Football is a team game that some considered being the most popular sport in the world. Invented in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, this sport is still filling stadium with million of fans. We have prepared a list with the most famous football players in the world. Enjoy!
1. Pele
Edison Arantes do Nasciment also known as Pele, is famous as he has scored more that 1000 goal in his career! He has played in 4 World Cup with the Brazilian national Team and won 3 of them in 1958, 1962 and 1970. In 1958, he was only 17 when he played in the World Cup Final match, becoming the youngest player to take part in such a game, as he scored two goals and the final Brazil Sweden ended 5–2. Moreover, he is known for playing in Santos, a Brazilian club team.
2. Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert Charlton is an English former football player that is considered to be the greatest midfielders of all time. In 1966, he was part of the England team who won the Word Cup hosted by England. In the same year, he won the Ballon d’Or for European Footballer of the Year. Moreover, he was also selected for other 3 World Cup: 1958, 1962 and 1970. Most of his career, he played for Manchester United, where he was known for his fitness and stamina.
3. Franz Beckenbauer
Nicknamed Der Kaiser (“The Emperor”), was the leader of German national team that won the World cup trophy in 1974. He is known as the most elegant defender of all time, thus the nickname. Beckenbauer is one of the most decorated footballers in the history of the game. He played in three World Cups and was selected twice as the European Footballer of the Year. In his role as manager, his team won the World cup again in 1990.
4. Johan Cruyff
Winner of the Ballon d’Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, Johan Cruyff is a former Dutch footballer. In his career, he played in 2 consecutive World Cup finals with Dutch national team, but unfortunately they lost both games. After his retirement, he was the manager ofAjaxand later on of FC Barcelona. He was the leader of the national team that probably played the most spectacular football games in the world history.
5. Dino Zoff
Dino Zoff is the only goalkeeper from this top 1o and probably the best goalkeeper in football history. He was the captain of the Italian national football team that won the World Cup in Spain 1982, at the age of 40 years. He played for team Napoli and Juventus. Moreover, in 1968 won European Football Championship.
6. Michel Platini
Michel Platini is currently the president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). He has held this role since 2007. He is in our top ten, as in 1984, when he was a member of the French national team they won the European Championship. In that tournament, he was the top goal scorer and voted the best player. During his career, he played for clubs Nancy, Saint-Étienne, and Juventus. Moreover, he won the Ballon d’Or 3 years in a row: in 1983, in 1984 and in 1985.
7. Diego Maradona
He is considered the best Argentinean football player of all times. He has won in 1999 FIFA Player of the 20th Century. He is the only football player to break the world-record contract fees twice: firstly when he was transferred for £5m and then for £6.9m. He played for Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla and Newell’s Old Boys. Moreover, he played for 4 FIFA World Cup tournaments, winning the one from 1986, being the best player of the tournament.
8. Zinedine Zidan
Zinedine Zidan was born in Marseille France in 1972. He was the leader of the French national team that won the World Cup in 1998 and also the European Championship on 2000. In 1998 he won the Ballon D’or . He had the most expensive transfer at that period (2001) when he joined Real Madrid for a then world record fee of about €75 million. He also played in the 2006 World Cup final, lost againstItaly. In 2002, he won UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, scoring a fabulous winning goal in the final.
9. Ronaldo
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima also known as Ronaldo or as ‘the Phenomenon’. He is one of only three men to have won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times. He won twice the Ballon D’or – once in 1997 and then in 2002. He has played for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and AC Milan. He is the top goal scorer of World Cup scoring no less than 15 goals. In 2002 with Brazil national team he won the World Cup.
10. Lionel Messi
Messi is an Argentinean football player who has won 4 FIFA World Player of the Year and 4 Ballon d’Or. He won 3 Champions League with Barcelona: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11. France Football magazine ranked him at the top of its list of the world’s richest footballers in 2010, placing him ahead of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo,.
Leave a Reply