TOP 20 PLAYERS OF ALL TIME
20 ROBERTO CARLOS
Roberto Carlos played for Real Madrid winning four leagues and three champions league . He has scored many amazing free kicks and had an amazing technique of curling it around the wall . Hes most famous came in 1997 against France from 35 metres . He had a glittering career for Madrid that lasted for eleven years . For Madrid he made 584 appearances and 71 goals . He also made an impressive 125 caps and 11 goals for the Brazillian national team . Roberto played most of his career at left back .
19 LEV YASHIN
Lev Yashin was an excellent keeper,some may say the best in the history of the game . He won five league championship and three cups playing for Moscow Dynamo . He became the only keeper to be named European player of the year . And was also awarded the world goalkeeper of the 20th century . He's presence in the goal for the Soviet union helped them immensely to win the Oylmpic gold medals in 1956 . He also tended the goal for the Soviet Union in three world cups . Fondly known as the black spider{after he's black goalkeeper kit}. In total he played 812 and 270 clean sheets . One of his most famous quotes was "What kind of a goalkeeper is the one who is not tormented by the goal he has allowed? He must be tormented! And if he is calm, that means the end. No matter what he had in the past, he has no future."
18 ZICO.
Zico was one of the most skilled dribbler and finisher ever . And perhaps the best player in the the early 80s . He was also known as one of the greatest free kick takers in history like many greats . But he had an excellent technique of curving the ball around the wall with great accuracy and pace and an awfull lot of power too . He had a great nack of scoring and I am sure had an impressive goals tally . He is often refered to as the white Pele . Which is perhaps the biggest complement you can get . Zico scored 52 goals in 72 international appearances . Physically Zico was not strong so he did a development program conducted by José Roberto Francalacci . A combination of hard work and a special diet , Made him a great athlete and developed a strong body . In his career he played for Flamengo , Udinese , Sumitomo Metals and Kashima Antlers . In total he played 1180 games and scored 826 goals .
17 LUIS FIGO.
Figo is a football icon and perhaps the best portugese player in history . He first made his name playing for Barcelona before making a 56 million move to fierce rivals Real Madrid and that was before making a move to Inter Milan in 2005 . He is now known as an aggressive dribbling style midfielder as-well as a great playmaker . Perhaps his best season was in 2000,when he led Portugal to the semi finals of the Euro and was named European player of the year .
16 Ronald Koeman
Not only was Koeman a brilliant defender but also had very good strike of the ball with his right foot . He was also known for his dead ball abilities from free kicks . Where he could hit the ball so cleanly . And scored many vital goals for Barcelona including the winning goal in the cup final in 1992 . Ronald Koeman has scored 193 league goals in 503 matches . This is more goals than any other centre back in history . During hes career he played for Ajax,Psv and Barcelona . Where he won the Eridisive 4 times , the KNVB Cup three times , Uefa European cup twice, Copa del Rey and won four La Liga titles . he also won Dutch football player of the year .
15 ALFREDO DI STEFANO
A powerfull forward,great stamina and strength and was very versitle . Many knew him as a forward but proved himself as a decent defender . Alfredo was nicknamed Saeta rubia (Blond arrow] . He is currently 3rd highest goalscorer in the spanish top flight,with 228 goals in 329 matches . He is also Real Madrid's top goalscorer in the league with 216 goals in 282 matches . A very prolific goalscorer . He won many honors including the Spanish league and European cups .
14 Raul Gonzalez
Another legendary striker for Real Madrid ,And simply known as Raul . He's three times winner of the UEFA Champions league . And is second all time goalscorer in UEFA competitions . In 2003 he took over from Fernando Hierro as the captain of Real Madrid and has then proved himself to be a born leader . He has come away with the match ball many a time with his many hatricks . Another very prolific goalscorer . He currently holds the record for most goals scored for Real Madrid . With Real Madrid he won several honors including three La Liga titles three Uefa Champions leagues and the Copa del Rey . He has also won the golden boot in La Liga many times .
13 CARLOS ALBERTO TORRES
Former Brazilian footballer,and is regarded as one of the best defenders of all time . He captained Brazil in the 1970 World Cup . And is a member of World team of the 20th century,as well as U.S soccer Hall of Fame . Hes goal against Italy in the final of the World cup is often refereed to as the best goal in the history of the competion .
12 BOBBY MOORE
A great English footballer . He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and also captained the England team that won the 1966 world cup . He is highly regarded as an all time great for English football . And one of the best defenders of all time . Pele once said he was the greatest defender he had ever played against . He won a total of 108 caps for the England team . Which at the time of his retirement [1973] was a record . It was later beaten by keeper Peter Shilton with 125 caps . Hes total of 108 caps as an outfield player went as a record until David Beckham in 2009 . But unlike Beckham Moore played every minute of his 108 caps . Walter Winterbottom called Bobby up for his first cap . As his excellent performances for West Ham earned him many supporters . And earned him hes first cap on the 20th of May 1962 . His honors include FA cup,European cup and Fooball writers player of the year awards .
11 GEORGE BEST
George Best was a Manchester United winger or attacking midfielder . In 1968 Best won the European Cup,and was named European player of the year and Footballer's writers player of the year . Best is undoubtedly the best player to stick on the northern Ireland jersey and one of the best players to never play in the world cup . Hes super stardom extended from football with many appearances in various magazines . Best had trouble with alcohol for many years and tragically died in 2005 . When he died there was an airport named after him called George Best Belfast airport . He was spotted at age 15 by a United scout who rightly thought he had found a star . He ended his career with 179 goals and 470 appearances with united and 37 caps and nine goals for Northern Ireland .
10 RONALDO
Another brilliant striker . His best asset is hes great skill and his unbelievably finishing skill . He was one of the best football players in the 1990s and the best Brazilian goal scorer since Pele . The fantastic striker has played for Barcelona,Inter Milan,Real Madrid and AC Milan . Breaking numerous records and winning championships and cups . He was an International superstar . He won the world cup with Brazil in 1998 and 2002 . Ronaldo suffered a horrific knee injury which many people thought may end his career as a footballer . But Ronaldo came back fighting and kept on scoring and played a big role in the 2002 world cup . Ronaldo earned 97 caps amassing 62 goals . Ronaldo currently holds the record for most goals scored in one world cup beating Gerd Mullers 14 goals . He won hes first Ballon dOR in 1997 and again in 2002 . And is one of two people too win three Fifa World player of the year three times .
9 Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish Liverpool and Celtic legend . He scored numerous goals and made 204 appearances for Celtic and 355 appearances for Liverpool . He also has the record for most caps for Scotland with 102 caps and holds the joint record with Denis Law for most goals scored for Scotland . He was also a very success full player manager winning many honors . He won PFA player of the year and football writers player of the year twice . And voted greatest striker post war in British football by fourfourtwo . And just lost out on the European footballer of the year . He also won the premier league with Blackburn in 1995 against Liverpool .
8 MICHAEL PLATINI
Michael Platini is regarded as one of the best passers in the history of football and scored many goals as well . He was a member of the french national team that one the 1984 European championship . In which he was named best player and top goalscorer . He was a great free-kick specialist and could finish of the many chances created for him and the ones he created himself . He currently holds the record for most goals scored in the European finals . . Hes honors include 1984 European cup in which where he scored nine goals and two hatricks known as the perfect hatrick with a header and a goal with both feet . Hes individual influence was massive . He also won the 1986 world cup in Mexico which many think was the best world cup . With Juventus he won the Italian cup, Serie A top goalscorer, three consecutive Serie A's, European super cup and three European player of the years .
7 MARCO VAN BASTEN
Marco Van Basten one of the most technically gifted players ever . He had immense strength on the ball . Great technical ability,and spectacular strikes and volleys . Van Basten played for the Dutch national team and played for Ajax and AC Milan . He is regarded as one of the best strikers of all time and cored 277 goals with Ajax and AC Milan . He won European footballer of the year three times [1988,1989 and 1992] and Fifa world player of the year in 1992 . and was voted 8th on a french weekly magazine of player of the century . He was also voted 25 th best dutch person and best athlete to have his career cut out . His glittering career ended tragically after a bad ankle injury that went on for 2 years .
6 GERD MULLER
You wouldn't think Muller was the picture image of an excellent footballer as he wasn't extremely fast . And some people used to say he looked awkward . But he had brilliant acceleration great aerial strength and had a knack off scoring goals . He had a great touch and skill to get out of tight areas and leave opposition players on the ground . And had great balance . He could also score from very unlikely positions . He scored 68 goals in 62 international appearances . 365 goals in 427 Bundesliga games and 66 goals in 74 European club games,by far most success full striker of his time . He had a very success full career at Bayern Munich . He held a record for 32 years until Ronaldo beat his record of 14 goals in one world cup .
5 FRANZ BECKENBAEUR
Franz Beckenbaeur or Der Kaiser {The Emperor] because of his elegant style . Is commonly known as the best ever German player . He is also one of the most decorated footballers in the history of the game . Beckenbaeur was a versatile player but made his name as a defender . He is often credited fr creating the role of the modern ''sweeper'' . He was twice selected the European player of the year and appeared 103 times for west Germany played in three world cups and lifted the world cup in 1974 as captain . With his club Bayern Munich he won three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976 and Cup in 1967 . He is also a member of the National Hall Of Fame . As-well as being a great defender he was was also very calm on the ball and could spray it out very easily . He would often come up to help the attack and could get a goal . Beckenbaeur is the only person to win the world cup as a player and manager . In 1999 he came 2nd place behind Johnan Cruyff in European player of the century .
4 ZINEDINE ZIDANE
Popularly nicknamed Zizou is former french midfielder . Hes long list of accomplishments include winning the 1998 Fifa world cup and Euro 2000, as well as 2002 UEFA Champions league . He is also one of only two three time Fifa world player of the year winners . Zidane won the Golden Ball as the MVP in the World Cups of 1998 and 2006 . Although Zidane has competition of legends like Michael Platini and Thierry Henry for best french player Zidane has to win . He really sealed his career in 1998 by scoring two goals in the final of the world cup to help France secure the world cup and to win his first ever World Cup . But his memorable moment was in the 2006 World Cup final when he chipped a penalty in the 5th minute into the top corner . I dont think any other player in the world at that time would have the guts to do that . Some people may argue that his headbutt to Mataratzi overshadowed that moment but i think no football fan would say one moment can overshadow a fantastic career .
3 JOHAN CRUYFF
Cruyff is former Dutch football player/manager . He was named European player of Year three times . In 1999,Cruyff was voted European player of the century in an election held IFFHS . Cruyff was known for his technical ability, speed and acceleration, but his greatest attribute was his vision and creativity . He was so creative infact that he created his own move ''The Cruyff Turn'' . This move is now commonly used in the modern game . Through his career, Cruyff became synonymous with the playing style of "Total Football". It is a system where a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus allowing the team to retain their intended organizational structure . In this fluid system, no footballer is fixed in their intended outfield role; anyone can be successively an attacker, a midfielder and a defender . The style was honed by Ajax coach Rinus Michels around the time Cruyff came to prominence . Cruyff was a playmaker, ammunition provider and marksman rolled into one . With the ability to time a pass with great affect . Strictly speaking Cruyff was a centre forward but would often move deep were he could still pick out a pass . This pulled other teams tactics apart , as other teams would often try and mark Cruyff this would leave his marker confussed and lost . But the great thing was in his deep role he could pick out a pass or dribble the ball through several defenders before scoring a fantastic goal . Cruyff is often credited for staying on his feet and not going down easily .
2 MARADONA
Maradona was a great Argentinian football player who lead his Argentinian side to glory in the 1986 World cup where he won player of the tournament . He also had a statue built for him of him scoring ''The goal of the century'' by the Azteca Stadium authorities . Maradona had a compact physique and could withstand physical pressure well. His strong legs and low center of gravity gave him an advantage in short sprints. His physical strengths were illustrated by his two goals against Belgium in the 1986 World Cup. Maradona was a strategist and a team player, as well as highly technical with the ball. He could manage himself effectively in limited spaces, and would attract defenders only to quickly dash out of the melee . Maradona also was a brilliant dribbler of the ball and scored many goals single handedly scored goal by himself from the half way line into oppositions box . Hes most infamous moment was he hand ball goal against England cleverly named ''The Hand Of God'' . Unfortunately Maradona struggled with a cocaine addiction and had to retire from his playing position . However Maradona is still heavily involved in the game .
1 PELE
Pele known as the greatest football layer ever . The Brazilian star made his debut for Brazilian club Santos at age sixteen who scored a goal helping his team secure a 7-1 victory . He was then given his starting place for Santos and was top goalscorer in the league . 10 months after he was called up to the national team . After the 1962 world cup wealthy clubs tried to buy Pele but the Brazilian government officially named him a ''national treasure'' to try and prevent him from leaving the country to another foreign club . Pelé’s electrifying play and penchant for spectacular goals made him a star around the world . Much like Maradona , Pele was a great dribbler and much more . He was strong , technically amazing , great finishing skills and had instinct for goal . Pele scored all sorts of goals tap ins , one on ones , headers , team goals , one man goals and fantastic strikes . Pele moved to New York Cosmos after 17 seasons with Santos but continued to score . Pele finished his amazing career with Brazil , Santos and New York Cosmos with an amazing record of 1282 goals in 1363 games . Making him the all time top goalscorer in the History of football . qas