In Europe he played for Marseille, Cagliari and Torino, winning the Ligue with Marseille. Our ranking generated by goals, assists, shots and passes from past 3 years. [5] Il colpo che può esser definito quale suo marchio di fabbrica è sicuramente la "ruleta", detta anche "veronica". And yet he’s widely considered to be one of the greatest midfielders of all time. Originally a midfielder, Cafu was moved to the wingback position he would dominate for decades. Brazil's top goal scorer of all-time (77 out of 92 appearance), Pelè is the only footballer to be part of three different World Cup winning squads (though he was awarded the '62 honor retroactively, having been injured early on in the competition). For this especially, he sits in at number two. Fewer still are those who did so with some success. It was said that Garrincha would beat a defender easily, wait for him to catch up, then do it all over again, just for the fun of it. Had Bobby Charlton not survived the Munich air disaster, Manchester United would simply not be a team of the caliber they are today. He is considered one of the best passers and free-kick artists ever and, despite being a midfielder, has scored the second most goals for the French National team (after Henry). The Argentine genius Lionel Messi claims the best soccer player of all-time honor. Now the head of UEFA, Michel Platini was, in his day, the undisputed master of the pitch. Unbelievably talented. Whew. Passing is an art form in soccer. Combining passing vision with solid defense, Hierro would assume the mantle of the best sweeper in Europe left vacant by a retiring Baresi. Winner of three league titles for Liverpool, as well as the European Cup and UEFA Cup, Kevin Keegan was one of the first English players to assume the mantle of global superstar. Gentile appeared for Italy in two World Cup tournaments and was on the field for the ’82 final won by the Italians. Sivori came to fame as a member of Argentina’s “Trio of Death” that included Humberto Maschio and Antonio Angellini. Won the Golden Ball the same year. Lead Czechoslovakia to the final against Brazil in ’62, where he scored the opening goal of the game (which they lost 3-1). A one-club man, Paolo spent 25 seasons in AC Milan’s black and red, winning five Champions Leagues, seven Serie A titles and a barrelful of personal accolades. He was elected the best player in South America in 1985. He was especially prolific in Europe, scoring 47 goals in 45 games, earning the European Golden Boot in ’89-’90. In keeping with the physicality of the Basque side, Zarra was notorious for his heading ability, scoring four of them in a Copa del Rey final. Related Post: Best Playmakers of All Time. King Kahn would make 429 appearances for Bayern in all. The Times listed Gentile as one of the roughest players ever, part of the deadly trio that included Bergomi and Tardelli. 56 | Lothar Matthaus. He would go on to win two Scudetti with Milan in ’94 and ’96. Inizia come terzino sinistro nel Cannes. At Fiorentina, combed with the legendary Batistuta, Costa played the best football of his career, the two of them upholding a sagging and rather mediocre team. An unstoppable force at Dinamo Kiev where he won the Ballon D’Or as well as eight Russian Championships, Speedy, a nickname given to dribbling and a potent but precise left foot, Blohkin is Russia’s all-time leading goal scorer with 42 goals, besides having appeared 112 times (also the record). They also made an impact in inspiring the next generation of footballers with memorable moments. He employed a close control of the ball, which, combined with bursting acceleration, allowed him to dance through defensive lines. In short, Puskas, along with Di Stefano, formed Real Madrid into the European juggernaut it is today. The youngest player to receive FIFA’s World Player award—his first of three, age 20—Ronaldo also won two Ballon D’Or’s, two World Cups and holds the record for most goals scored in the World Cup. The rare defender with a sweet long shot and a rockin’ free kick. I should also note that their are no players listed who still play in Europe—so no Messi etc. For France, he won the '98 World Cup, quickly followed by the 2000 European title, being part of the first team to ever do so. But he was called "Pythagoras in Boots" for his perception of teammates' movement. Perhaps the greatest player ever to don the Three Lions kit, Alan shearer was the most “straight-forward”, as Laurie McMenemy described it, of strikers. With Brazil, he won the 2002 edition of the World Cup in which he scored his now famous free-kick to England's damage. With Barcelona, he won two Spanish a Copa del Rey in 1998, a European Supercup in 1998 and a Catalan Cup in 2000. All the Argentine and Napoli fans will likely hate me for not listing him as number one, but I stand by my decision. Through 11 years, Roberto Carlos would make 500 appearances, win four leagues, two Intercontinental Cups and three UEFA Champions Leagues, setting up the assist for Zidane’s incredible volley in the final. Today, he is buried in Catalonia. The midfield maestro has scored 20 goals for Brazil, of which a dozen where from free kick. At club level, Zidane won the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, two Serie A league championships with Juventus, an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup each with both aforementioned sides. Plus he is responsible for this masterpiece. Crazy talk. A left-sided midfielder of grit and grace, the flaxen-haired nedved broke out at Lazio won the Ballon d’Or at Juventus in 2003 after dragging the Piemontese side to the UCL final, a final which the “furia ceca” was forced to miss through suspension and which Juventus duly lost to AC Milan. Dalglsh’s exploits alongside the teenage Ian Rush expunged any memories of the departing Kevin Keegan. Gianluigi Buffon, (Italian pronunciation: [dʒanluˈiːdʒi bufˈfɔn, -ˈfon]; born 28 January... Andrés Iniesta Luján (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈdɾes iˈnjesta luˈxan]; born 11 May 1984) is a... Who Is The Most Famous Athlete In The World Right Now? In America, other than that nation's own Major League Soccer league, the English Premier League and its athletes are most likely to be popular, recognizable, and familiar. Steven George Gerrard (born 30 May 1980) is an English professional football manager and... Who's the Best Player in the Premier League? 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