Every sport has its greats. Baseball had Babe Ruth and Willie Mays; football had Tom Brady and Jerry Rice; ice hockey had Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky, and gymnastics has the G.O.A.T. – greatest of all time – Simone Biles, who, along with Team USA, is heading to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. Of course, we can’t overlook the sport of soccer, known as football in the majority of the world, which has also given the sport many great athletes.
Soccer, known around the globe as the “world’s game,” is the most popular sport worldwide, has an estimated four billion fans, and is played in almost every country. (As of 2024, the Marshall Islands are currently the only nation without a soccer team.) In places like South America, Europe, and Africa, fans go wild for their favorite teams when they hit the field. Some rivalries are so intense that stadiums are forced to have an entire section of seats filled with security guards so opposing fans don’t get into brawls.
European football/soccer differs from American sports in that of their league structures. In the U.S., when a team is in a league, they remain in that league – like the New York Yankees who play in the American League, and the New York Mets who play in the National League. In Europe, it is possible to be sent to another league. Should you not finish high enough, you can be relegated to a lower league or the opposite, being sent to a higher league should your team perform well.
This would be like the worst team in Major League Baseball being relegated to Triple-A ball. But that isn’t the only difference. In European soccer leagues, there is no draft. Teams are tasked with finding talent at a young age and developing them through their youth system until they are called up to the top teams to see what they can do. (Spain’s 16-year-old Lamine Yamal is proving his greatness at a young age, having scored a goal in the semi-final against France to secure the team’s victory, earning him the status of the youngest player to score at the European Championship.)
To compile this list of the greatest soccer players in history, 24/7 Temp consulted sports-related sources. These include GiveMeSport, FourFourTwo, and Bleacher Report.
This is the time for soccer greats and future greats to make their marks as the stage is set for plenty of soccer action. In Germany, the UEFA Euro 2024 is in its semi-final matches, and the 2024 Copa América in the United States is currently in its semi-final rounds. For more sports content, click here to read about the 10 biggest sports stars from New Jersey.
Pele
- Team(s) played for: Santos, New York Cosmos
- Position: Forward
- Born: Tres Coracoes, Brazil
- Length of career:
It’s hard to ignore what Pele did on the pitch during his career. He won seven Player of the Year awards in France where he played the majority of his professional career, and he also won the 1970 Best Player of the Year award for the entire world. Aside from what he did for his Club, Pele helped bring Brazil three World Cup Titles during his reign. He’s scored more than 1,000 goals in his career, including 12 in World Cup play.
Lionel Messi
- Team(s) played for: Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami
- Position: Forward
- Born: Rosario, Argentina
- Length of career: 21 seasons and counting
Watching Lionel Messi dribble a ball down the pitch brings fans to the edge of their seats during matches. His left foot has produced more than 800 goals in his professional career, and he’s still got a long time to play in the MLS. Messi played for Barcelona until he left to further his career in the United States. Even in his mid-30s, Messi has shown that his skills are more advanced than most in the MLS.
Cristiano Ronaldo
- Team(s) played for: Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Al Nassr
- Position: Forward
- Born: Funchal, Madeira, Portual
- Length of career: 22 and counting
The other player who made El Classico a must-see TV is Cristiano Ronaldo, who uses his amazing athleticism to sprint past other players with the ball and knock in headers off of set pieces. He has recently signed with Al Nassr out of Saudi Arabia, a nation that is hoping to become a global sports superpower. Signing Ronaldo was a great place to start.
Zinedine Zidane
- Team(s) played for: Cannes, Bordeaux Juventus, Real Madrid
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Born: Marseille, France
- Length of career: 17 years
Zinedine Zidane, also known as Zizou, accomplished so much during his playing career on the pitch. He won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times and led France to the 1998 World Cup title. Zidane became known for his flashy playmaking and shooting ability, scoring countless goals while making plays on the defensive side of the ball.
His position required him to possess the skills to play both offense and defense. Zidane showed during his career he was more than capable of doing both.
Johan Cruyff
- Team(s) played for: Ajax, Barcelona, Los Angeles Aztecs, Washington Diplomats, Levante, Feyenoord
- Position: Forward, attacking midfielder
- Born: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Length of career: 20 years
During his career, Johan Cruyff scored 294 goals in 518 appearances for clubs around the world. He scored more than a goal every two games, which by soccer standards, is impressive, and won the Ballon d’Or three times in the 1970s. Cruyff became a successful club manager after he retired from playing, and led the Netherlands to the World Cup Final in 1974, where they came up short of West Germany.
Ronaldo
- Teams: Cruzeiro, PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Corinthians
- Position: Striker
- Born: Itaguai, Brazil
- Length of career: 17 years
Ronaldo (full name: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima) capped off a legendary career that ended in 2011. He played for clubs like Inter Milan, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, and during his club career, he scored 280 goals in 384 games and also took pride in representing his home country. Ronaldo scored 62 goals in 98 appearances for his home country and led the team to winning two World Cup titles and one runner-up.
Franz Beckenbauer
- Team(s) played for: Bayern Munich, New York Cosmos, Hamburger SV
- Position: Defense
- Born: Munich, Germany
- Length of career: 12 years
Franz Beckenbauer played defense for numerous clubs during his adult career in soccer, a position that is sometimes challenging to quantify how much of an impact you’re having on the game. In 2024, it’s become easier with the advancement in technology and analytics.
It was easy to see how dominant Beckenbauer was just by watching the game. As a player, he scored 79 goals during his career. This helped pave the way forward for other defenders to score on set pieces, especially if they’re taller people.
Ferenc Puskas
- Team(s) played for: Budapest Honved, Real Madrid
- Position: Forward and attacking midfielder
- Born: Budapest, Hungary
- Length of career: 23 years
Puskas became one of the first international stars in sports. Because there was little television and no internet, finding scores out and watching games abroad wasn’t an easy task, but he became a must-see on TV. During his professional career, he scored 514 goals in 530 games.
His team could rely on him to score almost a goal per game, which helped his teams feel confident in their ability to win. He also scored 84 goals out of 85 matches for his native Hungary in international matches.
Maradona
- Team(s) played for: Argentinos Juniors, Boca Juniors, Barcelona, Napoli, Sevilla, Newell’s Old Boys
- Position: Midfielder
- Born: Lanus, Argentina
- Length of career: 21 years
Maradona played primarily in Europe with other top talent from around the world. During his club career, he scored 259 goals in 491 appearances. As a number two goal scorer, Maradona’s teams prioritized getting the ball to him to create scoring opportunities.
This wasn’t the only time he was scoring, though. When it came to representing Argentina, Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 matches, while leading Argentina to the 1986 World Cup.
Alfredo Di Stefano
- Teams: River Plate, Huracan, Millonarios, Real Madrid, Espanyol
- Position: Striker
- Born: Buenos Aries, Argentina
- Length of career: 20 years
Alfredo Di Stefano scored 376 goals in 521 matches with various clubs throughout his career and led Real Madrid to eight La Liga titles during his run with the club. While he couldn’t quite ever get over the hump with Argentina, Di Stefano still left his mark on the country. Players like Lionel Messi had someone they could look up to while trying to become the best.
Paolo Maldini
- Team(s) played for: AC Milan
- Position: Defense
- Born: Milan, Italy
- Length of career: 25 years
Paolo Maldini is one of the few players in all of sports to spend his entire career with one club. He came up with AC Milan as a youth, and once he made it to the main club in 1984, he didn’t leave until his retirement in 2009. AC Milan won seven titles with Maldini keeping the backline safe from any shot attempts, and also played for his birth nation in international matches, where he was the runner-up in the 1994 World Cup.
Michel Platini
- Team(s) played for: Nancy, Saint-Etienne, Juventus
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Born: Joef, France
- Length of career:
In Michel Platini’s career, he scored 224 goals in 432 matches with three different clubs. He became known for his confidence and ability to constantly make plays, but after his club career was over, Platini joined the FIFA governing board. During that time, the group was taking bribes and doing unethical things which resulted in Platini being banned from FIFA and organized soccer until 2023.
Eusébio
- Team(s) played for: Lourenco Marques, Benfica, Boston Minutemen, Monterrey, Toronto Metos-Croatia, Beira-Mar, Las Vegas Qucksilvers, Uniao de Tomar, New Jersey Americans, Buffalo Stallions
- Position: Striker
- Born: Lourenco Marques, Portuguese Mozambique
- Length of career: 15 years
One of the first strikers to come from Portugal was Eusébio, whose scoring ability was showcased during his career. He put 424 goals in the back of the net during 436 matches and also showed that speed and finesse for some players worked just as well as being built like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Eusébio also suited up for his native Portugal when it came to international competitions. He scored 41 goals throughout his career and helped the nation get to third place in the 1966 World Cup.
Kaká
- Team(s) played for: Sao Paulo, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Orlando City SC
- Position: Attacking midfielder
- Born: Gama, Federal District, Brazil
- Length of career: 17 years
During his professional career, Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, known as Kaká, took the internet by storm with his dribbling and passing ability. His job was to set up his strikers with the best possible shots they could get but also know when it’s a good time for them to take shots on the net. During his club career, he scored 149 goals in 461 games and was part of the 2002 Brazil team that took home the World Cup title.
Lev Yashin
- Team(s) played for: Dynamo Moscow
- Position: Goalkeeper
- Born: Moscow, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
- Length of career: 20 years
In the time that Lev Yashin suited up for Dynamo Moscow, he helped the team win five titles. The Soviet Union also won the Gold Medal at the 1956 Olympics with Yashin in net. Aside from soccer, Yashin also played ice hockey. Like many kids in Russia, hockey is a massive part of their lives. Yashin also played goalie when he took to the ice.
Ronaldinho
- Team(s) played for: Gremio, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, Queretaro, Fluminense
- Position: Winger and attacking midfielder
- Born: Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Length of career: Almost 18 years
Ronaldinho took great pride in his position on the field and was selfless when it came to creating scoring chances for his teammates. He was also a huge part of a dominant Brazil team that ran through the 2002 World Cup. During his club career with teams like Barcelona and AC Milan, Ronaldinho scored 205 goals in 511 matches.
He was one of the first players to take being in video games and sponsorships seriously, which helped him create an impressive net worth of $90 million. Ronaldinho is also the only player to have won the six biggest trophies – a World Cup, a Copa América, a Confederations Cup, a Champions League, a Copa Libertadores, and a Ballon d’Or.
Marco van Basten
- Team(s) played for: Ajax, Milan
- Position: Striker
- Born: Utrecht, Netherlands
- Length of career: 10+ years
Marco van Basten played for two dominant clubs during his career, Ajax and Milan, where he was tasked with being a striker and getting the ball into the back of the net by any means necessary. During his career, he scored 219 goals in 281 games. He also put 24 goals into the goal while representing the Netherlands. After his playing career concluded, van Basten went to the sideline to be a manager and assistant for 13 seasons.
Garrincha
- Team(s) played for: Serrno, Botafogo, Corinthians, Atletico Junior, Flamengo, Olaria
- Position: Winger
- Born: Mage, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Length of career: 19 years
Garrincha is best known for his dribbling ability to create multiple scoring chances for those around him and showed what’s truly possible with a ball. He was an important piece for Brazil to win two World Cups during his international career. He played the bulk of his club career for Botafogo in his native Brazil, where he scored 84 goals in 238 matches.
Gerd Muller
- Team(s) played for: 1861 Nordingen, Bayern Munich, Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Position: Striker
- Born: Nordlingen, Southwest zone, Allied-occupied Germany
- Length of career: 18 years
Bayern Munich is an instantly recognized club by many people around the world and the reason the club had so much success in the 1960s and 70s is in part to Gerd Muller. From 1964 to 1979, Muller played 453 matches with the club and scored 398 goals, and he also represented West Germany in international competition. In 62 games, Muller scored 68 goals, while winning the 1974 World Cup.
Franco Baresi
- Team(s) played for: AC Milan
- Position: Defender
- Born: Travagliato, Italy
- Length of career: 20 years
In his club career, Baresi only played for AC Milan, during which time AC Milan won six Serie A titles, with Baresi playing in the back. He also scored 16 goals during his career from corner kicks and set pieces. While representing Italy, Baresi helped the team win the 1982 World Cup. For more sports coverage, click here to read about the 40 most successful athletes of the 21st century.