The Best Soccer Players of All Time Football Players (Soccer)

The Best Soccer Players of All Time

original ranker SebastianAmado  285,628 views 289 items 358 followers
This list of top soccer players of all time is ranked by soccer (football) fans worldwide. Who are the best soccer players ever? The goal is to determine the greatest footballers to ever play the game. The list establishes individual rankings of specific soccer players and helps answer the question, "Who is the best soccer player in the world?" This list includes some of the most famous soccer players in the world, but fame doesn't necessarily determine talent.

Though many more people are exposed to soccer players during major international events like The Olympics or the World Cup (or even the UEFA's European tournaments), there are numerous soccer/football leagues around the world made up of thousands of professional athletes. Any of these soccer players are eligible for the list, even if they are mainly well known in certain regions or nations. (In America, other than that nation's own Major League Soccer league, the English Premier League and its athletes are most likely to be recognizable and familiar, though the move of David Beckham to Real Madrid also led to increased exposure for that football club.)

List Criteria: Any current or former professional soccer players from around the world are eligible.

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Rank     Name
  1. 1
    Up 8532
    Down 3934
    1972
  2. 2
    Up 5599
    Down 3400
    1940
  3. 3
    Up 7652
    Down 4283
    1987
  4. 4
    Up 5904
    Down 2981
    1976
  5. 5
    Up 5208
    Down 3082
    1960
  6. 6
    Up 5018
    Down 2739
    1980
  7. 7
    Up 3692
    Down 2070
    1947
  8. 8
    Up 4978
    Down 3329
    1985
  9. 9
    Up 2736
    Down 1759
    1945
  10. 10
    Up 3987
    Down 2285

    Thierry Henry

    1977
  11. 11
    Up 2152
    Down 1475
    1946
  12. 12
    Up 2334
    Down 1664
    1980
  13. 13
    Up 2290
    Down 1592
    1984
  14. 14
    Up 1999
    Down 1437

    Paolo Maldini

    1968
  15. 15
    Up 1912
    Down 1528
    1964
  16. 16
    Up 1426
    Down 946
    1972
  17. 17
    Up 1100
    Down 731
    1953
  18. 18
    Up 2462
    Down 1633
    1969
  19. 19
    Up 1903
    Down 1226

    Andrea Pirlo

    1979
  20. 20
    Up 1358
    Down 965
    1945
  21. 21
    Up 2053
    Down 1372
    1981
  22. 22
    Up 1722
    Down 1214
    1966
  23. 23
    Up 1195
    Down 802
    1973
  24. 24
    Up 1448
    Down 1274
    1926
  25. 25
    Up 1490
    Down 895
    1982
  26. 26
    Up 1310
    Down 1334
    1955
  27. 27
    Up 1188
    Down 769
    1978
  28. 28
    Up 1638
    Down 1170
    1975
  29. 29
    Up 991
    Down 762
    1927
  30. 30
    Up 1692
    Down 1105
    1980
  31. 31
    Up 955
    Down 798

    Rivaldo

    1972
  32. 32
    Up 1072
    Down 911
    1967
  33. 33
    Up 967
    Down 824
    1966
  34. 34
    Up 912
    Down 781
    1942
  35. 35
    Up 908
    Down 605

    Johan Cruyff

  36. 36
    Up 1096
    Down 767

    Ryan Giggs

    1973
  37. 37
    Up 1127
    Down 781
    1978
  38. 38
    Up 359
    Down 266
    1937
  39. 39
    Up 998
    Down 664

    Alessandro Del Piero

    1974
  40. 40
    Up 939
    Down 690
    1963
  41. 41
    Up 897
    Down 647
    1977
  42. 42
    Up 869
    Down 657
    1969
  43. 43
    Up 350
    Down 161

    Roberto Carlos

    1982
  44. 44
    Up 732
    Down 665
    1933
  45. 45
    Up 426
    Down 290
    1981
  46. 46
    Up 904
    Down 657

    Paul Scholes

    1974
    added by: arman_gharavi
  47. 47
    Up 617
    Down 487

    Sócrates

    1954
  48. 48
    Up 322
    Down 236

    Francesco Totti

    1976
  49. 49
    Up 357
    Down 316
    1961
  50. 50
    Up 226
    Down 165
    1962
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    1. Elinore Appello
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 12/13/2012 2:30 PM
      Worthy best soccer players of all time here!
    2. Moises Heiple
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 12/04/2012 10:30 AM
      Wonderful Best Soccer Players here.
    3. Alvaro Olafson
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 8/22/2012 12:30 PM
      Superior top soccer players of all time here.
    4. Dane Cornelio
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 8/06/2012 11:30 AM
      Choice top 50 soccer players of all time here.
    5. Jeffry Ator
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 7/09/2012 10:30 AM
      Superb best football players of all time here.
    6. sdfagaewr
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 3/24/2012 2:42 PM
      This is not a very accurate list at all, so anybody who doesn't know anything about football don't think this is an accurate list of the top footballers ever. Robin Van Persie is a great player but he wouldn't make the top 500 in a real list of the best footballers ever. Neither would Beckam.
    7. Damian McGinty
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 3/20/2012 1:40 PM
      George Best should be much higher
    8. FabioPereira
      The Best Soccer Players of All Time at 1/07/2012 7:40 PM
      The Top 50 Soccer Players Of All Time in http://youtu.be/pVKJRX6NCAA

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