In every sport there are always a select few who are regarded by fans and the various stakeholders as the GOATs. In basketball for example we have Michael Jordan and Lebron James, in Tennis we have the likes of Rodger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
The crème de la crème of football include the likes of Pele, Maradona, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo all who excelled at the highest levels in football in the process helping their respective teams win various trophies while also winning individual accolades.
In this article we are going to rank the 50 greatest football players of all time
50. Robert Lewandowski
The 32-year-old from Poland is undoubtedly one of the deadliest forwards of the contemporary football age. The Polish forward is recognized as an amazing finisher whose goal and records include those scored in the Bundesliga whilst at Bayern Munich. These have paid him off due to his constant performance and dexterity from within the box and these include FIFA Best Men’s Player award.
Lewandowski has arrived at precise timing, power and accurate shooting to make him a canal for defenders. Indeed, be it a header, a volley or a tap in, he has demonstrated over and over again that he is a total forward for whom no occasion is big enough to handles.
49. Didi
He was a Brazilian born midfielder so elegant in his move and perfect in his passes as a master artist Didi. He was the key figure in Brazil Cups teams that triumphed in 1958 and 1962 and achieved this not only with his turns but also considering that he is widely regarded as one of the best passer.
His free-kicks the so-called ‘folha seca’ (dry-leaf) that swerved and dipped confused every keeper. He was extremely effective on the pitch and Didi remains one of the finest football play makers known to generations of football fans.
48. Gianluigi Buffon
Buffon is one of the most accomplished goalkeepers that ever lived and the best Italian goalkeeper. Having been in the team for over twenty years the Italian shot-stopper has had nothing but class performance this has seen him scoop champions league ,more then three serie-A titles with Juventus plus 2006 FIFA world cup.
Reflexes, leadership and the ability to make important saves – this is Buffon, a legend of the football playgrounds. Not even in his sunset years can he cease to amaze observers with the fervor that animates him and his love for the game.
47. Gunter Netzer
During the seventies, German football had a shot creator in Gunter Netzer. Regarded as one of the finest shots and accurate passer of the ball he was instrumental at Borussia Mönchengladbach and later on at Real Madrid where he was quite brilliant in the middle of the park.
For a player to be able to play with such flair and an ability to organise his team-mates with impressive vision and technique, Netzer was among the best of his generation. He also played important role in West Germany’s triumph at the 1972 European Championship; which placed him among the giants of football.
46. Paolo Rossi
Paolo Rossi is a legendary Italian footballer famous for his performance during the 1982 FIFA World Cup in Spain when he scored most goals to help Italy to clinch the cup, he was awarded the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball. Thus, Rossi would always be at the right place at the right time that turned him into deadly striker.
Not that Rossi had it easy in the beginning and for him to reach the top to be known as a national hero in Italy he had to go through a couple of devious turns in his early years into drumming. He scored 6 goals in the 1982 World Cup and this is still regarded to date as one of the most outstanding displays in the world cup.
45. Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is one of the stars of the modern world and he is only going to get better as he has already tasted success at a very young age. The young French forward made his debut at AS Monaco and soon reached the level of the highest demand in world football, signing with Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe is fast, tricky, and a prolific scorer which has been very hard for defenders to cope with. He contributed to the French team that won the 2018 edition of the World Cup and the young player has only scored in the World Cup finals once as recent as this year thus becoming only the second teenager in the World Cup history to score in the final.
44. Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish is scottish foot ball legend who had much success with celtic and liverpool. later known as the clinical finisher, Dalglish was a prominent figure in Liverpool team that dominated football through the late seventies and eighties to win many league titles and the now UEFA champions league.
But still as a player-manager, Dalglish had his impact and took Liverpool to further triumphs. This has endeared him to the hearts of the fans of the club as well as of Scottish football and has placed him among the best British footballers of all times.
43. Michael Laudrup
Michael Laudrup can be considered as one of the most skillful and elegant play makers in the history of football. He was a visionary dribbler and also a good passer of the ball hence he always knew how to fashion out a chance out of the hard situations.
Laudrup had splendid stints with Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid, and added more titles to his tally. More than anything, his awareness of the situation that was developing on the field and reading of the gameplay made him a delight for the fans and a horror for the opponents.
42. Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore is a former soccer player from England and he was the captain of the English nation al team that triumphed in the 1966 FIFA World cup. Often described as the ‘quiet man’, possessing calculated sense of when to make a tackle, and a very good organiser Moore was a fine example of a classy defender.
Moore being able to read the game and remain calm throughout the game was one of the secrets which made him a great defender. His showing in the 1966 World Cup held in England particularly the final match is one of the best display of a defender.
41. Francisco 'Paco' Gento
Francisco ‘Paco’ Gento is a Real Madrid legend and one of the most accomplished players in the European football history. The Spanish winger had the honour of being Real Madrid’s most successful player in Europe’s elite club competition having amassed six titles back in Europe’s premier competition pa, a record that is still unbroken to this very day.
Of most importance was how swift, skillful in dribbling, and accurate in crossing that Gento was; he was a menace on the wing. Real Madrid legend and a holder of the legendary status, he was instrumental to the club’s success in the fifties and sixties football.
40. Luis Suarez Miramontes
Luis Suárez was a Spanish footballer this articles looks at him as one of the greatest midfielder of all time. Although his vision, passing ability and technical prowess where exceptional, Suárez played the final years of his career in both FC Barcelona and Inter Milan; he immensely contributed towards both teams’ success within a period of 1960’s.
It at 1960 became the year Spanish – born player won the Ballon d’Or making him the only Ballon d’Or winner to be born in Spain. The next season he moved to Inter Milan where in the so-called “Grande Inter” he clinched two Serie A Scudetti and two European Cups in 1964 and 1965 that affirmed him as one of the most outstanding playmakers of all ages.
39. Romário
Romário was a Brazilian forward and goal-machine, who was famed for his deadly accuracy in front of goal. He was an important figure in Brazil’s World Cup triumph in 1994; he was awarded the Golden Ball for being the most valuable player in the tournament.
Romário was also a great goal-scorer and this placed him amongst the best-known strikers of the hey-day. His spells in PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona and Flamengo among other teams, made him score more than 700 career goals and has been ranked among the greatest footballers.
38. Matthias Sindelar
Matthias Sindelar, dubbed “The Mozart of Football” – was an Austrian forward who played with style and panache. He was the main figure of the Austrian “Wunderteam” of the 1930s which was famous for the combination of technique and flair.
Sindelars stylish play, dribbling and goal scoring from acute angles put him top among the best of his generation. He will be remembered for footballing abilities which were extraordinarily great but also for his defiance of political system.
37. Valentino Mazzola
He was an Italian category, playing in different leagues and primarily recognized as the captain of the Grande Torino, the team of Torino in the 1940s. He was a total midfielder, who could suppress the opposition team and also create chances for others as well as scoring them himself.
Off the pitch, Mazzola was a great captain and his exemplary performance on the field and his capacity to influence football matches put him among the football legends. His rather premature demise in Superga air disaster in 1949 was particularly regrettable though he played a very significant role to the Italian football.
36. Stanley Matthews
One of the best wingers to grace the football pitch, he was affectionately called Stanley Matthews ‘The Wizard of the Dribble.’ He was considered a brilliant dribbler, a fast player, and played professional football for more than 15 years, even after crossing the 40 years age mark.
Matthews indeed had a great impact more so that he was the first player to be awarded knighthood while still in active play. He was truly committed to fitness and talent which made him trail blazer of footballers and his legacy is a inspiration to the modern footballers.
35. Rivaldo
Rivaldo is a legend of Brazilian football that had an individual skill, creativity, and a splendid kick with the left leg. He was a vital player to Brazil during the period of the late 1997 and the starting of the 2000s particularly in the 2002 World Cup.
As far as exciting players were concerned Rivaldo who was endowed with the capacity to hit the ìmagicî goals from the halfway line or outside the penalty area was one of them. His spell that saw him enjoy much success was at Barcelona where he clinched the Ballon d’Or in the year 1999, and would be remembered as one of the key illuminatories of the club.
34. Raymond Kopa
Raymond Kopa was well-known French footballer and his main strengths were the ability to dribble, vision and play-making abilities. He was instrumental in the famous Real Madrid team of the 1950’s which won three European cups.
Possibly one of the greatest talents of Kopa was in his adeptness in the constructor role and in the creation of chances for his team as well as his ability in combining play. He also had fine years playing for France for which he led the French team to the semi-final of the 1958 FIFA World Cup in Sweden to emerge the best player.
33. Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthäus is rated one of the greatest midfielder in the history of the world. The German was most recognized for his versality, captaincy and his impact to the games for both defense and attack line. Matthäus had been appointed captain of West Germany in the 1990 FIFA World Cup; by this time, he was also recognized as the best player of the world cup.
In his career, Matthäus was able to play for clubs such as Bayern Munich and Inter Milan among others and emerged a winner most of the time. He was an absolute football icon and due to his remarkable playing career’s longevity and his ability to perform on the highest level for so many years he was one of those unique football personalities.
32. Socrates
Sócrates was a Brazilian footballer, who was an intelligent, elegant and political activist footballer. Sócrates was a central midfielder per excellence and he had one of the best intelligence of the game to boot him with superior passing and vision.
He led Brazil in the 1982 World Cup, where this side is till date regarded as the best ever Brazil, which played attractive brand of football. Besides football, Sócrates was an icon of opposition to dictatorship – he called for democracy in Brazil.
31. Manuel Neuer
Distinguished for having completely changed the approach to the position of the modern keeper, Manuel Neuer is a German goalkeeper. He has been consistent for more than a decade in terms of his reflexes, his shot stopping and command of the box.
Neuer is also known for his ‘sweeper-keeper’ role, in which he is always way behind his line waiting to sweep and then launch an attack. He was instrumental in the Germany triumph in the 2014 FIFA World Cup tournament where he was adjudged the best goalkeeper.
30. Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit is one of the most fantastic Dutch football players, who is famous for his powerful and skillful physical built. He played an important role in the Netherlands’ rescue operation in the 1988 European Championship finals, which he also led and scored in.
He could shift from playing as a midfielder to an advanced player and this made Gullit a special character on the field. His period at AC Milan was most successful wherein he won so many Serie A championships as well as two UEFA European Cups and is regarded as one of the most honored players of his generation.
29. Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry is among the best-ever strikers that football has produced. He was a famous French front player who was noted for his speed, dribble and the ability to place the ball into goals. He also played for Arsenal Football Club during the year 2003/2004 season which is commonly referred to as the ’30-Club’ or ’Invincibles’ season in that no club in the English Premier League managed to defeat them.
He was very lethal forcing his way to the goal post through solo runs and particularly goal scoring styles that included but not limited to, the close range finishes. Yup, he made it big at Barcelona too by having won the Champions League playing for this great clubs and consolidating is place among the greatest soccer players of all time.
28. Luka Modric
Luka Modric is a player from Croatia who is a midfielder in his defined team and is recognized as a influencial player when it comes to vision, passing and control of the game. Current with Real Madrid he has been part of the team that has consecutively clinched the Champions League cup several times.
Luka Modrice who has been one of the best creators of the game from the midfield position and consistent performer has won many individual awards including the Ballon d’Or in 2018. More so, the World Cup that he played in 2018 in which he played for Croatia which he took up to the final stage of the competition was another confirmation of the fact that he is one of the best midfielders to ever have played the game.
27. Roberto Baggio
Roberto Baggio is one of the most popular football players of all the times, and his game is characterized by the level of skill and imagination as well as his grace on the field. The Italian forward was perfectly capable of coming up with moments of pure class and often reserved his magic for the last thirty minutes of the game.
Baggio was a great delight to watch on the field attributed to the way he applied himself while scoring spectacular goals besides developing excellent opportunities to his fellow players. Although Baresi failed to score a penalty in a decisive match of the 1994 world cup final; emphatically still he is one of the greatest football stars of all time.
26. Carlos Alberto
Carlos Alberto was a footballer who hailed from Brazil and made a name, majorly during the 1970 international world cup. Carlos Alberto was a right full-back relied mainly for marauding runs forward and goals, the famous goal in the third place play off against Italy in the 1970 world cup included.
Bosnia’s great defender was also an important attacking threat, excellent in arranging the play and also good in defending and tackling. It is for this reason that Carlos Alberto’s impact on Brazilian football can be felt to this day and it is for this reason that he is considered to be one of the greatest captains in the history of football.
25. Franco Baresi
Franco Baresi is ranked among the best ever to grace the playing field as a defender. The Italian center-back was a master of anticipating the game, perfect tackle, and characterized by his leadership at the back for AC Milan.
Baresi spent virtually all his playing years at the AC Milan, the Italian club with which he secured several Italian leagues and cups, as well as several UEFA champions’ league. Maldini’s excellent temperance during pressure and management of defense made him a god in the Italian football, and to this date, his performances inspires so many defenders.
24. Andres Iniesta
Iniesta is one of the best players of the midfield position in the football field. The Spanish playmaker had some of the best dribbling skills, great vision and is capable of coming up with great moments on the pitch. Iniesta is a product of the famed Spanish youth team and was a crucial cog in Barcelona and the Spanish World Cup winning team.
His record breaking goal in the final of the 2010 world cup which gave Spain their first world cup trophy is one of the best goals in the history of football. Xavi and Iniesta were examples of the elegance on the field and masterful conduct of the match in passing ability.
23. Xavi
More specifically, it is impossible not to consider Xavi one of the best central midfielders of all the time. The Spanish maestro was the life wire of Barcelona and Spain, and was really noted for his astounding passing, his vision of the game and his match control.
Xavi dominated possession and knew exactly when to make the right pass to unlock the opponent’s defence. He was part of the successful spell of Spain that clinched two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup. Winning titles and famous trophies – club and international football titles – personal awards.
22. Lev Yashin
I think that exceptional keeper of the late Soviet Union and beginning of the modern soccer, Lev Yashin, or the ‘Black Spider,” is unanimously considered to be the best keeper of all times. The Soviet legend was an excellent shot stopper and had great reflexes; he was also an apt penalty area specialist.
Yashin is one of the Ballon d’Or winners and the only goalkeeper who was distinguished with this award, which explains why he influenced the game. His marvellous punch away and his full blooded contribution from the back line made him a true legend of soccer and he remains an example for goalkeepers to emulate.
21. Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is among the few wonderful football players that the soccer lovers would always cherish to see on the pitch. Ronaldinho was a marvelous dribbler, creative, and technical; the Brazilian could come up with a spectacle on the pitch that could leave the audiences amazed.
Anyway, the year at Barcelona can be marked as Ronaldinho’s peak, as in 2005 he was awarded the Ballon d’Or, and in the Brazilian's leadership, Barcelona won many titles, including the Champions League. His love for the game and his smile was something that made him popular and one of the most like players of all time.
20. Giuseppe Meazza
Meazza is one of the all time legendary Italian footballers. He was well known for dribbles, finishes and his general prowess in sides on how to score crucial goals. Meazza was also member of the Italian national team, with which he won two World Cups, in 1934 and 1938.
He was extraordinary on his impact on the Italian football and to date the stadium that is hosting many Italian leagues’ matches is named San Siro or the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza. Inclusive of this, Meazza can be easily ranked among the all-time great forwards in the history of football.
19. Paolo Maldini
Paolo Maldini can be considered as one of the greatest football players who played in the defence line. He was an AC Milan player all his playing years, and played most often at both left back and center back positions, winning several Scudetti and Champions League trophies. Maldini also proved to be a master at positioning, the timing of tackles and was also a good leader on the football pitch.
That is why Maldini has become the footballing legend – he played the majority of his career at the top level. His flexibility and ability to stay in the limelight as a top performer through his years of his playing marked him a reception from fans, counterparts and trainers from across the globe.
18. Bobby Charlton
The late Bobby Charlton was an English footballer who played in a key role as a goal scorer and as a visionary and a captain. He was an influential player in Manchester United and the English national team; he captained the English to the only world cup triumph at 1966.
Charlton fantastic sigh shots, good vision when in possession, act of setting up goals from outside the eighteen-yard box meant that Charlton was one of the best mid-fielder of his generation. Thanks to him, Manchester United and English football will have an unforgettable story for centuries, and he himself became one of the biggest legends of history.
17. Garrincha
Garrincha, also referred to as ‘’The Joy of the People’’, was undoubtedly one of the greatest football players of all time. He was a fantastic dribbler, creative and more flashy as a Brazilian winger.
Garrincha was very instrumental in the Brazil team that won the World Cup in 1958 and 1962 in which his display was more or less magical. His agility in manoeuvering past defenders and coming up with some beautiful moves and he was without doubt a footballer of immense creativity.
16. Eusebio
Eusébio, also nicknamed the “Black Panther”, is one of Portugal’s finest footballers’ of all time. The forward who was born in Mozambique although represented Portugal in international football was characterized by his ability to run very fast, his ferocity in striking the ball and his glaring record of being prolific goalscorer.
He one of the main players in Benfica’s domination of domestic and European football in the 1960s, scoring the only goal in the 1962 European Cup final. His feats in the 1966 World Cup, in which he received the Golden Boot, established him as one of the best strikers of football’s history.
15. Zico
Zico is regarded as one of the best playmaker that football has ever produced. The Brazilian midfielder had very good vision of the field, had some nice passing ability and could convert free kicks. Zico played for Flamengo and the Brazil side at the end of the seventies and during the early eighties.
His capacity to produce opportunities and goals from a midfielder made him among the most dreaded players in his period. There is no doubt that Zico’s contribution to the football of Brazil will remain indelible, and he is rightly regarded as one of the football legends.
14. Marco van Basten
Van Basten is easily one of the best strikers that football has ever produced. He was a great Dutch forward, who was appreciated for his goalscoring ability, technique, and wonderful goals. For Ajax, AC Milan as well as the national team of the Netherlands, Van Basten was always a crucial individual
Perhaps his most famous goal at the end of his career was in the 1988 European Championship final when he scored a magnificent volley from an acute angle. However, due to the early retirement due to injury; the influence van Basten made on the game is incomparable.
13. Michel Platini
Michel Platini is arguably one of the most famous football players of France of all times. He was a typical midfield player with good vision, good passing skills and a scorer of goals in this position. He played for Juventus and the France national team and captained France to victory in the 1984 European championship.
The physical strength of Platini was also an added advantage; the number of vital goals he scored, the crowning ability of imprinting his authority on the pace of a particular game, made him one of the best in his generation. He will be remembered for his service and achievement for French football and on this game.
12. Ferenc Puskas
Here is the story of Ferenc Puskás, the football legend to whose name over 800 goals have been credited. The Hungarian forward for example was famous for his outstanding shooting accuracy, his powerful shots and his goal scoring capability irrespective of the location of the same on the pitch. Puskás played for both Real Madrid and Hungary during the 1950s and early part of the 1960s.
This made him a rampaging scorer and one of the mean and dreaded striker’s of his time. The mere fact that he scored amazing goals and his goal scoring records as well as other achievements make him one of the finest goal-scorers in football.
11. Gerd Muller
Gerd Müller, who was nicknamed “Der Bomber” was one of the best goal scorers in the history of football. This German forward was well accredited for his sterling potentials in finishing, positioning and goal having scored vital goals. He played for Bayern Munich and the German national team; he was among the stars that gave Germany the 1974 FIFA World Cup triumph.
Müller was a goal machine, one that set a record for most goals in a calendar year that sadly was broken by Lionel Messi. What is beyond doubt is that he is one of the best strikers the world of football has ever seen.
10. George Best
George Best is known not only as one of the best proficient football players but also one of the most popular stars. The Northern Irish winger was praised for his special skills in dribble, tricks and spectacular goals. Best, perhaps, was the outstanding Manchester United footballer of the 1960s, during which he won many titles, including the European Cup in 1968.
Best was also famous for his agility in dribbling past defenders and acrobatic flicks and thus a darling of both the media and fans. In spite of his off field problems following him throughout his career, this man had the skills and revolutionized the game.
9. Ronaldo
Another famous footballer, who was given a call ‘‘O Fenômeno,’’ is Ronaldo, one of the best strikers in the history of the game. The forward was well famous for his marvelous speed, ball control, and, certainly, his goals. Ronaldo played for some premier clubs that include Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid clubs that produced impressive achievements both locally and in the international clubs.
It was this characteristic that singled Cristiano Ronaldo out as one of the most potent forwards of his generation; he had the knack of scoring from anywhere on the pitch. His tenacity on the football pitch counted for a lot and despite being posted down with several injuries throughout his playing career, his input and rate of contribution in the team cannot be paralleled.
8. Alfredo Di Stefano
Named as one of the best five players ever to have graced the beautiful game of football, Alfredo Di Stéfano is beyond doubt one of the most prolific footballers of all time. He was a thoroughly tactically intelligent footballer, Argentine by nationality, who was capable of changing positions depending on the match tactically. For Real Madrid Di Stéfano played in the Fifties and Sixties and during the time he was winner of the European Cups five times in a row.
His goal scoring, chanccing taking and conducting ablities made him to be regarded as some of the greatest footballer of his generation. To this he contributed directly to how Real Madrid Football Club established its roots as dominating the football arenas in Europe and he is remembered as one of the football legends.
7. Franz Beckenbauer
Franz Beckenbauer or, as he was nicknamed, “Der Kaiser” is an absolutely legendary footballer, a brilliant and highly talented defender. The German center back was also famous for his superb, captaincy, and talent on how to interchange play from the defensive line to the offense. Beckenbauer was in the ranks of both the Bayern Munich soccer club and the German soccer team through the World Cup held in 1974.
He was an astute marker of the game and a great tactician, especially in the art of intercepting and seizing the ball from the opposition. He was memorable for his contribution to German football, and he will understandably be implemented in football history.
6. Johan Cruyff
Cruyff is inarguably one of the best football players of all time. He was one of the cruellest forwards the Dutch have ever had a pleasure to call their own, with admirable vision, dribbling skills and an uncanny ability to come up with something out of nothing. Cruyff played most of his club football for Ajax and Barcelona for which he was won many domestic and international competitions.
It should be noted that after the player’s career Cruyff became a coach and one of the representatives of the new generation of coaches who contributed to the development of the football ‘Total Football.’ This Dutch genius has no equal even now.
5. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane can rightly be attributed to the category of the most brilliant footballers in the history of world sport. Such mentions as skillful French midfielder, he was highly specialized in tactics, vision and the temperament of match winner. For both Juventus and real Madrid Zidane or more popularly known as Zizou was a star player; his achievements included; Italian serie A, champions league among others.
Internationally he was also as successful and he ashore the French national team to the 1998 FIFA World Cup champions and the Euro 2000 champions. Hailed as one of the all time great footballers, the man is renowned for his awards and influence in the game.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is currently on the list of the world’s best footballers ever to grace the beautiful game. The 29 year old portuguese footballer is a fantastic goal scorer, an athlete and is fully committed to football. Currently the star has represented clubs such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus in his professional soccer career having achieved many domestic and international championships as well as achieving five times the Ballon d’Or.
Ronaldo has made a motto of scoring from anywhere on the pitch with extraordinary hard work and determination; he has been one of the greatest football players. His contribution and his place as one of the most important athletes of all the time is beyond any doubt.
3. Pele
Few arguments could be made against Pelé being one of the single greatest football players in the history of the sport of football. The Brazilian finally was appreciated for his goal scoring prowess, speed and creativity in the pitch. Pelé had a remarkable participation in Brazil’s World Cup triumph in 1958, 1962 and 1970 to make him the hero of three World Cups.
The records associated with the great Pelé are not only goal-scoring records, but he was also a great image-maker of soccer. The legend of Nunez as one of the most talented and gifted footballers of all time is invulnerable, and he remains a great role model to the young football enthusiasts of the world.
2. Diego Maradona
Diego Maradona can be described as one of the most outstanding and scandalous football players of all the time. Luis caused many problems with his dribbling ability, vision and was able to create opportunities out of thin air. Maradona will be particularly remembered for his exploits in the 1986 World Cup where he captained Argentina to the titles and scoring arguably the most controversial goal of the tournaments ‘the hand of God’.
Maradona greatly influenced the game and this combined with his capacity to lead his team to victory or defeat all by himself made a legend. Nonetheless, one cannot and should not forget that Maradona has been a great player and one of the football legends of all times, notwithstanding the off-field mishaps.
1. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is regarded by many as possibly the best football player of all time. He is one of the best dribblers of the ball, he has a good vision of the pitch, and he is a lethal finisher. Messi has played with Barcelona for the most of his career during which he has emerged as a four time world champion and has clinched eight golden boots.
Messi has always been a master of scoring goals and of creating opportunities from nowhere, making him loved all over the world. This he has done effectively leaving the world with no reason to doubt his ability to be referred to as the greatest footballer of all time not to mention the fact that he broke most records.