Top 50 Best Football Players of All Time
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Legendary Football Player
Legendary football (soccer) players include Pelé, Diego Maradona, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are often considered among the greatest of all time. Other iconic figures like Johan Cruyff, Zinedine Zidane, and Franz Beckenbauer are also frequently mentioned. The term "legendary" can apply to male and female players, with figures like Marta and Mia Hamm recognized as legends in women's football.
Here are some of the most frequently named legendary players:
The Top 50 Players of All-Time
(Platinum I)
1 Lionel Messi (Wide-Forward / ARG)
(Platinum II)
2 Pele (Second-Striker / BRA)
3 Diego Maradona (Attacking-Midfielder / ARG)
(Platinum III)
4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Wide-Forward / POR)
5 Johan Cruyff (Second-Striker / NET)
6 Ronaldo (Striker / BRA)
(Platinum IV)
7 Alfredo Di Stefano (Second-Striker / ARG)
8 Franz Beckenbauer (Centre-Back / GER)
9 Michel Platini (Attacking-Midfielder / FRA)
10 Ferenc Puskas (Striker / HUN)
11 Garrincha (Winger / BRA)
12 Zinedine Zidane (Attacking-Midfielder / FRA)
13 Eusebio (Striker / POR)
14 Zico (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
15 Marco Van Basten (Striker / NET)
16 Gerd Muller (Striker / GER)
17 George Best (Winger / NIR)
(Platinum V)
18 Ronaldinho (Winger / BRA)
19 Giuseppe Meazza (Striker / ITA)
20 Bobby Charlton (Attacking-Midfielder / ENG)
21 Lothar Matthaus (Central-Midfielder / GER)
22 Paolo Maldini (Left-Back / ITA)
23 Jose Manuel Moreno (Second-Striker / ARG)
24 Romario (Striker / BRA)
25 Franco Baresi (Centre-Back / ITA)
26 Andres Iniesta (Attacking-Midfielder / SPA)
27 Ruud Gullit (Attacking-Midfielder / NET)
28 Gianni Rivera (Attacking-Midfielder / ITA)
29 Lev Yashin (Goalkeeper / RUS)
30 Stanley Matthews (Winger / ENG)
31 Laszlo Kubala (Striker / HUN)
32 Roberto Baggio (Second-Striker / ITA)
33 Xavi (Central-Midfielder / SPA)
(Gold I)
34 Didi (Central-Midfielder / BRA)
35 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Striker / GER)
36 Raymond Kopa (Winger / FRA)
37 Rivellino (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
38 Zizinho (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
39 Rivaldo (Second-Striker / BRA)
40 Thierry Henry (Striker / FRA)
41 Luis Suarez (Striker / URU)
42 Bobby Moore (Centre-Back / ENG)
43 Kaka (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
44 Luka Modric (Central-Midfielder / CRO)
45 Omar Sivori (Second-Striker / ARG)
46 Michael Laudrup (Attacking-Midfielder / DEN)
47 Juan Alberto Schiaffino (Second-Striker / URU)
48 Matthias Sindelar (Striker / AUT)
49 Arsenio Erico (Striker / PAR)
50 Neymar (Wide-Forward / BRA)
Honourable Mentions: (Gold I)
Robert Lewandowski ST POL
Sandor Kocsis ST HUN
Luis Suarez CM SPA
Daniel Passarella CB ARG
Uwe Seeler ST GER
Giancinto Facchetti LB ITA
Gyorgy Sarosi SS HUN
...
How the players are assessed:
It goes without saying, the assessment of the players I use will never be as accurate as seeing them play live. I have however put a few years of research into this and refined it as well as I can by collating all the data and opinions available.
I've used a range of factors, which culminates in an assessment of players that I believe works well. Maybe most importantly, it has an accurate correlation to my opinion of players when using it to evaluate players from the modern era, so I trust my research methods.
The evaluation of players is generally based on a players peak over a 4-5 year period. In my opinion, this period is long enough to assess a player's standard, and exhibits a certain level of consistency. However, a long (or short) peak can add to how highly I would rate a player, if they show themselves to be adaptable (or not) to different tactical systems, opponents, levels of pressure, their own physical changes, etc.
Some of the main factors of assessing players (some which play into each other) :
The time difference between players however isn't a factor I consider - it is too nuanced of an argument. Some may favour modern players who are much faster, stronger, fitter; while some may favour older players who dealt with two-footed tackles, terrible pitches, & innovated aspects of the game. The idea of throwing players into different eras and tactical systems wouldn't work well, so I found it best to judge them on what they are/were relevant to the time.
There are sometimes anomalies or a lack of correlation with players' factors, which could be down to things such as the personality of a player, sentimentality and propaganda. I take this into consideration where the information is available.
The Ratings:
I finalised the assessment of each player with a rating to help me catergorise and organise them. There are 3 ranks, Platinum, Gold & Silver, with a level of I-V (roman numerals) within each rank, I being the highest. There would also be ranks below, but they were not needed for this.
Generally speaking:
Platinum V is the minimum level as an 'All-Time Great' player
Gold V is the minimum level as a 'World-Class' player
Silver V is the minimum level for a 'Good' player (perhaps someone who can be a regular in a top-level league)
However, these definitions can vary from person to person. I find that the term 'World-Class' for example is used more often for players in positions that have a lower standard of player, but I wanted to keep it more consistent. For example, the best right-back in the world may not always be one of the best players in the world. The standard in certain positions can also shift across decades - there's no rule for the minimum or maximum number of world-class players in a single position at once.
Below, I've listed the 15 ranks in order, with an example of a modern (where possible) defender, midfielder and forward to give a general idea of the ratings. The example players are rated according to their peak, not necessarily right now.
Platinum I: Lionel Messi
Platinum II: Diego Maradona, Pele
Platinum III: Cristiano Ronaldo
Platinum IV: Zinedine Zidane, Marco Van Basten
Platinum V: Paolo Maldini, Andres Iniesta, Romario
Gold I: Bobby Moore, Luka Modric, Robert Lewandowski
Gold II: Roberto Carlos, Andrea Pirlo, Karim Benzema
Gold III: Dani Alves, Toni Kroos, Ruud Van Nistlerooy
Gold IV: Giorgio Cheillini, N'Golo Kante, Diego Forlan
Gold V: Leonardo Bonucci, Isco, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Silver I: Jordi Alba, Michael Carrick, Mario Mandzukic
Silver II: Alphonso Davies, James Maddison, Marco Asensio
Silver III: Dayot Upamecano, Mason Mount, Wissam Ben Yedder
Silver IV: Ben White, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Silver V: Victor Lindelof, Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio
(Platinum I)
1 Lionel Messi (Wide-Forward / ARG)
(Platinum II)
2 Pele (Second-Striker / BRA)
3 Diego Maradona (Attacking-Midfielder / ARG)
(Platinum III)
4 Cristiano Ronaldo (Wide-Forward / POR)
5 Johan Cruyff (Second-Striker / NET)
6 Ronaldo (Striker / BRA)
(Platinum IV)
7 Alfredo Di Stefano (Second-Striker / ARG)
8 Franz Beckenbauer (Centre-Back / GER)
9 Michel Platini (Attacking-Midfielder / FRA)
10 Ferenc Puskas (Striker / HUN)
11 Garrincha (Winger / BRA)
12 Zinedine Zidane (Attacking-Midfielder / FRA)
13 Eusebio (Striker / POR)
14 Zico (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
15 Marco Van Basten (Striker / NET)
16 Gerd Muller (Striker / GER)
17 George Best (Winger / NIR)
(Platinum V)
18 Ronaldinho (Winger / BRA)
19 Giuseppe Meazza (Striker / ITA)
20 Bobby Charlton (Attacking-Midfielder / ENG)
21 Lothar Matthaus (Central-Midfielder / GER)
22 Paolo Maldini (Left-Back / ITA)
23 Jose Manuel Moreno (Second-Striker / ARG)
24 Romario (Striker / BRA)
25 Franco Baresi (Centre-Back / ITA)
26 Andres Iniesta (Attacking-Midfielder / SPA)
27 Ruud Gullit (Attacking-Midfielder / NET)
28 Gianni Rivera (Attacking-Midfielder / ITA)
29 Lev Yashin (Goalkeeper / RUS)
30 Stanley Matthews (Winger / ENG)
31 Laszlo Kubala (Striker / HUN)
32 Roberto Baggio (Second-Striker / ITA)
33 Xavi (Central-Midfielder / SPA)
(Gold I)
34 Didi (Central-Midfielder / BRA)
35 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Striker / GER)
36 Raymond Kopa (Winger / FRA)
37 Rivellino (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
38 Zizinho (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
39 Rivaldo (Second-Striker / BRA)
40 Thierry Henry (Striker / FRA)
41 Luis Suarez (Striker / URU)
42 Bobby Moore (Centre-Back / ENG)
43 Kaka (Attacking-Midfielder / BRA)
44 Luka Modric (Central-Midfielder / CRO)
45 Omar Sivori (Second-Striker / ARG)
46 Michael Laudrup (Attacking-Midfielder / DEN)
47 Juan Alberto Schiaffino (Second-Striker / URU)
48 Matthias Sindelar (Striker / AUT)
49 Arsenio Erico (Striker / PAR)
50 Neymar (Wide-Forward / BRA)
Honourable Mentions: (Gold I)
Robert Lewandowski ST POL
Sandor Kocsis ST HUN
Luis Suarez CM SPA
Daniel Passarella CB ARG
Uwe Seeler ST GER
Giancinto Facchetti LB ITA
Gyorgy Sarosi SS HUN
...
How the players are assessed:
It goes without saying, the assessment of the players I use will never be as accurate as seeing them play live. I have however put a few years of research into this and refined it as well as I can by collating all the data and opinions available.
I've used a range of factors, which culminates in an assessment of players that I believe works well. Maybe most importantly, it has an accurate correlation to my opinion of players when using it to evaluate players from the modern era, so I trust my research methods.
The evaluation of players is generally based on a players peak over a 4-5 year period. In my opinion, this period is long enough to assess a player's standard, and exhibits a certain level of consistency. However, a long (or short) peak can add to how highly I would rate a player, if they show themselves to be adaptable (or not) to different tactical systems, opponents, levels of pressure, their own physical changes, etc.
Some of the main factors of assessing players (some which play into each other) :
- Historical match ratings, from all sources possible (usually newspapers pre-internet)
- Historical statistical based rankings (eg. IFFHS)
- All reputable/respected opinionated lists/data I could find (eg. World Soccer)
- All reputable nominations I could find (eg. FIFPRO)
- Watching footage
- Trophies won
- World XI's/Individual Award Rankings (many different forms/sources)
- Other fan opinion from the era (eg. Forums, articles, ex-players)
- Special consultants and researchers
- My own opinion
- Many other smaller factors
The time difference between players however isn't a factor I consider - it is too nuanced of an argument. Some may favour modern players who are much faster, stronger, fitter; while some may favour older players who dealt with two-footed tackles, terrible pitches, & innovated aspects of the game. The idea of throwing players into different eras and tactical systems wouldn't work well, so I found it best to judge them on what they are/were relevant to the time.
There are sometimes anomalies or a lack of correlation with players' factors, which could be down to things such as the personality of a player, sentimentality and propaganda. I take this into consideration where the information is available.
The Ratings:
I finalised the assessment of each player with a rating to help me catergorise and organise them. There are 3 ranks, Platinum, Gold & Silver, with a level of I-V (roman numerals) within each rank, I being the highest. There would also be ranks below, but they were not needed for this.
Generally speaking:
Platinum V is the minimum level as an 'All-Time Great' player
Gold V is the minimum level as a 'World-Class' player
Silver V is the minimum level for a 'Good' player (perhaps someone who can be a regular in a top-level league)
However, these definitions can vary from person to person. I find that the term 'World-Class' for example is used more often for players in positions that have a lower standard of player, but I wanted to keep it more consistent. For example, the best right-back in the world may not always be one of the best players in the world. The standard in certain positions can also shift across decades - there's no rule for the minimum or maximum number of world-class players in a single position at once.
Below, I've listed the 15 ranks in order, with an example of a modern (where possible) defender, midfielder and forward to give a general idea of the ratings. The example players are rated according to their peak, not necessarily right now.
Platinum I: Lionel Messi
Platinum II: Diego Maradona, Pele
Platinum III: Cristiano Ronaldo
Platinum IV: Zinedine Zidane, Marco Van Basten
Platinum V: Paolo Maldini, Andres Iniesta, Romario
Gold I: Bobby Moore, Luka Modric, Robert Lewandowski
Gold II: Roberto Carlos, Andrea Pirlo, Karim Benzema
Gold III: Dani Alves, Toni Kroos, Ruud Van Nistlerooy
Gold IV: Giorgio Cheillini, N'Golo Kante, Diego Forlan
Gold V: Leonardo Bonucci, Isco, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Silver I: Jordi Alba, Michael Carrick, Mario Mandzukic
Silver II: Alphonso Davies, James Maddison, Marco Asensio
Silver III: Dayot Upamecano, Mason Mount, Wissam Ben Yedder
Silver IV: Ben White, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Silver V: Victor Lindelof, Tomas Soucek, Michail Antonio
