton part) that Bobby Charlton was similar to Frank Lampard but 100 times better? Platini is similar to Lampard but 200 times better. Platini is, without a doubt, the highest-scoring midfielder of all time. During his prime, he was the top scorer for three consecutive seasons in a league filled with the greatest defenders of all time... wait, let me rephrase that. A league packed with the greatest players of all time. Platini was equally brilliant for the French national team, leading France to their first major football title by scoring 9 goals in 5 games at Euro 1984.
7. Ronaldo. Peak: 1995-98. Was Ronaldo's knee injury the only obstacle preventing him from becoming the greatest player of all time? Probably. Pre-injury R9 was smoothly walking the path to becoming the GOAT. In short, he was the perfect forward. The goal against Compostela is the perfect example of Ronaldo's talent. Sir Bobby Robson’s reaction says it all. 6. Zinedine Zidane. Peak: 1997-2002. Zinedine Zidane was a beautiful magician whose ball stuck to his feet. Headbutt aside, Zizou was one of the most elegant footballers in history, performing dancer-like turns across the European football scene, usually ending up winning. When he won, he usually did so by scoring historically significant goals. He scored 3 goals in World Cup finals, and in the 2002 Champions League final, he scored the greatest goal in Champions League history to win the trophy. It’s no exaggeration to say that Zidane was not only one of the most enjoyable players to watch of all time, but also one of the best clutch players ever. 5. Johan Cruyff. Peak: 1971-75. You need to be a special kind of footballer to invent your own skill. (Aiden McGeady, the 'McGeady Spin,' notwithstanding.) And you need to be an even more special kind of player to lay the foundation for modern football. Johan Cruyff did both. Now a mythical figure, he is perhaps the most influential player in history. He is also one of the most talented. At the heart of the Total Football era, Cruyff led beautiful teams to success, an achievement so remarkable that its influence can still be seen today.
4. Franz Beckenbauer. Peak: 1966-76. If Paolo Maldini was the most complete player of the last 30 years, Franz Beckenbauer was the most complete player in the history of football. Simply put, everything people wished a player could do, Beckenbauer could do, and he did it. Scorer? Check. Incredible defender? Check. Great athlete? Check. Ultra professional? Yep. Leader? Yep. A truly tremendous and excellent leader. Trophies? Check. Known as Der Kaiser, Franz Beckenbauer was the driving force behind most of the success German football achieved over the years. Also, he's one of only two defenders to win the Ballon d'Or. Oh wait, he won the Ballon d'Or twice.
3. Pelé. Peak: 1958-64. Icon. That’s the word that sums up Pelé. Pelé is an iconic figure. He was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of the 20th century. He is the most iconic player in history. Appearing on the scene as a 17-year-old boy to compensate for his father's tears when Brazil lost the final in 1950 (the Maracanazo tragedy), Pelé went on to win three World Cups. Tales of his peak are like fairy tales, perhaps because the world didn't truly see his prime due to his injury during the 1962 World Cup. But this is fitting, as no one scored more goals than him from 1958 to 1962. His greatest achievement was leading the most incredible team in history to win the 1970 FIFA World Cup, but it's his prime in the early 1960s that makes Pelé a top player.
2. Diego Maradona. Peak: 1985-90. Why did this magazine choose Diego Maradona as one of the greatest players in football history? Is it because he single-handedly achieved a FIFA World Cup victory that no one else could? Or is it because he scored two of the most important goals in football history? Is it because one of those two goals was the greatest goal in football history? Is it because a true genius made the impossible possible? Is it because he moved to Napoli, an oppressed, unpopular, and hopeless team, and led them to win in the strongest league in European history? Is it because he is considered a god in his home country? Is it because he is a working-class hero who empowered his nation with his talent? The answer is all of the above. Peak Diego Maradona was, and will remain, the second-best footballer of all time.
1. Lionel Messi. Peak: 2009–12. He is special. Truly special. A certain generation will always identify with a specific player or group of superstars. Love it or hate it, this generation will forever be defined by Messi vs. Ronaldo. The 2022 World Cup might have settled this debate forever. In his prime, he scored 91 goals in a year, won the Ballon d'Or five times, and clinched countless trophies at the club level. And while he has relatively declined since then, he is still the best player in the world. He solidified his place on the GOAT list by winning with the Argentine national team in 2022. https://www.si.com/soccer/the-55-greatest-soccer-players-of-all-time
4. 프란츠 베켄바우어. 피크 : 1966-76. 파올로 말디니가 지난 30년 동안 가장 완벽한 선수 였다면, 프란츠 베켄바우어는 축구 역사상 가장 완벽한 선수였다. 간단히 말해, 사람들이 선수가 할 수 있기를 바라는 모든 것을 베켄바우어는 할 수 있었고, 실제로 그리 했다. 골잡이? 했지 놀라운 수비수? 했지 훌륭한 운동선수? 했지 극한의 프로페셔널? 맞지. 리더? 맞지. 정말 굉장하고 훌륭한 리더였지 트로피? 따냈지. 카이저(Der Kaiser) 로 알려진 프란츠 베켄바우어는 수년 동안 독일 축구가 거두었던 대부분의 성공을 이끈 장본인 이었다. 또한 그는 발롱도르를 수상한 2명의 수비수 중 한 명이다. 오우 맞아. 그는 발롱도르를 2번 이나 수상했지.
3. 펠레. 피크 : 1958-64. 상징성. 이 단어는 펠레를 요약하는 단어다. 펠레는 상징적인 인물이다. 타임지 선정 20세기 가장 영향력 인물 100인에 뽑히는 인물이다. 그는 역사상 가장 큰 상징성은 가진 선수다. 1950년 브라질이 결승전에서 패했을 때, 아버지의 눈물을 (마라카낭의 비극) 보상하기 위해 17세 소년의 몸으로 축구계에 등장한 펠레는 이후 월드컵 3회 우승을 차지했다. 절정기의 그의 모습은 동화와 같이 전해지고 있는데, 이것은 그가 절정기 이던 1962 월드컵 에서 부상으로 도중에 아웃 되었기에 전세계가 그의 전성기를 제대로 보지 못했기 때문일지도 모른다. 하지만 1958년부터 1962년까지 그보다 더 많은 골을 넣은 사람은 없었기 때문에 이건 적절하다. 그의 가장 위대한 업적은 역사상 가장 놀라운 팀을 이끌고 1970년 FIFA 월드컵 우승을 차지한 것이지만, 펠레를 최고의 선수로 만들어준 것은 1960년대 초반의 전성기다.
2. 디에고 마라도나. 피크 : 1985-90. 본지가 디에고 마라도나를 축구 역사상 가장 위대한 선수 중 하나로 뽑은 이유가 무엇일까? 그가 다른 누구도 해내지 못한 FIFA 월드컵 우승을 혼자서 해내는 일을 했다는 사실 때문일까? 아니면 축구 역사상 가장 중요한 두 골을 넣었다는 사실 때문일까? 그 2골들 중 하나가 축구 역사상 최고의 골이었다는 사실 때문일까? 진정한 천재는 불가능을 가능한 것으로 만들었다는 점 때문일까? 항상 억압 받고, 인기 없고, 가망이 없던 팀인 나폴리에 이적해서, 유럽 역사상 최강의 리그에서 그들을 우승 시켰다는 사실 때문일까? 그가 고국에서 신으로 여겨진다는 사실 때문일까? 그가 그 재능으로 국가에 힘을 준 노동자 계급의 영웅이라는 사실 때문일까? 위에 언급 된 모든 것들이 그 이유다. 고점의 디에고 마라도나는 역대 축구 선수들 중 두번째로 뛰어난 이였고 앞으로도 그럴 것이다.
1. 리오넬 메시. 피크 : 2009~12. 그는 특별하다. 정말 특별하지. 특정 세대는 특정 선수나 특정 슈퍼스타 그룹와 동일시 되게 된다. 좋든 싫든 간에 이 세대는 영원히 메시 vs 호날두로 정의 될 것이다. 2022 월드컵은 이 논쟁을 영원히 종식시켰을지도 모른다. 전성기 시절의 그는 1년에 91골을 넣었고 발롱도르를 5회 수상 했으며, 클럽에서 수많은 트로피를 차지했다. 그리고 그때에 비하면 상대적으로 기량이 떨어지긴 했지만, 지금도 여전히 세계 최고의 선수다. 그는 2022년에 아르헨티나 대표팀과 함께 우승을 차지하며 역대 최고 선수 리스트에서 자신의 자리를 확고하게 만들었다. https://www.si.com/soccer/the-55-greatest-soccer-players-of-all-time
"CR7 fans (젖닌) are absolutely losing it because he's ranked 15th, claiming it's massive underrating and demanding a Top 10 spot. Arguments quickly erupted over whether 'peak' truly justifies placing him below players like Puskas and R9, while others pointed out the author's obvious Messi bias. The usual meme warfare ensued, including extreme derogatory slang against CR7 and his fan base."
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