Top 10 Soccer Players Of All Time (2024)

Scotttfujita.com is an informative blog for readers. The products in the article contain affiliate marketing links. We may receive a small commission when you make purchases through our links. You do not need to pay any additional fees for us. See our full disclosures here

Every sport has stars. And so is football. Dubbed the king sport, football has produced many excellent players. In this article, let’s find out with Scott Fujita the top 10 soccer players of all time.

Top 10 Best Soccer Players Of All Time

1. Diego Maradona, Argentina

• Full Name: Diego Armando Maradona.
• Date of birth: October 30, 1960.
• Height: 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in).
• Playing position: Attacking midfielder, second striker.

Without a doubt, Diego Maradona’s talent is the greatest ever seen in football. His dribbling is mesmerizing, his scoring ability is unique and clinical, and precise passes and crosses – giving him plenty of assists throughout his career. From an attacking midfield, he scored 345 goals in 680 games.

With a career far more difficult than Pelé’s, he still won the 1986 World Cup with Argentina as well as three national championships and a UEFA Cup with Napoli. In the game against England, Diego Maradona scored one of the greatest goals of all time.

View more: Who is the best soccer player in the world

2. Pelé, Brazil

• Full name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento.
• D.O.B: October 23, 1940.
• Height: 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in).
• Playing position: Striker, attacking midfielder.

If you still wonder who is the greatest soccer player of all time, Brazilian legend Pele is considered by many to be the greatest footballer in history. No player has won more World Cups than him, and that alone is enough to justify the Brazilian’s inclusion on this list.

The super goalscorer, Pele is also the center of attack of the club and the national team. His scoring stats are simply astounding. He is the only player to score more than 1200 goals.

Pele, even more than all the other famous soccer players on this list, delivered his best game when it mattered most. The youngest player ever to score (17 years 249 days) at a World Cup, Pele scored twice in the 1958 World Cup final against Sweden.

View more:

See Also

MLS Tryouts, MLS Soccer Tryouts, Tryout AdviceChicago Fire’s Xherdan Shaqiri is MLS’s highest-paid playerHow do I get drafted by an MLS/NWSL team?NWSL's landmark CBA has wins, but lingering questions for the future

• La Liga top scorers
• Richest soccer player

3. Johan Cruyff, Netherlands

• Full name: Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (internationally spelling Cruyff)
• Life: April 25, 1947 – March 24, 2016.
• Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in).
• Playing position: Striker, attacking midfielder.

Throughout 1971, 1973 and 1974, who is the best soccer player of all time? In these years, Johan Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or three times. Johan Cruyff is the most famous of the football philosophy known as Total Football discovered by Rinus Michels.

Considered one of the most influential figures in football history, Cruyff’s style of play and football philosophy have influenced managers and players alike. Ajax and Barcelona are among the clubs that have developed youth academies based on Johan Cruyff coaching methods.

4. Michel Platini, France

• Full name: Michel François Platini.
• D.O.B: June 21, 1955.
• Height: 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in).
• Playing position: Attacking midfielder.

While in Italy, Maradona got a close look at another legend, Michel Platini of France. A do-it-yourself midfielder. “Platoche” possesses the delicate touch of the ball and the intellect of a top scorer. Michel Platini won three consecutive Ballon d’Ors as he led Saint-Etienne and Juventus to championships and a series of other titles.

Sadly, his once impeccable reputation was tarnished after he became UEFA president, as an investigation into illegal payments resulted in a long-term ban from the sport in 2015.

5. Zinedine Zidane, France

• Full Name: Zinedine Yazid Zidane.
• D.O.B: June 23, 1972.
• Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in).
• Playing position: Attacking midfielder.

Winning the Ballon d’Or in 1998, Zinedine Zidane had an extremely successful career at both Juventus and Real Madrid. He is one of the top 5 soccer players of all time in our list. However, for the first time, Zidane really entered the public domain as a truly world-class player with his performance against Brazil in the 1998 World Cup final.

Until retiring from sports in 2006, Zinedine Zidane remained among the best players in the world. Leaving aside his infamous header in the 2006 World Cup final, the French legend is truly a player who revels on the biggest stage.

6. Alfredo Di Stéfano, Argentina

• Full name: Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé.
• Age: 4 July 1926 – 7 July 2014.
• Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9.5 in).
• Playing position: Striker.

Alfredo Di Stéfano is considered by some to be the greatest soccer player of all time. Many consider him to be above his Argentine compatriots Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.

However, although he won 12 championships during his South American career, it was his time in Spain with Real that made him a legend. In 11 seasons, in addition to winning the Champions League, Alfredo Di Stefano helped them win eight national championships and the Copa del Rey. He scored 308 goals in 396 appearances for Los Blancos.

7. Franz Beckenbauer, Germany

• Full name: Franz Anton Beckenbauer.
• Born: September 11, 1945.
• Height: 1.81 m (5 ft 11.5 in).
• Playing position: Sweeper.

Der Kaiser was the only man to captain and manage his side to the World Cup. In the 1970s, the German revolutionized the game by moving from central midfielder to a back-to-back role attacking sweeper. Where he will control the game from the back by dribbling.

Franz Beckenbauer enjoyed his best years with Bayern Munich where he won 5 Bundesliga titles and 3 cups Europe, but he also spent time with Pele at the New York Cosmos.

8. Ferenc Puskas, Hungary

• Full name: Ferenc Purczeld (his father changed his last name to Puskás when Ferenc was 10 years old).
• Life: April 1, 1927 – November 17, 2006.
• Height: 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in).
• Playing position: Striker.

As the most iconic figure of the famous Hungarian national team of the 1950s, Puskas’ glittering career saw him win 10 championships and 3 European Cups.

His goalscoring record is remarkable: 622 goals for the club, 242 in 262 appearances for Real Madrid and 84 international goals for Hungary in 85 caps.

Ferenc Puskas scored four goals in the Champions League final at Hampden Park against Eintracht Frankfurt. He then helped bring his country to the final of the 1954 World Cup, where he opened the scoring but was unable to prevent a 3-2 defeat.

9. Gerd Muller, Germany

• Full name: Gerhard “Gerd” Müller.
• D.O.B: November 3. 1945.
• Height: 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in).
• Playing position: Striker.

In the history of the game, Der Bomber is one of the best strikers. He is considered by many football legends in the past and now as the “Assassin”. Gerd Muller has scored 68 goals in 62 international appearances for Germany, an unbeatable record.

Indeed, the peak of his career came in the early and mid-70s, when he was in brilliant form for both club and country.

1974 was Gerd Muller’s most successful year in football. First, he won the European Cup and Bundesliga. He also won the World Cup at home with a West German team without Netzer, opting for a more reliable Overath instead. During this tournament, he scored 4 goals.

10. George Best, Northern Ireland

• Full name: George Best.
• Age: May 22, 1946 – November 25, 2005.
• Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in).
• Playing position: Winger, attacking midfielder.

Although George Best’s career was plagued by drink problems, his talent was almost unmatched. Renowned for his dribbling, he won the 1968 European Cup and two league titles during his time with Manchester United.

As an attacking midfielder, he scored 205 goals in 579 games and won the Ballon d’Or in 1968. At the age of 28, alcoholism took a toll on his career and he never achieved as much as he promised in terms of talent.

Who is the best soccer player of all time?

1. Lionel Messi, Argentina

• Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini.
• D.O.B: June 24, 1987.
• Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in).
• Playing position: Forward.

Often considered the best player in the world and considered by many to be one of the top 10 footballers of all time, Lionel Messi, the best soccer player of all time, has won a record five Ballon d’Or awards. Together with five European golden shoes.

Lionel Messi has spent his entire professional career with Barcelona, where he has won 33 trophies, including 9 La Liga titles, 4 UEFA Champions League titles and 6 Copas del Rey.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

• Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro.
• D.O.B: February 5, 1985.
• Height: 1.87 m (6 ft 1 in).
• Playing position: Striker.

With his pace, stamina and relentless attacks, Cristiano Ronaldo is unstoppable on the pitch. The numbers underline his incredible dominance, as he became the first player to win four European goal scoring titles and score 30 consecutive goals in six seasons in the Western top flight.

The striker has also enjoyed much success with the team, having won Euro 2016 with the Portuguese captain. He won a record five Champions League titles with Manchester United and Real Madrid. Continuing his spectacular run at the age of 30, Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down in his pursuit of historic greatness.

Conclusion

Hopefully, the article will help you to know the top 10 football players of all time like Diego Maradona or Pele. In addition, there are still other outstanding players like Lev Yashin or Van Basten. All of them gave us the most eye-catching performances thanks to their talent!