35 Greatest Football Players Of All Time (2025)

An elusive list awaits you with some of the greatest players to ever play the game, across Europe, and the world. The list includes iconic players such as Ronaldo (R9), Zidane, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Pele, and Maradona, each with their own legacy and contributions to the game. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi occupy the top two spots on this ranking.

One of the great football topics is back for the 2024/25 season and there will be a wide array of differing opinions on the results. Deciding who is the greatest footballer of all time is never easy, particularly as fans biasedly claim their club legend is the best. It tends to be a common theme that a lot of people consider Cristiano Ronaldo , Lionel Messi , Diego Maradona and Pele to be the most prominent names in the hat for being the best player to have ever played the game, but always in different orders.



Unsurprisingly, all four of those names make it onto our list, but who else joins them in a ranking of the 35 greatest footballers of all-time? Factors taken into consideration when ranking these players are as follows: Importance to the team - This can be classed as goals, assists or clean sheets. Yet the more they've scored - or defended - the higher they are on the list. You can't be a legendary striker without scoring hundreds of goals.

Club and international trophies - If a player has played a crucial part in their team winning trophies, they have been ranked higher on this list. The top of professional football is all about winning trophies — and these players epitomised that. Individual Awards - However, some players stay at teams that don't compete for major trophies every year, so using individual awards to rank the 25 best is also important.

The Ballon d'Or is one of the most prestigious awards in the sport. The 35 Greatest Footballers of All Time Rank Name Appearances 1 Lionel Messi 1116 2 Cristiano Ronaldo 1268 3 Pele 739 4 Diego Maradona 428 5 Johan Cruyff 597 6 Franz Beckenbauer 723 7 Ferenc Puskas 328 8 Zinedine Zidane 797 9 Ronaldo 553 10 Alfredo Di Stefano 454 11 Michel Platini 622 12 Gerd Muller 674 13 Paolo Maldini 785 14 Garrincha 294 15 Franco Baresi 797 16 Eusebio 500 17 Marco van Basten 431 18 Sir Bobby Charlton 789 19 Lev Yashin 432 20 Ronaldinho 643 21 Andres Iniesta 1012 22 Romario 983 23 Xavi 1060 24 Luka Modric 1036 25 Lothar Matthaus 935 26 Thierry Henry 917 27 Ruud Gullit 642 28 George Best 694 29 Roberto Baggio 699 30 Rivaldo 697 31 Kaka 651 32 Carlos Alberto 743 33 Manuel Neuer 938 34 Gareth Bale 665 35 Sir Stanley Matthews 717 Correct as of 22/04/25 35 Sir Stanley Matthews Sir Stanley Matthews is one of the best English players ever. He was knighted in 1965 for his achievements in football while he was still at Stoke City.

He remains the only footballer to be knighted during his playing career. Although he came from Stoke, his best achievement came at Blackpool, where he won the FA Cup in 1953. Three years later, he won the inaugural Ballon d'Or, beating the likes of Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas to first place.

He also remains in the English record books for making an appearance in a top-flight match at the age of 50. 34 Gareth Bale Gareth Bale being on this list might surprise some, particularly when someone like Eden Hazard isn't. However, he was consistently world-class and epitomised the idea of 'hard work'.

He made a name for himself at Tottenham Hotspur. The Welshman won just one trophy there - the 2008 Carling Cup - but he carried the team on his back. Bale famously broke onto the scene with a hat-trick away to European champions Inter Milan in 2010.

He eventually moved to Real Madrid for a world-record fee where he won everything he could. Bale's overhead kick to win the 2018 Champions League against Liverpool remains one of the greatest goals in the competition's history. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Southampton 2006 - 2007 45 5 12 Tottenham 2007 - 2013 202 55 55 Real Madrid 2013 - 2020 258 106 67 Tottenham 2020 - 2021 34 16 3 LA FC 2022 - 2023 14 3 0 Wales 2006 - 2022 111 40 22 33 Manuel Neuer Manuel Neuer is renowned for being one of the first 'modern' goalkeepers, who was extremely skillful with the ball at his feet and has adopted the role of sweeper keeper for many years.

In fact, in 2020, he was awarded the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) goalkeeper of the decade award for his performances between 2011 and 2020. He has won an abundance of team trophies as well. Most notably, he won the World Cup with Germany in 2014.

Domestically, he has won the Bundesliga 11 times and the Champions League twice, with the most recent of these triumphs coming in the 2019/20 campaign. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Schalke 04 II 2004 - 2006 26 0 0 FC Schalke 2005 - 2011 152 0 0 Bayern Munich 2011 - Current 554 0 0 Germany 2009 - 2024 124 0 0 Correct as of 22/04/25. 32 Carlos Alberto Carlos Alberto is most well-known for captaining the Brazil team in the 1970 World Cup final .

The Selecao beat Italy 4-1 in the final, with Alberto scoring the last goal, which is considered one of the best goals in football history. After a period of swift passes between the men in yellow, Pele laid the ball off to the right-back who smashed the ball into the bottom corner in front of over 107,000 people at Estadio Azteca. Alberto was recognised for his achievements for club and country in 1998 when he was selected for the World Team of the 20th century.

Domestically, he won 16 trophies for Fluminense, Santos and New York Cosmos before eventually retiring in 1982. 31 Kaka Kaka won the Ballon d'Or in 2007 after winning the Champions League with AC Milan. The team and individual achievements solidified his status as one of the greatest players of all time.

He also won the World Cup in 2002 in his first year representing his country, highlighting his legendary status at an early stage. For AC Milan, he excelled over six years from 2003-2009, scoring 75 goals in 270 matches. His spell at Real Madrid in the years was not as impressive, but he still managed to score 29 goals in 120 matches.

The Brazilian will always be remembered as one of the sport's best entertainers — and one of the best Brazilians . Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Sao Paulo 2000 - 2003 46 19 8 AC Milan 2003 - 2009 270 75 74 Real Madrid 2009 - 2013 120 29 39 AC Milan 2013 - 2014 37 9 7 Orlando City 2014 - 2017 78 25 19 Brazil 2002 - 2016 92 29 Unknown 30 Rivaldo Rivaldo had a stellar career for club and country, playing for the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and Olympiacos . In 1999, he won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year after winning La Liga for Barcelona and guiding Brazil to Copa America glory.

He was the joint top goalscorer for the tournament alongside Ronaldo with five goals, scoring a brace in the final against Uruguay. Three years later, the Brazilian forward won the World Cup in South Korea and Japan. He played a pivotal role in their 2-1 victory against England in the quarter-final, scoring the equaliser in the 45th minute.

Domestically, he was equally successful, winning league titles in four different countries and securing the Champions League trophy for Milan in 2003. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Santa Cruz 1990 - 1992 9 1 0 Mogi Mirim 1992 - 1994, 2014 - 2015 8 1 0 Corinthians 1993 - 1994 8 2 0 Palmeiras 1994 - 1996 9 5 0 Deportivo La Coruna 1996 - 1997 44 22 1 Barcelona 1997 - 2002 235 130 46 Milan 2002 - 2003 40 8 5 Cruzeiro 2004 3 0 1 Olympiacos 2004 - 2007 101 43 23 AEK Athens 2007 - 2008 44 15 15 Bunyodkor 2008 - 2011 34 14 1 Sao Paulo 2011 46 7 3 Kabuscorp 2012 21 11 2 Sao Caetano 2013 19 2 0 Brazil 1993 - 2003 76 35 17 29 Roberto Baggio The enduring appeal of Roberto Baggio is his universality. Despite playing for Italy's three northern giants - Juventus, Milan and Inter - Baggio is adored by all those fortunate enough to have seen his effortless grace.

The 'Divine Ponytail' - surely one of the best nicknames in football - saved his best work for those outside Serie A's established elite and the Italian national team. Baggio wove the first golden threads of his tapestry at Fiorentina, where his manager Aldo Agroppi gushed: "The angels sing, in his legs." The ephemeral forward rediscovered his best form during a year at Bologna before bowing out of the game with four glittering seasons in provincial Brescia.

Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Vicenza 1982 - 1985 47 16 Unknown Fiorentina 1985 - 1990 136 55 24 Juventus 1990 - 1995 200 115 48 AC Milan 1995 - 1997 67 19 23 Bologna 1997 - 1998 33 23 10 Inter Milan 1998 - 2000 59 17 18 Brescia 2000 - 2004 101 46 29 Italy 1988 - 2004 56 27 14 28 George Best George Best's peak was painfully brief. The winger with a body feint that could leave defenders with twisted blood led Manchester United to the club's first European Cup in 1968, scoring his 32nd goal of the season in the final against Benfica a week after his 22nd birthday. He never scored more than 10 goals for a European club after turning 26.

British football's first celebrity struggled to adjust to the fame he never asked for in an era when no one would have known how to react, least of all a shy kid from Belfast. As Best wryly reflected: "If I'd been born ugly, you'd never have heard of Pele." Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Manchester United 1963 - 1974 418 158 Unknown Jewish Guild 1974 5 0 Unknown Stockport County 1975 3 2 Unknown Cork City 1975 - 1976 3 0 Unknown Los Angeles Aztecs 1976 24 15 Unknown Fulham 1976 - 1977 47 10 Unknown Los Angeles Aztecs 1977 - 1978 37 14 Unknown Fort Lauderdale Strikers 1978 - 1979 33 7 Unknown Hibernian 1979 - 1980 22 3 Unknown San Jose Earthquakes 1980 - 1981 56 21 Unknown Bournemouth 1982 - 1983 5 0 Unknown Brisbane Lions 1983 4 0 Unknown Northern Ireland 1964 - 1977 37 9 Unknown Best even refused to play at Charlton’s testimonial, choosing to instead sit in a pub and throw eggs at a portrait of the Manchester United icon.

27 Ruud Gullit The former AC Milan midfielder makes it into the top 25 and ranks among some of the top players to have played the game in his position. Gullit spent the best years of his career in Italy, where he went on to win three Serie A titles and two European Cups. He was even able to reinvent himself as a top-class centre-back in the latter stages of his career when he signed for Chelsea.

From 1979 up to his retirement, Gullit played for a total of six clubs, scoring a total of 219 goals and providing 100 assists during that time frame. While he was born in Suriname, he opted to represent the Netherlands and played for two of the biggest clubs in the Eredivisie, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven. While the mighty Dutchman might be best known for his unmatched hairstyle and moustache, there is no doubting Gullit's ability on the pitch.

Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Haarlem 1979 - 1982 100 36 13 Feyenoord 1982 - 1985 103 41 13 PSV Eindhoven 1985 - 1987 75 53 29 AC Milan 1987 - 1994 171 56 40 Sampdoria 1994 - 1995 63 26 5 Chelsea 1995 - 1998 64 7 0 Netherlands 1981 - 1994 66 17 7 26 Thierry Henry Thierry Henry is regarded by many as one of the greatest Premier League players of all time . During his eight-year spell at Arsenal between 1999 and 2007, he won the league twice, including the 2003/04 campaign when the Gunners went unbeaten for the entire season. He scored 175 goals in the English top flight, making him the seventh top goalscorer in Premier League history, five ahead of Liverpool's current talisman, Mohamed Salah.

Henry was unable to win the Champions League in North London, losing in the final in 2006. He secured the trophy three years later for Barcelona, though, solidifying a legendary career for the elegant French forward. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Monaco 1994 - 1999 141 28 4 Juventus 1999 20 3 2 Arsenal 1999 - 2007, 2012 377 228 93 Barcelona 2007 - 2010 121 49 27 New York Red Bulls 2010 - 2014 135 52 42 France 1997 - 2010 123 51 30 25 Lothar Matthaus Lothar Matthaus never doubted his immense quality.

The dynamic central midfielder racked up a glut of trophies for Bayern Munich and the national team yet never felt appreciated by his people. "Germany should be ashamed of the way it treats such an idol," he fretted long after retirement . Such self-confidence played against Matthaus.

Plenty appreciated his unique blend of skills. Diego Maradona famously hailed the German as the "best rival I had in my whole career". The pair would overlap in Serie A and clashed in consecutive World Cup finals.

Matthaus lifted the global crown in 1990 and earned international acclaim as that year's Ballon d'Or winner. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Borussia Monchengladbach 1979 - 1984 200 51 1 Bayern Munich 1984 - 1988 152 69 15 Inter Milan 1988 - 1992 154 53 11 Bayern Munich 1992 - 2000 258 31 35 MetroStars 2000 21 0 1 West Germany/Germany 1980 - 2000 150 23 17 24 Luka Modric Halfway through his debut campaign at Real Madrid in 2012/13, Luka Modric was voted as the worst signing of the season in a poll conducted by the Spanish publication Marca. Manager Jose Mourinho called for time and patience.

"He's so good that the Santiago Bernabeu will fall in love with his class." Not for the first time, Mourinho was proven right. More than a decade spent discovering new passing angles with the outside of his right foot has led to a stack of silverware and widespread acclaim.

During Modric's final years in the Spanish capital, the entire stadium - including away fans - invariably rises in an ovation for the Croatian icon. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Dinamo Zagreb 2003 - 2008 79 24 21 Zrinjski Mostar 2003 - 2004 25 8 Unknown Inter Zapresic 2004 - 2005 18 4 Unknown Tottenham 2008 - 2012 160 17 25 Real Madrid 2012 - Present 585 43 93 Croatia 2006 - Present 186 27 29 Correct as of 22/04/25 23 Xavi Xavi is one of the greatest midfielders of all time . His ability to dictate matches and play pin-point passes was extraordinary — and something very few midfielders have been able to do.

He played a key role in the golden generation at Barcelona, showcased by winning the Champions League in 2009 and 2011 alongside Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi. Both times came against Manchester United, where Xavi dominated the middle of the park. For Spain, he won a World Cup and two European Championships, cementing his status as one of the greatest of all time.

His teammate Iniesta was somehow even better, just. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Barcelona 1998 - 2015 767 85 185 Al-Sadd 2015 - 2019 99 23 30 Spain 2000 - 2014 133 12 25 22 Romario If Romario had been in charge of this list, he would have been far closer to its summit. The outspoken Brazilian striker claimed that only two players in the history of the game - Pele and Maradona - were better than him.

While that lofty appraisal may be a stretch, there is some justification for his self-confidence. A wiry, bandy-legged forward, Romario's unashamed objection was simple: score. After a career that spanned five continents and more than 750 goals in official competitions, it was certainly mission complete.

But to focus solely on numbers - which Romario has gained a reputation for distorting - ignores the impish craft laced throughout his game. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Vasco da Gama 1985 - 1988 142 80 Unknown PSV 1988 - 1993 148 128 24 Barcelona 1993 - 1995 66 39 11 Flamengo 1995 - 1999 215 187 Unknown Valencia 1996 - 1997 12 6 0 Vasco da Gama 1999 - 2002 136 131 Unknown Fluminense 2002 - 2004 75 47 Unknown Al-Sadd 2003 3 0 Unknown Vasco da Gama 2005 - 2006 56 41 Unknown FC Miami 2006 26 19 Unknown Adelaide United 2006 4 1 Unknown Vasco da Gama 2007 19 15 Unknown America FC 2009 1 0 Unknown Brazil 1987 - 2005 80 68 11 21 Andres Iniesta Xavi and Andres Iniesta were like 'two peas in a pod'. They coupled each other perfectly in the middle of the park, allowing Barcelona to dominate European football.

It led to success year after year, with Guardiola incredibly complimentary of the Spaniards. Over his 12 years at Barcelona - and more at the academy - Iniesta played over 674 matches, assisting over 130 goals. His work for Spain was just impressive, controlling matches effortlessly.

Due to the dominance of Ronaldo and Messi, he never had the opportunity to compete for the Ballon d'Or, but - if the legendary duo didn't exist - Iniesta would surely have won it. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Barcelona 2002 - 2018 674 57 136 Vissel Kobe 2018 - 2023 134 26 25 Emirates 2023 - 2024 23 5 1 Spain 2006 - 2018 134 14 Unknown 20 Ronaldinho However, the Barcelona legends don't stop there. Slightly earlier than Xavi and Iniesta, Ronaldinho shocked fans with his ability to dominate matches from the flank.

He glided past opponents, created skill moves out of nothing and acted as if it was a kick around in the park. His best spell at Barcelona saw him score 90 goals and earn 70 assists in just 207 matches, whilst he also won the World Cup and Champions League throughout his career. His career took a sour turn at the end — and post-retirement — but he is still considered one of the most naturally gifted players of all time.

Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Gremio 1998 - 2001 10 1 1 PSG 2001 - 2003 77 25 17 Barcelona 2003 - 2008 207 94 70 AC Milan 2008 - 2011 95 26 29 Flamengo 2011 - 2012 44 19 13 Atletico Mineiro 2012 - 2014 73 24 28 Queretaro 2014 - 2015 30 8 8 Fluminense 2015 9 0 0 Brazil 1999 - 2013 97 33 Unknown From Lionel Messi to Ronaldinho, there have been some incredible dribblers over the years. 19 Lev Yashin Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to ever win the Ballon d'Or, whilst he now has an award named after him - the Yashin Trophy - which is given to the best goalkeeper each year. His individual qualities were spectacular, particularly on the international stage, but he also stayed at one club for his entire career - Dynamic Moscow.

In total, he made 358 appearances for Dynamo Moscow from 1950-1970 which saw him win eight major trophies. Yashin amazed people with his ability to save shots, which were once deemed impossible to save. Between the sticks, he is one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, even winning the European Championships with the Soviet Union.

Greatness epitomised. Team Years Appearances Dynamo Moscow 1950 - 1970 358 Soviet Union 1954 - 1970 74 18 Sir Bobby Charlton One of only four Englishmen to have won the prestigious individual award, which is the Ballon d'Or, the Manchester United icon was given the prize in 1966, after being part of England's World Cup success earlier in the year. Charlton was Man United's top goalscorer with a staggering 249 goals until his record was overtaken by Wayne Rooney.

Charlton is so iconic for his former club, and for England, that he has been featured in England's three greatest XIs ever alongside the likes of Wayne Rooney, David Beckham and Paul Gascoigne - showcasing exactly what sort of impact he had for his country on a football pitch. He sadly passed away in 2023, leaving behind an incredible legacy. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Manchester United 1956 - 1973 686 231 10 England 1958 - 1970 106 49 1 17 Marco van Basten Former Netherlands international Marco van Basten spent his career with two clubs, with the first half being spent with Ajax and the second being with AC Milan.

Across both spells, he managed to hit the back of the net 277 times with an additional 82 assists, leaving him not far shy of a goal contribution per game on average. His goal-scoring antics managed to put him among the elite company to have won three Ballon d'Ors. Had injuries not forced Van Basten to retire from football early at the age of 31, there is every chance the Dutch forward would have gone on to receive any more plaudits than he does.

He did get to bow out of the game while he was at the top, but a career that looked set to be approaching all-timer status was cut short. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Ajax 1981 - 1987 172 152 34 AC Milan 1987 - 1995 201 125 49 Netherlands 1983 - 1992 58 24 9 16 Eusebio Eusebio won the 1965 version of the Ballon d'Or as he dominated Portugal throughout his career with Benfica. The forward had an impeccable knack for finding the back of the net for his club and country.

He would have been considered the best Portuguese talent the game has ever seen had it not been for another man that came along quite some time after. Even despite having his legacy as a Portuguese star overtaken by another man on this list, Eusebio remains one of football's greatest finishers , with the Benfica icon being clinical on either foot and possessing a wide range of finishes in his locker. Team Years Appearances Goals Assists Benfica 1961 - 1975 301 317 Unknown Portugal 1961 - 1973 64 41 Unknown.