If there’s one thing that can unite people of all walks and ages, it is the universal love for football. However, although widely popular, not many people know the names behind the sport. For that reason, this post aims to make known to the public five of the best football players of all time. See if you can recognize some:
1. Pele
The list of the greatest players in football history will not be complete without the Brazilian legend Pele. No player has won more World Cups than him, and that alone should be enough to justify the Brazilian’s inclusion on the top of this list.
Goalscorer supreme, Pele was also the focal point of attack for club and country and is known to be the only player to score more than 1200 senior goals. The youngest ever player (17 years old) to score in a World Cup, he scored twice in the 1958 World Cup finals against Sweden, earning himself an unbeatable record up until this day.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
A remarkably talented kid in Sporting CP, Cristiano Ronaldo was discovered by Sir Alex Ferguson, and it is at Manchester United that the Portuguese superstar first cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of our generation, and has ultimately become the single most recognizable name in world football today
On top of his game for close to 16 years now, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has continued to rack up the goals for Juventus after swapping Madrid for Turin in the summer of 2018.
3. Lionel Messi
Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi, along with Cristiano Ronaldo, is undoubtedly among the greatest players of our generation. Bursting onto the scene as a fresh-faced La Masia kid in 2005, Messi, first under the tutelage of Frank Rijkaard and then, more importantly, under Pep Guardiola, established himself as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game.
A child prodigy, Messi, after Ronaldinho’s departure, quickly became Barcelona’s main man and was the star of Pep Guardiola’s 2008-09 all-conquering Barcelona side.
4. Alfredo Di Stefano
Real Madrid’s greatest ever player and an integral part of their dominance in the 1950s, Alfredo Di Stefano had a long 20-year career where he was among the top footballers of the world for the entire duration.
Best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, Di Stefano scored an incredible 307 goals in 396 appearances and won 15 major honors with Los Blancos, including five straight European Championships.
Playing as a supporting striker or as an attacking midfielder along with Puskas and Gento, Di Stefano was always at his best during the big matches and holds the record for being the only player to score in 5 European Cup finals.
Until today, many people still consider Di Stefano to be the best Argentine player ever, even better than Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi.
5. Johan Cruyff
A pioneer who brought the brilliant idea of ‘total football’ to Ajax, Barcelona, and the Netherlands national team, Johan Cruyff had a distinguished career for both his club and national teams playing some beautiful football along the way.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or three times in his phenomenal career (1971,73 and 74), Cruyff first created his legacy in Ajax, where he guided the Dutch giants to multiple league titles and three stunning European Championships, playing an integral role and leading from the front.
Finally calling time on his incredible career in 1984, where he improbably guided Feyenoord to the league title, Cruyff was a true legend of the game who stayed at the very top level for an incredible 20 years.
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