Whether you call it soccer or football, this extensive list of the greatest soccer players of all time is ranked by 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 top soccer players during major international events like the Olympics or the World Cup (or even UEFA's European tournaments), there are numerous soccer/football leagues around the world made up of thousands of professional athletes. Any of these good 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 popular, recognizable, and familiar.
Vote up the world's best soccer players in the world who deserve to be in the top 10 in football history.
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116,34463,274Diego Maradona
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Lanús, Argentina
Diego Armando Maradona (30 October 1960 – 25 November 2020) was an Argentine retired... more2
164,81392,915Cristiano Ronaldo
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Santo António, Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH ComM (born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese... more3
189,490107,291Lionel Messi
ForwardBirthplace: Rosario, Argentina
Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini (Spanish pronunciation: [ljoˈnel anˈdɾez ˈmesi] (listen); born... more4
92,47756,778Ronaldo
ForwardBirthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Ronaldo is a Portuguese and Spanish equivalent of the name Ronald. Notable people known as... more5
120,23968,235Ronaldinho
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Porto Alegre, Brazil
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born 21 March 1980), commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho (Brazilian... more6
86,66157,552Zinedine Zidane
MidfielderBirthplace: Marseille, France
Zinedine Yazid Zidane (French pronunciation: [zinedin jazid zidan]; born 23 June 1972),... more7
22,94911,021Luka Modrić
MidfielderBirthplace: Zadar, Croatia
Luka Modrić (Croatian pronunciation: [lûːka mǒːdritɕ]; born 9 September 1985) is a Croatian... more8
32,36921,104Gianluigi Buffon
GoalkeeperBirthplace: Carrara, Italy
Gianluigi Buffon, (Italian pronunciation: [dʒanluˈiːdʒi bufˈfɔn, -ˈfon]; born 28 January... more9
42,55028,844Andrés Iniesta
MidfielderBirthplace: Fuentealbilla, Spain
Andrés Iniesta Luján (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈdɾes iˈnjesta luˈxan]; born 11 May 1984) is a... more10
47,02329,085Neymar
ForwardBirthplace: Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (Brazilian Portuguese: [nejˈmaʁ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈsɐ̃tus ˈʒũɲoʁ]; born... more11
14,7089,746Carles Puyol
DefenderBirthplace: La Pobla de Segur, Spain
Carles Puyol Saforcada (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈkaɾles puˈjɔl i safoɾˈkaða]; born 13 April... more12
33,54322,470David Beckham
MidfielderBirthplace: Leytonstone, London, United Kingdom
David Robert Joseph Beckham (UK: ; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional... more13
46,19135,778Johan Cruyff
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Hendrik Johannes Cruijff OON (Dutch: [ˈjoːɦɑn ˈkrœyf] (listen), internationally spelled... more14
12,5998,358Manuel Neuer
GoalkeeperBirthplace: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Manuel Peter Neuer (German pronunciation: [ˈmaːnu̯eːl ˈnɔʏ.ɐ, -ɛl -]; born 27 March 1986) is a... more15
24,06116,398Thierry Henry
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Les Ulis, France
Thierry Daniel Henry (French pronunciation: [tjɛʁi ɑ̃ʁi]; born 17 August 1977) is a French... more16
130,206111,928Pelé
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Três Corações, Brazil
Edson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈɛtsõ (w)ɐˈɾɐ̃tʃiz du nɐsiˈmẽtu];... more17
20,67214,060Роберто Карлос
Defender, MidfielderBirthplace: Garça, Brazil
Roberto Carlos da Silva Rocha (born 10 April 1973), more commonly known simply as Roberto... more18
28,27319,344Xavi
MidfielderBirthplace: Terrassa, Spain
Xavier Hernández Creus (Catalan: [ˈʃaβi əɾˈnandəs ˈkɾɛws], Spanish: [ˈtʃaβj eɾˈnandeθ ˈkɾeus];... more19
11,5797,593Luis Suárez
Winger, ForwardBirthplace: Salto, Uruguay
Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz (American Spanish: [ˈlwis ˈswaɾes]; born 24 January 1987) is a... more20
9,7686,827Gerd Müller
ForwardBirthplace: Nördlingen, Germany
Gerhard "Gerd" Müller (German pronunciation: [ˈɡɛɐ̯t ˈmʏlɐ]; born 3 November 1945) is a German... more21
34,30023,397Zlatan Ibrahimović
ForwardBirthplace: Malmö Municipality, Sweden
Zlatan Ibrahimović (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈslaːtan ɪbraˈhiːmʊvɪtɕ], Bosnian: [zlǎtan... more22
7,2435,426Roberto Baggio
Forward, MidfielderBirthplace: Caldogno, Italy
Roberto Baggio (Italian pronunciation: [roˈbɛrto ˈbaddʒo]; born 18 February 1967) is an... more23
9,5276,307Robert Lewandowski
ForwardBirthplace: Warsaw, Poland
Robert Lewandowski (born 21 August 1988) is a Polish professional footballer who plays as a... more24
6,7774,506Philipp Lahm
DefenderBirthplace: Munich, Germany
Philipp Lahm (German pronunciation: [ˈfɪlɪp ˈlaːm]; born 11 November 1983) is a German retired... more25
5,9173,986Peter Schmeichel
GoalkeeperBirthplace: Gladsaxe Municipality, Denmark
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel, MBE (Danish pronunciation: [pʰetɐ ˈsmaɪ̯ˀkl̩]; born 18 November... more
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