Over the years, football has become more than just a sport. It has become a way to live and is almost like a religion on its own, with billions of fans who adore this beautiful display of a blend of athleticism and intellect. It unites people from all over the globe, no matter their origin or the language they speak. Millions from all over the world come together to watch their favourite teams compete every single week with the same dedication and unity, no matter the situation their team is in. Now over this long period of time, all sorts of players have graced pitches all over the world, with some displaying exceptional prowess, talent and skill. Such players are regarded as some of the greatest of all time which is a statement most football fans agree with.

Number 10 – Ronaldinho Gaucho

Ronaldinho Gaucho is easily among some of the greatest Brazilian footballers, with his phenomenal display of his technical ability with the ball, consistently too. He began his career in Brazil, in Gremio at the age of 20. His breakthrough season was the one in the year 1999, where he led his team to the Brazilian championship and that too in extraordinary fashion, scoring spectacular goals at a rate which seemed like he did it for fun. Scoring wasn’t his only speciality either, as his flair with the ball was his speciality. This success soon caught the attention of Paris Saint Germain, in the topmost league in France. After his move to France, he began dazzling Europe with his football.

This beautiful football caught the attention of Spanish giants FC Barcelona, who signed him in 2003. His time at FC Barcelona is considered the highlight of his career, where he accomplished wonders, including him winning the Ballon d’or and playing an integral part in FC Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League win of the 2005/2006 season. After 2008, Ronaldinho moved to AC Milan, and while he was declining physically during this period, he displayed his terrific game sense by providing some brilliant assists to his teammates. After his time at AC Milan, his career was near its end and this is when he moved to smaller leagues to play for the following clubs respectively; Flamengo, Atletico Minero, Queretaro and Fluminense, where he hung up his boots to end his stellar career.

Number 9 – Alfredo Di Stefano

Alfredo Di Stefano is regarded as one of the most rounded players to ever play the game, and was hailed for his impressive ability to adapt and play in various different positions. He started his dazzling career in Argentina, for Riverplate at the age of 18 in the year 1945. He had an amazing tenure at Riverplate, after which he was loaned away to Huracan, yet another Argentinian club. After this year-long stint, he returned back to Riverplate, and then transferred away to Millonarios, a Columbian team. His performances in this team caught the attention of one of Spain’s most successful clubs, Real Madrid. In his entire tenure at this club, he scored 308 goals in 396 appearances, which was a club record for a strong 48 years. He played an integral part for each of Real Madrid’s European Championship victories. After his impactful time at Real Madrid, he moved to Espanyol, which was his last club before retirement in 1966.

Number 8 – Franz Beckanbauer

Franz Beckenbauer is considered to be one of the greatest German players of all time, with a very happening career to back the statement. He started his career in FC Bayern Munich who played in the second tier of German football, where he helped the team get promoted to the top of German football. After this wonderful season, he became a force, helping FC Bayern Munich to lift many more trophies, including multiple league titles, annual German cups and famously, 3 European Cup wins which gave the club the right to keep the trophy. On the international stage, he dazzled, by playing a massive role in Germany’s victory at the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Back on the club stage, after his amazing time at FC Bayern Munich, he accepted a lucrative offer to go to a club in the United States of America, the New York Cosmos and won the domestic league thrice. After this spell at New York Cosmos, he returned to Germany for 2 years and joined Hamburger SV. After these 2 years, he once again returned to the New York Cosmos, and then retired after the contract expired.

Number 7 – Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane, or Zizou, was one of the greatest players to come out of France. Although he wasn’t originally from France, he was born and bred in the streets of Marseille. He began his professional career in Cannes, a French team who, at the time, played in Ligue 1, the highest league in France. His colleagues described his footwork as that of a player in a video game, the way he’d dribble past players. After 3 eventful years at the club, from 1989 to 1992, Zizou transferred to another French club, Bordeaux. This period was when Zidane started to make a name for himself in the footballing world and the impact of this was visible, with multiple offers from top flight English clubs for Zizou which were rejected.

His time at Bordeaux came to an end but a good one, with him getting recognized as the Ligue 1 player of the year. After these valuable years in France, he left for Juventus in Italy. He had an instantaneous impact, helping Juventus win the Italian league and the Intercontinental Cup. He also won the prestigious Ballon d’or during his time in Italy. After a spectacular time in Juventus, he got his big move to Real Madrid, and this was a statement move, with a world record transfer fee at the time. He was very impactful throughout his time at Real Madrid with his first big moment coming in his very beginning as a Madrid player where he scored an immaculate goal against Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League final, which has been recognised as one of the best goals ever in this competition. He has also achieved wonders on the global stage, with a FIFA World Cup under his belt. The day Zinedine Zidane retired, football lost one of its most elegant and consistent players.

Number 6 – Ronaldo Nazario

Ronaldo Nazario, nicknamed R9, was football’s greatest talent. He had the potential to become the greatest player ever and that too by a gigantic margin. Although what he actually achieved should not be downplayed, as others dream to achieve even half of what he did. He began his career in a Brazilian club, Cruzeiro. He instantly made a name for himself, scoring goals for fun. His time in Brazil only lasted for a year, after which he made a respectable move to the Dutch club, PSV Eidenhoven. He scored on his debut for the club and once again, kept up the blazing goal scoring ability that he possessed. Many say that watching him was like watching a scripted match, the way he dribbled past defenders. He was very greatly praised for his footwork and rightfully so. After his time at PSV Eidenhoven, he got a big move away to spanish giants, FC Barcelona.

During his FC Barcelona days, he once again maintained his goal scoring prowess, averaging nearly 1 goal every game. He only spent 1 year in Spain before moving to Inter Milan, in Italy. He adapted well to the unique style of Italian football and was also recognized as the Italian league’s player of the year. He was also crowned the best player in the world during his time in Inter, with his Ballon d’or win. After his delightful time at Inter, he made a controversial move to Spanish giants and sworn rivals of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid. This was controversial due to his past as an appreciated FC Barcelona player. Nonetheless, he had a phenomenal debut season for Real Madrid, even becoming a very key player for their success in the Spanish league. He also won the Ballon d’or for a second time in the same season. However, his time at Real Madrid was plagued with injuries and his absence from the pitch was also the reason the side didn’t win a single UEFA Champions League. After his time at Real Madrid, he went to the Italian club AC Milan, where he was respectably good. He then made a move to the Brazilian club, Corinthians, where he retired from football.

Number 5 – Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff, often referred to as ‘The Architect of Modern Football’ is one of the greatest ever Dutch players to play the game and is also considered to be among the greatest of all time by many. There is no single word to describe Cruyff’s contributions to the beautiful game and its evolution over time. He was a key figure in the creation of the soul of FC Barcelona, the academy La Masia. This academy has produced some phenomenal and generational talents since its creation, with Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta to name a few. These feats are all off the pitch, but his on-field contributions are not to be underestimated. He began his professional career with Dutch giants, Ajax. He spent 9 years with them and was a key figure for their domination throughout that period. He helped the club win 2 European Cups and countless league titles. After his long yet impactful time at Ajax, he signed for FC Barcelona, the Spanish giants.

He made an instantaneous impact at the club, helping them win the league after 14 long years and defeat arch rivals Real Madrid 5 – 0 in their own home, the Santiago Bernabeu. It was stated that Cruyff empowered the hopes of the people of Catalunya more in just 90 minutes on the pitch, than full blown politicians. This is a brilliant comparison to showcase just how adored he was by the club and its fans. After 5 years at the club, Cruyff decided to retire, but this wasn’t the end of his journey, as a series of poor investments and participation in scams caused his financial security to crumble, causing him to return to the pitch. He restarted his career in the US, with the Los Angeles Aztecs. This stint only lasted for a year, before he went to another club in the US, the Washington Diplomats.

This stint also lasted for a year, after which he was loaned out to the Spanish club, Levante, which did not end well due to fall outs with the club’s administration and personal injuries which held him back. After this he returned back to the Washington Diplomats for 1 last season. After this series of unsuccessful stints, Cruyff made a heroic return to Ajax, not as a player, but as a technical advisor. However, this post only lasted for a year, after which, he was back on the field as an Ajax player. He displayed the same technical prowess and consistency for his second period at Ajax. His time at the club lasted for 2 years, after which he went to their arch rivals, Feyenoord, because Ajax chose not to renew his contract which angered him. After this final season, he retired from football and started his incredibly successful and arguably more impactful managerial career.

Number 4 – Cristiano Ronaldo

There is no single word, phrase or sentence to describe the career of one of the greatest of all time, Cristiano Ronaldo. This ranking itself has been very controversial for him, due to the sheer volume of feats he has had in his playing career and he is one of the only 2 in this list to still be an active professional footballer. His game speaks volumes about his longevity and success. Besides success on the pitch, he is also the 2nd richest footballer with an estimated net worth of over a billion dollars, which he has earned from wages, awards and countless brand endorsements, including his lucrative lifetime deal with Nike. He has scored over 950 goals till now and his first few goals were when he played for Portuguese giants, Sporting Lisbon. He had a very short time at this club, with the highlight of this period being a friendly match against Manchester United, which resulted in a 3 – 1 win for Sporting Lisbon. Ronaldo’s performances in previous games and this game impressed Manchester United’s manager at the time, Sir Alex Furgeson, who signed Cristiano a week later.

He spent 6 years here, and made each moment of it worth it. His first 3 seasons at the club were pivotal, as this was the time he was growing as a player. This was when his name was beginning to become more popular. After some seasons of development, he had his breakthrough season, famously coming 3rd in the Ballon d’or rankings and winning all 5 of the major fan awards available in the Premier league. After this wonderful season, he managed to achieve even greater feats, by winning the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United, and even winning the Ballon d’or and the FIFA The Best award. He broke many records in the process for the club and for the league as a whole. This called for attention from the biggest club in the world at the time, Real Madrid, who went on their usual spending spree to build a team and pursued Cristiano the most. This led to a transfer to Real Madrid. What he did at this club cannot be described in words, as it was pure magic. It was like he scored for fun, scoring 60 goals for 4 consecutive seasons. He won 4 UEFA Champions League titles during his time here.

This was also the time of his athletic peak, more commonly referred to as his prime. He won 4 Ballon d’ors during his time too, which shows his success at the personal level too. It is safe to say that Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at Real Madrid can be considered the best stint a player had with a single club. He stayed till 2018, after which he made a move to the Italian giant, Juventus, where he once again proved his grasp of the game, by winning the league 2 consecutive times and being named the best player in the Italian league. He also scored over 100 goals for the club and was the fastest in its history to achieve this goal tally. After his time in Juventus, he was in advanced talks to sign for Manchester City, but it was reported that Manchester United, his old club, wanted to sign him. He made his fairytale move to his boyhood club and it was expected to be a very successful transfer. However, it did not deliver to the expectations, with Ronaldo only staying for a season and getting his contract terminated from Manchester United due to a fallout with the board, manager and overall disdain for the club. He wished to continue his career in Europe, but failed to make a move to a top flight club. He then transferred to the Saudi League, for Al Nassr, as a part of a lucrative transfer deal valued at over 600 million dollars. His departure to Saudi Arabia caused a cataclysmic transfer spree in football, with many world class players transferring to this very league for copiously large sums of money. He is still going strong today, with a goal of scoring 1000 career goals, becoming the first to do so. He also dreams of winning the FIFA World Cup for Portugal.

Number 3 – Diego Maradona

Often hailed as one of the greatest Argentinian players of all time, Diego Maradona was a walking work of art on the pitch. He began his illustrious career in the Argentine club, Argentinos Juniors. This is where he first began gaining some traction. From the moment he stepped onto the pitch for this club, he started breaking records, by becoming the youngest player to ever debut for them. He spent 5 years at the club and made a name for himself in South America, during this period. After that, Argentinian giants Boca Juniors seeked his signature to become a Boca Juniors player and he agreed. His time here was short, only 1 year, but it was an eventful period, where Boca Juniors won 2 trophies. After this period, Spanish giants FC Barcelona, for a world record fee of that time in history.

He spent 2 years at this club and won the hearts of millions of supporters in the process, scoring many memorable goals and winning titles against FC Barcelona’s historic rivals Real Madrid. This time also had its stains, which include the injury crisis Maradona was facing and the historic fight between the players of FC Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, where Maradona started assaulting the opposing players over a verbal argument and this fight was his last time to ever play for FC Barcelona. This obviously caused a transfer and this time, it was to Italian giants Napoli for yet another world record transfer fee. He was also the first to break the world record transfer fee twice as an effect of this transfer. From the moment he arrived at Naples, the fans treated him like he was the messiah, the savior of the club.

A news outlet stated that the poor state of basic necessities in Naples was no issue, due to the presence of Maradona in Napoli. His time here was the peak of his career. He broke countless records here and his name was written in the history books, as one of the greatest to ever play for Napoli. This time was no fairytale either, with many off-field controversies, including the use of harmful substances which was the reason for his end at Napoli. His shirt number of 10 was still retired, as he was considered a legend regardless of his actions off the pitch. After his time at Napoli, Maradona was in the final stages of his career and during this period, he signed for the Spanish club, Sevilla on a 2 year deal, after which he went to Argentinian club Newell’s Old Boys. He then made a return to Boca Juniors. On the international stage, Maradona was crucial in Argentina’s 1986 World Cup victory and scored 2 historic goals in this tournament too, The Hand of God and the greatest goal in the history of the FIFA World Cup, all in the same match too. He sadly passed away in 2020, and that day continues to haunt all of football.

Number 2 – Pele

Pele, also known as the king of football is one of the most well known players of all time, even years after his retirement as a professional footballer. He sadly passed away in 2022, but his legacy is of a stature that cannot fade away through time. He is among some of the few players that will never ever be forgotten. His career was truly legendary and his feats were out of this planet. He began this immaculate career at the Brazilian giants, Santos. He spent most of his career there, an astounding 18 years, and this time was full of amazing feats, records and absolutely jam packed with trophies and awards. He was a sensation from the start, debuting at 15 and scoring, all in the same match. During the next season, he was cited by a host of European top flight clubs which include the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, and Inter Milan, however, no transfers were ever completed, due to the sheer backlash and pressure that each of these clubs were facing from Brazilian fans for even proposing the idea of a transfer.

Shortly after this revolt of declined transfers, Pele was declared a national treasure of Brazil by the president at that time, and this meant he could no longer transfer to a club other than a Brazilian one. This one decision shows how much Brazilians valued Pele. He was very consistent and constantly regarded as the best player in the world during his time at Santos. He ended up being a record holder for the most goals scored by a player for a single club, until it was broken by Lionel Messi in 2020. He then went on to the New York Cosmos in the United States of America. This was the last club he played for before retiring from professional football. He may have done wonders on the club stage, but on the international stage, he was something else. A record to this day, of 3 different world cup victories. The day he passed was a very dark one in football.

Number 1 – Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi, also known as the greatest player of all time, is very deserving of that title. Some say it was never a debate about the better one between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. His playstyle cannot be described in current methods of expression, but a good attempt would be, every step he takes turns into gold. Not a single wasted motion. He has always been extremely prolific up front and his statistics show it very clearly. He holds the record for the most assists ever, and also has the 2nd highest number of goals in football history. He is the most decorated player in the history of the beautiful game too. It is safe to say that Lionel Messi has had the greatest career ever and his longevity is no speck either, with him still going strong to this day at the age of 38.

He began this everlasting career in Spain for the giants, FC Barcelona. He began in their reserves but his talent was quickly spotted and he was promoted to the first team. He scored on his debut for the club and every moment from there on was absolutely timeless. For 17 years, he was the heartbeat of the club. They couldn’t function without Lionel Messi. They built the entire team around him and that drastically paid off, with everything he did for them. He scored some of his most memorable goals there and lived through some of his most memorable moments there. He played a big part in FC Barcelona’s last 4 UEFA Champions League victories and their countless Spanish league wins. He was the largest pillar that held FC Barcelona and they were proud that he was from their academy too. He scored 474 goals for them, which is still a club record and is miles ahead of second place. Not everything in his career is about FC Barcelona either, although he wished for that to be the case, it couldn’t happen, due to their financial constraints and league rules denying him a contract extension.

He then transferred to PSG, in France. His time there was short lived and he was very public about how he didn’t enjoy any of it. However he was still immaculate on the pitch there. He then made a transfer to Inter Miami, an up and coming club in the United States of America, owned by David Beckham, yet another footballing great. Messi’s presence at the club made it the largest in the nation and also gave it international publicity. He has been there ever since and is very happy over there. On the international stage, things weren’t so magical, with him losing 3 different international finals, but this quickly changed, as the Argentinian team became a powerhouse and won 3 different international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup in 2022, which is considered to be the greatest edition of the tournament and the day that Messi completed football. His game is still timeless, although age has caught up to him a bit, he does not let it affect him much. He has publicly stated that he will play a few more years, as he still finds it fun and joyous. The day Lionel Messi retires from football will be the day a dynasty falls.

By: Darsh Golchha

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