Even without much of an international career, George Best, Manchester United’s mercurial winger, is still considered among the greatest players of all time and rightly so. He only played for Northern Ireland 37 times over the course of 13 years, scoring 9 goals, but for Manchester United, where he played for the majority of his career, he enjoyed more success, including a European Cup title, won in 1968. Best, it is argued, is one of the greatest dribblers in the game’s history, the winger consistently displaying unmatched skill, balance, and a knack for scoring goals to boot. Scottish sportswriter, Patrick Barclay, found no comparison to Best on the field in his time, or ever. "In terms of ability, he was the world's best footballer of all time. He could do almost anything – technically, speed, complete mastery of not only the ball but his own body. You could saw his legs away and he still wouldn't fall because his balance was uncanny, almost supernatural. Heading ability, passing ability, I mean it goes without saying the dribbling – he could beat anybody in any way he chose. For fun, he'd play a one-two off the opponent's shins."
In an article titled ‘Was Georgie the Best?’, BBC journalist John May spoke about the impact Best had on the game, saying his performances never failed to bring joy. "People were transfixed, bewitched and delighted by the impish, cheeky skills of Best that invariably brought a smile to all except the defenders who had to face him," the article read.
Best would end up being a well-travelled player, racking up 586 games for various clubs, though he devoted 361 of those appearances to United. In total, Best would score 207 goals in all club appearances, a remarkable feat given two things. Best was a notoriously unselfish passer of the ball, as well as the fact that he was never the focal point of attacks.
Full name: George Best
Date of birth: 22 May 1946
Place of birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Date of Death: 25 November 2005 (aged 59)
Place of Death: London, England
Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75m)
Playing positions: Winger/Attacking Midfielder
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Club Honours
International Career
Individual Honours
Jair Ventura Filho (Jairzinho) was not a striker per say, but was used as a winger. What he did have was a striker’s instinct for goal though and from his right-wing position, scored a remarkable number of goals. The quick, skillful and certainly powerful winger was part of the Brazil 1970 team that many believe constitutes the greatest XI in the history of football. Jairzinho, outside of his physical prowess, was brilliant and could be used in any of the attacking positions on the field with a seamlessness that would have to be seen to be believed. Idolizing Garrincha, who held the position at right wing for Brazil, Jairzinho became just as important to Brazil and led to a long-held belief that you had to be Brazillian to play that position well. He replaced Garrincha in the Botafogo XI before doing the same in Brazil set up and ended up at three World Cups, 1966, 1970, and 1974. In 1970, Jairzinho made history when he scored in every game of the World Cup. In most World Cup years, scoring seven goals would be good enough for the Golden Boot award, but in 1970, another great from this list was not to be undone, Gerd Müller.
Full name: Jair Ventura Filho (Jairzinho)
Date of birth: 25 December 1944 (age 75)
Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 1.73m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position: Winger
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Club Honours
International Career
International Honours
Individual Honours
Hugo Sánchez Márquez was a prolific goalscorer and between himself and Rafa Marquez, one must find themselves using the term ‘the greatest player Mexico has ever produced’. In 684 games between 1976 and 1997, Sanchez scored 400 goals, better than one in every two games. But he isn’t just regarded as one of, if not the greatest players Mexico has produced, he was one of the greatest of his generation. To this day, only three people have scored more goals in La Liga history than Sánchez, with some massive names in that list. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Telmo Zarra are the only players to have scored more. Sánchez played 58 times for Mexico, scoring 29 goals along the way, but was famous for the nature of some of those goals. It was not unusual for Sánchez to finish with a volley from some unlikely body positions. Diminutive, but athletic, Sanchez would even score headers above taller, stronger defenders, and had exquisite kicking technique that led to a powerful shot with very little warning.
Full name: Hugo Sánchez Márquez (Hugo Sánchez)
Date of birth: 11 July 1958 (age 61)
Place of birth: Mexico City, Mexico
Height: 1.75m (5ft 9 in)
Playing position: Forward
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Club Honours
International Career
International Honours
Individual Honours
Mario Alberto Kempes Chiodi, just known as Mario Kempes, was a good goalscorer before he cemented his name in history by leading Argentina to their first World Cup title in 1978. Kempes would score two goals in that World Cup final against the Netherlands and lead all scorers. He would become just one of three men in history to not just lift the World Cup, but also to win the Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards at the same time. The other two are also considered all-time greats, in Brazil’s Garincha and Italy’s Paolo Rossi. Kempes would also lead the LaLiga goalscoring charts on two occasions during his playing days with Valencia where he scored 95 goals in just 142 games. That kind of performance earned him the nickname El Matador. Kempes was difficult to mark because he chose to operate like the modern-day false nine, arriving from outside the box with surging runs and rangy drives.
"He's strong, he's got skill, he creates spaces and he shoots hard. He's a player who can make a difference, and he can play in a centre-forward position," said César Luis Menotti, Kempes’ 1978 coach. And his description of Kempes was spot on.
Full name: Mario Alberto Kempes Chiodi
Date of birth: 15 July 1954 (age 65)
Place of birth: Bell Ville, Argentina
Height: 1.84m (6ft 0 in)
Playing position: striker
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Total 555 (300)
Club Honours
International Career
International Honours
Individual Honours
Michel Platini’s claim to fame comes from being one of the finest passers the game has ever seen. His efforts from the penalty spot and from free kicks are legendary but he was also quick and elegant on the ball, combined with being a very intelligent reader of the game. His technical ability was also renowned during a period where South Americans were believed to be the masters in this arena. Platini also had an eye for goal from his more withdrawn role behind the strikers and was prolific as a midfielder, winning a number of top goalscorer accolades throughout his career.
Full name: Michel Platini
Date of birth: 21 June 1955 (age 64)
Place of birth: Jœuf, France
Height: 1.79m (5ft 10 in)
Playing position: Attacking midfielder
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Club Honours
International Career
International Honours
Individual Honours
Marcel ‘Marco’ van Basten played for Ajax and A.C. Milan, as well as the Netherlands national team as a striker. He is regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport, having scored 300 goals in a high-profile career.
However, he played his last match in 1993 at age 28 due to an injury which forced his retirement two years later.
Playing for the Netherlands, van Basten won UEFA Euro 1988 where he was named player of the tournament, scoring five goals that included a memorable volley in the final against the Soviet Union.
At club level, he won three Eredivisie titles and the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax, and three Serie A titles and two European Cups with Milan.
Known for his close ball control, attacking intelligence, impeccable headers, and spectacular strikes and volleys, van Basten was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992.
Full name: Marcel van Basten (Marco van Basten)
Date of birth: 31 October 1964 (age 55)
Place of birth: Utrecht, Netherlands
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position: Striker
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1981–1987 Ajax 133 (128)
1987–1995 Milan 147 (90)
Total 280 (218)
Club Honours
International Career
International Honours
Individual Honours
In his prime, Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was known for his dribbling at speed, feints, and clinical finishing. In the 1990s, he starred at club level for Cruzeiro, PSV, Barcelona, and Inter Milan.
His moves to Spain and Italy made him only the second player, after Diego Maradona, to break the world transfer record twice, all before his 21st birthday.
By 23, he had scored over 200 goals for club and country. After almost three years of inactivity due to serious knee injuries and recuperation, Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2002, which was followed by spells at A.C. Milan and Corinthians.
Ronaldo won the FIFA World Player of the Year in 1996, 1997 and 2002, the Ballon d'Or in 1997 and 2002, and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year in 1998.
He was La Liga Best Foreign Player in 1997 when he also won the European Golden Boot after scoring 34 goals in La Liga, and he was named Serie A Footballer of the Year in 1998.
One of the most marketable sportsmen in the world, the first Nike Mercurial boots–R9–were commissioned for Ronaldo in 1998. He was named in the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living players compiled in 2004 by Pelé and was inducted into the Brazilian Football Museum Hall of Fame and the Italian Football Hall of Fame.
Ronaldo played for Brazil in 98 matches, scoring 62 goals, and is the second-highest goalscorer for his national team, trailing only Pelé.
At age 17, Ronaldo was the youngest member of the Brazilian squad that won the 1994 FIFA World Cup. At the 1998 FIFA World Cup, he received the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament, helping Brazil reach the final where he suffered a convulsive fit hours before the defeat to France.
He won a second World Cup in 2002 where he starred in a front three with Rivaldo and Ronaldinho. Ronaldo scored twice in the final and received the Golden Boot as the tournament's top goalscorer.
At the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Ronaldo scored his 15th World Cup goal, which was a World Cup record at the time. He also won the Copa América in 1997, where he was player of the tournament, and 1999, where he was the top goal scorer.
Full name: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
Date of birth: 18 September 1976 (age 43)
Place of birth: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height: 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position: Striker
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1994 Cruzeiro 14 (12)
1994–1996 PSV 46 (42)
1996–1997 Barcelona 37 (34)
1997–2002 Inter Milan 68 (49)
2002–2007 Real Madrid 127 (83)
2007–2008 Milan 20 (9)
2009–2011 Corinthians 31 (18)
Total 343 (247)
Honours
International Career
Honours
Individual Honours
Zidane was an elite playmaker renowned for his elegance, vision, passing, ball control, and technique. He received many individual accolades as a player, including being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000 and 2003, and won the 1998 Ballon d'Or. He was voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 1996, Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2001, and La Liga Best Foreign Player in 2002.
Full name: Zinedine Yazid Zidane
Date of birth: 23 June 1972 (age 47)
Place of birth: Marseille, France
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
National Team
Honours
FIFA World Cup appearances: 3
Club Career
Honours
Individual Honours
Xavi made his competitive debut for FC Barcelona on 18 August 1998, going on to win numerous honours. He is known for providing crucial passes that set up the play. He spent 17 years with the club. He won 8 La Liga titles, 4 Champions League, 3 Copa Del Rey. Along with Andres Iniesta and Xavi Alonso he made up possibly the greatest midfield of the modern generation while on duty for Spain. He won two Euro Cups and a FIFA World Cup with Spain. He is regarded as one of the greatest players Spain has ever produced.
Full name: Xavi Hernandez
Date of birth: 25 January 1980 (age 40)
Place of birth: Terrassa, Spain
Height: 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
National Team:
Honours:
Club Career
honours
Sir Robert Charlton CBE (born 11 October 1937) was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, the year he also won the Ballon d'Or.
He played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot, as well as his fitness and stamina.
Charlton made his debut for the Manchester United first-team in 1956, and over the next two seasons gained a regular place in the team, during which time he survived the Munich air disaster of 1958 after being rescued by Harry Gregg.
After helping United to win the Football League First Division in 1965, he won another First Division title with United in 1967. In 1968, he captained the Manchester United team that won the European Cup, scoring two goals in the final to help them become the first English club to win the competition.
Charlton was both Manchester United and England's long-time record goalscorer, and United's long-time record appearance maker, as well as briefly England's until Bobby Moore overtook his 106 caps in 1973.
His appearance record of 758 for United took until 2008 to be beaten when Ryan Giggs did so in that year's Champions League final.
With 249 goals, he is currently United's second all-time leading goalscorer, after his record was surpassed by Wayne Rooney in 2017. He is also the second-highest goalscorer for England, after his record of 49 goals which was held until 2015 was again surpassed by Rooney.
He was named in the England squad for four World Cups (1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970), though did not play in the first. At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970, he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level.
Full name: Robert Charlton
Date of birth: 11 October 1937 (age 82)
Place of birth: Ashington, Northumberland, England
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing positions: Attacking midfielder/Forward
Club
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Total 801 (261)
Honours
Manchester United - Football League First Division (3): 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67; FA Cup: 1962–63; Charity Shield (4): 1956, 1957, 1965, 1967; European Cup: 1967–68; FA Youth Cup (3): 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56
International
Honours
Individual
It is almost a guarantee that whenever the name Diego Armando Maradona is spoken it will be in discussion about who is the greatest football player of all time. He was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award.
Maradona's vision, passing, ball control and dribbling skills combined with his small stature (1.65 m or 5 ft 5 in), giving him a low centre of gravity and allowing him to manoeuvre better than most other football players. He would often dribble past multiple opposing players on a run.
His presence and leadership on the field had a great effect on his team's general performance, while he would often be singled out by the opposition. In addition to his creative abilities, he also possessed an eye for goal and was known to be a free-kick specialist. A precocious talent, Maradona was given the nickname "El Pibe de Oro" ("The Golden Boy"), a name that stuck with him throughout his career.
In his international career with Argentina, he earned 91 caps and scored 34 goals.
Maradona played in four FIFA World Cups, including the 1986 World Cup in Mexico where he captained Argentina and led them to victory over West Germany in the final, and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.
His second goal against England in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal, a 60-metre dribble past five England players was voted "Goal of the Century" by FIFA.com voters in 2002.
Full name: Diego Armando Maradona
Date of birth: 30 October 1960 (age 59)
Place of birth: Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height: 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Playing positions: Attacking midfielder/Second striker
Clubs
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1976–1981 Argentinos Juniors 167 (116)
1981–1982 Boca Juniors 40 (28)
1982–1984 Barcelona 36 (22)
1984–1991 Napoli 188 (81)
1992–1993 Sevilla 26 (5)
1993–1994 Newell's Old Boys 5 (0)
1995–1997 Boca Juniors 30 (7)
Total 491 (259)
Honours
International
Honours
Individual
As a player, Hendrik Johannes Cruyff won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973, and 1974.
Cruyff was an exponent 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.
At the 1974 finals, he executed a feint that subsequently was named after him, the "Cruyff Turn", a move widely replicated in the modern game. He represented Holland from 1966-1977.
At club level, Cruyff started his career at Ajax, where he won eight Eredivisie titles, three European Cups and one Intercontinental Cup.
In 1973, he moved to Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee, winning La Liga in his first season and was named European Footballer of the Year.
In 48 Internationals between 1966 and 1977, Cruyff scored 33 goals for the Netherlands.
At the club level, Cruyff scored 290 goals in 514 appearances for Ajax, Barcelona, Feyenoord, Levante, Washington Diplomats and the Los Angeles Aztecs.
Full name: Hendrik Johannes Cruijff (Johan Cruyff)
Date of birth: 25 April 1947
Place of birth: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date of death: 24 March 2016 (aged 68)
Place of death: Barcelona, Spain
Height: 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positions: Forward/Attacking midfielder
Clubs
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1964–1973 Ajax 240 (190)
1973–1978 Barcelona 143 (48)
1978–1979 Los Angeles Aztecs 23 (13)
1979–1981 Washington Diplomats 30 (12)
1981 Levante 10 (2)
1981–1983 Ajax 36 (14)
1983–1984 Feyenoord 33 (11)
Total 514 (290)
Honours
International
Honours
Individual
Brazilian midfielder Arthur Antunes Coimbra, better known as Zico, was a creative playmaker, with excellent technical skills, vision, and an eye for goal.
Considered one of the most clinical finishers and best passers ever, Zico is regarded as the best player in the world between the 1970s and early 1980s. He was a world-class playmaker and free-kick specialist, able to bend the ball in all directions.
With 68 goals in 94 official appearances for Brazil, Zico is fifth highest goal scorer for his national team.
He represented Brazil in the 1978, 1982 and 1986 World Cups but did not win any of them, even though the 1982 squad is considered one of the greatest Brazilian national squads ever. As such, Zico is seen as one of the best players in football history not to have been on a World Cup-winning squad.
He was Player of the Year in 1981 and 1983.
In 1999, Zico came eighth in the FIFA Player of the Century grand jury vote, and in 2004 was named in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players
Between 1971 and 1983, while at Flamengo, Zico was a key player during the most glorious period of the team's history. He led the team to victory in the 1981 Copa Libertadores, the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, and four national titles (1980, 1982, 1983, and 1987).
In the 1983–84 Serie A season, Zico scored 19 goals for Udinese, one fewer than top scorer Michel Platini, having played four fewer matches.
In 1987, two years after returning to Flamengo in 1985, he led the club to the Copa União title.
Full name Arthur Antunes Coimbra
Date of birth 3 March 1953 (age 67)
Place of birth Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Playing position(s) Attacking midfielder
Club Career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1971–1983 Flamengo 212 (123)
1983–1985 Udinese 39 (22)
1985–1989 Flamengo 37 (12)
1991–1994 Kashima Antlers 46 (35)
Honours
Club
International Career
Brazil: 1976-1986
Honours
Individual
Records
It would be difficult to build a list of the greatest defenders of all time and leave out the most decorated player in the history of the game. Daniel Alves da Silva (Dani Alves) has had a career inclusive of 40 trophies in international and club football. The fact that he has played in so many of the great teams throughout his career is testimony to his quality. Often going unnoticed, Alves has gone about being one of the best defenders of all time in a very unfussy way, choosing instead to use his intelligence and tactical awareness to achieve his ends without much fanfare.
Alves seems to always be in the right place at the right time and his gift for crossing the ball is often underestimated.
Name: Daniel Alves da Silva
Date of birth: 6 May 1983
Birthplace: Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil
Playing Position: Right back
International career
Honours
Individual
Club Career
Honours
Carlos Alberto Torres is most famous for captaining Brazil in the 1970 World Cup and for scoring one of the greatest goals in the competition’s illustrious history. Despite being made famous for his attacking prowess, Carlos Alberto was also a brilliant defender, who was great at reading the game, tackling , and tactical awareness. Being great with the ball was an addition that was not usual in the mid-1960s and ensured that the World-Cup winning captain was always respected as being the best of his generation.
Name: Carlos Alberto Torres
Date of birth: 17 July 1944
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Playing Position: Right back
International career
Honours
Individual
FIFA World Cup appearances
Mexico 1970
Club Career
Honours
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