Top 10 Greatest Soccer Players of All Time

A look at Top 10 Greatest Soccer Players of All Time

1. Pele - Brazil

Born on October 23, 1940, in Três Corações, Brazil, soccer legend Pelé became a superstar with his performance in the 1958 World Cup. Pelé played professionally in Brazil for two decades, winning three World Cups along the way, before joining the New York Cosmos late in his career. Named FIFA co-Player of the Century in 1999, he is a global ambassador for soccer and other humanitarian causes.

Pelé began playing for Santos at 15 and the Brazil national football team at 16. He won three FIFA World Cups: 1958, 1962 (although he only played the first game and got injured in the second) and 1970, the only player ever to do so; and is the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil with 77 goals in 91 games.

Pele - Rare amazing Dribbling Skills

Source: Pele Biography

2. Lionel Messi, Argentina

Lionel Messi (born 24 June 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona

Lionel Messi is the heir apparent to the throne left vacant by Diego Armando Maradona. The waters are divided between those who consider him to be far from being the best No. 10, and those who believe that Messi will be even better than Maradona.

Messi endured criticism over his performances during the 2013-14 campaign despite scoring 28 goals in 31 Liga appearances as Barcelona lost the title to Atletico Madrid in a dramatic final day clash, but the forward committed his long-term future to the club with a new deal in May 2014 and came back with a bang to claim the Treble of La Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey after scoring 43 goals in 38 games.

Lionel Messi - Messimerizing Dribbling Skills

Source: Expnfc

3. Diego Maradona, Argentina

Diego Armando Maradona (born 30 October 1960) is a retired Argentine professional footballer. He has served as a manager and coach at other clubs as well as the national team of Argentina.

During his time with the Argentina national team, Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances. He made his full international debut at age 16, against Hungary, on 27 February 1977. Maradona led club teams to championships in Argentina, Italy and Spain, and famously starred for the Argentinean team that won the 1986 World Cup.

In 2008, Maradona was hired to coach the Argentinean national team. Although the Argentines boasted a talented squad headlined by Lionel Messi, perhaps the best player in the world, they were bounced from the 2010 World Cup with a 4-0 thrashing by Germany in the quarter-finals, and Maradona's contract was not renewed.

Maradona - Top 10 Goals

Source : Wiki

4. Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Yazid Zidane (born 23 June 1972), nicknamed "Zizou", is a French retired footballer and current manager of Real Madrid.

Zidane joined Real Madrid's front office as an adviser and was named the club's sporting director in 2011. The following year, it was announced the French soccer legend would begin coaching at Real Madrid's youth academy, the first step in a new career of calling the shots from the sidelines of his beloved game.

One of soccer's all-time greats, Zinedine Zidane led France to victory at the 1998 World Cup, but was thrown out of the '06 Cup final for striking an opponent.

Zidane - Top 10 Goals

Source: Wiki 

5. Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, (born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Spanish club Real Madrid and the Portugal national team. He is a forward and serves as captain for Portugal. In 2008, he won his first Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. He then won the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, Ronaldo scored his 500th senior career goal for club and country.

Often ranked as the best player in the world, Ronaldo was named the best Portuguese player of all time by the Portuguese Football Federation, during its 100th anniversary celebrations in 2015. He is the only player to win four European Golden Shoe awards. One of the most marketable athletes in sport, in 2016 Forbes named Ronaldo the world's best paid athlete. In June 2016, ESPN ranked him the world's most famous athlete.

Top 10 Goals 

Source: Wiki

6. Johan Cruyff

Hendrik Johannes (25 April 1947 – 24 March 2016) was a Dutch professional football player and coach. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Cruyff was one of the most famous exponents of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history.

Johan Cruyff - Best Goals

Source: Wiki

7. Franz Beckenbauer, Germany 

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born 11 September 1945) is a German former professional footballer and manager. Early in his playing career he was nicknamed Der Kaiser because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, and also as his first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian emperors. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. A versatile player who started out as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender.

Source: Wiki

8. Alfredo di Stefano, Argentina, Colombia and Spain

Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé (4 July 1926 – 7 July 2014) was a footballer and coach, who has been called the best, most complete and influential footballer of all time.He was most associated with Real Madrid and was instrumental in their domination of the European Champions' Cup during the 1950s, a period in which the club won the trophy in five consecutive seasons from 1956.

Along with Francisco Gento and José María Zárraga, he was one of only three players to play a part in all five victories, scoring goals in each of the five finals. Di Stéfano played international football mostly for Spain after moving to Madrid, but he also played for Argentina and Colombia.

Source: Wiki

9. Ferenc Puskas, Hungary 

Ferenc Puskás  born Ferenc Purczeld; 1 April 1927[3] – 17 November 2006) was a Hungarian footballer and manager, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He scored 84 goals in 85 international matches for Hungary, and 514 goals in 529 matches in the Hungarian and Spanish leagues. Puskás's Hungary career is often said to be 83 goals in 84 games.

The extra game and goal was from a match vs Lebanon that was played in 1956, however it was only recognised as an official game by the Hungarian FA in May 2002. He became Olympic champion in 1952 and led his nation to the final of the 1954 World Cup where he was named the tournament's best player. He won three European Cups (1959, 1960, 1966), 10 national championships (5 Hungarian & 5 Spanish Primera División) and 8 top individual scoring honors.

Source: Wiki

10. Garrincha, BrazilManuel Francisco dos Santos (28 October 1933 – 20 January 1983), known by the nickname Garrincha (Portuguese pronunciation: was a Brazilian footballer who played right winger and forward. He is regarded by many in the sport to be the best dribbler in football history.

The word garrincha itself means wren. Garrincha was also known as Mané (short for Manuel) by his friends.The combined Mané Garrincha is common among fans in Brazil. Due to his immense popularity in Brazil, he was also called Alegria do Povo (People's Joy) and Anjo de Pernas Tortas (Bent-Legged Angel).

In 1958 and 1962, Garrincha won the FIFA World Cup with the Brazil national team. At the 1962 tournament, with Pelé out injured, he led the team to victory, received the World Cup Golden Ball for player of the tournament, the Golden Boot as leading goalscorer, and was named in the World Cup All-Star Team. In 1994 he was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team. Brazil never lost a match while fielding both Garrincha and Pelé.