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Lists that rank the best players, positions, and more from the world's most popular sport.

Best Athletes

Ronaldinho

Whether you call it <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-soccer-players-from-benin/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">soccer or football</a>, this extensive&nbsp;list of the greatest soccer players of all time is ranked by&nbsp;fans worldwide. Who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> 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, &quot;Who is the best soccer player in the world?&quot; This list includes some of the most <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-footballer_s)/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous soccer players</a> in the world, but fame doesn&#39;t necessarily determine talent.

Though many more people are exposed to <a href="/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports" target="_blank">top soccer players</a> during major international events like the Olympics or the World Cup (or even UEFA&#39;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&#39;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&#39;s best soccer players in the world who deserve to be in the top 10 in football history.

Current Sports

Sergio Agüero

The best current soccer players in the world are leading the&nbsp;charge as some of the most iconic stars in the history of the game.&nbsp;These talented soccer athletes are leading their respective teams to championships with some of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/who-is-the-biggest-football-club-in-the-world-/clickon?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">biggest football clubs</a> in the world, winning numerous awards and are fan favorites across&nbsp;the globe. If you were building the ultimate soccer dream team and had your selection of the elite players of today, these guys should be your top picks. Ranking the world&#39;s greatest footballers is no easy task, so cast your votes!

Unsurprisingly, these top current soccer players are also many of the top-paid professionals in the world today. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Neymar,&nbsp;and Lionel Messi sit high atop both lists with each earning tens of millions of dollars annually in combined income between their soccer salaries and their numerous product endorsements. Money aside, any of these guys could be considered the best soccer player in the world right now.

These players&nbsp;like Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale, and Andres Iniesta, are playing the best football of their careers. They are peaking in the sport and see little signs of stopping anytime soon.

Which soccer players are impressing you right now? Who do you think are the best current football players? Vote for your favorites, add those not listed or re-rank this list of the best current soccer players below. The players in the top 10 can be considered the most popular players in the world. When you&#39;re done, head over and rank the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players of all time</a> too!

Soccer

Ricardo Carvalho

The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">top soccer players</a> from Portugal have won their national team several championships in several different leagues. Most recently, they won the 2016 European Championship in an action-packed victory against France. On that particular team, the Portuguese players were led by veteran team captain Cristiano Ronaldo. But does that make him the best Portuguese footballer of all time? See what other people think in the ranking below.If you’re looking for a specific player to see where they rank amongst others, use the search box on the top of the list. Otherwise, be sure to vote up your favorite Portuguese soccer players and add any that are missing. In terms of goals, Cristiano Ronaldo is the highest scoring Portuguese soccer player, followed by Pauleta in a distant second. In addition to scoring, Ronaldo was also the youngest player to reach 100 caps; accomplishing that feat at the age of 27. Those records alone makes him one of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-from-portugal/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous people from Portugal</a>.But do those feats alone make Ronaldo among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword"> best soccer players</a> from Portugal? He should be in the top ten at the very least. Other players in the discussion include Nuno Gomes and Ricardo Carvalho. So vote up who you think are the best soccer players from Portugal and add any you feel are missing from the list.

The best players in MLS history have been a part of helping Major League Soccer compete with other top sports leagues in the U.S. for fans and acclaim. Top MLS stars and leading scorers, like Landon Donovan and David Beckham, have helped make the league legitimate in the eyes of international competitors, and much of the league&#39;s success over the years can be attributed to its biggest stars.

In addition to famous modern players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the higest paid player in the game, and Bradley Wright-Phillips, a top MLS goal scorer,&nbsp;the history of the league is riddled with popular players whose talent and skill on the pitch have made them among the best in Major League soccer, players like forward Robbie Keane, defender Eddie Pope, and goalkeepers Tony Meola and Andre Blake.

So check out this list of the best players ever to lace up their cleats in Major League Soccer and vote up the stars you think have helped put MLS on the map. If there are any players you think deserve to be here who aren&#39;t, feel free to add them below. Who are the best MLS players of all time?

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Gheorghe Popescu

The best Romanian soccer players have been international superstars and altered the way the game is played. In addition to being a formidable national team for the World Cups, Romanian footballers have played for many top football clubs throughout the world. But who is the best Romanian soccer player of all time? Fans have ranked their favorites below!This list of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Romania below has been voted by fans across the world--including Romanian of course. The list includes positions played and photos when available. These Romanian footballers have been ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Romanian soccer player you can use the search box at the top of the list to find what you're looking for.While many football fans consider Gheorghe Hagi the best Romanian football player, some would also put&nbsp;Nicolae Dobrin in the running. Unfortunately, we'll never know since they played in different eras.&nbsp;The list you're viewing has a variety of players, like Istv&aacute;n Avar and Elek Schwartz, in it.This list answers the questions, &quot;Who are the best Romanian footballers?&quot; and &quot;Who is the greatest Romanian soccer player of all time?&quot; You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> of Romania in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of the best Romanian soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Mohamed Abdel-Shafy

Ever wonder who the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Egypt? Whether you're simply curious or want to help determine just who is the greatest, you'll enjoy this list of the top soccer (or “football”) players from Egypt, along with photos when available. This list of best Egyptian soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Egyptian soccer player, you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find what you're looking for.This list includes the likes of great players such as Amr Al-Sulaya, Ahmed Eid Abdel Malek, and more. So, whether you're wondering &quot;Who are the best Egyptian footballers?&quot; or&nbsp;&quot;Who is the greatest Egyptian soccer player of all time?&quot;, you'll find your answer here—as determined by soccer fans worldwide.&nbsp;You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of Egypt in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Egyptian soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Rüştü Reçber

Who comes to mind when you think of the best Turkish soccer players of all time? For many soccer fans, famous footballers such as Hakan Ş&uuml;k&uuml;r and Arda Turan have to be in the top ten. So to see which Turkish footballers truly stand out, fans like you have voted on who they think are the best of all time. It can be a pitched battle, as there have been many top footballers from Turkey.The list below is formatted so that the soccer players with the most votes are at the top of the list. Short biographies, photos, and details such as positions played are included when available. If you're searching for a particular <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/actors-from-turkey/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous Turkish</a> soccer player, you can use the search box to find what you're looking for. So, if you've ever wondered whether one Turkish footballer was better than another, this list answers that question.So who qualifies to be in the running for <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best soccer players</a> from Turkey? The player must either be Turkish born or have played for the Turkish national soccer team. So players such as Mesut &Ouml;zil, who is of Turkish descent but played for Arsenal and the German national team, are not eligible. Players that are eligible for this list include R&uuml;şt&uuml; Re&ccedil;ber, who played for the Turkey national team.This list should answer any questions about who are the best Turkish soccer players of all time, once and for all. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of the best Turkish soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy learning about.

Thierry Henry

Aside from Zizou (Zinedane Zidane), who else makes it onto the list of the best French soccer players? Plenty of French footballers, according to soccer fans. Below, you'll see a rank of the best footballers from France, spanning decades of history--with some star players from years past.&nbsp;Don't agree with the list? Vote for your favorite French football players and add any you feel should be in the discussion.This list of the best soccer players from France includes details on positions played along with photos when available. If you're searching for a particular famous French soccer player you can use the search box at the top of the list to find who you're looking for.&nbsp;Some generally agreed upon greats include Cyrille Pouget, Antar Yahia and Zinedine Zidane. In fact, Zidane is in the running for being one of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players of all time</a>, regardless of country. But if you're wondering who are the best French footballers currently or who is the greatest French soccer player of all time, this list is for you.&nbsp;You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/notable-footballer_s)/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> of France in order to get more information about each one. If you're a soccer fan, then you can use this list of the best French soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might not know about.

Jerzy Gorgoń

Which of the best Polish soccer players of all time would you pick for your fantasy Poland national team draft? You would have to include legends such as Robert Lewandowski and Zbigniew Boniek, right? They played in different eras but remain highly regarded as being among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best footballers</a> from Poland of all time. And while the Polish national team has yet to win a UEFA European Championship, they did get the gold in the 1972 Olympic Games. So who is the best Polish Soccer player? See what fans think in this ranking of the top footballers from Poland.To qualify for this list, the player must be born in Poland or have played on the Poland national team. To help you put faces to the names, photos have been included when available. You can also click on players’ names to get additional details such as positions played and a short biography. If you’re looking for your favorite Polish soccer player to see where they rank according to fans, use the search function at the top of the list.Some of these players aren’t just the best from Poland, but also rank among the <a href="”http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword”">best soccer players ever</a>, so you’ll see both retired players and new players on this list. One new player to watch out for in the coming years is Kacper Łazaj, who made his debut at the age of 17. So while he isn’t a veteran like Sebastian Małkowski, he has tons of potential.So if you’ve ever wondered who are the best Polish footballers currently playing or who is the greatest Polish soccer player of all time, this list has you covered. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Polish soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Raheem Sterling

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Jamaica. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Jamaica, along with photos when available. This list of best Jamaican soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Jamaican soccer player you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find what you're looking for.This list contains players like Fabian Davis and Keith Kelly, famous Jamaicans who have contributed to the sport and global culture of soccer.This list answers the questions, &quot;Who are the best Jamaican footballers?&quot; and &quot;Who is the greatest Jamaican soccer player of all time?&quot; They don't all play for Jamaican soccer teams, but all of these famous players hail from Jamaica.You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of Jamaica in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Jamaican soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

René Higuita

Who comes to mind when you think of the best Colombian soccer players of all time? For many soccer fans, famous footballers such as Carlos Valderrama and James Rodr&iacute;guez are for sure in the top ten. But in order to see which Colombian footballers truly stand out, fans such as yourself have voted on who they think are the best.Who comes to mind when you think of the best Colombian soccer players of all time? For many soccer fans, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous footballers</a> such as Carlos Valderrama and James Rodr&iacute;guez are for sure in the top ten. In order to see which Colombian footballers truly stand out, fans such as yourself have voted on who they think are the best of all time. It can be a pitched battle, as there have been many top footballers from Colombia.The list below is formatted so that the soccer players with the most votes are at the top of the list. Short biographies, photos, and details such as positions played are included when available. If you're searching for a particular <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-actors-from-colombia/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous Colombian</a> soccer player you can use the search box to find what you're looking for. So, if you've ever wondered whether one Colombian footballer was better than another, this list answers that question.So who qualifies to be in the running for the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Colombia? The player must either be Colombian born or have played for the Colombian national soccer team. So players such as Radamel Falcao, who was Colombian-born but played for Manchester United and Chelsea F.C., are eligible. Other top players you'll see on this list include Faustino Asprilla, Fredy Guar&iacute;n, and more. Add any Colombian soccer player you don't see on this list but feel should be considered.This list should answer any questions about who are the best Colombian soccer players of all time, once and for all. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of the best Colombian soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy learning about.

Eiður Guðjohnsen

For many soccer fans from around the world, the Euro 2016 championship served as an introduction to <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-soccer-players-from-norway/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the best soccer</a> players from Iceland. It was only in 2016 that they made it into the UEFA Euro tournament—eventually reaching the quarter-finals stage. But being a new phenomenon, people are wondering who are the best players on the Iceland national team, or of all time for that matter.&nbsp;See what other soccer fans from around the world think in the ranking of Icelandic players below.If you’re looking for a specific player to see where they rank amongst others, use the search box on the top of the list. Otherwise, be sure to vote your favorite Icelandic footballers up to the top and add any that are missing. In terms of goals, Ei&eth;ur Gu&eth;johnsen and Kolbeinn Sig&thorn;&oacute;rsson are undisputed the top scorers. But at the same time, are they truly amongst the all-time best?In terms of caps, the most capped player for Iceland is R&uacute;nar Kristinsson.&nbsp;However, with only three career goals, he probably doesn’t qualify as best.Some of these players aren’t just the best from Iceland, but also rank among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players ever</a>, and you’ll see both retired players and new players on this list. One new player to watch out for in the coming years is Kolbeinn Sig&thorn;&oacute;rsson, who made his debut in 2010. So while he isn’t a veteran like Ei&eth;ur Gu&eth;johnsen, he has many more years left in him.So if you’ve ever wondered who are the best Icelandic footballers currently playing or who is the greatest Icelandic soccer player of all time, this list has you covered. If you're a football lover then you can use this list of popular Icelandic soccer players to discover some new Icelandic talent that you might really enjoy watching in regular association football.

Ronny Rosenthal

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Israel. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Israel, along with photos when available. This list of best Israeli soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Israeli soccer player you can use the "search" box to find what you're looking for.This list features Amiya Taga, Leonard Krupnik and more.This list answers the questions, "Who are the best Israeli footballers?" and "Who is the greatest Israeli soccer player of all time?" You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> of Israel in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Israeli soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Georgios Delikaris

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Greece. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Greece, along with photos when available. This list of best Greek soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Greek soccer player you can use the "search" box to find what you're looking for.List features Kostas Kiassos, Stelios Giannakopoulos and more.This list answers the questions, "Who are the best Greek footballers?" and "Who is the greatest Greek soccer player of all time?" You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> of Greece in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Greek soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Russian People

Aleksandr Anyukov

Wondering who are the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Russia? Whether you want to find the very best or you already have an idea of who is, this list includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Russia, along with photos when available. Moreover, the&nbsp;list of best Russian soccer players is ordered by popularity (determined by you), so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Russian soccer player you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find what you're looking for. Some of the top&nbsp;footballers on the list include Yegor Titov, Andrei Kanchelskis and more.This list answers the questions, &quot;Who are the best Russian footballers?&quot; and &quot;Who is the greatest Russian soccer player of all time?&quot;You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of Russia in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Russian soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching. Of course, you can also vote up the players you think are best, and vote any down if you feel they should be lower on the list.&nbsp;

Andreas Brehme

In your dream Germany national soccer team, which of the best German soccer players of all time would you pick? Would you choose newer players such as Mesut &Ouml;zil or ones from years past, such as Franz Beckenbauer? Compared to many other countries, drafting top soccer players from Germany is quite easy as there are many to choose from. Look at the list of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-hungarian-soccer-players-all-time/reference">top footballers from Hungary</a> for instance and many of the names there are from decades past and aren&rsquo;t very well known. In fact, many of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best footballers of all time</a> are from Germany. So to determine who truly is the best German soccer player of all time, soccer fans have ranked their favorites below.

Vote up your favorite German soccer players or add any you feel are missing from the list. If you&#39;re searching for a particular <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-german-serial-killers/web-infoguy?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous German</a> soccer player you can use the search box at the top of the list to find who you&#39;re looking for. Photos and details such as positions played have been provided when available.

On this list, you&rsquo;ll see famous legends like Franz Beckenbauer, as well as modern German stars like Thomas Muller. So if you&rsquo;ve ever wondered who were the best German soccer players of all time were, just look at the list below to find out.

Bernt Haas

In case you're wondering, here's an extensive list of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-soccer-players-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Switzerland. The list includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Switzerland, along with photos when available. This list of best Swiss soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Swiss soccer player you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find what you're looking for.Some of the top players on this list include Stefan Frei and Karl Rappan,&nbsp;answering&nbsp;the questions, &quot;Who are the best Swiss footballers?&quot; and &quot;Who is the greatest Swiss soccer player of all time?&quot; Of course, you can help determine just who is the very best, and those that follow close behind.&nbsp;You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> of Switzerland in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Swiss soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

DaMarcus Beasley

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from United States of America. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from United States of America, along with photos when available. This list of best United States of America soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous United States of America soccer player you can use the &quot;search&quot; box to find what you're looking for.The list you're viewing is made up of a variety of different players, including Austin Brown and Jim Stamatis.This list answers the questions, &quot;Who are the best United States of America footballers?&quot; and &quot;Who is the greatest United States of America soccer player of all time?&quot; You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of United States of America in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular United States of America soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Roberto Rivelino

These are the greatest Brazilian soccer players of all time according to soccer fans from around the world. It is home to some of the best footballers in the world, with many stars playing for teams all across the various American and European leagues. In fact, the most famous soccer player of all time, Pel&eacute;, hails from Brazil. But who else makes it on this list of the greatest Brazilian soccer players? See how fans voted below. If you don’t agree with them, vote for your favorite football stars or rerank the list to your liking. Please no <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-football-players-ever?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">American football players</a>.Searching to see where a particular player is ranked? Use the search box at the top of the list to find them! In Brazil, soccer is by far the most popular sport, with five FIFA World Cup championships under its belt. It most recently won in 2002, with a team captained by Cafu. However, it was Ronaldo that won Brazil that final, along with a Man of the Match award. So where does Ronaldo rank among the other great Brazilian footballers? Or more importantly, is he as good as or better than Pel&eacute;?You can click on the names of these <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">popular soccer players</a> from Brazil in order to get more information about each one, including a short biography and positions played. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of the greatest Brazilian soccer players ever to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Petr Čech

List of the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-current-soccer-players/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best soccer players</a> from Czech Republic. List includes the top soccer (or “football”) players from Czech Republic, along with photos when available. This list of best Czech soccer players is ordered by popularity, so only the greatest players are at the top of the list. If you're searching for a particular famous Czech soccer player you can use the "search" box to find what you're looking for.This list has a variety of players in it, from Daniel Pudil to Martin Lukeš.This list answers the questions, "Who are the best Czech footballers?" and "Who is the greatest Czech soccer player of all time?" You can click on the names of these popular soccer players of Czech Republic in order to get more information about each one. If you're a sports lover then you can use this list of popular Czech soccer players to discover some new athletes that you might really enjoy watching.

Soccer: The Beautiful Game

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The <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-football-defenders-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best defenders ever</a> to lace up their cleats for Bayern Munich have been part of a long legacy of tremendous soccer. All the FC Bayern Munich&nbsp;stars of past and present have had a hand in crafting the history of their club team.

While recent Bayern Munich&nbsp;players&nbsp;like Martin Dimichelis and Willy Sagnol have&nbsp;helped keep Bayern Munich among the class of Bundesliga and the A-list of world soccer, early standouts from the club&#39;s roster&nbsp;like Johnny Hansen and Paul Breitner&nbsp;put the Bayern Munich defense&nbsp;on the map as a group worth following.

So which of these players from Bayern Munich&#39;s long history deserves to rank near the top of the list? Who are the best Bayern Munich defenders of all-time? Vote below, and if you see any players missing from the list who should be considered, feel free to add them as well.

The 25+ Best Bayern Munich Defenders Ever, Ranked By Soccer Fans

The Best Bayern Munich Defenders Of All Time

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Best Rankings of Sports Teams and Players, Interesting Sports Facts, and Moments in Sports

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Gen Zs

Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Anton Beckenbauer (pronounced [ˈfʁants ˈbɛkn̩ˌbaʊɐ]; born 11 September 1945) is a German former professional  footballer and manager. Early in his playing career he was nicknamed Der Kaiser ("The Emperor") because of his elegant style, dominance and leadership on the field, and also as his first name "Franz" is reminiscent of the Austrian emperors. He is widely regarded to be one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. A versatile player who started out as a midfielder, Beckenbauer made his name as a central defender. He is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper or libero.Twice named European Footballer of the Year, Beckenbauer appeared 103 times for West Germany and played in three FIFA World Cups. He is one of three men, along with Brazil's Mário Zagallo and France's Didier Deschamps to have won the World Cup as a player and as a manager; he lifted the World Cup trophy as captain in 1974, and repeated the feat as a manager in 1990. He was the first captain to lift the World Cup and European Championship at international level and the European Cup at club level. He was named in the World Team of the 20th Century in 1998, the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2002, and in 2004 was listed in the FIFA 100 of the world's greatest living players.At club level with Bayern Munich, Beckenbauer won the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1967 and three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976. The latter feat made him the first player to win three European Cups as captain of his club. He became team manager and later president of Bayern Munich. After two spells with the New York Cosmos he was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Beckenbauer led Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup and chaired the organizing committee. He worked as a pundit for Sky Germany, and for 34 years as a columnist for the tabloid Bild, both until 2016.In August 2016, it was announced Beckenbauer was being investigated for fraud and money laundering as part of the 2006 World Cup.

Philipp Lahm

Philipp Lahm (German pronunciation: [ˈfɪlɪp ˈlaːm]; born 11 November 1983) is a German retired professional footballer who played as a right back or defensive midfielder and spent much of his early career playing left back. He was the captain of Bayern Munich, having led them to numerous honours including the 2013 UEFA Champions League as part of the Treble. He is also a former captain of his national team, which he led to win the 2014 FIFA World Cup, before retiring from international football.Lahm is considered by many to be one of the best defenders of his generation and one of the greatest defenders of all time who was never sent off, and was included in the World Cup team of the tournament in 2006, 2010, and 2014, and the UEFA Team of the Tournament in 2008 and 2012 and in the UEFA Team of the Year 2006, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Although Lahm is right-footed, he is able to play on both sides of the pitch, due to his tactical intelligence and versatility. He often cut from the flank to the inside of the pitch to either shoot and/or pass. In particular, he is renowned for his pace, technique, stamina, and precise tackling abilities, as well as his small stature, which earned him the nickname the "Magic Dwarf".

Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck

Hans-Georg (Georg) "Katsche" Schwarzenbeck (born 3 April 1948 in Munich) is a retired German football player who played as a defender. He played in the Bundesliga from 1966 to 1979, appearing in 416 matches as a defender for Bayern Munich. He won six German league championships, three German Cups, one European Cup Winners' Cup (defeating Glasgow Rangers in the final), and three consecutive European Cups (1974 defeating Atlético Madrid, 1975 defeating Leeds United, 1976 defeating AS Saint-Étienne).In the 1974 final, Schwarzenbeck scored the equalising goal in the European Cup final match against Atlético Madrid in the last minute of extra time with a long-range effort. Bayern won the replay 4–0 two days later.
Schwarzenbeck played 44 times for Germany between 1971 and 1978. His greatest success was the victory in the 1974 World Cup, West Germany defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. He also helped the national team to victory in the 1972 European Championship, defeating the USSR in the final, and to the final of the 1976 tournament, losing to Czechoslovakia on penalty kicks in the final, after extra time.

Bixente Lizarazu

Bixente Jean-Michel Lizarazu (Basque pronunciation: [biˈʃente lis̻aˈɾas̻u]) (born 9 December 1969) is a French former professional footballer who played for Bordeaux and Bayern Munich, among other teams, as a left back. He also had 97 caps for the French national team.
In a twelve-year international career from 1992 to 2004, Lizarazu played in three European championships and two World Cups for France, winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.

David Alaba

David Olatukunbo Alaba (born 24 June 1992) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays for German club Bayern Munich and the Austria national team. He holds Austria's record as the youngest player to play for their senior national team, debuting for them  in 2009 as a 17-year-old.As a very versatile player, Alaba has played in a multitude of roles, including central midfield, central defence, right and left wing, but has since blossomed as a left-back.

Willy Sagnol

Willy David Frédéric Sagnol (born 18 March 1977) is a French former professional footballer who played as a defender.
Sagnol spent much of his professional career playing for Bayern Munich in Germany's Bundesliga. He was also part of the French squad at the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, 2002 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2004, 2006 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008.

Klaus Augenthaler

Klaus "Auge" Augenthaler (born 26 September 1957 in Fürstenzell, near Passau in Bavaria, West Germany) is a German former professional football player and now manager. A defender, in his 15-year club career with FC Bayern Munich he won seven Bundesliga titles. He also represented the West Germany national team, winning the FIFA World Cup in 1990.
In 2005, he was named as a member of the greatest Bayern Munich XI in the club's history.

Paul Breitner

Paul Breitner (born 5 September 1951 in Kolbermoor, Bavaria) is a former German footballer, who played as a midfielder or as a defender. One of Germany's most controversial players, he earned 48 caps for West Germany. He was known for his partnerships with Franz Beckenbauer and Berti Vogts in defence for the German national team, and his midfield combination with Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for Bayern.
Breitner was an integral part of the West Germany team that won the 1974 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the final. He also scored in the final of the 1982 World Cup, making him one of only four players to have scored in two different World Cup final matches, the others being Pelé, Vavá and Zinedine Zidane.
One of the greatest German players of all time, Breitner was named in the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team, and was named by Pelé one of the top 125 greatest living footballers at a FIFA Awards ceremony in 2004. Breitner has been working as a commentator, pundit and columnist in Germany since retiring and is also an advisor to the Bayern management board.

Lothar Matthäus

Lothar Herbert Matthäus (German pronunciation: [ˈloːtaːɐ̯ maˈtɛːʊs];  born 21 March 1961) is a German football manager and former player. After captaining West Germany to victory in the 1990 FIFA World Cup where he lifted the World Cup trophy, he was named European Footballer of the Year. In 1991, he was named the first ever FIFA World Player of the Year, and remains the only German to have received the award.
Matthäus held the record of having played in five FIFA World Cups (1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998), more than any other outfield player in men's football, until the 2018 World Cup, in which Mexico's Rafael Márquez equalled his record in a 1–0 victory over Germany, and holds the record for the most World Cup matches played by a single player (25 games). He was the captain of the West German team that won the 1990 World Cup in Italy and also was captain of the German squad in the 1994 World Cup in the United States. He also won UEFA Euro 1980, and played in the 1984, 1988, and 2000 UEFA European Football Championships.  In 1999, aged 38, he was again voted German Footballer of the Year, having previously won the award in 1990.
Matthäus is the most capped German player of all time, retiring with a total of 150 appearances (83 for West Germany) in 20 years, and 23 goals. Matthäus is a member of the FIFA 100 list of the greatest living football players chosen by Pelé. Diego Maradona said of Matthäus, "he is the best rival I've ever had. I guess that's enough to define him", in his book Yo soy el Diego (I am the Diego).A versatile and complete player, Matthäus is regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, and was renowned for his perceptive passing, positional sense, well-timed tackling, as well as powerful shooting. During his career, he usually played as a box-to-box midfielder, although late in his career he played as a sweeper.

Michael Tarnat

Michael Tarnat (born 27 October 1969) is a German former footballer, currently employed by Bayern Munich as the leader of the U12–U16 youth teams. He is a left-footed full-back who has also played wingback and defensive midfield. His nickname is "Tanne", meaning "fir" in English. He ended his career with Hannover 96, having previously played for MSV Duisburg, Karlsruher SC, Bayern Munich and Manchester City. A veteran of 19 caps for Germany, Tarnat also participated in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He is renowned for his powerful free kicks and similar long-shots with his strong left foot.

Thomas Helmer

Thomas Helmer (born 21 April 1965) is a former German footballer.
His preferred playing position was sweeper, but he was primarily deployed as a central defender.Helmer spent most of his club career with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich – appearing in nearly 400 Bundesliga games in 15 seasons – and won the European Championship in 1996.

Werner Olk

Werner Olk (born 18 January 1938) is a former German footballer and coach.
He spent his career in the 1960s through the early 1970s with German club Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.  His honors with Bayern include the DFB-Pokal in 1966, 1967 and 1969; winner of the German Championship in 1969; and winner of the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1967. From 1965 until 1970 Olk served as Bayern's captain.
Olk started his football career as a youth player with SG Letter 05 (Hannover region) in 1948 and eventually switched into the youth team of TuS Seelze in Nachbarort. Before his transfer to Bayern Munich, he played in the Oberliga with Arminia Hannover.
Olk played his only cap for the German National Football Team in 1961.  He was an available member of the German squad at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. In the Amateur squad of the German National Team, Olk was called up three times. He was also called up into the Youth National Team in 1961 for a match against England.
After the completion of his career as a footballer, Olk became a manager for German clubs such as Eintracht Braunschweig, SV Darmstadt 98, SC Freiburg, SC Preußen Münster and Karlsruher SC. He also had a brief engagement managing FC St. Gallen in the Swiss League during the 1985–86 season.He then coached Morocco and El Zamalek.

Lúcio

Lucimar Ferreira da Silva (born 8 May 1978), commonly known as Lúcio, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Brasiliense as a central defender.
Lúcio began his professional career in 1998 with Sport Club Internacional. After three years in the club, he moved to Bayer Leverkusen, where he reached the 2002 Champions League final against Real Madrid of Spain. He scored a header in the final, which Real Madrid won with the score of 2–1. In 2004, he arrived at Bayern Munich, where he won three Cups and three Bundesliga titles. Since coach Louis van Gaal did not have a place for him at Bayern, he decided to search for a new team. He moved to Inter Milan in the summer of 2009, and helped them win the 2010 Champions League against his former club Bayern Munich.
With Brazil, Lúcio has accumulated a number of significant accomplishments, winning the 2002 World Cup, 2005 Confederations Cup and 2009 Confederations Cup. After the retirement of Kaká, he is the last active player of the 2002 winning team.

Hans Pflügler

Johannes Christian "Hans" Pflügler (born 27 March 1960) is a German retired footballer. He could operate as either a left back or a central defender, and played solely for Bayern Munich, winning eight major titles and appearing in nearly 400 official games.
Pflügler represented West Germany at the 1990 World Cup and Euro 1988, winning the former tournament.

Christian Ziege

Christian Ziege (German pronunciation: [ˈkʁɪsti̯an ˈt͡siːɡə]; born 1 February 1972) is a retired German footballer and is currently head coach for FC Pinzgau.
He started his playing career at FC Bayern Munich, where he won two Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Cup before moving to A.C. Milan, winning an Italian Scudetto. In 1999, he joined Middlesbrough of the English Premier League, where he was voted the club's Player of the Year in his only season. A year later, he joined Liverpool and was part of the squad which won a treble of the Football League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup in 2000–01. In 2001, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur, before ending his career back in Germany with Borussia Mönchengladbach.
With the German national team, Ziege won UEFA Euro 1996 and finished runner-up at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He also represented the country at UEFA Euro 2000, UEFA Euro 2004 and the 1998 FIFA World Cup. An attacking left wing-back, Ziege was considered a dead-ball specialist.

Wolfgang Dremmler

Wolfgang Dremmler (born 12 July 1954) is a German former footballer who played as a midfielder.
A trained metalworker, Dremmler was part of the West Germany team that reached the 1982 FIFA World Cup final against Italy at Santiago Bernabéu. Altogether he played in 310 Bundesliga matches (15 goals) for Eintracht Braunschweig and FC Bayern Munich, the club he joined in 1979 at the recommendation of Paul Breitner to win four Bundesliga and three German Cup trophies until his retirement due to a knee-injury in 1986. For West Germany he debuted on 7 January 1981 in a game against Brazil. In total he won 27 caps (three goals) for his country.Dremmler retired from coaching in football at the end of the 2016-17 season. Dremmler's last job was the director of Bayern's youth development center.

Olaf Thon

Olaf Thon (born 1 May 1966) is a German retired footballer and a current coach.
Mainly a central midfielder, his 19-year professional career was solely associated to Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich, having amassed more than 500 official games and 100 goals for both combined. Nicknamed The Professor, he also collected more than 50 caps for the German national team. Later in his career he played as a sweeper.

Johnny Hansen

Johnny Terney Hansen (born 14 November 1943) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a defender. He most notably played six years as a professional for German club Bayern Munich, with whom he won multiple domestic and international titles. He played 45 matches and scored three goals for the Denmark national football team between 1965 and 1978, and won the 1967 Danish Player of the Year award.

Norbert Eder

Norbert Alban Eder (born 7 November 1955) is a retired German footballer who played mainly as a defender.
In a 14-year professional career, he played in 433 games (33 goals) both major levels of German football combined (286/11 in the Bundesliga), representing 1. FC Nürnberg and Bayern Munich.
Eder appeared with West Germany at the 1986 World Cup.

Holger Badstuber

Holger Felix Badstuber ([ˈhɔlɡɐ ˈbaːtˌʃtuːbɐ]; born 13 March 1989) is a German footballer who plays as a centre back for VfB Stuttgart and the German national team. He is primarily a centre back, although he is a capable left back. He made his debut in the 2009–10 season in the Bundesliga, at the age of 19, playing nearly every game that year and helped the club win the league and cup double and reached the Champions League final that same year, before eventually earning a call up to the World Cup in 2010. Former Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal stated that he is the best left footed defender in Germany.

Udo Horsmann

Udo Horsmann (born 30 March 1952 in Beckum, Germany) is a German former footballer who played for FC Bayern Munich and was part of their European Cup winning team in 1976.

Kurt Niedermayer

Kurt Niedermayer (born 25 November 1955 in Reilingen) is a German former footballer, now a coach. Niedermayer, who played in defence or midfield, played for Karlsruher SC, FC Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart, FC Locarno and SC Pfullendorf. He won one cap for West Germany in 1980. He managed SV Wacker Burghausen from 1992 until 2000 and was later a youth coach at Bayern Munich.

Jupp Kapellmann

Hans-Josef "Jupp" Kapellmann (born 19 December 1949 in Bardenberg) is a former West German football player.Shining for just promoted Alemannia Aachen in a Bundesliga runner-up season in 1969, midfielder Kapellmann left Aachen for 1. FC Köln a year later and after Aachen had been relegated from the Bundesliga. Kapellmann was a proven regular with 1. FC Köln until 1973, ending on second place in the Bundesliga and in the German Cup in 1973 with them. Subsequent to his in-form performances for his club he was snapped up by FC Bayern Munich with his new club paying Köln 802,000 Deutsche Mark (a Bundesliga record at that time) for Kapellmann's services. Rather used as defender later on, Kapellmann was part of the European Cup winner squads of Bayern in 1974, 1975 and also in 1976. He further won the Bundesliga in 1974 and the Intercontinental Cup in 1976 with Die Bayern, but played the last forty of his 338 Bundesliga matches (36 goals) for local rival TSV 1860 Munich.
For West Germany Jupp Kapellmann came to action in five games in between 1973 and 1974, but could not land himself a regular participation. In 1974, he was part of the host-nation-squad for the FIFA World Cup, watching his team lifting the trophy from his spot on the substitution bench.
Nowadays, Dr. Kapellmann is a doctor for Orthopedic surgery in the Bavarian town of Rosenheim.

Norbert Nachtweih

Norbert Nachtweih (born 4 June 1957) is a retired  German professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
He played in 325 Bundesliga games over the course of 13 seasons (46 goals), playing for Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich and winning eight major titles combined, including four national championships with the latter.

Thomas Strunz

Thomas Strunz (born 25 April 1968) is a German retired footballer who played mostly as a defensive midfielder.
Over the course of 12 seasons, he amassed Bundesliga totals of 235 games and 32 goals, representing in the competition Bayern Munich and Stuttgart. He won 12 major titles with the first club.
Strunz gained 41 caps for Germany, during nine years. He was part of the squad that won Euro 1996.

The best defenders ever to lace up their cleats for Bayern Munich have been part of a long legacy of tremendous soccer. All the FC Bayern Munich&nbsp;stars of ...