Check out the Biggest Football Stars in History

Check out the greatest football stars in history. Find out which names made our list!

Throughout the history of the sport, great football stars have emerged. They made great moves, dribbles and goals that will certainly remain in your memory. From time to time, new lists appear listing the biggest football stars. Some even cause some controversy, either because of the chosen players or even the absence of one.

Therefore, our list included players from different generations, even the most recent ones. Now, without further ado, let’s get down to business!

1. Pele (Brazil)

The King certainly had to be at the top of our list of Football Stars!

Wearing the shirt of the Brazilian national team, he won three titles. And believe it or not, the first one was just 17 years old. It is estimated that throughout his career, Pelé scored a total of 1281 goals, although officially only 767 goals are considered. There is no doubt that he will always be the greatest athlete of all time.

Sadly, on December 29, 2022 the King left us at the age of 82.

2. Maradona (Argentina)

To this day, many wonder which is the best, Pelé or Maradona. Of course, for Argentines, the player will always be the “God”, as many considered him.

The player played for clubs such as Boca Jrs, Barcelona and Napoli. He also wore the jersey of the Argentina national team, achieving the country’s first World Cup title in 1986.

Many remember him for his effective dribbling, his almost flawless finishing and his quick runs. And on the other hand, controversies have always been part of his life. There were several cases of Doping and chemical dependency.

He passed away on November 25, 2020, aged 60 due to a cardiorespiratory arrest.

3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

“La Pulga”, as his compatriots call him, is currently considered the best player in the world. Even though his career hasn’t ended yet, some are even discussing whether or not Messi would be the greatest of all time.

Wearing the Barcelona shirt, the player has already conquered everything, even phenomenal plays and gala exhibitions. During his time at the club he scored a total of 672 goals.

Currently, the Argentine plays for Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (PSG).

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Who hasn’t heard about CR7? This famous Portuguese player is one of the most famous in the world and right away he is a machine when it comes to breaking records and winning titles.

The player was responsible for Real Madrid’s latest achievements: 4 Champions League titles in just five years. In addition to his brilliant participation playing for the Portuguese national team. That’s why many already consider him the best Portuguese player in the history of football.

5. Ronaldo Fenômeno (Brazil)

Of course Ronaldo couldn’t be left out! No wonder it was nicknamed “Phenomenon”. Playing for the Brazilian national team, he won two World Cups (1994 and 2002). He has also won FIFA’s Best in the World award on three occasions.

Several serious knee injuries hindered the player’s career. He is currently the owner and manager of Sociedade Anônima do Futebol (SAF) in Cruzeiro.

6. Zidane (France)

Zidane was one of the main players responsible for France’s title in the 1998 World Cup. With his phenomenal moves, passes and great goals, he showed the world that he would enter the list of the best in the world.

In the year 2000 he joined Real Madrid. At the club he played with big names in football, such as Ronaldo, Figo, Roberto Carlos, among others. The player won three awards for Best in the World, like Ronaldo.

7. Zico (Brazil)

The “Galinho”, as he was nicknamed, is the greatest idol in the history of Flamengo. In 1982 he joined the Brazilian team in the Cup, being considered a great highlight of the selection.

He played in Japan for 4 years, where he finally retired his cleats. He is still considered there as a football idol. He is currently the technical director of the Japanese club Kashima Antlers.

8. Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)

Franz is considered the greatest football player in Germany. In the 1974 World Cup he was featured and enchanted everyone with his talent.

He made history wearing the shirt of Bayern Munich, a club for which he played for 13 years and participated in more than 500 games.

9. Alfredo di Stéfano (Argentina / Spain)

He is certainly considered the greatest player in the history of Real Madrid. Playing for the club he won 5 Champions League titles in a row and eight Spanish championships. In total he scored 308 goals in 398 games playing for Real Madrid.

The most curious fact about his career is that he played for three different teams: Argentina (home country), Colombia and Spain (where he established himself).

10. Eusébio (Portugal)

This was one of Pelé’s great rivals. Playing for Benfica he managed to win Two Champions League. Before Cristiano Ronaldo came along, Eusébio was considered the best Portuguese player of all time.