The
long football history has seen the growth of many talented players from
all countries over the world. As a result, if you ask a random person
who is the best footballer of all time, you will get a large number of
different answers.
Therefore, we have created a list of the five best players based on
their ability, technique, and contribution to their teams without any
bias.
The best football players checklist (until 2019)
Top 5. Lionel Messi 
Although Messi still has a few years left in his top-notch age, his rank in the temple of legends has been already ensured.
This Argentine player has been awarded 5 Ballon d’Or and scored the
highest number of goals in Europe in different five years. During his
14-year career in Barcelona FC, he has scored around 600 goals and 50
hat-tricks – these are really respectable numbers! Particularly in 2012,
Messi made a record of scoring over 90 goals.
As a devoted one-club man, Lionel has carried remarkable titles to
Barcelona, such as nine league titles, six Copa del Reys, and four
Champions League.
In 2009, he was the right-hand man of Pep Guardiola to win the treble
and, adopting the “Tiki-Taka” playstyle. Since Pep retired, Barcelona
is less overwhelming, and depend more on Messi. However, he is still
proving his limitless ability to carry the whole team.
Top 4. Johan Cruyff 
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As a visionary footballer and later a coach, Johan Cruyff used the
“Total Football” by Rinus Michel very successfully at Ajax. He brought
about six league championships to the Dutch team from 1966 to 1973 in
addition to three national cups and three consecutive European Cups.
In 1973, the Dutch superstar moved to Barcelona and helped the club
to get the first league heading after 14 years and later the first
European Cup ever. Plus, he gave them a unique identity as well as
playstyle that helped the club make itself among the top European teams,
too.
More importantly, he created the outline for the short and swift
attacking football style, a.k.a “tiki-taka,” which is still the brand of
the team from Catalan up to now.
During that tournament, Johann also introduced the famous move “The Cruyff Turn” to the world, which is still bearing his name.
As a robust and distinguished man, upon his death in 2016, people
mourned Cruyff not only as a footballer but also as a manager who spent
his life beautifying football.
Top 3. Diego Maradona 
Diego Maradona World Cup 1982
Known as the superb club football player in European countries, Diego
Maradona was a tiny genius with mastery dribbling ability as well as
passing skills, along with an excellent vision apart from continuous
ball control.
Besides, he also had a low center of gravity and a strong body to
surpass several footballers simultaneously and make them chase after
him. Perhaps his most well-known goal was the one he netted for
Argentina in the quarter-final of World Cup 1986 with England. It was
when he accelerated from his team’s half-way line to defeat six other
players.
In Britain, Maradona is most remembered with his “Hand of God” goal
when he made the ball past by Peter Shilton by hand. Also, in 1983, he
came to Barcelona and won the Copa del Rey.
Yet, it was what he did at the Serie A that made him legendary in
Italy. Diego, almost by himself, brought them the first-ever Scudetto
heading in the season 1986 – 1987, and the second just three years
later.
Moreover, he also carried the Italian Cup and the UEFA Cup as the only European honor of Napoli to now.
Top 2. Alfredo Di Stéfano 
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Regarded as the greatest player ever, Alfredo Di Stéfano must be
ranked even above his Argentina fellows – Diego Maradona and Lionel
Messi.
Strongly associated with the mighty Real Madrid FC, who won five
consecutive European Cups from 1956 to 1960, Di Stéfano had not even
joined European football until he was nearly going to enter 30. Unlike
other famous footballers, he spent his early career years with the club
River Plate in his hometown before going to Colombia to serve
Millonarios.
Nevertheless, in spite of his 12 Championships throughout his career
in South American, Real Madrid FC was where he became a legend. Only in
11 seasons, apart from the European Cup victories, Alfredo Di Stéfano
brought them to win eight league headings as well as the reputable Copa
del Rey, netting 308 goals only in 396 appearances for Los Blancos.
He had everything to be the greatest player of all – speed, mobility,
trackback skills, strong heading ability, robust shooting power, spot,
and pass any obstacles. That’s why people also know him as “The Blond
Arrow”.
Top 1. Pelé 
As a monument on the pitch, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, or so-called
Pelé started to go pro in Santos at the age of 15. Only one year later,
Pelé became the top scorer in the national league of Brazil.
At the age of 17, he brought the first major heading to Santos and
became a world-class star of the national Brazil team when they lifted
their first World Cup.
On returning to Brazil, Pelé helped Santos win five league
championships consecutively during the period from 1961 to 1965. Three
years later, their sixth championship came up. At that time, they also
got two Copa Libertadores and an Intercontinental Cup.
If we count all of his goals in both official and unofficial matches,
Pelé had scored well over one thousand goals during his career.
He was good at netting goals with either foot and playing in the air
in spite of his poor height. In addition to his magic dribbling ability,
Pelé was visionary, mastered ball control, and played balanced yet
skillfully.
Final Words
So we have just gone through the list of five greatest players
throughout the history of football. However, even though we are not
biased and have carefully considered the different elements of each
player, this may still be our subjective opinion.
Therefore, please comment with your own opinion and specify why that
player is better than a player on our list. Thereby, we can have further
discussion.
Thanks for reading!
Complete Sports