Best Soccer Players Of All Time – Latest List

Soccer has been called the world’s most popular sport, and it has undoubtedly produced some of the greatest athletes known to mankind. From Lionel Messi’s incredible dribbling skills to Cristiano Ronaldo’s power from free kicks, it seems like every generation produces its own version of a legendary soccer player.

In this blog post, we’ll be taking a look at some of the best soccer players of all time; those who have earned widespread recognition for their technical abilities, tactical knowledge, and game-changing performances that make them stand out among the rest.

These dynamic playmakers not only won titles with their clubs but also captivated audiences across the globe through their dazzling displays on and off the pitch. So grab your favorite snack and enjoy our journey as we list down some of the greatest footballers ever!

List Of 13 Best Soccer Players Of All The Time

Lionel Andrés Messi, An Argentine Professional Soccer Player And Heart Beat For Many

Short in stature, Lionel Andres Messi, also known as Leo Messi, was born on June 24, 1987. He possesses a hefty soccer profile. He has played for his national football team and several clubs.

His football career is awe-inspiring. He started his career at the age of 13 after joining Barcelona. At the age of 14, he became a prominent member of the Baby Dream Team. Let’s have a look at his Club and International career. Let’s look at some of the significant achievements of one of the greatest footballers of the era. 

Peak Years

Messi peaked from 2009 and 2012 to the 2022′ world cup, which looks like a short period of career peaking. But the amount of fame he gained in this short period is unforgettable. 

Significant Achievements Of Lionel Messi

After joining Barcelona at 13, he started progressing and confirmed his place in the international team. During this session, he played for Barcelona. Here is a list of mega achievements of Messi.

The list is quite heavy, so you have to be with us. I know you know everything, but this is a tribute to a great player of the era.

Messi won the Ballon d’Or five times in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015. So for four years, he was the alone king of the award. 

The year 2009 was a lucky one for Messi as he was the FIFA Player of the year.

Apart from these achievements, he is Barcelona’s all-time top goalscorer.

Lionel Messi is also the 6-time winner of Pichichi, an addition to his extraordinary achievements.

He is one of the best soccer players produced by Argentina. And he never disappointed the selectors at all. He is the winner of the Argentina All-time top goalscorer.

And the story goes on, and he is not only the winner of the national level top goalscorer but also the award for most goals scored by a player in a calendar year.

In the calendar year 2011 and 2015, he remained the UEFA Men’s player of the year.

And the list of achievements is still in the flow. La Liga is one of the best leagues, and every player dreams of participating in this league. Messi is the player who participated in it and remained the king of the La Liga league by winning the 7-time player of the year award.

He won the FIFA World Cup 2014 Golden Ball.

He started his career at the age of 13 and became a young European footballer in 2005.

He is the winner of the European Golden Shoe. This is an achievement that one can only think about.

Nine La Liga titles. He looks like a real hero. And four champions league. 

This is a short list of Messi’s achievements. It took me a while to write this shortlist. How can we imagine the struggle and hard work behind all these achievements? 

Cristiano Ronaldo is A live wire With A Heavy Football CV.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s full name is Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, but if you don’t have enough time to pronounce his name’s longer format of his name then remember his nickname CR7. He is a versatile footballer known for his football skills around the globe. He was born on February 5, 1985. One of the youngest all-time best soccer players. Let’s have a look at his career and his achievements.

Club Career Of Cristiano Ronaldo

He played his first-ever club match against Inter Milan on August 14, 2002, at 17. This was his first appearance in the international arena. Remember that he was not the team’s first choice, and he played in the second of the game. In 2003, Manchester United was defeated by Ronaldo’s team, and Ronaldo was the star of that game he scored two goals. And these were two goals that inspired most of the spectators. Later he was signed for Manchester United. 

Top Clubs For Which Ronaldo Has Played

Ronaldo has played for three leading clubs. These clubs and their details are given below. 

• He joined Manchester United, one of the best football clubs, on August 12, 2003, as the first Portuguese player. A real honor for a player
• His career with Manchester United ended in 2009, and on July 1, 2009, he became a part of Real Madrid. 
• Almost nine years of the Real Madrid career of Cristiano Ronaldo ended in 2018, and he signed for Juventus. But his stay with this club was a bit short.
• And on August 31, 2021, he rejoined Manchester United again.

International Career of Cristiano Ronaldo

He started his international career for Portugal as a junior at 15. He played his first match international match in 2001. In 2002 he was a member of the U-17 team 2002. 

Ronaldo continued progressing and became a member of the Portugal international team in 2003 at the age of 18. This was quite an achievement for a flamboyant player. He scored his first-ever international level against Greece at the UEFA Euro 2004.

Major Achievements

The list of the major achievements of this great soccer player is quite lengthy. So, let’s have a look at the list.

• Ballon d’Or, winner 5 times in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 shows his capability
• He is three times FIFA World Player of the Year in 2008, 2016 & 2017
• He won the UEFA best player three times as well in 2014, 2016 & 2017 
• He won the European golden shoe four times 
• Two times PFA Players’ player of the year
• UEFA Champions League all-time top goalscorer
• Cristiano Ronaldo is the leading scorer for his club (Real Madrid).
• Two La Liga titles are under his belt
• Apart from that, he has won three Premier League titles.
• Scudetti winner 
• Cope del Ray winner
• FA Cup

His Favorite Positions.

You would be wondering how this fantastic soccer player has managed to get all these awards. There is only one answer to that – he could do exceptionally well on both wings. He is a formidable striker as well. And that is the reason he achieved that much in only a few years of his soccer career.

Pele – A Sharp Brazilian professional footballer

Pele is widely regarded by both soccer fans and experts as one of the greatest soccer players in history. But what exactly are the achievements that make him stand out among other greats? Let’s take a closer look at why Pele is considered to be one of the best soccer players ever.

Pele’s career is jam-packed with impressive achievements. He has scored an astonishing 1,281 goals during his time as a professional player, making him one of the highest-scoring players in history. He also holds the record for most international caps —the number of times a player has represented their country—at 92 appearances for Brazil.

In addition to his records on the field, he holds three Guinness World Records for being the youngest ever to play in a World Cup final (17 years and 249 days), scoring in four consecutive World Cup tournaments (1958–1970), and appearing in more World Cup finals than any other player (4).

Pele was known not only for his impressive goal tally but also for his skillful play on the pitch. He was renowned for his ability to score from almost impossible angles, demonstrated by his famous bicycle kick against Italy during the 1958 World Cup final—which went down in history as one of soccer’s most iconic goals.

His world-class dribbling skills were unmatched, allowing him to easily move past defenders and craftily create opportunities to score goals or set up plays for teammates. He also had excellent vision and awareness, which allowed him to anticipate where opposing players would move even before they decided themselves. This level of play earned him virtually every accolade possible throughout his career, including multiple Best Player awards and three FIFA Player Of The Century titles.

It is no surprise why Pele remains among some of the greatest soccer players ever—his records speak volumes about how talented he was on and off the field. Not only did he have an incredible goal tally, but he also played with an unparalleled skill, which made watching him an absolute joy. It’s hard to imagine anyone surpassing such a legacy anytime soon!

If you’re looking for inspiration or want to marvel at some incredible technical football, then look no further than Pele’s portfolio! You can bet that many aspiring soccer stars will continue to be inspired by his accomplishments long into the future!

Deigo Maradona

He’s widely considered to be one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and for a good reason. Diego Maradona was a force like no other, with an array of skills that made him virtually unstoppable when he was on the pitch. Let’s take a look at some of his achievements and how he changed the game forever.

During his time playing in Argentina, Spain, and Italy, Maradona won numerous awards and titles, including the 1986 FIFA World Cup, two UEFA Cups (one with Barcelona and one with Napoli), several league championships in Argentina, Spain, and Italy as well as several individual awards such as the Pichichi Trophy (top scorer in Spain) and South American Footballer of the Year.

It wasn’t just his achievements that made Maradona special – it was his style of play. His skill on the ball was simply extraordinary; he had a way of making even the most difficult moves look effortless. He had an incredible dribbling ability, could shoot from any distance with pinpoint accuracy, and had an innate sense for the game that allowed him to read plays quickly and make split-second decisions.

He also had a great vision; his ability to see passing lanes that others couldn’t was simply unmatched. Even more impressive was his leadership; despite never being appointed captain, he was often seen leading by example both on and off the field.

Maradona left a lasting mark on soccer that is still felt today. His technical skill inspired generations of players to push themselves to new heights in order to emulate him. His incredible vision opened up new possibilities for how teams can play together tactically.

Finally, his passion for the game made him a fan favorite all around the world – no matter what club or country he played for. To this day, he remains one of soccer’s most beloved figures and is considered one of its greatest players ever.

Diego Maradona will always be remembered as one of soccer’s greatest players thanks to his incredible achievements throughout his career as well as his unique style of play, which has inspired generations after him.

His technical skill, tactical awareness, and leadership qualities all combined together created an undeniable legacy that will live on forever in the hearts and minds of soccer fans all around the world. Whether you are a fan or not you can certainly appreciate why Diego Maradona is among the best soccer players ever!

Kylian Mbappe

It’s no secret that Kylian Mbappe is one of the most talented players in the world. With his incredible speed, skill, and strength, it’s no wonder he’s become one of the most popular players in soccer history. Let’s take a look at some of his achievements and why he deserves to be considered one of soccer’s greatest players.

Mbappe started playing competitive soccer at an early age and quickly rose through the ranks of Paris Saint-Germain’s youth teams. In 2017, he was signed by PSG for an initial fee of €180 million—the second-most expensive transfer deal ever.

Since then, Mbappe has proved himself to be an invaluable asset to the club. He has scored 94 goals in 127 appearances in all competitions and has helped lead PSG to three Ligue 1 titles (2017–2018, 2018–2019, 2019–2020) and two Coupe de France trophies (2018–2019, 2019–2020).

On the international stage, Mbappe has been equally impressive. He made his senior debut for France in 2017 at only 18 years old and quickly established himself as a key player for Les Bleus. He scored four goals during their winning campaign at the 2018 FIFA World Cup—including a spectacular solo goal against Argentina in the round of 16—and was awarded the tournament’s Best Young Player award. He has since gone on to score 19 goals for France in 37 appearances across all competitions.

Mbappe’s recent performance speaks for itself: he recently won back-to-back UNFP Player of the Year awards (2018–2019 and 2019–2020) and was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for 2020 after scoring 32 goals in 29 games last season.

His combination of speed, agility, technical skill, and tactical awareness make him one of the most dangerous attackers in soccer today—and could make him one of its greatest-ever players if he continues on this trajectory.

It is clear that Kylian Mbappe is a force to be reckoned with both on and off the pitch. From helping PSG win multiple titles to leading France to glory at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Mbappe has proven time and time again why he is one of soccer’s greatest players. If he continues his current form over the next few years, there is no doubt that his name will be remembered as one of soccer’s all-time greats!  ​​​​​

John Charles The Best Ever Soccer Player British Have Produced 

British have a rich history in soccer. Soccer fields have witnessed several top-notch Welsh football players. A few of them are Gareth Bale, Ben Davies, Kit Symons, David Vaughan, Sam Vokes, Gray Sprake, and many other players. But John Charles was the real hero of his time. And he is still remembered as the greatest Welsh player ever. 

The Peak Of John Charles Career – One of the Best Soccer Players of All the Time

John Charles started his career as a footballer at Leeds in 1949. This was his first appearance in the world of soccer. But his career was at its peak from 1957 to 1960. This was the golden era when he touched the peak of his soccer career.

John Charles Unforgettable Achievements

One of the dreams of a soccer player is to win the Ballon d’Or. This is a French word that means Golden Ball. Though Charles did not finish top in the race, he secured the third position in the 1956/57 era. This is one of the most significant achievements of his life. Apart from this, he won Scudetti three times and two times Coppa Italia. All these achievements make him one of the best soccer players globally.

His Favorite Positions

He was a powerful forward player and has proved himself one of the best center-back players as well. Though he was pretty valuable at both these positions, he loved the forward where he played as a striker for his team. He scored 28 goals in a single season at this particular position. 

Jairzinho A Great Brazilian Soccer Player

Jairzhino, whose full name is Jair Ventura Filho, was born on December 25, 1944. He started his club career in 1958 at the age of 13, and two years later, he stepped into his professional career in 1960. 

Jairzinho Great Achievements

Every player has to do well before reaching their career peak, and the same thing happened to this great football player too. Though he started his professional career in 1960, it took him almost ten years to reach his career peak. 

Jairzinho Career Peak

Jeazhino reached his career peak after ten years of his debut. The long era of an unknown hero had paid him a lot in the ’70s. Let’s have a look at some of his major achievements.

Major Achievements

One of his majors is the only player who scored at least a goal in every match. This is something exceptional. Scoring goals consistently is not an easy thing to achieve. He also grabbed the award of Best Body on the Plant” FIFA Award. 

His Favorite Position

Every player can showcase his best performance on the football field if he is given the right position. Jairzhino played as a striker for his team as a right-winger. 

Paolo Rossi, an Italian football player

Who knew that the boy born in Parto, Italy, would become a legend in the coming 30 years. Yes, I am talking about the Italian Football Player Paolo Rossi. He started his professional career in 1972-73. It took him almost 8 years to become a world football star.

Paolo Rossi Peak Year 

The peak year of his career was 1982. This is the year when he led his team through to the final and became soccer world champion after beating a mighty West Germany team. This year proved a golden era for this young Italian soccer star. In the FIFA World Cup 1982, he not only scored a hat-trick against Brazil, which was an unbeatable team at that time. 

Major Achievements

Some of his significant achievements are given below

• Ballon d’Or winner in 1982
• Golden Ball winner of the FIFA World 1982
• Two Coppa Italia title winner
• One European Cup title
• Two Scudetti titles

These are numerous achievements for a player within a calendar year. 

His Favorite Position

Paolo Rossi played for his team as a forward. He scored six goals in the FIFA World Cup in 1982 to claim the golden boot. In the 1982 FIFA World apart hat-trick against Brazil, he also scored a goal against Poland and a goal in the Final to beat West Germany in the final. 

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior

Neymar Jr. is one of the most accomplished soccer players in the world, but is he the greatest of all time? There is no denying that he has been an impressive force on the field for years, but what makes him stand out from other players? Let’s take a look at his accomplishments, performance and skill to see if he truly deserves to be considered one of the best players ever.

Neymar Jr. has achieved many great things throughout his career in soccer. He won four consecutive league titles with Santos FC in Brazil, as well as two Copa Libertadores championships and a FIFA Club World Cup trophy. He also became the first Brazilian to win La Liga with Barcelona and was even named La Liga’s Best Player in 2016.

His international accomplishments include winning the Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016 and helping Brazil reach the semi-finals at both World Cups in 2014 and 2018. These successes have propelled Neymar Jr. to become one of the most decorated soccer players in history

When it comes to performance, Neymar Jr stands out among his peers for his incredible technique and finesse on the ball. He is able to dribble past defenders with ease due to his superior footwork and agility, making him a nightmare for opponents when he gets close to the goal.

His vision has also been praised by pundits and fans alike; he often finds creative ways to set up teammates for goals or score himself with stunning long-range strikes or free kicks. His ability to find space on the pitch also makes him an asset for any team he plays for; this skill allows him to make dangerous runs off the ball which often catch defenders off guard and create goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Overall, Neymar Jr’s skillset makes him one of the most dangerous players on the pitch at any given time; his speed, agility, vision and technical ability combine to make him a truly unique talent that few can match up against.

In addition to these qualities, his leadership ability cannot be overlooked either; he can often be seen motivating teammates during games or giving inspiring speeches before kick-off, which helps bring out their best performances on game day.

Finally, it should also be noted that despite being only 28 years old, he already has over 400 professional appearances under his belt, which speaks volumes about how durable he is as a player as well as how much experience he has accumulated over these years playing at some of Europe’s top clubs such as Barcelona, PSG and now back with Santos FC where it all started for him back in 2009.

In conclusion, there is no doubt that Neymar Jr is one of the greatest soccer players of all time thanks to his numerous accomplishments both domestically and internationally coupled with his outstanding performances on the pitch due to his incredible skill set, which includes speed, agility, vision, and technique along with leadership abilities that help inspire teammates around him when they need it most during pressure moments within matches.

This combination of attributes plus immense durability makes Neymar Jr an invaluable asset no matter who signs him next season! Whether you are a fan of Neymar Jr or not, you cannot deny that what we are witnessing right now from this amazing individual will go down in soccer history books forever!

Paul Breitner A German Legendary Soccer Player

Let’s move to Germany from Italy. Yet another European player with God-gifted skills. He was too o much to handle. Let’s have a look at his brief history.

Paul Breitner was born on September 5, 1951. He started his career as a footballer in 1970 and played for the coming 13 years. He enjoyed almost half of his football career as his prime era. 

Peak Years Of The Paul Breitner Soccer Player

As mentioned earlier, he is one of the luckiest players whose peak time remained for almost 6 to 7 years. It started in 1974, four years after his career, and ended in 1980. This is a considerable period of peaking. And during this, he earned a lot of success. 

Major Achievements 

He couldn’t win the dream reward of a football player, the Ballon d’Or. But he was the runner-up in 1981. But still, it was a significant achievement. 1974 World Cup title. 1972 UEFA European Championships. Apart from that, he was part of the FIFA World Cup All-Time Team. Bundesliga’s title is a significant achievement for any football player, and he won it five times. Two DFB-Pokal titles, one European Cup. So, the list of his accomplishments is quite long, like his career. 

He Played As a Forward For His Team

He played as a striker for his team. But this wasn’t the only trade that we could associate with him. He was a brilliant winger in the world as well. 

Kaka A Great Name In The History Of Brazilian Football

Kaka is one of the modern soccer players. He played for Brazil and earned massive fan attention. He was not only a great football player but was handsome too. Let’s have a quick look at his brief history.

Kaka was born on born April 22, 1982. His full name is Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite. A relatively young player on our selection list till now. He played for a club called São Paulo. He made his senior for this club. And this was the club that made him a star.  

Peak Years Of Kaka’s Carrer

Though Kaka started his professional career at 15, his peak years were from 2005 to 2009. During his peak era, he achieved several goals that every soccer player dreams of achieving. Now, let’s look at some of the major achievements of this young talented guy from Brazil. 

Kaka’s Major Achievements In His Career.

Got his dream reward, the Ballon d’Or in 2007. The same year gave him the FIFA World Player of the Year title. Two-time Serie A Footballer of the Year, Double achievement of the Time 100 list member, 2002 FIFA World Cup, One-time Scudetti winner, one UEFA Champions League, one La Liga, one Copa del Rey.

He Served His Country And Club As Attacking Midfielder

Position in soccer is always essential. Strikers and midfielders get more attractive as they fight from the front line. So, their performance matters a lot. And Kaka has served his clubs and Country a great deal in this crucial position. Torneio Rio-São Paulo is the tournament where he scored two goals in two minutes.

Lev Yashin is One Of The Greatest Goalkeepers Of All Time

Till now, we have been talking about the Best Soccer Players Of All Time, and all of them were forwards or midfielders. But here, in this passage, we will talk about one of the most influential goalkeepers, Lev Yashin, who played for the Soviets. 

Lev Yashin was born on October 22, 1929. His nickname was Black Spider or Black Panther. He started his club career in 1950, and four years later, he was also announced to the national team. His goal-keeping ability was exceptional.

Peak Years Of Lev Yashin

The peak era for great Russian goalkeepers started in 1956 and ended in 1964. A much-stretched era of consistent top-class performance. He achieved a lot during those years. Let’s look at some of the significant achievements of the Black Spider.

Major Achievements Of Lev Yashin

His list of achievements is quiet, but we will mention only the major ones that make him a distinguished goalkeeper of his era. He got his dream award, the Ballon d’Or, in 1963. The next significant achievement for this spectacular goalkeeper was the gold medal award at the Olympic level. 1960 UEFA European Football Championship. Announced as FIFA World Cup All-time team member. He won the Order of Lenin five times.

Favorite Position

For a goalkeeper, it is challenging to be the best player of all time. But Lev Yashin proved that it does not matter which position you play for your Country. You can earn a reputation if you play with sincerity and devotion. And this commitment has made him a real star who is still living in the hearts of his fans.

Stamina

He was an extraordinary soccer player who effortlessly used to cover miles on the field, exhibiting unparalleled stamina and tirelessness. His exceptional performances for both his team and nation left spectators in awe, solidifying his status as a standout player in the sport.

Hristo Stoichkov is a Bulgarian former professional football player.

Now let’s move to some other countries that have produced legends in soccer. And Hristo Stoichkov, a Bulgarian former professional football player, is one of them. Let’s explore a brief history of this brilliant football player. 

Hristo Stoichkov was born on February 8, 1966. He started his career as a footballer at the age of 11 years, showing his passion for the game. He played for Maritsa Plovdiv. He made his international debut against Belgium in 1988 in a UEFA Euro qualifying match. 

Peak Years

Within two years of his football career, he started to gain the attention of many around him. His peak years duration started in 1990 and lasted for four years. Till 1994 he had earned too much fame and fans.

His Mega Achievements

Let’s look at some of his mega achievements for teams he played for. 

He won the Ballon d’Or in 1994. In 1990 he won the European Golden Shoe. He was declared Bulgarian Footballer for five years. UEFA Champions League, and Five La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey. All these achievements make him a real all-time best soccer player. 

His Favorite Position

He played as a forward striker for his team. Due to his performance, his team was one of the toughest teams at FIFA World Cup 1994. Due to his performance, the team qualified for the Final of the FIFA World Cup 1994.

Performance In The FIFA World Cup 1994

He scored six goals in the FIFA World Cup 1994. The important thing is that he scored a goal in each knockout match and helped the team reach the final of FIFA World Cup 1994. But unfortunately, he couldn’t get his team over the line. The mighty Brazilians won the FIFA World Cup for the 4th time.

Players	Nationality	Goals Number	DOB	DOD
Lionel Andrés Messi	Argentine	1012	June 24, 1987	Alive
CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo	Portuguese	827	Feb 5, 1985	Alive
Pele	Brazilian	757	October 23, 1940	December 29, 2022
Deigo Maradona	Argentine	338	October 30, 1960	25 November 2020
Kylian Mbappe	French	373	December 20, 1998	Alive
John Charles	British	715	Dec 27, 1931	Feb 21, 2004
Jairzinho	Brazilian	413	Dec 25, 1944	Alive
Paolo Rossi	Italian	341	Sep 23, 1956	Dec 9, 2020
Neymar	Brazilian	708	February 5, 1992	Alive
Paul Breitner	German	330	Sep 5, 1951	Alive
Kaka	Brazilian	320	April 22, 1982	Alive
Lev Yashin	Russian	Goal Keeper	Oct 22, 1929	Mar 20, 1990
Hristo Stoichkov	Bulgarian	290	Feb 8, 1966	Alive

Final Words

It is quite challenging to draw ranking lines between the world’s Best Soccer Players Of All Time. The players selected in this article are based on the performances and achievements they have achieved in soccer. You can 100% disagree with our selection. We tried to bring our best to the list. But remember that the list of the best players is not that bad.

FAQs