Blog Posted on 23/03/2023 | Author: Karen Macarthur
The Top Football Players of All Time Listed
People from almost every corner of the planet are familiar with football. In its long history, several players have dominated the field with extraordinary talent and top-notch football skills. This article lists the top football stars who’ve accomplished extraordinary feats in the game. Please stick with us!
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi
Birth date: 24 June 1987
Playing position: Forward, winger
Lionel Messi is arguably the best football player in the sport’s history. The football star has clinched over 795 goals from more than a thousand matches for club and country. Besides, he won a record 34 top football trophies for his side. These include 10 La Liga titles and 7 Copa del Rey titles.
Messi shifted to Spain as a 13-year-old to join Barcelona. But it took Messi some time to establish himself as the club’s indispensable part. The turning point in Messi’s football career came in the late 2000s. This was also when Barcelona achieved its first treble in Spanish football.
Known for his agility and strength, Messi led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup victory. Also, Messi is the only player in the world to have appeared in 26 World Cup matches. All of this makes Messi a bettor-favourite when placing football bets online.
Pelé (Brazil)
Full name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Birth date: 23 October 1940
Playing positions: Forward, attacking midfielder
All of Brazilian football is oriented towards incorporating the quintessence of Pelé. And rightly so. Pelé has delivered some of the finest performances on the field that Brazilians will forever remember.
Pelé started his professional football journey with the Brazilian football Santos. The Brazilian football authorities quickly recognised his talent, and Pelé was chosen to play for the Brazilian national team as a young lad. Pelé scored 1,282 goals from 1,366 matches in his highly successful football career. It’s worth noting that Pelé is the only footballer who has won 3 FIFA World Cup finals.
Owing to his success and popularity, references to Pelé can be found in several sports betting documentaries. There’s also a movie about him that goes by the name Pelé: Birth of a Legend.
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Birth date: 5 February 1985
Playing position: Striker, winger
The list of the best football players is complete with the name of Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portugal-born footballer has won 5 Ballon d’Or titles and has 4 European Golden Shoes to his name. Besides, he has made over 800 goals for his club and nation.
Cristiano started his football career with Sporting CP in 2002. After his short stint with Sporting CP, the renowned football club Manchester United picked him up. Cristiano’s first Ballon d’Or title win came at the age of 23.
Interestingly, Cristiano grabbed consecutive Ballon d’Or titles in 2013 and 2014. And he achieved this remarkable feat again in 2016 and 2017. Cristiano has won 32 trophies from some of the best international leagues.
Ronaldo attracts some of the best individual player odds in sports betting markets due to his positional sense and powerful shots. If you’re starting with football betting, we suggest you check out this comprehensive guide. It details the most popular betting options and touches on several other aspects of sports betting.
Diego Maradona (Argentina)
Full name: Diego Armando Maradona
Birth date: October 30, 1960
Playing positions: Attacking midfielder, second striker
Diego Maradona is one of the greatest footballers to have emerged from Argentina. Maradona earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals in his highly successful international career. And the credit for this goes to his excellent ball control and outstanding dribbling skills.
Maradona started his football career with Argentinos Juniors in his early teens. After spending five years with Argentinos Juniors, he was transferred to Boca Juniors for a whopping US$4 million. Over the years, Maradona scored 350 official goals from 680 matches. Maradona is also renowned for helping Argentina clinch the 1986 World Cup title.
Other great football players listed
Besides these, here are some other football stars that are worth mentioning in our list:
- Johann Cruyff (Netherlands) – 401 goals from 710 games
- Franz Beckenbauer (Germany) – 111 goals from 776 appearances
- Ferenc Puskás (Hungary) – 700 goals from 705 games
- Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina) – 511 goals from 702 games
- Zinedine Zidane (France) – 159 goals from 789 appearances
