The Greatest Forwards of All-Time

Definition of Forward includes these items;

1. Deep-Lying Forward : Players who is positioned between attacking midfield and forward line, much in creative and assisting duty.
2. Creative ForwardForward whose great quality if creativity, technique and assisting but not very outstanding as a scorer and is positioned just behind striker. 
3. Forward : Forward who is most remarkable in scoring with a style of conducting the ball by themselves but possess some quality of assisting and is positioned just behind striker.
4. Side and Free-Role Forward : Forward who often operate the game in the edge of penalty box but they have to significantly play in central area than edge of the field.

Most of whom is deserved to play just behind target striker at best even sometimes they played as the top striker for his team. In beginning decade of football, they were called “Inside Forward” except some formation setting center-forward as second striker.




50. Alessandro Del Piero


Date Of Birth : 9 November 1974, Height : 173 cm
Nation : Italy,  Caps : 91 Games (27 Goals)
Position : Creative Forward, Major Club :  Juventus
World Cup Participation : 1998,2002,2006 (12 Games/2 Goals/1 Assist)
Professional Score Record  : 285 Goals/ 686 Games
Club Honours  : 5 Times Italian Series A, 1 Time Copa Italia        
1996 UEFA Champion League, Intercontinental Cup
3 Times Runner-Up (1997,1998,2005)                                     
International Honours  :  2000 European Championship Runner-Up
2006 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement  :  1996 Bravo Award
1995 Silver Ball World Soccer Player of the Year
2 Times Italian Footballer of The Year (1998, 2008)
2 Times UEFA Champion League Top Scorer (1997, 1998)
                                                           1 Time Italian Series A Top Scorer, Juventus All-Time Top Scorer



Alessandro Del Piero is one of the most popular Italian players in his era. He usually plays as a supporting-striker. Although he is not very tall, Del Piero's playing style is regarded by critics as creative in attacking, assisting many goals as well as scoring himself, as opposed to just "goal poaching." His free-kick and penalty taking is also highly regarded. Del Piero has become famous over the years for scoring from a special "Del Piero Zone", approaching from the left flank and curling a precise lob into the far top corner of the goal. In the mid-90s, He was one of the best brilliant young stars in the World but he never proved himself to reach that level in the important international tournament. Several times he could not play well under pressure situation. Media rating to him could be regarded in only world-class Series A season only. Nevertheless, He finally became one of the famous legends of Juventus where he holds record all-time most appearances and top scorer. Del Piero reached his highest place in Ballon'Dor at 4th in 1995 and 1996. As a free-kick specialist, he totally scored about 50 goals in his overall career.
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49. Bebeto


Date Of Birth : 16 Febuary 1964, Height : 176 cm
Nation  : Brazil, Caps  : 73 Games (39 Goals/17 Assists)
Position : Creative Forward, Major Club : Deportivo La Coruna
World Cup Participation:1990,1994,1998(15 Games/6 Goals/4 Assists)
Copa America Score Record : 1 Tournament (7 Games/ 6 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 368 Goals/ 682 Games
Club Honours  : 2 Times Brazil State Championship
2 Times Brazil National Championship, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
International Honours  : 1989 Copa America Winner
1994 FIFA World Cup Champion, 1998 Runner-Up
1997 FIFA Confederation Cup Winner
Individual Achievement : 1989 Copa America Top Scorer
1989 El Pais South American Footballer of The Year
1989 Bronze Ball World Soccer Player of the Year
                                                        1992 El Mundo Silver Ball South American Footballer of The Year
                                                        1992 Brazilian National League Top Scorer,1993 La Liga Top Scorer
                                                        Deportivo La Coruna All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
                                                        Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame



Bebeto was one of the most reliable Brazilian players in the era of decline in Brazilian football between the late 1980s and early 1990s, is best remembered for his great performance in World Cup 1994 that he was overshadowed by Romario. Bebeto became a household name for his goal celebration in the 1994 World Cup. His wife had delivered their third child just days before a quarter-final match against Holland. Bebeto's style of play was not as spectacular as Brazilian players but his intelligent, team work ability and effectiveness in passing and shooting accuracy were great enough to help him scores so many goals for Brazil and is 5th Brazil all-time top scorer. Bebeto played for Deportivo La Coruna in their great years and missed Spanish La Liga champion in the last minute regrettably. 
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48. Servaas Wilkes

Date Of Birth  : 13 October 1923
Nation   :  Netherlands
Position  :   Right-Side Forward
Height    :   183 cm
Major Club  :  Inter Milan
Caps   : 38 Games (35 Goals)
World Cup Participation  :    None
Professional Score Record  :  162 Goals/ 355 Games
Club Honours/International Honours    :   None
Individual Achievement  :   None




“The Mona Lisa of Rotterdam” Faas Wilkes is one of the most talented Dutch players of all-time. He was an excellent dribbler always induced the ball passing defenders and trying to score on his own. His performance for Netherlands is regarded as one of the best ever for his nation. He began his career in Xerxes Rotterdam in Dutch amateur league. Wilkes soon became the idol of the fans, thanks to his extraordinary jumping ability in humans and its realization vein. He was challenged a tendency to "love" of the ball, which slows down in some cases the action of the team. He changed his status to professional footballer at Inter Milan at his 26 years old, in the late career, he was the victim of a bad knee injury and will not be able to deliver its full potential. In the two years with Valencia, it will become famous phrase of supporters, Linked to the strong unpredictability of the actions Wilkes, player capable of inventing anything at any time.
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47. Oldrich Nejedly

Date Of Birth  :  26 December 1909
Nation  : Czechoslovakia, Caps : 43 Games (29 Goals)
Height : 174 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club : Sparta Prague
World Cup Participation : 1934, 1938 (6 Games / 7 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 180 Goals/ 225 Games
Club Honours : 1935 Mitropa Cup
4 Times Czechoslovakian League
International Honours : 1934 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 1934 FIFA World Cup Top Scorer
1934 FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball
Sparta Prague All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever


Oldřich Nejedly is the greatest Czechoslovakian forward of all-time and was one of the best European forwards during the mid-1930s. He played just behind the main striker as an inside-forward, relying on his excellent ball control technique, passing, timing, positioning and marksmanship. Nejedlý was the outright top scorer in the 1934 World Cup with five goals. This has been officially recognized by FIFA since November 2006, as he was initially credited with only four, making him joint top scorer with Angelo Schiavio of Italy and Edmund Conen of Germany. He also scored two goals in 1938. In his country he played for AC Sparta Praha between 1931 and 1941 and scored 388 goals in all competitions. He would have gone on to play more games and score more goals for the Czechoslovakia had he not broken his leg in the 1938 which effectively ended his International career.
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46. Allan Simonsen

Date Of Birth : 15 December 1952
Nation : Denmark, Caps :  55 Games (20 Goals)
Height  : 165 cm, Position : Right-Side Forward
Major Club : Borussia Munchengladbach
World Cup Participation : 1986 (1 Games and No Goal)
Professional Score Record :  220 Goals/ 574 Games
Club Honours  : 3 Times Danish League, 1 Time Danish Cup
3 Times Bundesliga, 1 Time DFB-Pokal, 1 Time Spanish Cup
2 Times UEFA Cup (1975, 1979), 1977 European Cup Runner-Up
1982 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
International Honours  :   None
Individual Achievement : 1977 European Footballer of The Year
1978 European Cup Top Score, 1979 UEFA Cup Top Scorer
1983 Bronze Ball European Footballer of The Year
Danish Football Hall of Fame



Allan Simonsen is the best Danish forward of all-time. He was a technically gifted, quick forward, and quite durable. He is the only Scandinavian player in history to win Ballon d’Or award. The race for the award was tight, and Simonsen squeezed past English midfielder Kevin Keegan by three points and French midfielder Michel Platini by four points to win the prestigious prize. He won that award mainly for his superb performance in European Cup with Borussia Munchengladbach in their glory year, was being the first-rate German club. In five full seasons there, kicker rated him in once World-class season and four international-class seasons. El Mundo rate him in 3rd place Spanish La Liga footballer of the year twice time during three years at Barcelona. Unfortunately, He played for Denmark in its dark era and the team always finished in bottom area of table in qualification round until Danish Dinamite was formed in 1984. He also finished 11th Ballon'Dor in 1979.
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45. Karim Benzema


Date Of Birth  :  19 December 1987
Nation  :  France, Caps   :  97 Games (37 Goals)
Position : Creative Forward, Height : 185 cm
Major Club : Real Madrid
World Cup Participation  : 2014 (3 Goals/2 assists/5 Games)
Professional Score Record : 429 Goals/186 assists/811 Games
Club Honours  : 4 Time French Ligue. 4 Times La Liga
5 Times UEFA Champion League
4 Times FIFA Club World Cup
1 Time French Cup, 2 Times Copa Del Rey
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement : 2008 Bravo Awards
2 Times La Liga Player of the season
1 Time French League Top Scorer
4 Times French Player of the Year (11,12,14,21)
2012 UEFA Champion League Top Assist Provider
2022 UEFA Champion League MVP
2022 UEFA Champion League Top Scorer
                                                               2022 UEFA Best Men Player of the year   
                                                               2022 European Footballer of the Year


Karim Benzema is the greatest French player during the first half 2010s. He was one of the most decorated international club players ever with five times UEFA Champion League Winner. Benzema was known as the most successful French player in club level. However, his international country career has unfortunately never managed to achieve in any major tournament as he didn't take part with France that reached finals in Euro 2016, World Cup 2018 and 2022. He is a creative, skillful, quick, agile, and prolific forward, who is good in the air and capable of playing off the shoulders of the last defender and has been described as an "immensely talented striker" who is "strong and powerful" and "a potent finisher from inside the box" with either foot, as well as his head, despite being naturally right footed. An atypical number 9, although he is usually deployed as a center forward, and can operate as an out-and-out striker, Benzema is also capable of playing in several other offensive positions, and has been used on the wing, or even as a playmaker behind the main striker, as an attacking midfielder, or as a deep-lying forward. In addition to his goalscoring. He was named as the best French player aboard in 2019, 2021 and 2022 and was also voted in 4th Ballon Dor in 2021. 

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44. Mohamed Salah

Date Of Birth  :  15 June 1992
Nation  :  Egypt, Caps  : 85 Games (47 Goals)
Height  :  175 cm, Position : Side-Forward
Major Club  :  Liverpool
World Cup Participation : 2 goals/3 games
Professional Score Record  :  233 Goals/ 505 Games
Club Honours  : 1 Time Premier League, 1 Time FA Cup
2019 UEFA Champion League, FIFA Club World Cup
2 Times UEFA Champion League Runner-Up (18, 22)
International Honours   :  2 Times African Nation Cup Runner-Up (17, 21)
Individual Achievement :  3 Time Premier League Golden Boot
2 Times FWA Footballer of the Year
2 Times African Nation Cup Team of the Tournament
2019 FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball
2 Times Bronze Ball FIFA Best Men Player (2018, 2021)
4 Times African Footballer of the year (17, 18, 21, 22)
IFFHS Best CAF Player of the Decade


"The Pharoah" Mohammed Salah has been the most successful African player ever in Europe and holds the record most times winners of African footballer of the year with four. He started career in Egypt and played there 2 seasons before moving to Europe for the first time with Basel in Switzerland, His performance started to outshine at Roma. He become one of the best players in the world with Liverpool with 3 times UEFA Champion league finals and was a pivotal role to lead the club win their first premier league title within 30 years.  Regarded as a quick, mobile, hard-working and tactical player, with good technique and an eye for goal, Salah is predominantly known for his speed, movement, clinical finishing, agility, dribbling skills, first touch, and ball control, as well as his ability to use both his pace and flair on the ball in order to beat opponents, and create scoring opportunities for himself or his teammates. A versatile forward, he primarily plays as a winger on the right flank, a position which allows him to cut into the centre onto his stronger left foot, and either shoot on goal or play quick exchanges with other players and make runs in behind the defence towards goal. He can also play in the centre behind the main striker as either an attacking midfielder or second striker. He won PFA team of the year 3 times  players of the month ten times and also finishes 4th FIFA best men player in 2019.

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43. Thomas Muller


Date Of Birth  : 13 December 1988
Position  :  Deep-Lying Forward
Height :  186 cm, Caps : 125 Games (45 Goals)
Professional Score Record  : 237 Goals/ 677 Games
Major Club :  Bayern Munich
World Cup Participation  : 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 
Club Honours :  11 Times Bundesliga, 6 Times DFB-Pokal
2 Times UEFA Champion League (2014, 2020), 
2 Times UEFA Champion League  Runner-Up (2010, 2012)
International Honours : 2010 FIFA World Cup Third Place
2014 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement  :  2010 Bravo Award
2010 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot, Best Young Player
2014 FIFA World Cup Silver Ball
2019 Bavaria Order of Merit


Thomas Muller is the most decorated German players with record of 32 trophies. Muller role can be described as attacking all-rounder. A versatile player who is able to play in a variety of offensive positions. Although he lack of physical strength and speed, he has been praised for his maturity, technique, awareness, tactical intelligence, teamwork and positioning. Muller is widely regarded as one of the best off-the-ball players of all-time due to his immaculate positional awareness. He is rated by Kicker in 2.5 word-class seasons and 5 seasons of international-class.  His best ranking in Ballon'Dor is 5th in 2014. He is also named in top 10 UEFA's best men player of the year four times. He is also named in Bundesliga team of the season 6 times if combined all 3 sources of rating are Kicker, VDV and Bundesliga. 

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42. Ernest Kuzorra

Date Of Birth  :  16 October 1905
Nation  : Germany, Caps  : 12 Games (7 Goals)
Height : 174 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club : Schalke 04
World Cup Participation :  None           
Professional Score Record  :  265 Goals/ 350 Games
Club Honours : 6 Times German Champions
1 Time German Cup
International Honours  : None
Individual Achievement :  Schalke 04 Greatest Player Ever

Ernest Kuzorra was the greatest German attacker in the pre-war era, is one of the most talented German attackers of all-time and is the greatest player ever of Schalke club alongside Fritz Szepan. However, his reputation could not much be spread to the worldwide caused by his a few appearances in international level after his trouble relationship with national coach. Kuzorra was a prominent all-round attacker, played as inside-forward and best remembered for his fantastic dribbling skills, was an excellent scorer and had great vision and sense of positioning, very good passing with great curve on the ball, very strong shot with his left foot and was hardworking player. He was a key member in the golden age of Schalke that dominated German Championship during the second half 1930s and early 1940s although that period was his late career already, most notably in 1937 that Schalke won the record most goals per season in history of German Championship.

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41. Rinaldo Martino

Date Of Birth   :  6 November 1921
Nation : Argentina, Caps  : 20 Games (15 Goals)
Height : 176 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club : San Lorenzo
World Cup Participation  :  None
Professional Scores Record : 179 Goals/ 315 Games
South American Championship Scores Record : 5 Goals/7 Games
Club Honours : 1 Time Argentinian League
2 Times Uruguayan League
1 Time Italian Series A
International Honours : 2 Times Copa America Winners (1945,1946)
Individual Achievement : 1 Time Argentinian League Top Scorer
1942 South American League Top Scorer
AFA Hall of Fame



Mamucho" Rinaldo Martino is one of best players in the World during the mid-1940s, and is one of the greatest legends in history of San Lorenzo club. His is overshadowed by the dominance side of "La Maquina" players. He had lethal combination of skills: World-Class dribbling and technique, laser precise passes, rocket shot from all positions and angles. Fantastic playmaker and great scorer as well with his smooth touches and ferocious shooting, and even possesses great physical option. After spent seven seasons at San Lorenzo, Martino moved to Italy joining Juventus and helping them to record their first championship since the 1930s. He made one appearance for the Italy national team. In his late career, he mainly played for Nacional. He was a regular starter in the 1945 Copa America and scored one of the most spectacular goals in history of the tournament but just a reserve in the 1946 tournament. 

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40. Abe Lenstra

Date Of Birth  :  27 November 1920
Nation   : Holland
Position :  Forward
Height  :   170 cm
Major Club   :  Heerenveen
Caps  : 47 Games (33 Goals)
World Cup Participation  : None
Amateur Scores Record : 700 Goals/ 730 Games
Club Honours/ International Honours    :   None            
Individual Achievement  :  
2 Times Dutch Sport Personality of The Year (1951, 1952)



Abe Lenstra is one of the most iconic Dutch legends of all-time. Lenstra was remarkable in combination between technical style and prolific scorer mould with extraordinary dribbling ability, very fast speed that he ran 100m with only 10.9 sec. He joined Herenveen club at the age of 15 years before spent almost 17 years there and played in amateur league in the entire career, never won national title. Lenstra won first cap at his 20 years old in 1940. Unfortunately, WW II effected his career in the first half 40's. Nothwithstanding, he return to play football and did for Holland since the War was ended until 1959, as the longest career in its history. Lenstra's prime was performed in the 1950s. He didn't fulfill his potential in the second half 40's internationally due to being assigned to play in center-forward position. He suddenly retire from footbal career at his 42 years old with Enschede without any trophy winning, unfortunately the Dutch Cup did not held between 1950 and 1956. The statue in the front of Herenveen club and its Stadium name are made after him.
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39. Stjepan Bobek

Date Of Birth  :  3 December 1923
Nation : Yugoslavia, Caps : 63 Games (38 Goals)
Height : 175 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club  : Partizan Belgrade
Professional Score Record  : 403 Goals/ 468 Games
World Cup Participation : 1950, 1954 (5 Games/1 Goal)
Club Honours  : 2 Times Yugoslavian League
4 Times Yugoslavian Cup
International Honours  : Olympic Game Silver Medal (1948, 1952)
Individual Achievement :   
2 Times Yugoslavian League Top Scorer                           
Partizan Belgrade All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Yugoslavia All-Time Top Scorer




Stjepan Bobek is one of the top legends in history of Yugoslavian football, is one of the greatest Croatian footballers of all-time. He began his senior career with only 14 years in Croatian team called HŽK Derbi registered for this team. After the War he joins Partizan Belgrade. He was recognized his great potential on inside-forward position as game builder. It took more than a year to make this transformation, but it turned out to be the excellent move. He could successfully play as inside-forward or pure CF. He was an elegant player with grace and imagination in the game. He easily rotated in attack, and therefore could score but also assist in numerous situations. He could easily find great solutions (pass, dribble, shot) in the hardest situations. He had his magic tricks that many players copied, like: special type of dribble, calming the long pass ball that's coming towards him, with the top of his shoe and shot, back-heel pass, fooling the opponents with his body dribble. 

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38. Rob Rensenbrink

Date Of Birth  :  3 July 1947
Nation  :  Netherlands, Caps :  46 Games (14 Goals)
Height : 178 cm, Position :  Left-Side Forward
Major Club : Anderlecht
Professional Score Record  : 275 Goals/ 571 Games
World Cup Participation : 1974, 1978 (13 Games/6 goals/4 Assists)
Club Honours : 2 Times Belgium League, 5 Times Belgium Cup
2 Times UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1976, 1978)
International Honours : 2 Times FIFA World Cup Runner-Up(1974,1978)
Individual Achievement  :  1973 Belgian League Top Scorer
1976 Belgian Golden Shoe, Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
1976 Silver Ball/1978 Bronze Ball European Footballer of The Year
UEFA Cup Winners Cup All-Time Top Scorer                               
2 Times FIFA World Cup All-Star Team (1974, 1978)



"Human Snake" Rob Rensenbrink was one of the best attacking players in Europe in the mid-1970s, is regarded as the second greatest footballer ever in Belgian league. A creative left-side forward of considerable skillful, A talented dribbler as well as a cool finisher and defensive infiltrator. An intelligent left footer with a fantastic touch, he was primarily used as a traditional centre forward in club career, yet possessing a great dribbling technique that meant he could also play out wide, where he was more than capable of leaving 2 or 3 defenders bamboozled in his wake. His movement off the ball was excellent, often baffling the opposition with some of his runs and ability to find space He played as forward for his club but switched to play as a wing-forwarder for Holland. Fortunately, Piet Keizer could not made his great performance as he had performed for Ajax, Rensenbrink was replaced as a regular starter after then. He also won second place Belgian Golden Shoe once and third place twice times.. He was chosen by 5 medias from total 9 in 1978 FIFA World Cup best XI. In 1974, he was not selected by all 3 medias.

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37. Angel Labruna

Date Of Birth  : 28 September 1918
Nation  :  Argentina
Caps   :  37 Games (17 Goals)
Height  : 171 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club  :  River Plate
World Cup Participation : 1958 (2 Games)
Professional Score Record  :  293 Goals/ 515 Games
Club Honours : 9 Times Argentina League
International Honours : 2 Times Copa America Winners (1946,1955)
Individual Achievement  :  2 Times Argentinean League Top Scorer
1945 South American League Top Scorer
All-Time River Plate - Argentinean League Top Scorer      

Angel Labruna was the most prolific scorer in “La Maquina” and one of the best scorers in history of Argentinean football club. Labruna spent his career with River Plate for twice decades in 1940s and 1950s. He tied with Arsenio Erico holds the record all-time-top scorer in Argentina top division. Labruna was an inside-left and play with “Total Football” style of play. Accordingly, There are no target striker in this system. He sometimes operated his game in deep-lying forward line or as a left-winger. An all-round striker, was noted for his agility, acceleration and finishing. Labruna is an all-time top scorer in superclasico with 16. He was the only player from “La Maquina” ever played in World Cup final. Nonetheless, He had already 39 close to 40 year olds and wasn’t a dangerous forward any longer.He is the longest span footballer in Argentinean league with 20 seasons and incredible retired very late at 43 years old. 

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36. Mario Kempes

Date Of Birth  :   15 July 1954
Nation  :  Argentina, Caps :  43 Games (20 Goals)
Height  :  182 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club :   Rosario Central, Valencia
World Cup Participation :1974,78,82 (18 Games/6 goals/4 Assists)
Copa America Score Record : 1 Tournament  (3 Goals/3 Games)
Professional Score Record  :  291 Goals/ 538 Games
Club Honours  :  1 Time Argentinean Nacional League
1 Time Copa Del Rey, 1980 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
International Honours  :  1978 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement  : 1 Time Argentinean League Top Scorer
2 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer     
1978 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - Golden Ball 
1978 Argentinean ans South American Footballer of The Year
1980 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
                                                         Valencia Greatest Player Ever



“The Killer” Mario Kempes was a famous Argentinean superstar in the prime period of the late 70s. He had all the tools of a top-class striker, including a wonderful “change of rhythm” dribbling technique. His speed and exciting technique almost single handedly grabbed the 1978 World Cup final away from the visiting Dutch team, as he scored the initial and winning goals in overtime win. He established himself as a notorious goalscorer for Rosario Central in his early career. Famous as a hard-working forward, he used to strike from outside the penalty area with his surging runs goalwards and was not the traditional center-forward operating solely inside the box. Many defenders found difficulties handling his attacking style. Luis Minotti ever described him that "He's strong, got skill, he creates spaces and he shoots hard. He's a player who can make a difference. However, He could not scored any goal in the other World Cup tournaments. Kempes also finished in top ten South American Footballer of The Year in 1979.
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35. Paul Van Himst

Date Of Birth  :  2 October 1943, Height :  181 cm
Nation : Belgium, Caps : 81 Games (30 Goals)
Position :  Creative Forward, Major, Club : Anderlecht
World Cup Participation : 1970 (3 Games/No Goal/No Assist)
Professional Score Record  :  309 Goals/ 566 Games
Club Honours : 8 Times Belgian League, 4 Times Belgian Cup
International Honours : None
Individual Achievement : 3 Times Belgian League Top Scorer
4 Times Belgian Golden Shoe
1967 European Cup Top Scorer
Anderletch and Belgian League Greatest Player Ever
Belgium All-Time Top Scorer
1995 Belgium Golden Shoe of The Century
1999 IFFHS Belgium Player of The Century
UEFA Jubilee Award (Belgium)




“Polle Gazon” Paul Van Himst is by far the greatest Belgian footballer of all-time. He at age 16 made his debut for Anderlecht, and at age 17 was selected for the national team for the first. Van Himst is the footballer with the longest list of achievements in Belgium. This "Brusseler" was a pleasure to the eye, an elegant, technically superb and refined footballer, who in his period of glory was known as the white Pele, a genial but simple star, with his extraordinary strong muscles. For fifteen years he was the architect and mould of the Brussels team. His ball control and his slaloms were as inimitable as the way he was able to curl the goal into the goal with the outside of his foot. He scored goals of almost poignant beauty and he was also seen as the focal point and the opportunist of the team, with which he experienced both tragedy and triumph. Van Himst also finished second place in Belgian golden shoe for three times. He was voted 5th and 4th of Ballon d’Or in 1964 and 1965, respectively.
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34. Ferenc Bene

Date Of Birth  : 17 December 1944
Nation : Hungary, Caps : 76 Games (36 Goals)
Position :  Right-Side Forward
Height : 171 cm, Major Club  : Ujipest
Professional Score Record  : 341 Goals/ 487 Games
World Cup Participation  : 1966 (4 Games/ 4 Goals/ 2 Assists)
Club Honours : 7 Times Hungarian League, 3 Time Hungarian Cup
International Honours  : 1964 Olympic Game Gold Medal
Individual Achievement :  5 Times Hungarian League Top Scorer
1964 European Championship Best XI
1966 Eastern European Footballer of the Year
1972 UEFA Euro Top Scorer



Ferenc Bene is one of the most underrated Hungarian footballers of all-time, a prolific scorer who domestically played as deep-lying forward in club level but switched to play as right-wing-forwarder for Hungary. Bene offered a compelling mixture of trustful pace and nimble balance, fantastic dribbling and agility, and sensible composure in front of goal. He was the second most prominent of Hungary during the succeed era from “The Mighty Magyars” only to Florian Albert. He was a star of European Championship tournaments, played as the important role to help Hungary reached semi-final round in Euro 1964 and 1972. Bene was also the top scorer of the tournament with 12 goals in 5 matches. Additionally, He scored every four games with each game a goal in World Cup 1966 and helps him to finish 6th place Ballon'Dor in that year which is the highest place of his career.He was chosen by 2 medias from total 3 in 1966 FIFA World Cup best XI
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33. Gyula Zsengeller

Date Of Birth  :  27 December 1915
Nation : Hungary, Caps : 39 Games (33 Goals)
Height : 177 cm, Position : Fast Striker, Major Club : Ujpest
World Cup Participation :1938 (4 Games/5 Goals)
Professional Scores Record : 387 Goals/ 327 Games
Club Honours : 4 Times Hungarian League, 1 Time Mitropa Cup
International Honours : 1938 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 5 Times Hungarian League Top Scorer
1 Time Mitropa Cup Top Scorer
2 Times European League Top Scorer (1939, 1945)
1939 Time World League Top Scorer
Ujpest Greatest Player Ever

Gyula Zsengeller is one of the top legendary Hungarian strikers of all-ime, was a rising star of World football at the turn of the late 1930s and the early 1940s. Zsengeller was also very injury prone, he had several heavy injuries, especially his knees but he was still really phenomenal striker, very complete - amazing dribbler, booming shooter, lightning pace, stamina, good header, good short passer, great in and out the penalty box. He was so amazing in WC 1938, was one of the biggest stars. In the 1938 - 1939 Hungarian league season, he made phenomenon record with 56 goals in 26 games which is one of the highest ratios in history of professional football league game. He then moved to AS Roma after the war but spent twice failure years there. He is the third-highest goalscorer of all-time in the Hungarian league as a holder of record the most Hungarian league top scorers with five. IFFHS named him the 7th most successful Top Division Goal Scorer of all time.
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32. Raul Gonzalez


Date Of Birth  : 27 June 1977, Height   : 182 cm
Nation  : Spain, Caps  :  102 Games (44 Goals)
Position  : Forward, Major Club  :  Real Madrid
World Cup Participation:1998,2002,2006(11 Games/5 Goals/1 Assist)
Professional Score Record  :  359 Goals/ 837 Games
Club Honours   :  6 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time DFB-Pokal
3 Times UEFA Champion League (1998, 2000, 2002)
2 Times Intercontinental Cup (1998, 2002)
International Honours :   None
Individual Achievement : 1995 Spanish Young Player of The Year
5 Times Spanish Player of The Year (97,99,00,01,02)
2 Times La Liga Top Scorer (99,01), 2000 European Cup Top Scorer
1999 IFFHS International Top Scorer of the Year
2001 Silver Ball Ballon'Dor, 2008 Spanish La Liga Player of The Year
                                                        2 Times Bronze Ball World Soccer Player of The Year (2001, 2003)
                                                        2001 Bronze Ball FIFA World Player of The Year
                                                        UEFA Champion League All-Time Top Scorer



Raul Gonzalez is the greatest Spanish footballer in the first half 2000s. Raul is not extraordinary in physical options but he has compensated it with his positional play, vision, basic skillful and finishing. He holds the record all-time most appearances for Real Madrid. Raul start his professional with Real Madrid when he was just 17 year olds and became one of the most outstanding young players in the world in next season, has been an iconic Spanish player of Real Madrid among many world-class superstars rotated in the club, and his professionalism helped him as a consistency player. In the late career, he moved to play for Schalke and still good enough to be a important player of the club. Raul is a top scorer in the 2000 UEFA Euro qualifying round. He was rated by Kicker in the highest value in the 2002 World Cup tournament but played only four games. Raul is named in ESM team of the month 19 times and team of the year 2 times, is also finish 5th place FIFA World Player of the Year in 1997. He is always selected by many in All-Time Spain XI. 
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31. Oleg Blokhin

Date Of Birth  : 5 November 1952, Height :  179 cm
Nation : Soviet Union, Caps : 112 Games (42 Goals)
Position : Left-Side Forward, Major Club : Dynamo Kiev
World Cup Participation : 1982, 1986 (7 Games/2 Goals/1 Assist)
Professional Score Record : 283 Goals/ 648 Games
Club Honours : 8 Times Soviet League, 8 Times Soviet Cup
2 Times UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup (1975, 1986)
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement : 3 Times Soviet Footballer of The Year
1986 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
Soviet League All-Time Most Top Scorers (5 Times)
9 Times Ukrainian Footballer of The Year
1975 European Footballer of The Year
2 Times Eastern European Footballer of the Year (1977, 1981)
1999 IFFHS Ukrainian Player of The Century
                                                      Soviet League All-Time Top Scorer, UEFA Jubilee Award (Ukraine)
                                                          Dinamo Kiev All-Time Top Scorer And Greatest Player Ever
                                                          1975 Soviet Merited Master of Sports



"The Cosmonaut of the Football Horizon" Oleg Blokhin is the most decorated footballer in history of Soviet football and was the greatest forward in the World in the middle 1970s. He was a dynamic deep-lying and left-wing forward with a sprinter’s speed, technically, excellent, and with exceptional work rate. Blokhin was also noted for his professional mind and ambition, holds the record most appearances in history of Sovet League. Blokhin was prominently able to win Ballon'Dor in the era of Cruyff and Beckenbauer. He scored just a goal per tournament. Blokhin made incredible record most consecutive capped years for Soviet Union with 17. However, Blokhin could not help USSR from disqualifying fro the 1974 and 1978 World Cup as the only twice times in their history, having been seen as a big flaw.He also won second place Soviet footballer of the year 4 times in 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1981, was voted 5th European Footballer of The Year in 1981.
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30. Tostao

Date Of Birth  :  25 January 1947
Nation  :  Brazil, Caps  :  54 Games (32 Goals/14 Assists)
Height  :  172 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club  : Cruzeiro
World Cup Participation :1966,1970(7 Games/3 Goals/5 Assists)
South American Score Record :  None
Professional Score Record  : 265 Goals/ 404 Games
Club Honours  : 1 Time Brazil National Championship
6 Times Brazil State Championship
International Honours  : 1970 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement :  4 Times Brazil State League Top Scorer
1 Time Brazilian National Championship Top Scorer
1971 South American Footballer of The Year
Cruzeiro All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame



“The Little Coin” Tostao was a dynamic forward that when his game was on. He could be as stellar and inventive as Pele. Tostao had incredible technique, could turn and shoot on a dime and had brilliant dribbling skills and cerebral distribution. In his prime, he was one of the best strikers in the world and also contributed with many assists thanks to his great passing and intelligent. He scored 46 goals in just 22 starts for his first club, América MG, and then he joined Cruzeiro where he became a cult hero. After the World Cup, he joined Vasco da Gama, again proving his ability as a prolific striker by netting 71 goals in just 35 matches. Tostão suffered a detached retina in 1969 when he was hit in the face by a ball during a match against Corinthians. This injury almost stopped him playing in the 1970 World Cup, and when he damaged his eye again in 1973 he decided to retire from football at the age of 26.
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29. Kenny Dalglish

Date Of Birth  :  4 March 1951, Height  : 173 cm
Nation :  Scotland, Caps   :  102 Games (30 Goals)
Position :  Deep-lying Forward, Major Club     :  Liverpool
World Cup Participation : 74,78,82 (8 Games/2 Goals/No Assist)
Professional Score Record  :  336 Goals/ 823 Games
Club Honours : 4 Times Scottish League,6 Times English League
4 Times Scottish Cup, 1 Time Scottish League Cup
1 Time FA Cup,  4 Times English League Cup
3 Times European Cup (1978, 1981, 1984), 1985 Runner-Up
International Honours    :   None
Individual Achievement  :  1975 Scottish League Top Scorer
2 Times FWA Footballer of The Year (1979, 1983)
1983 PFA Player’s Player of The Year
1983 Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year
Scotland All-Time Top Scorer



Kenny Dalglish is considered as one of the greatest forwards in history of British football and the best British footballer in his era. He was regarded by some British as the better player than Kevin Keegan who played for Liverpool before he came in the club particularly in the talent. He is that rare entity, a man with no peers among Liverpool players. It wasn't just his own individual ability to be famous, but he had that knack of improving the performance of all his team-mates. There was no selfish streak in the man, self-centred, so-called greats. As a man, too, he has drawn affection and admiration. Dalglish has won an abundance of honours in a career that has nevertheless had plenty of highs and lows. Not only was he hailed as "King of the Kop", but he is also the joint all-time top goal scorer for the Scottish national team. He was selected in PFA team of the year for 5 times. Dalglish finished third place BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1986.
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28. Kevin Keegan          

Date Of Birth : 14 February 1951, Height : 173 cm
Nation   :  England, Caps  :  63 Games (21 Goals)
Position : Deep-lying ForwardMajor Club : Liverpool, Hamburg
World Cup Participation : 1982 (1 Game)
Professional Score Record : 286 Goals/ 833 Games
Club Honours : 3 Times English Top Division, 1 Time FA Cup
4 Time German Champion                           
2 Times UEFA Cup Winners (1973, 1976)
1977 European Cup Winner, 1980 European Cup Runner-Up
International Honours   :  None
Individual Achievement  :    1976 FWA Footballer of The Year
2 Times European Footballer of The Year (1978, 1979)
1977 Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year
1982 PFA Player’s Player of The Year
                                                        1982 English Top Division Top Scorer



"The Geordie Messiah" Kevin Keegan is the only player in history of British football to win Ballon d’Or more than once time. He was one of the few lights in the dark 1970s soccer decade for England. He was more of a creator of chances than a finisher and his talent and creativity brought him in Liverpool's spotlight. He was also s work-horse deep-lying forward with excellent technique, he was a natural leader for Liverpool, Hamburg and England. Although he could not be a star in World Cup due to appear only one game, He was a top scorer in European Championship 1980. Keegan was awarded every years during the lately 1970s. He later decided to move back to play in England again with Southampton and Newcastle which are the unsuccessful team at that time. During his 16 career seasons, He played in Top Division just 11 seasons only. Keegan is a top scorer in the 1980 UEFA Euro qualifying round. He was selected in PFA team of the year for 3 times. Keegan was also rated by kicker in 2 World-Class and 2 International-Class. Keegan finished third place BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1979.
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27. Francesco Totti

Date Of Birth : 27 September 1976, Height : 180 cm
Nation :  Italy, Caps :  58 Games (9 Goals)
Position : Deep-lying ForwardMajor Club : AS Roma
World Cup Participation : 2002,2006 (11 Games/1 Goals/6 Assists)
Professional Score Record : 291 Goals/712 Games
Club Honours  : 1 Time Italian Series A, 2 Times Copa Italia
International Honours : 2000 European Championship Runner-Up
2006 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement : 1999 Series A Best Young Footballer
5 Times Italian Footballer of The Year (00, 01, 03, 04, 07)
2 Times Guerin Series A Footballer of The Year (1998, 2004)
2000 UEFA Euro Best XI, 2006 FIFA World Cup Top Assister
2007 Italian Series A Top Scorer, 2007 European Golden Shoe
AS Roma All-Time Top Scorer  - Greatest Player Ever



Francesco Totti is greatest footballer in history of AS Roma football club and is the greatest footballer in Italian Series A during the first half 2000s as he could be considered in five world-class Series A seasons by media rating and is the second all-time highest scorer of Italian Series A. He could play as attacking midfielder or second striker but he was best at the second one due to his great goal-scoring ability combined with his impressively creativity and technique. Totti was an outstanding of AS Roma since he was in a youth team and gradually developed until being the indispensably iconic player for more than a half and a decade. His best year is 2001 that he could won fifth place European Footballer of The Year as well as World Soccer Player of the Year. He helped Roma won second place in Italian Series A in 5 seasons. Totti is everything of AS Roma for his impact and royalty to the club. Nevertheless, Totti under a blue shirt of Azzuri never perform in the same level as his club. He made total 29 % assist/total series A games. Totti is named in ESM team of the month 12 times and team of the year 3 times.
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26. Dennis Bergkamp

Date Of Birth : 10 May 1969, Height  : 184 cm
Nation : Netherlands, Caps  : 79 Games (37 Goals)
Position : Creative Forward, Major Club : Arsenal
World Cup Participation : 1994, 1998 (12 Games/6 Goals/4 Assists)
Professional Score Record  : 264 Goals/ 727 Games
Club Honours : 1 Time Dutch League, 2 Times Dutch Cup
3 Times English Premier League, 4 Times FA Cup
1987 UEFA Cup Winners Cup, 2 Times UEFA Cup (1992,1994)
International Honours  :  None
Individual Achievement : 1992 UEFA Euro Best XI
1990 Dutch Talent of The Year, 3 Times Dutch League Top Scorer
2 Times Dutch Player of The Year (1992, 1993)
3 Times Silver World Soccer Player of The Year(1992,1993,1997)
1992 Bronze Ball, 1993 Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year
2 Times Bronze Ball FIFA World Player of The Year (1993, 1997)
                                                         1998 PFA Player’s Player of The Year, FWA Footballer of The Year
                                                       1994 UEFA Cup Top Scorer, 1998 FIFA World Cup All Stars Team



"The Iceberg" Dennis Bergkamp is the greatest Dutch player after the golden era of “The Dutch Trinity” was ended. He early was an outstanding target striker with his deadly finishing and became a World-Class player since the early 1990s that he had a great performance in EURO 92 and was remembered as a scorer of winning goal to lead Holland qualifying for the 1994 World Cup in match against England. Then, his twice seasons in Italian Series A with Inter Milan didn't success. Eventually, He decided to move playing for Arsenal where he switched to play as deep-lying forward. He possessed with uncanny imagination and not only a threat to score with either foot or head but could create chances along the front line for his teammates, was cool under pressure situation. Bergkamp became one of the best legends of the club and the statue outside emirates stadium is constructed for his honor. He was awarded Premier League player of the month four times. The Times selected him as the second best Arsenal greatest player ever. Bergkamp is also an international top scorer in the same year.
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25. Nandor Hidegkuti


Date Of Birth  : 3 March 1922
Nation  : Hungary, Caps  : 69 Games (39 Goals)
Height  : 179 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club   :  MTK Hungaria
World Cup Participation : 1954, 1958 (6 Games / 4 Goals)
Professional Score Record : 267 Goals/ 385 Games
Club Honours : 3 Times Hungarian League
1 Time Hungarian Cup, 1955 Mitropa Cup
International Honours  : 1952 Olympic Game Gold Medal
1953 Central European Champion
1954 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement :  1954 FIFA World Cup All-Stars Team
MTK Hungary Greatest Player Ever



Nandor Hidegkuti is one of the great attackers in “The Mighty Magyars” Hungarian golden team during the early 1950s. He scored twice on his debut for Hungary. Two years later, He made his second international appearance and scored a hat-trick against Bulgaria. Hidegkuti and Péter Palotás were rivals for a place in the national side. Despite scoring in the semi-final and helping Hungary become Olympic Champions in 1952, Hidegkuti did not establish himself as first choice in team until later in that year. Inspired by Hidegkuti, Hungary was level at half time and eventually won. In 1953, Hidegkuti scored a hat-trick for Hungary when they beat England 6-3 at Wembley Stadium. Playing from deep, Hidegkuti was able to distribute the ball to the other four attackers and cause considerable confusion in the English defence. This was an innovation at the time and revolutionized the way the game was played. 
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24. Hector Scarone

Date Of Birth  :  26 November 1898
Nation  :  Uruguay, Caps  :  52 Games (31 Goals)
Position : Deep-lying Forward, Height  : 169 cm
Major Club  :  Nacional
World Cup Participation : 1930 (3 Games/1 Goal)
South American Campionship Score Record : 
6 Tournaments (17 Games with 13 Goals)
Score Record  :  200 Goals/ 277 Games
Club Honours : 8 Times Uruguay League
International Honours : 2 Times Olympic Game Gold Medal (1924,1928)
4 Times Copa America Winners (1917, 1923, 1924, 1926)
1930 FIFA World Cup Champion
Individual Achievement : 1917 Copa America Best Player
1928 Olympic Games Best Player
Nacional Greatest Player Ever 



“The Magician” Hector Scarone is the greatest footballer in the World in the first half 1920s. He scored a large number of goals in Uruguay league during his 14 seasons with Nacional. He also played for Barcelona, Inter Milan and Palermo for a few seasons. A hard worker and tough competitor, Scarone was in the classic Uruguayan mould of the era and was adept at playing an individual role as well as being an important team member. Uruguay was the leading soccer country in the world during his prime years. He continued to be a valuable member for the next 13 years after his debut. Scarone was the star of two Olympic gold medal winning teams, contributed with 8 goals in two tournaments. He played his last matches for Uruguay during the inaugural World Cup on home soil in 1930 when his team emerged victoriously won that tournament, making it a perfect ending to a brilliant international career.
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23. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Date Of Birth  :  3 October 1981, Height : 195 cm

Nation  :  Sweden, Caps : 116 Games (62 Goals)

Position : Forward, Major Club : Juventus, Inter Milan

World Cup Participation : 02,06 (5 Games/No Goal/Assist)

Professional Score Record: 502 Goals/193 Assists/835 Games 

Club Honours  :  2 Times Dutch League, 1 Time Dutch Cup

1 Time Spanish La Liga, 6 Times Series A


4 Times French Ligue, 2 Times French Cup

2009 FIFA Club World Cup, 2017 UEFA Europa League


International Honours : None

Individual Achievement :  2 Times Italian Series A Top Scorer

11 Times Swedish Footballer of The Year       

4 Times Italian Series A Foreign Footballer of The Year

3 Times French Ligue Player of The Year - Top Scorer (13, 14,16)

4 Times Swedish Male Athletic of The Year (07, 10, 13, 15)

3 Times Series A Footballer of The Year (2008, 2009 ,2011)


2013 UEFA Champion League Top Assist


                                                                Sweden All-Time Top Scorer


Zlatan Ibrahimovic was the best player in Italian Series A during the late 2000s, A Sweden-Born football player of Bosnian and Croatian parentage. He currently holds the record for the most winners in Series A Footballer of The Year. He started career with Malmo and his worldwide reputation was began at Ajax, played as a second-striker there, and was famous for in his exciting dribbling, great technical ability, goalscoring and physical strength. He moved to play as target striker for Juventus at the first season. The following season, his role changed, as he became less of a scorer and moved more to the sidelines, taking much part in the build-up play, and his assist numbers increased. Then he reached the prime at Inter Milan. His form had been eye-catching, with clever movement on and off the ball, and his outstanding passing. He reach the peak career in UEFA Champion League with Paris-SG, finished top assists in 2012 - 2013 season. Media rating to him could be considered in at least 3.5 world-class domestic seasons. Ibrahimovic was named in UEFA Team of the year three times. He finished in 7th Ballon'Dor three times and finished fourth place in 2013 FIFA Ballon'Dor. Ibrahimovic was named in ESM Team of the Year three times, UEFA Team of the year four times and FIFPro World XI once.

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22. Hristo Stoichkov

Date Of Birth : 8 February 1966, Height : 178 cm
Nation :  Bulgaria, Caps :  83 Games (37 Goals)
Position : Left-Side Forward, Major Club : CSKA Sofia, Barcelona
World Cup Participation :1994,1998 (10 Games/6 Goals/No Assist)
Professional Score Record  :  269 Goals/ 550 Games
Club Honors : 3 Times Bulgarian League, 4 Times Bulgaria Cup
4 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
1992 European Cup Winners, 1994 Runner-Up
1997 UEFA Cup Winners Cup, International Honours :  None
Individual Achievement  :   2 Times Bulgarian League Top Scorer
4 Times Bulgarian Footballer of The Year
2 Times European Top Scorer (1990, 1994)
1990 World League Top Scorer, 1994 La Liga Best Foreign Player
2 Times Silver Ball FIFA World Player of The Year (1992, 1994)
1994 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe - Bronze Ball - All Stars Team
1992 Silver Ball, 1994 European Footballer of The Year 1989 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
1994 IFFHS International Top Scorer of the Year
1996 UEFA Euro Best XI, UEFA Jubilee Award (Bulgaria)


“"The Dagger" Hristo Stoichkov is the greatest Bulgarian footballer of all-time. He played as a left-forwarder who was known for his explosive acceleration and speed dribbling, and for taking unpredictable shots on goal. He was also notable at taking free kicks and penalties as well as being among the best crossers in the world at his prime and also able to perform in the withdrawn creative role. He gained much popularity because of his aggressive temper on the pitch. He could often be seen arguing with the referee. Stoichkov was the major force that carried Bulgaria to won fourth place in FIFA world cup 1994. As part of Johan Cruyff's 'Dream Team', Stoichkov helped Barcelona to the most successful era of the club and he had become an idol for the club's fans, and was Barça's most popular player at the time. In 1993, he also finished fifth place FIFA World Player of the Year.  Within 6 seasons in Spain, he was named La Liga team of the season three times.

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21. Florian Albert

Date Of Birth : 15 September 1941
Nation : Hungary, Caps : 75 Games (32 Goals)
Position : Forward, Height : 181 cm
Major Club : Ferencvaros
World Cup Participation : 1962, 1966 (7 Games/4 Goals)
Professional Score Record  : 256 Goals/ 351 Games
Club Honours  : 4 Times Hungarian League
1 Time Hungarian Cup
1965 Inter Cities Fair Cup
International Honours    : None
Individual Achievement  : 3 Times Hungarian League Top Scorer
1962 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe
1964 UEFA Euro Team Best XI
1966 European Cup Top Scorer
1967 European Footballer of The Year



Florian Albert was the greatest Eastern European footballer during the late 1960s. He has been described as one of the most elegant footballers of all time. He succeeded from Ferenc Puskas as the iconic Hungarian footballer. Albert was a kind of combined player between marksmen and a creative forwarder according to his great finishing, ball controlling and vision to create assist. Although he was a top scorer in the 1962 FIFA World Cup tournament, He tied with other five players to win golden boot with just four goals and his most outstanding performance was achieved in World Cup 1966 despite he could not score even a goal but by the time his role was became a creator already but Hungary best reached just quarter-final round in both World Cup he played. Nevertheless, He helped Hungary reach semi-final round in Euro 1964 and 1972. Albert also finished 5th place in the 1966 Ballon'Dor. He was chosen by 2 medias from total 3 in 1966 FIFA World Cup best XI
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20. Omar Sivori

Date Of Birth  :  2 October 1935
Nation  :  Argentina, Position  : Deep-lying Forward
Height  :  170 cm, Major Club :  Juventus
Caps  :  27 Games (17 Goals) (Split into Argentina and Italy)
World Cup Participation  :  1962 (2 Games)
South American Championsip Score Record : 
2 Tournaments (7 Games / 4 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  211 Goals/ 378 Game
Club Honours  : 3 Times Argentina League
3 Times Italian Series A, 2 Times Copa Italia
International Honours  : 1957 Copa America Champion
Individual Achievement  :  1957 Copa America Best Player
1960 Italian Series A Top Scorer
1961 European Footballer of The Year
Italian Series A All-Time Most Goal In One Match


The Maradona of The Sixties” Omar Sivori was one of the best forwards in the world in the early 1960s and is one of the legendary Argentinean-Italian footballers of Juventus. His playing style was as "audacious and brilliant". Sívori utilized his dribbling skills and favorite move of the nutmeg (playing the ball between an opposition players legs) to defeat defenders. Primarily a left footed player, Sívori had the ability to score with his left, his right and despite his relatively short stature his head; this would sometimes see him receiving kicks to the face. Especially while with Juventus, he was able to utilize his vision and passing skills, working in unison with Charles and Boniperti but also known for his weak physical condition. He mostly played as deep-lying forward for Juventus but switched down to play as playmaker in his late career with Napoli. Sivori holds the record for most goals in a single Italian Series A game with six against Inter Milan in 1961.
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19. Thierry Henry

Date Of Birth  :  14 August 1977, Height  :  188 cm
Nation  :  France, Caps : 117 Games (51 Goals/ 29 Assists)
Position : Forward, Major Club  :  Arsenal
Professional Score Record  : 321 Goals/ 691 Games/ 165 Assists
World Cup Participation : 98,02,06 (15 Games/6 goals/1 Assist)
Club Honours  :  1 Time French League, 2 Times English  League
2 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey, 3 Times FA Cup
2009 UEFA Champion League,Intercontinental Cup,2006 Runner-Up 
International Honours : 2000 UEFA Euro Winner, 
1998 FIFA World Cup Winner, 2006 Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 5 Times French Player of The Year
2000 UEFA Euro Team Best XI, 2006 FIFA World Cup All Star Team
2003 IFFHS International Top Scorer of the Year
2003 FIFA Confederation Cup Top Scorer - Golden Ball
European Footballer of The Year : 2003 Silver Ball, 2006 Bronze Ball
                                                        2 Times Silver Ball FIFA World Player of The Year (2003, 2004)
                                                        World Soccer Player of The Year : 2004 Silver Ball, 2006 Bronze Ball
                                                        4 Times Premier League Top Scorer, Premier League Greatest Player Ever
                                                        3 Times FWA Player (2003, 2004, 2006), 2 Times PFA Player (2003, 2004)
                                                                  2 Times European Golden Boot (2004, 2005)
                                                        Arsenal All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever


Thierry Henry is regarded as the greatest footballer in history of English Premier League. He is one of the most controversial players due to his personality lacking of sportsmanship. Henry was very fast player and acceleration, great in dribbling, possessed elastic body combined with physical strength and stamina and as the first-rate finisher and assist provider. He started playing as a left-winger for Monaco and Juventus before being signed for Arsenal after unsuccessful period in Series A and switched to play as center-forward. His style of play is not to wait the ball in penalty box. Oppositely, He always tried to control the ball and find an occasion to make score or assist. Then he moved to Barcelona and changed position to left-wing-forward. He won the triple champs with the club in 2009. He was selected in PFA team of the year in 6 times, premier league player of the month four times and could be considered in 3.5 times world-class performer by media rating. Henry was named in UEFA Team of the year five times, was voted in top five Ballon D’or for 5 times and also top five FIFA World Player of the Year in 4 times. 
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18. Luis Alberto Suarez

Date Of Birth : 24 January 1987
Nation : Uruguay, Caps. : 137 Games (68 Goals/36 Assists)
Height : 181 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club : Ajax Amsterdam
World Cup Participation : 2010, 2014
Professional Score Record : 460 goals/247 assists/746 games
Club Honours : 1 Time Dutch League, 4 Times Copa Del Rey
1 Time Uruguayan League, 4 Times Spanish La Liga
2015 UEFA Champion League
International Honours : 2010 FIFA World Cup Fourth Place
2011 Copa America Winner
Individual Achievement : 2011 Copa America Most Valuable Player
2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification Top Scorer
2014 English Premier League Top Scorer
2014 FWA Footballer of The Year, PFA Player of The Year
2 Times European Golden Shoe (2014, 2016)
Uruguay All-Time Top Scorer
2015 Silver UEFA Best Player in Europe
                                                         2016 Spanish La Liga Top Scorer


Luis Alberto Suarez is the second greatest South American player in the first half 2010s only to Messi. He was arguably the most successful South American player in history of English league, obtaining highest media rating in the last 15 years for his performance the 2013 – 2014 Premier League. The valuable asset of L.Suarez is his intelligence, quickness and remarkable technical ability. He could play in anywhere in the front-line thanks to his vision and work-rates. Luis Suarez is notorious for his undesirable violent behavior, being suspended by FIFA several months and also effect on ineligibility in the 2014 FIFA Ballon’Dor nomination. However, he still made the great come back with Barcelona, outshining Messi in several La Liga games. He is also among the best South American player in international country competition during the first half 2010s. L.Suarez won Ajax Player of The Year twice times as well as Liverpool Player of the year twice and Premier League player of the month twice and is named in ESM team of the year once. He finished Top five FIFA Ballon'Dor in 2015 and 2016.

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17. Laszlo Kubala

Date Of Birth   :  10 June 1927
Nation :  Hungary, Major Club  :  Barcelona
Height :  176 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Caps : 32 Games (19 Goals) (Hungary,Czechoslovakia,Spain)
Professional Score Record  : 262 Goals/ 417 Games
World Cup Participation :  None
Club Honours  : 4 Times Spanish La Liga
5 Times Copa Del Rey, 1 Time Latin Cup
2 Times Inter Cities Fair Cup (1958, 1960)
International Honours    :  None
Individual Achievement : 1999 Barcelona Best Player of The Century
Spanish La Liga All-Time Most Goal In One Match



Laszlo Kubala was one of the best European footballers in the first half 1950s, he is one of a few players in history to play for three nations. A striker with great passing qualities, Kubala had an uncommon dribbling ability, combining pace and skill. Kubala's composure in finishing, and power when striking for goal were also highly renowned. Also, he was one of history's greatest free kick specialists, able to bend the ball with pace and accuracy. Kubala was born in Hungary and played in professional career just a season in his country before moved to play in Czechoslovakia. The majority of his career was done at Barcelona. Regrettably, he faced tuberculosis just after his superb first season there and never reached his highest potential again. He holds the record most goals in one Spanish La Liga game with 7 against Sporting Gijon in 1952. Kubala also played for both a Europe XI and the Catalan XI.
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16. Matthias Sindelar

Date Of Birth  :  10 February 1903
Nation  :  Austria, Caps :  43 Games (27 Goals)
Height   : 175 cm, Position : Creative Forward
Major Club : Austria Vienna
World Cup Participation : 1934 (3 Games with 1 Goal)
Professional Score Record : Unavailable
Club Honours  : 1 Time Austrian League, 5 Times Austrian Cup
2 Times Mitropa Cup (1933, 1936)
International Honours  : 1932 Central European International Cup
Individual Achievement  :  1 Time Mitropa Cup Top Scorer
Austria Vienna Greatest Player Ever
Austrian League Greatest Player Ever
Austria Sportsman of The Century         
1999 IFFHS Austria Player of The Century


“The Mozart of Fooball” Matthias Sindelar in his prime is considered as the phenomenon footballer in the pre-war era and is the greatest Austrian footballer of all-time. A prototype of withdrawn center-forward who was very influence the team as a creator in the front-line, he was a genius footballer who was full of special talent, is one of the greatest dribblers of all-time, also was principled individual didn’t compromise or abandoned his moral and ethical beliefs. Sindelar and Austria were especially prominent at the 1934 World Cup. The high point was their defeat of Hungary in quarterfinals. Austria then suffered a controversial defeat to the host nation, with Sindelar affected by the harsh marking of Luis Monti. In club career, Austria Vienna was just a middle-level team in Austria during the 2nd half 1920s and become one of the greatest Central European clubs in the 1st half 1930s in accordance with Sindelar's peak career Sindelar was voted 22nd greatest footballer of the Century by IFFHS’s poll as well as the greatest Austrian player of all-time.

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15. Fritz Walter

Date Of Birth  :  31 October 1920
Nation : Germany, Caps :  61 Games (33 Goals)
Height  :  174 cm, Position : Deep-lying Forward
Major Club  :  Kaiserslautern
World Cup Participation  :   1954, 1958 (11 Games - 3 Goals))
Professional Score Record  : 380 Goals/ 411 Games
Club Honours   :  2 Times German Champions
International Honours  :1954 Times FIFA World Cup Champions
Individual Achievement :  Kaiserslautern All Time Top Scorer
Kaiserslautern Greatest Player Ever
1954 FIFA World Cup Best Midfielder
UEFA Jubilee Award (Germany)
German Sport Personality Hall of Fame



Fritz Walter is historically considered as the greatest personality of the circle of German football. A gifted technician and a great strategist, he was the most influenced player in retrieving Germany from their being devastated from the World War II. Walter could score a hat-trick as soon as his debut with the national team. He was drafted into the armed forces in 1942, Walter was a prolific scorer in his early career during the war-time in German regional league and German national team. However, the end of the war found 24 years old Fritz. He narrowly fortunate survived from that war and suffered from Malaria, finally return to make a large impact level on Kaiserslautern and at his prime, he switched to deeper position as a brilliant playmaker with great ability to read the game and even helped the team in defensive game, finally leading them to win German Championship twice within four finalists. He was recalled to the national team in 1951, and he was named captain and led his country won their first World Cup in 1954 ironically. Walter received his last cap during the 1958 World Cup which Germany won fourth place, and retired from football at age of 39 years old. The Fritz Walter Stadium was named for his honor to be the home of Kaiserslautern. 

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14. Neymar

Date Of Birth  : 5 February 1992
Position  :  Left Side-Forward
Height : 176 cm, Caps : 124 Games (77 Goals/56 Assists)
Professional Score Record : 356 Goal/217 Assists/575 Games
Major Club : Santos, Barcelona, World Cup Participation : 2014,2018
Club Honours : 3 Times Brazil State Championship
1 Time French Cup, 1 Time French Ligue
1 Time Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Brazil Cup, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
2011 Copa Libertadores Cup, 2015 UEFA Champion League, 2020 Runner-Up
International Honours : 2013 FIFA Confederation Cup
Individual Achievement : 5 Times Best Brazilian Footballer In Europe
2011 Brazilian League Footballer of the Year
3 Times Brazilian League Top Scorers
2 Times South American Footballer of the Year (2011, 2012)
2011 Copa Libertadores Cup Most Valuable Player
2012 Copa Libertadores Cup Top Scorer
                                                              2013 FIFA Confederation Cup Golden Ball
                                                              2015 UEFA Champion League Top Scorer
                                                              2015 Bronze Ball FIFA Ballon'Dor
                                                              2 Times UEFA Champion League Top Assist Provider (2016, 2017)
                                                              2017 Bronze Ball Ballon'Dor, FIFA World Player of the Year
                                                              2021 Copa America Team of the Tournament
                                                              Brazil All-Time Top Scorer

Neymar is the greatest Brazilian player during the 2010s and is considered as one of the greatest players in the World in the mid-2010s. He debuted international game at his only 18 years old when he just first played his first professional season and achieved as a top scorer immediately. He is considered as one of the best youngest players ever when he was awarded South American footballer of the year at his 20 years old. Neymar developed his early career with Santos and moved to Barcelona and later his career was spent with tremendous injury with Paris-Saint Germain where is regarded as the highest peak performer in history of Ligue I. He is always an indispensable player for Brazil national team during its dark era. A prolific scorer and also famous for his dribbling ability with an incredible quick step. Although he could play as a deep-lying forward, Neymar's best position is a side forward that allowed him to utilize his speed to score by himself or creates assists. He holds the record all-time most assists and top scorer for Brazil national team. Aside from 2015 and 2017 that he finished third place in FIFA Ballon'Dor, he also finished at 5th twice, was named in 2018 ESM team of the year and 2020 UEFA Team of the year.

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13. Rivaldo

Date Of Birth  : 19 April 1972, Height  :  186 cm
Nation  :  Brazil, Caps :  74 Games (34 Goals/15 Assists)
Position : Deep-lying Forward, Major Club : Barcelona
World Cup Participation : 1998, 2002 (14 Games/8 Goals/3 Assists)
Copa America Score Record :  1 Tournament (5 Games / 5 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  297 Goals/ 564 Games
Club Honours  :  2 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
1 Time Brazil National League, 2 Times Brazil State League
1 Time Copa Italia, 2003 UEFA Champion League
International Honours : 1999 Copa America Winner                     
2002 FIFA World Cup Champion,1998 Runner-Up
Individual Achievement  : 1998 La Liga Best Foreign Player
1999 Copa America Top Scorer, Most Valuable Player
1999 Ballon’Dor, World Soccer, FIFA World Player of The Year
2000 European Cup Top Scorer
                                                         2000 Bronze Ball FIFA World Player of The Year
                                                          2000 IFFHS International Top Scorer of the Year
                                                          2 Times FIFA World Cup All Star Team (1998, 2002)
                                                          Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame


Rivaldo is regarded as the the greatest player in the World during late 1990s. He played in the area between attacking midfielder and deep-lying forward but he was more exerting as scorer than creator. Rivaldo could dribble, shot and pass with the best. Especially, His shooting was combined with powerful and precision. He was renown of his superb by-cycle kicking. After his glory years in Barcelona, he was transferred to AC Milan. His time in Milan proved a mutually disappointing affair, was a starter through the first season but he didn’t play even a game in the next one partially due to injury problems. Within 5 seasons in Spain, he was named La Liga team of the season four times. He was voted as the 5th and 4th best player of the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup tournament, respectively. Rivaldo is named in ESM team of the month 14 times and team of the year 2 times, was also voted in fifth place Ballon'Dor in 1998 and fifth place in FIFA World Player of the Year twice in 2001 and 2002. 
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12. Gyorgi Sarosi

Date Of Birth  :  5 August 1912, Height :  186 cm
Nation : Hungary, Caps : 61 Games (42 Goals)
Position : Forward, Major Club : Ferencvaros
World Cup Participation  :   1934, 1938 (5 Games with 6 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  420 Goals/ 450 Games
Club Honours : 5 Times Hungarian League
4 Times Hungarian Cup, 1937 Mitropa Cup
International Honours  : 1938 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement : 3 Times Hungarian League Top Scorer
2 Times Mitropa Cup Topscorer 
Mitropa Cup All-Time Top Scorer         
2 Times Central European International Cup Top Scorer (1935, 1937)
Central European International Cup All-Time Top Scorer
Ferencvaros All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
1938 FIFA World Cup All-Stars Team    



Gyorgi Sarosi is one of the symbolic Hungarian legends, was the greatest footballer in the Europe during the second half 1930s. He is one of the most completed footballers of all-time, played in several positions for Ferencváros and Hungary. Essentially an inside-forward and center-forward, he could also operate in midfield as a world-class center-half or even an international-class central defender, played these role in the early and the late career. Sarosi was an extraordinary dribbler and scorer with aggressive character, had got great physical option as a true leadership and very good teamwork ability. Sarosi is one of the best players in history of Mitropa Cup, was a superstar and reached four final matches. He captained Hungary to the 1938 FIFA World Cup finals and scored five goals. Sarosi made phenomenon record in the 1935 -1936 season, scored 36 goals in 20 league games. In the 1937 international club, he scored seven goals in single match against Czechoslovakia. For his role as a forward, he scored 331 goals in 317 league games, 49 goals in 43 Mitropa cup games and approximately scored 40 goals in 40 national team games. Saorsi scored 54 hat-tricks and 4 double-hat-tricks in his whole career.
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11. Roberto Baggio

Date Of Birth  : 18 February 1967, Height  :  174 cm
Nation  :   Italy, Caps   :  56 Games (27 Goals)
Position  : Creative ForwardMajor Club : Fiorentina, Juventus
Professional Score Record  :  292 Goals/ 637 Games
World Cup Participation:1990,94,98 (16 Games/9 Goals/2 Assists)
Club Honours : 2 Times Italian Series A
1 Time Copa Italia, 1993 UEFA Cup Winner
International Honours  :  1990 FIFA World Cup Third Place
1994 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up
Individual Achievement  :  1990 Bravo Award
1991 Cup Winners Cup Top Scorer
1993 European Footballer of The Year, 1994 Silver Ball
1993 FIFA World Player of The Year, 1994 Bronze Ball
1993 World Soccer Player of The Year, 1994 Silver Ball
1994 FIFA World Cup Silver Ball  
                                                         2001 Guerin Italian Footballer of The Year



“The Golden Braid” Roberto Baggio is one of the most popular footballers of all-time, is the most talent Italian player ever. He played as a creative forward and is one of the best technical players in history of the game. An elegant player, he was an excellent dribbler and defense infiltrator and free-kick specialist. He was best remembered for his phenomenon performance in World Cup 1994. Among the pressured situation of Italy in several matches due to their non-proficient in attacking game, Baggio scored important goals until leading Italy reached final round. However, It is him to miss the final penalty kick affecting Italy lost in that match. Baggio is one of a few players to play for all three famous clubs in Italian series A consist of AC Milan, Inter Milan and Juventus. He still had a great form in his late career with Bologna and Brescia until his retirement at 36 year olds. He made 26 % assists and 36.5 % penalty goals per total Series A games and 46 % of his series A goals are decisive goals. Baggio was voted eighteenth in a poll organised by the French weekly magazine France Football. 
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10. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Date Of Birth : 25 September 1955, Height : 182 cm
Nation : Germany, Caps : 95 Games (45 Goals)
Position :  Side-Forward, Major Club : Bayern Munich
World Cup Participation : 78,82,86 (19 Games/9 Goals/1 Assist)
Professional Score Record  :  286 Goals/ 574 Games
Club Honours : 2 Times German Champion, 2 Times DFB-Pokal
2 Times European Cup (1975, 1976), 1976 Intercontinental Cup
International Honours  : 1980 European Championship Winner
2 Times FIFA World Cup Runner-Up (1982, 1986)
Individual Achievement  :  3 Times Bundesliga Top Scorer
1 Time Swiss League Top Scorer, 1980 UEFA Euro Best XI
1980 German Player of The Year,1981 European Cup Top Scorer
2 Times Ballon'Dor (1980,1981),1979 Silver Ball
1982 FIFA World Cup Bronze Ball - All Star Team
1982 Silver Ball World Soccer Player of The Year

King Kalle" Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was the greatest footballer in the world between lately 70’s to early 80’s. He was an athletic all-round forward, could play all position in the front line cover winger in both side, second striker and targeted striker, made him as one of the most completed football players the World has ever seen. He always beat opposing defenders with his high speed, physically power and technical abilities. Also, Rummenigge was great in off the ball and finishing. His never-say-die attitude made him a natural captain for his country as 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cup finalists. Rummenigge is also a top scorer in both 1982 FIFA World Cup qualifying round in UEFA zone and 1984 UEFA Euro qualification. He was rated by Kicker Ranking in 3 World-Class seasons plus 5 seasons of International-Class during ten seasons in Bundesliga. According to German footballer of the year voting, he was German forward of the year for three times. Afterwards, He moved to play for Inter Milan 3 seasons and achieved one more world-class season. In 1980, he won Ballon'Dor as the most unanimous votes in history of the awards with 1st votes from 24 persons from total 25. In 2005, He was voted in all-time Bayern XI. Rummenigge also finished 4th Ballon'Dor in 1982 and 5th place in 1985

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9Jose Manuel Moreno

Date Of Birth  :  3 August 1916
Nation : Argentina, Position  : Deep-lying Forward
Height :  187 cm, Major Club : River Plate
Caps  :  33 Games (20 Goals)
World Cup Participation  :   None
South American Championsip Score Record : 
3 Tournaments (16 Games / 13 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  224 Goals/ 489 Games
Club Honors: 5 Times Argentinian League,1 Time Mexican League
1 Time Chilean League, 2 Times Colombian League
International Honors : 2 Times Copa America Winners (1941,1947)
Individual Achievement : 1942 Copa America Top Scorer
1947 Copa America Best Player
River Plate - Argentine League Greatest Player Ever



“El Charro” Jose Manuel Moreno was the greatest footballer in the World in the early 1940s and is one of the most completed footballers of all-time. He has been regarded by Argentinean old-timers to be a better player than Alfredo Di Stefano who ever mentioned by himself that there are many greater footballers than him in Argentina during 1940s but they was not get opportunity to play in Europe, A few football fans around the World have ever heard his name because he never participated in World Cup due to the disappearance of tournament during the war-time and refusing to enter World Cup 1950 by Argentina football association. Moreno is the most outstanding player in the legendary famous team “ La Maquina”. He played as inside-right but sometimes played as attacking midfielder according to “Total Football” Style of play that La Maquina is the first team to play. Moreno was a superb technical player, was a world-class creator, passer and dribbler, scored many career goals with header. However, he is also known for his unprofessional attitude, often missed the training and smoking. He was selected among the 25 best players in the world in the 20th century by the IFFHS in 1999. He also ranked as the fifth best player in South America, and as the third in Argentina.
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8Giuseppe Meazza

Date Of Birth  :  23 August 1910
Nation :  Italy, Caps : 53 Games (33 Goals)
Height  : 176 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club   :  Inter Milan
Professional Score Record  : 305 Goals/ 477 Games
World Cup Participation : 1934, 1938 (9 Games with 3 goals)
Club Honours : 3 Times Italian Series A, 1 Time Copa Italia
International Honours : 2 Times FIFA World Cup (1934,1938)
Individual Achievement  :   3 Times Italian Series A Top Scorer
3 Times Mitropa Cup Top Scorer
1934 FIFA World Cup Best Player
Inter Milan All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever          
2008 FIGC Greatest Italian Player of All-Time


“Il Balilla” Giuseppe Meazza is considered by many as the greatest Italian players of all-time as well as the best player in the World of the entire pre-war era. He began his career as all out striker, but showed his skill and ability by also becoming an accomplished midfielder, playing for more than half of his career as inside forward both left and right. He was a great leader with excellent shooting and intoxicating dribbling skill, an eye for the pass and, despite his middle height, an exceptional heading ability. He was a brilliant passer, both-footed, had remarkable field vision and was noted for his turns and spins. He was a true leader and supstar in World Cup 1934. In the 1938 tournament, he was a captain of Italy and became more an assister than a scorer. Meazza is a FIFA Hall of Champions Inductee and Italian Hall of Fame Entrant. He was selected by IFFHS as the 2nd Best Italian player and 21st World Player of the Century. The Giuseppe Meazza Stadium,  is the home of inter Milan, was named in honour of him.
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7. Eusebio

Date Of Birth  :  25 January 1942
Nation  :   Portugal
Position  :  Forward
Height   :  177 cm
Major Club  :  Benfica
Caps   :  64 Games (41 Goals)
World Cup Participation  :   1966 (6 Games / 9 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  511 Goals/ 554 Games
Club Honours   :   11 Times Portuguese League
5 Times Portuguese Cup
1962 European Cup Winners
2 Times European Cup Runner-Up (1963, 1965, 1968)
International Honours   :  1966 FIFA World Cup Third Place

                     Individual Achievement

Portuguese Liga All-Time Most Top Scorers (7 Times)
European Footballer of The Year : 1965 Gold, 1962 and 1966 Silver Ball
1966 BBC Oversea Sports Personality of The Year
1966 FIFA World Cup Golden Shoe, Best Player
3 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1965, 1966, 1968)
2 Times European Golden Shoe (1968, 1973)
2 Times World League Top Scorer (1968, 1973)
2 Times Portuguese Athletic of The Year (1970, 1973)
Benfica Greatest Player Ever And All-Time Top Scorer
Portuguese League Greatest Player Ever
Portuguese Cup All-Time Top Scorer
UEFA Jubilee Award (Portugal)
IFFHS Portugal Player of The Century



“The Black Tiger of Mozambique” Eusebio Ferreira Da Silva is the greatest footballer ever to born in the Africa Continent and the greatest player ever to play for Portugal. He was a striker in the center-forward mold. Eusebio was the possessor of one of the most fearsome shots to have graced the planet, powerful stamina and strength, great in air, and also had sublime dribbling and passing skills. Eusebio was born and played football in Mozambique until 18 year olds before moved to play in Portugal, and decided to transfer his race to be Portugal in next year. He played for Benfica in their golden era alongside his famous teammate like Mario Coluna, reached European Cup final five times, and helped Portugal to win the only medal in their World Cup history. Eusebio made 34 hat-tricks in his whole career. In 1966, He regrettably lost Bobby Charlton just a point to win Ballon d’Or. Aside from years he won medal in this award, He was also voted in top five three times. He was voted 9th and 10th the greatest footballer of the century BY IFFHS and World Soccer, respectively, and was voted 7th by UEFA Jubilee poll.
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6. Ferenc Puskas

Date Of Birth  :  2 April 1927
Nation : Hungary, Position : Side/Deep-lying Forward
Height     :  174 cm, Major Club   :  Real Madrid
Caps   :  85 Games (84 Goals)
Professional Score Record  :  662 Goals/ 669 Games
World Cup Participation  :   1954 (6 Games / 4 Goals)
Club Honours     :  5 Times Hungarian League
5 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
2 Times European Cup Runner-Up (1962, 1964)
3 Times European Cup Winners (1959, 1960, 1966)
1960 Intercontinental Cup
International Honours    :  1952 Olympic Games Gold Medal
1953 Central European International Cup
1954 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up

Individual Achievement

4 Times Hungarian league Top Scorer
4 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
3 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1960, 1962, 1964)
1948 European - World League Top Scorer
1953 Central European International Cup Top Scorer
L’Equipe European Footballer of The Century
1960 Silver Ball European Footballer of The Year
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1999 IFFHS Hungary Player of The Century
Hungarian League Greatest Player Ever
Hungary All-Time Top Scorer
UEFA Jubilee Awards (Hungary)



"The Galloping Major" Ferenc Puskas is rated as the greatest Eastern European footballer of all-time and one of the most prolific scorers ever. He had great striking technique and was a deadly goal finisher with his precision left-foot, is the greatest shooter ever. Puskas operated his game as an inside-left and always performed a formidable ball control to the nearby penalty box area and shot by himself or assist to his teammate. He was also known for his professionalism, is one of the most consistency footballers, is one of the best players in the World in the highest age at 33 years old in 1960 and remained making scores until retirement at 39 year olds. He was both a prominent member and captain of the legendary Hungarian national team, known as the Mighty Magyars. However, he was injury and played only twice games in the 1954 World Cup First Round. Puskas prominently scored consecutive 13 games and scored seven goals in a single match in the 1949 NB I. In 1958, two years after the Hungarian Revolution, he emigrated to Spain where he played for the legendary Real Madrid team and went on to play for Spain for four games. Puskas scored four goals against Frankfurt in the 1960 European Cup final match Puskas which is the record for the final game. He made one of most hat-tricks in first level matches in Europe with 61. Puskas was voted 6th the greatest player of the century by IFFHS’s poll and 7th by World Soccer and France Football’s poll. 
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5. Alfredo Di Stefano

Date Of Birth  :  4 July 1926
Height  :  178 cm, Nation  :  Argentina
Position : Deep-lying Forward, Major Club : Real Madrid
Caps :  41 Games (29 Goals) (Split Into Argentina,Colombia,Spain)
Copa America Score Record : 1 Tournament (6 Goals/ 5 Game)
Professional Score Record  :  471 Goals/ 639 Games
World Cup Participation :  1962 (No Game)
Club Honours  :  2 Times Argentinean League
4 Times Colombian League,  1 Time Colombian Cup
8 Times Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
1948 South American Club Champion, 2 Times Latin Cup
5 Times European Cup Winners (56,57,58,59,60)
2 Times EC Runner-Up (1962, 1964), 1960 Intercontinental Cup
International Honours  : 1947 Copa America Winner


                                                                             Individual Achievement

1 Times Argentinean league Top Scorer
2 Times Colombian League Top Scorer
5 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
2 Times European Cup Top Scorer (1958, 1962)
2 Times South American League Top Scorer (1947, 1951)
4 Times Spanish Player of The Year (1957, 1959, 1960, 1964)
European Footballer of The Year : 1957 and 1959 Gold, 1956 Silver
Real Madrid - Spanish La Liga Greatest Player Ever
European Cup All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 IFFHS Spain Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS Bronze South American Player of The Century
1999 Bronze European Player of The Century
UEFA Jubilee Award (Spain)


“Blond Arrow” Alfredo Di Stefano is considered by many experts as the greatest club footballer of all-time and one of the most completed footballers of all-time. He is arguably the modern era’s finest “all-rounder” a player who controlled games from all positions and angles in central midfield area. He was normally lined up as forward but he could be found organizing in midfield or even the defense before advancing to assist or score himself. He was a powerful player with great stamina, tactical versatility, and vision. He is most associated with Real Madrid and was instrumental in their domination of the European Cup during the 1950s. He is currently the 4th highest scorer in the history of Spain's top division, and Real Madrid's 2nd highest league goalscorer of all time. Di Stefano scored four goals in twice European Cup quarter-final games between 1957 - 1959. He never played any game in World Cup final due to many reasons such as Argentina refused to participate in the 1950 tournament, is ineligible to play in the 1954 Spain failed to qualify in the 1958 and also getting injury in the 1962. Di Stefano was finished 4th the greatest player of the century by IFFHS and France Football’s poll and 6th by World Soccer’s poll.
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   4. Johan Cruyff

  Date Of Birth  :  25 April 1947
  Nation    :   Netherlands
  Position  :  Deep-lying Forward
  Height   :  180 cm
  Major Club  :  Ajax Amsterdem, Barcelona
  Caps   :   48 Games (33 Goals/26 Assists)
  Professional Score Record  :  371 Goals/ 663 Games
  World Cup Participation  :   1974 (7 Games/3 goals/3 Assists)
  Club Honours   :  9 Times Dutch Champions
   1 Time Spanish La Liga, 1 Time Copa Del Rey
  6 Times Dutch Cup
  1969 European Cup Runner-Up
  3 Times European Cup Winners (1971, 1972, 1973)
  1972 Intercontinental Cup
  International Honours  :  1974 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up

Individual Achievement

1974 FIFA World Cup Best Player
1984 Dutch Golden Shoe
1977 Spanish La Liga Player of The Year, 1978 Best Foreigner
European Footballer of The Year : Gold (1971, 1973, 1974), 1975 Bronze
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 IFFHS Netherlands Player of The Century
1999 Silver Ball IFFHS World Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS European Player of The Century
1999 Bronze Ball France Football’s Football Player of The Century
1999 Bronze Ball World Soccer Greatest Player of The Century
Ajax Amsterdam All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Eredivisie Greatest Player Ever
UEFA Jubilee Awards (Netherlands)


"Pythagoras in boots" Johan Cruyff is the greatest European footballer of all-time and one of the most completed attacking player to ever play the game. Cruyff was the most famous exponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football, explored by Rinus Michels. He was the key to the execution and refinement of this system. Cruyff played centre forward in this system. But he would drop deep to confuse his markers or suddenly move to the wing with devastating effect. He was known for his technical ability, speed and acceleration, but his greatest quality was vision as an orchestrator of “The Controlled Chaos” of The Orange Machine, based on an acute sense of his team-mates' positions as an attack unfolded. Cruyff also perfected a move now known as the "Cruyff Turn." Cruyff is a top scorer in the 1974 World Cup qualifying in UEFA zone. He retired from international football in 1977, having helped the national team qualify for the upcoming World Cup. Without him, the Netherlands finished runners-up in the World Cup again. Initially the reason given for missing were political reasons given a military dictatorship was in power in Argentina at that time. Within 5 seasons in Spain, he was named La Liga team of the season three times.. In 2004, he was finished 3rd the best European footballer in the last 50 years by UEFA Jubilee Poll.

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   3. Cristiano Ronaldo

    Date Of Birth  :  5 February 1985
    Height :  186 cm, Nation  : Portugal
    Major Club : Manchester United, Real Madrid
    Position  : Side-Forward
    Caps:  196 Games (118 Goals/35 Assists)
    World Cup Participation : 2006,2010,2014, 2018, 2022 (17 Games/6 Goals/2 Assist)
    Professional Scores Record : 701 Goals/202 assists/950 Games
    Club Honours :  3 Times Premier League
    2 Times Spanish La Liga, 2 Times Italian Series A
    1 Time FA Cup, 2 Times League Cup
    2 Times Copa Del Rey
    4 Times UEFA Champion League (08,14,16,17), 2009 Runner-Up
    2 Times FIFA Club World Cup (2008, 2014)
    International Honours :  2004 UEFA Euro Runner-Up
    2016 UEFA Euro Winner


                                                                                       Individual Achievement 

2004 Bravo Award
10 Times Portuguese Footballer of the Year
4 Times European Golden Shoe (2008,2011,2014,2015)
                                                               2013 IFFHS International Top Scorer 
UEFA Champion League All-Time Most Top Scorer (2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
UEFA Champion League Top Scorers
UEFA Champion League All-Time Top Assists Provider
                                                      4 Times La Liga Player of The Year, 3 Times La Liga Top Scorer  
2 Times Series A Footballer of the Year, 1 Time Top Scorer
2 Times PFA and FWA Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
2008 UEFA Club Player of the Year, 2013 - 2014 UEFA Best Player
2 Times FIFA Ballon D’or (2013,2014), Silver Ball (2011, 2012, 2015)
3 Times Ballon'Dor (2008,2016,2017), 2 Times Silver Ball (2007, 2009)
5 Times World Soccer Player of the year, 4 Times Silver Ball
3 Times FIFA World Player of the Year (2008,2016,2017), 2009, 2018 Silver Ball, 2007 and 2019 Bronze Ball
UEFA Champion League All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
                                    European Champion Cup All-Time Highest Scorer In A Single Tournament
                                                         European Championship All-Time Top Scorer
3 Times UEFA Euro Best XI (2004, 2012, 2016), Portugal All-Time Top Scorer
2 Times Best International Athlete ESPY Awards (2014, 2016)
2014 BBC Oversea Sports Personality of The Year
Portugal & Real Madrid All-Time Top Scorer
                                                                       All-Time Highest International Country Goalscorer
World's All-Time Highest Career Goalscorer
             FPF Portuguese Greatest Player Ever            

                    
Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest European footballer in the long run period between the late 2000s to present, and is one of the greatest Iberian footballers of all-time, holds the distinction of being the most expensive player in football history after having been transferred to Real Madrid. For his prime, he is well-known as a free role player who basically started operating his force in left or right-wing but he often try to run positioning himself to make scores in front of the goal in the central area and has become a prolific scorer in the club level. Ronaldo is a great physical player, very fast and strong to enforce his skillful dribble with his individual technical abilities and possesses a special drive-shoot. Disadvantageously, He has not been a top-class assistor or creator but his best skill is scoring. Cristiano Ronaldo always had a difficult time under the in the World Cup Final Tournaments but successfully led Portugal to win the only major international tournament in its history in Euro 2016 as a captain. He also holds the record most consecutive scorers in UEFA Champion League with 8. He was selected in PFA team of the year in four times, premier league player of the month four times.
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2. Pele

   Date Of Birth  :  23 October 1940
   Nation  :  Brazil, Position : Forward
   Height  :  173 cm, Major Club  :  Santos
   Caps   :  92 Games (77 Goals/30 Assists)
   Professional Score Record  :  680 Goals/ 720 Games
   World Cup Participation : 58,62,66,70(14 games/12 goals/5 Assists)
   South American Championsip Score Record : 
   1 Tournament (6 Games with 8 Goals)
   Club Honours   :  10 Times Brazil State Championships
   5 Times Brazil National Championships
   2 Times Copa Libertadores Cup (1962, 1963)
   2 Times Intercontinental Cup (1962, 1963)
   International Honours : 3 Times World Cup Champions (1958,62,70)
                                                                                                                                           Individual Achievement

11 Times Brazil State Championship Top Scorer
3 Times Brazil National Championship Top Scorer
1959 South American CHampionship Best Player
1970 FIFA World Cup Best Player
FIFA World Cup All-Time Most Assister
1970 BBC Sport Oversea Personality of The Year
1973 South American Footballer of The Year
Santos All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Campeonato Paulista Greatest Player Ever
Brazilian National Championship Greatest Player Ever
Copa Libertadores Cup Greatest Player Ever
Brazil All-Time Top Scorer - Brazil Football Museum Hall of Fame
1981 L’ Equipe Athlete of The Century
1994 France Football World Cup Best Player of All-Time
1994 FIFA World Cup All-Time Team
1998 FIFA World Team of The Century
1999 Olympic Committee Athlete of The Century
1999 Reuters Athlete of The Century
1999 UNICEF Footballer Player of The Century
1999 France Football’s Football Player of The Century
1999 South American Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS Brazil Player of The Century
1999 IFFHS World Player of The Century
1999 World Soccer Greatest Player of The Century
2000 FIFA Player of The Century
2005 BBC Sport Personality Lifetime Achievement Awards



“The King of Football” Edson Arantesdo Nascimento “ Pele” is widely regarded as the greatest footballer in history of the game.  Pelé began playing for Santos at 15 and his national team at 16, and won his first World Cup at 17. Despite numerous offers from European clubs, the economic conditions and Brazilian football regulations at the time benefited Santos, thus enabling them to keep him for almost two decades. Pelé played as an inside forward, striker, and what later became known as the playmaker position. Pelé's technique and natural athleticism have been universally praised and during his playing years he was renowned for his excellent dribbling and passing, his pace, powerful shot, exceptional heading ability, and prolific goalscoring. His explosive first step and feinting abilities gave defender nightmares, and his football imagination was equal to his impressive finishing skills. He is the all-time leading scorer of Brazil and is the only footballer to be a part of three World Cup-winning teams. In 1962 he was on the Brazilian squad at the start of the World Cup but because of an injury suffered in the second match, he wasn't able to play the remainder of the tournament. In 2007 FIFA announced that he would be awarded the 1962 medal retroactively. He holds the record most number of Hat-Trick scorers ever with 92, hold South American record as the most international hat-tricks scorer with seven. Pele notably scored 8 goals in a single match against Botafogo in the 1964 Campeonato Paulista as a South American record of first-level match. His career goals total of 1,280 in 1,324 games include unofficial games is the third most of all-time. 
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1      1. Lionel Messi

    Date Of Birth  : 24 June 1987
    Nation  : Argentina, Position : Forward
    Height : 169 cm, Major Club : Barcelona
    Caps : 178 Games (106 Goals, 54 Assists)
    Professional Score Record  : 715 Goals/308 Assists/867 Games
    World Cup Participation : 2006,10,14, 22 (26 Games/13 Goals/8 Assists)
    Copa America Score Record : 2 Tournament (10 Games / 2 Goals)
    Club Honours : 10 Time Spanish La Liga
    1 Time French Ligue, 6 Times Copa Del Rey
    4 Time UEFA Champion League (2006, 2009, 2011, 2015)
    2 Times FIFA Club World Cup (2009, 2011)
    International Honours  : 2008 Olympic Game Gold Medal
    2007, 2015, 2016 Copa America Runner-Up, 2021 Champion
    2014 FIFA World Cup Runner-Up, 2022 World Cup Winner

                                                                 Individual Achievement

2007 Bravo Awards 
7 Times Spanish La Liga Top Scorer
14 Times Argentinean Footballer of The Year
3 Time La Liga Foreign Player of The Year (2007, 2009, 2010)
6 Times La Liga Player of The Year 
2 Times UEFA Champion League Best Forward and MVP (2009, 2011)
6 Times UEFA Champion League Top Scorers (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012,2015,2019)
2009 and 2019 European Footballer of The Year, 3 Times Silver Ball (2007, 2008, 2017)
5 Times World Soccer Player of The Year, 4 Times Silver Ball 
3 Times FIFA World Player of The Year (2009, 2019, 2022), 6 Times Silver Ball (2007,2008,2010,2016,2017,2021)
European Golden Shoe All-Time Most Winners (2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019)
2 Times IFFHS International Top Scorer (2011, 2012)
2 Times UEFA Best Player In Europe (2011, 2015)
6 Times Ballon'Dor (2010, 2011,2012,2015, 2021, 2022), 2 Times Silver Ball (2013,2014)
2011 Argentine Sportsman of The Year
2011 L’ Equipe World Sportsman of The Year
2012 Best International Athlete ESPY Award
2 Times FIFA World Cup Golden Ball (2014, 2022)
2015 UEFA Champion League Top Assist Provider
2021 Copa America Top Scorer, Best Player
World All-Time Most Consecutive League Games Scorer
World All-Time Highest Goalscorer In A Single Season/Year
Spanish La Liga/Barcelona All-Time Top Scorer - Greatest Player Ever
Argentina All-Time Top Scorer


                           
Lionel Messi is currently a phenomenon-class player, holds the record most winners in World Player of the year awards, is one of the greatest club players ever and is one of the most completed attackers of all-time, is famous for his superb agility and acceleration, formidable dribbling, unparalleled creativity and is the most prolific scorer in the modern era. He started well-known when he won FIFA World Cup U-20 with Argentina in 2005. Afterwards, He became a brilliant young star of Barcelona as a wing-forward. IN his prime, He played as free role center-forward but always switch to play deeper as attacking midfielder for Argentina. Messi is the most influential players on Barcelona's dominance side as the only club to win the two European Triple Champion. In 2011 - 2012 Season, Messi scored 73 goals in 60 club games, is the highest goalscorer of all-time in a single season. He holds the record most hat-tricks in history of Spanish football club with 32. He also holds the record most goals in a year for Argentina with 12. He also own the record most hat-tricks scorer in history of European Cup/UEFA Champion League with five. His performance for Argentina national team is always below his standard in comparison to club level with 4 times runner-up of international country tournaments. However, Messi was awarded as the 2011 Copa America Top Assist Provider. 
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Honourable Mention

  Eduard Streltsov

Date Of Birth  :  21 July 1937
Nation  :  Soviet Union
Caps  : 38 Games (25 Goals)
Height  : 182 cm, Position : Forward
Major Club   :  Torpedow Moscow
World Cup Participation  :   None
Professional Score Record  :  99 Goals/ 222 Games
Club Honours  :   1 Time Soviet Championship
1 Time Soviet Cup
International Honours   :  1956 Olympic Game Gold Medal
Individual Achievement  :  1 Time Soviet League Top Scorer
3 Times Soviet Footballer of The Year (1957,1967, 1968)


“The Russian Pele” Eduard Streltsov is the most talented Soviet footballer ever. He started his career excitedly showing the superb performance in both club and national level. However, Streltsov was accused of raping a woman. Although the evidence against him was "confused and contradictory", he confessed to the crime, allegedly after being told that doing so would allow him to participate in the 1958 World Cup. He was released after five years and made a return to football two years later, once again appearing for Torpedo Moscow. He incredibly remained so great in his playing and won the best player of the league twice plus second place once time. Torpedo renamed their home ground in his honour. A statue of Streltsov was erected at the Luzhniki Olympic Complex. Streltsov – a tall, powerful forward, possessed of a fine first touch and extraordinary football intelligence". His back-heeled pass is known in Russia as "Streltsov's pass.  
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   Ernest Wilimowski

    Date Of Birth  :  23 June 1916
    Nation : Poland, Major Club : Ruch Chorzow
    Height : 172 cm, Position : Forward
    Caps : 30 Games (34 Goals) (Split Into Poland and Germany)
    World Cup Participation : 1938 (1 Games/4 Goals)
    Professional Score Record : 201 Goals/ 212 Games
    Club Honours : 5 Times Polish League,1 Times German Cup
    International Honours :  None
     Individual Achievement : 3 Times Polish League Top Scorer







Ernest Wilimowski is one of the best goalscorers in the history of the Polish national team and in Polish club soccer, scored more than 554 goals in official matches. An old-fashioned inside forward, who had six toes on his right foot, played on the left side as a forward and showed himself to be a very skillful dribbler as well as a natural goalscorer. He played for Ruch Chorzow in their glory year dominating the polish soccer, holds the record most goals per game in history of Polish league with ten. For the international career, he holds a record the most scores per game for 56 years with his 4 goals in the 1938 FIFA World Cup until Oleg Salenko destroyed it with 5 in World Cup 1994 and also scored four goals in a single match for West Germany. In 1939, he incredibly scored 26 goals in only 13 games in Polish league as the highest goal ratio in the league history, ten goals were scored in a single match against Union Touring-Lodz and is the World record of professional first-level match. However, World War II interrupted his peak career when he decided to re-take German citizenship and play for Germany. He played football in war-time but he had an opportunity to play in German Championship just once time with 1860 Munich in 1943. Wilimowski retired from football at 43 years old.
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  Milos Milutinovic

    Date Of Birth : 5 February 1933
    Nation : Serbia
    Position : Forward
    Height : 181 cm
   Major Club : Partizan Belgrade
   Caps : 33 Games (16 Goals)
   Professional Scores Record : 231 Goals/ 213 Games
   World Cup Participation : 1954, 1958 (6 Games with 1 Goal)
   Club Honours :  2 Times Yugoslav Cup
   International Honours : None
   Individual Achievement : 1956 European Cup Top Scorer


  “Blond Gyroscope” Miloš Milutinović is one of the most talented players in the history of Yugoslavian football. He was the top-class player with excellent technique, very fast and agile. He was fantastic reader of the game combine with great movement, had unique style of dribble. Milutinović could play as right-winger or center forward, was very outstanding to beat defenders to make scores by himself, was an unstoppable one in his prime. Unfortunately, His lung problem was the obstacle to interrupt his career played in only 5 years for national team and played in Yugoslavian league just five seasons with 65 percent of all league games and disappeared in club level in full two seasons. Real Madrid and Inter Milan ever offered him to move for them but communist regime did not allow players to play outside the country. Milutinovic was nominated in Ballon'Dor once time in 1957. He prominently scored 4 goals in European Cup first round match against Sporting Portugal
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Eric Cantona

   Date Of Birth  :  24 May 1966
   Nation  :  France, Caps   :  45 Games (20 Goals)
   Position : Creative Forward, Height : 174 cm
   Major Club : Manchester United
   World Cup Participation  :  None
   Professional Score Record : 161 Goals/ 432 Games
   Club Honours  : 2 Times French League
   5 Times English Premier League
   2 Times French Cup, 2 Times FA Cup
   International Honours  :  None
   Individual Achievement : 1994 PFA Player’s Player of The Year
   1996 FWA Footballer of The Year
   1993 Bronze Ball European Footballer of The Year
   Premier League Team of The Decade


                      
“King Eric” Eric Cantona is one of the most identity football personalities, is often regarded as having played a major talismanic role in the revival of Manchester United as a football powerhouse and he enjoys iconic status at the club and in English football. He was a flexible striker who could drop back and play a number 10 role. He was masterly in front of the goal, and could pass like the best fantasy. He led his team by superb skills and confidence, thereby motivating both by deed and idea After he was signed from Leeds to Man United, He was the most influenced player, was credited as a player who retrieved Man Utd from the era of failure. Cantona also had a good international career that was only marred by France missing the 1994 World Cup. He was both a football talisman and iconoclast, and therefore perhaps surprisingly had some disciplinary problems in his career. Cantona also finished 7th place Ballon'Dor in 1996.
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Statistics

By Nations

Argentina : 7
Hungary : 5
Brazil : 5
Netherlands : 4
Italy : 4
Yugoslavia : 3
Germany : 3
Soviet Union : 1
France : 2
Portugal : 2
Uruguay : 2
Belgium : 2
Austria : 1
England : 1
Denmark : 1
Spain : 1
Bulgaria : 1
Sweden : 1
Poland : 1
Scotland : 1
Czechoslovakia : 1
Paraguay : 1
Egypt : 1


By Decade

1910s    : -
1920s    : 2
1930s    : 5.5
1940s    : 6
1950s    : 6.5
1960s    : 5.5
1970s    : 6.5
1980s    : 3.5
1990s    : 5
2000s    : 5.5
2010s    : 4
2020s      : 1



By Position

Deep-lying Forward : 15
Creative Forward : 6
Side-Forward : 13
Forward : 16


CLASSIFICATION


Class : Crown

-

Class : King

Gold

 Pele,
Lionel Messi

Silver

John Cruyff,
Cristiano Ronaldo

Bronze



Class : Queen

Gold

Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Eusebio
Jose Manuel Moreno, 
Giuseppe Meazza, Rivaldo
Laszlo Kubala, Fritz Walter, 
Matthias Sindelar, 
Karlheinz Rummenigge, 
Roberto Baggio, Gyorgi Sarosi





Silver
Florian Albert, Tostao
Omar Sivori,Thierry Henry, 
Hector Scarone, 
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Dennis Bergkamp
Hristo Stoichkov, Neymar
Kenny Dalglish, Luis A. Suarez,
Ferenc BeneMario Kempes
Kevin Keegan, Angel Labruna Nandor Hidegkuti, Oleg Blokhin, , Raul Gonzalez Paul Van Himst, Francesco Totti, Rinaldo Martino,  Gyula Zsengeller

Bronze

Alessandro Del Piero, Bebeto, Oldrich Nejedly, 
Stepjan Bobek, Servaas Wilkes
Ernest Kuzorra, Mohamed Salah
Raymond Braine
Abe Lenstra, Karim Benzema
Rob Rensenbrink, 
Allan Simonsen 


Substitution Group : First-Class
       
John Angelo Hansen : Denmark/Late 1940s to Early 1950s
Anton Schall           : Austria/Late 1920s to Early 1930s
Wayne Rooney       : England/Late 2000s to Early 2010s
Jupp Heynckes       :  Germany/70s
Jose Sanfilippo        : Argentina/Late 50s to Early 60s
Antoine Griezmann : France/2010s to Early 2020s
Emilio Butragueno : Spain/1980s
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The Highest Forward's Peaks of All-Time

1. Johan Cruyff
2. Pele
3. Lionel Messi
4. Eusebio
5. Ferenc Puskas
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
7. Alfredo Di Stefano
8. Roberto Baggio
9. Rivaldo
10. Giuseppe Meazza

262 comments:

  1. Rsssf shows top scorer ranking in each Campeonato Paulista season.
    For Scarone, http://www.national-football-teams.com show his goal stats season by season in Series A. Anyway, Top scorer ranking is the amateur Uruguayan league was not found.

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  2. Is Thierry Henry really a forward? I would have considered him to be a pure striker. For both Arsenal and France, he played as the furthest player forward, and though he dropped deep a little, I wouldn't have lumped him in the same category as deep-lying forwards. The only time he really played anywhere other than a striker's position was with Monaco at the start of his career, and Barcelona near the end, where he was a winger. Its mostly agreed that striker was his best position, and I feel he would be better represented in that list.

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    Replies
    1. To categorize players in only different seven positions, it is inevitable to have some different roles and styles of player in the same category. Henry is much different role to the likes of Cruyff and Di Stefano is true but his role is also too different from Gerd Muller and Gary Linker. Henry is put on an upper part of Forward Category just close to the border line between forward and striker due to his assisting ability and capable to switch to play on the left-wing.

      Anyway, the 10x100 positional ranking list would be more fit to players’ position as trequartistas is separated from AM and FW.

      Delete
    2. I don't understand your commentary about the 10x100 positional ranking, I am probably tired :)
      So it seems you did an average role for Henry and probably for Messi too.
      Now let's forget the average, during Guardiola's era and before the arrival I would say Messi was playing as a false 9, is it still a forward similar to Henry or Suarez ?

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    3. I'm not sure what you mean about average role. Anyway, Messi sometimes played deeper than Henry and Suarez as he is more complete but his best position should be forward not trequartista when he was more superb in scoring than playmaking.

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    4. Why is mario kempes so low

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    5. His club career is inconsistent and he is very great in only world cup 1978.

      Delete
  3. Why is cristiano ronaldo not in top 20 forwards peaks

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    Replies
    1. His peak season is generally the 2011 – 2012 or by some would be the 2007 - 2008. His ball conducting and scoring performance is given very high rating although not one of the best (scoring 12 penalty kick in that the 2011 – 2012 season). C.Ronaldo is always very impact to his team in the game result when Real Madrid’s game was performed better than opponents. When his team was switched to inferior to opponent, his idea to create the game and make a chance to his teammate during the match was too limited for the team’s dependence. However, his wide range of prime let him to be rated as one of the top 10 forwards ever.

      Delete
  4. I can't find anywhere methodology for prime performance

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    Replies
    1. I have a plan to complete it soon. Now it I still unclear if the performance criteria (includes peak performance) should be different from skill criteria. Nevertheless, it is difficult to apply performance criteria in the practices for all players particularly in the far past era since evidences is not always available and I just try to use sampling of games watching.

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  5. hello there! what is your opinion on the best possible formation centered around Cruyff and Messi in the same team? Using balanced players in every position so the 2 of them can shine and do 100% performance.

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    Replies
    1. Cruyff Messi
      Di Stefano
      Zidane Matthaus
      Beckenbauer
      N.Santos Baresi Moore C.Alberto
      Yashin
      OK, I’d select 4-4-2 diamond to fulfill potential of Cruyff and Messi. In the formation, I select Di Stefano behind them because he is not one-man-show player and slower than Cruyff and Messi so he would have a good synchronization to support the front-line especially when Cruyff or Messi withdraw to deep-lying front area. I also would not use the wings because there is no target man in the system and allows N.Santos and C.Alberto to go support game in the side-midfield area moderately. Beckenbauer will play as deep DM to help the defense when wing-back is out of their defending position.

      Delete
  6. You missed the class of Héctor Scarone. And I see that you changed the positions in the ranking of Meazza, Baggio, Rumenigge, Cristiano Ronaldo and Sindelar. They have their correct class now?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah it is not updated. Now Baggio get down to Queen Gold and C.Ronaldo is classed up to King Bronze.

      Delete
  7. I noticed that you don't have Santiago Bernabeu even in 10x100

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    Replies
    1. He is one of the great personalities in football club history not for only Real Madrid but was one of influential persons in establishment of Latin Cup. He has never been described as one of the greatest players in article I have read.

      Delete
    2. Yeah, it's very hard to find his placing since the lack of info, we don't even know his number of goals. But i just thought he should get some recognition.

      Delete
    3. His scoring states is actually available in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Bernab%C3%A9u_Yeste
      He scored only around 0.5 goal per game, is by far too few based on standard of inside-forward position of that era (for example in comparison to Joseph Samitier and Paulinho Alcantara’s scoring record) .

      Delete
    4. http://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/football-legends/santiago-bernabeu-de-yeste

      But here they say that he scored just 68 goals in 78 official matches and in the same article thez say that he scored 70 in 80. I know about that number an wikipedia but it says 340+ and that's way too inaccurate for me.

      Delete
  8. Eusébio's peak is missing in "The Highest Forward's Peaks of All-Time"

    ReplyDelete
  9. I detected that some honours and individual achievements was not completed in both Ronaldo and Messi's personal information as described. Are you going to finish it at the end of season?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can you give an example ? since I have updated for honors and individual awards it time by time not wait to the end of season.

      Delete
    2. Like 2014 fifa club world cup and copa del rey (even he didn't participate in the final) and messi was recorded to have six La Liga championships, something like that...

      Delete
  10. Messi is also all time champions league top scorer and all time la liga assist leader.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know that but I’d update at the end of season in case the all-time top scorer could be possibly changed between competitors (Messi and C.Ronaldo).
      La Liga assist leader ? What source are you refer to ? I’m doubtful because there has been no evidence of assist stats of Di Stefano and other great legendary attackers found.

      Delete
    2. It's been around recently. When i say all time i mean since it's tracked, it's tracked for 25 years now and Messi is first with 107 now (after yesterday's game), second is Figo with 105 and than Xavi and Dani Alves.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVjSh-b205k

      http://www.101greatgoals.com/gvideos/lionel-messi-breaks-la-liga-assists-record-glorious-ball-neymar-goal-levante-gif/

      http://www.espnfc.com/spanish-primera-division/story/2300728/messi-notches-assist-record;-suarez-very-happy-at-barcasays-luis-enrique

      http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/news/articles/categories/messi-ronaldo-neymar-watch-1/goal-machine-lionel-messi-also-claiming-assist-record/201452

      I have also seen the list, it's been on wikipedia but i can't find it now. I'm surprised that you haven't heard of this since it's been in the media quite a lot.

      Delete
  11. http://dailymail.com.ng/lionel-messi-breaks-double-la-liga-assist-records-with-a-hattrick/
    Also here.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hello almighty matey friend and football king knowledge god. Give us your light and answer us:
    which players do you consider the best of all time for the best traditional Barcelona formation
    4-3-3? Will Messi be in the centre forward position or on the right forward? And who else will be around him? Who will play in the midfield positions? Please share your knowledge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for such a compliment. As Barcelona doesn't produce many greatest center-forwards, I undoubtedly select Messi as a withdrawn center-forward when Cruyff will be also more effective as a right-forward than Messi. Ronaldinho will be on the left-forward. For Midfield, I choose Kubala, Laudrup and Neeskens. You can see my line-up in http://xtrahistory.blogspot.com/2013/02/Football-Club.html


      Delete
    2. Thanks! Who would you choose for this 4-3-3 formation if you could use not only Barcelona players but players from all football eras and clubs? Who would be ideal for such a formation to fully function?

      Delete
    3. Your idea let me to reconsider to establish the line-up by tactical formation.

      4-3-3 formation

      Forward : Cruyff-Pele-Messi, Midfielder : Maradona-Matthaus-Gullit

      As Pele is a better aerial scorer, he is preferable as center-forward. Even Messi is not best as a right-forward but I don't think there are any player better than him in this position aside from Cruyff who was already set as a left-forward. Right-Midfielder is hesitated to select between Zizinho and Gullit who was great in both central and wing-role but I'd prefer Gullit to make the midfield more balance (Zizinho is more advanced role).


      Delete
  13. I found a typo, it's Zlatan, not Zlaton.

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  14. No David Villa?

    ReplyDelete
  15. "He made total 29 % assist/total series A games."
    Where did you find his assist stats? I know that there is something on wikipedia but I don't know if it's reliable.

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    Replies
    1. According to think link http://www.whoscored.com/Players/183/History/Francesco-Totti

      Totti's assist is clearly different from wikipedia in the 2012 -2013 season, but still not sure which one is correct.

      Delete
    2. Whoscored is correct for sure, they use opta stats and I think that wikipedia used espn or something like that which is very unreliable. I just wanted to know if you have a source of opta stats for all of his seasons.

      Delete
  16. Sorry but I expected Messi to be in second or third place but not 4th, Messi is undoubtedly one of the best players ever or even the best and is usually rated just behind Maradona and in front of Cruyff on the best players ever list, and personally should have got a higher ranking.

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  17. You have omitted the class of Grigory Fedotov.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think that Manuel Seoane has to be in the Substitution Group.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Neymar should already be here, or at very least in 100 best forwards list.

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    Replies
    1. Now I have no time to calculate his performance. I’d prefer name him when the first half of next season will have been finished in condition that he could sustain his own standard level.

      Delete
  20. I would suggest Korean Striker Cha Bum Kun to be on the honorable mentions at least. One of the fewest players to have won 2 UEFA cups (Frankfurt, Leverkusen), ranked 3rd in player ratings for his position (1st:Rummenigge, 2nd Keegan) in an aggregated average of 5-years while Bundesliga was at its prime, and undoubtedly the greatest player which Asia has ever produced.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He was rated by kicker around 5 international class seasons, is much below standard level of top 50. You can see I name him as the 100th greatest forwards of all-time in the 9x100 positional ranking list.

      Delete
  21. Do you think that Cristiano Ronaldo can achieve a King Bronze Class in the future? Or he will stay as a Queen Gold Class?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is now closed to King Bronze Class. If this season achieve world-class again would conduct to that class but it become difficult as a decline step of his career.

      Delete
    2. Ok, I understand that will be very difficult for him to achieve a world-class again this season. But I was wondering if he will be a King Bronze at the end of his career, not the next season. What do you think?

      Delete
    3. Now he obtained 86.2 point. King Bronze class required 90 point in minimum (That means he need to ascend to 7th best ever at least). 3.8 point at the decline state and his physical dependency would impact on the higher age and I strongly believe he would not make it finally. If I need to forecast based on analysis, I think he would finish at the border of top 10 (9th - 11th).

      Delete
    4. I understand you, but I was referring to the King Bronze Class in this Forward List, not the list in the Greatest Player of All Time. Puskás here is a King Bronze Class with 88.1 points. Cristiano Ronaldo has 86.2. He needs 87.5 points or something like that to achieve that class?

      Delete
    5. In the list of major hall in positional hall of fame, the classification is conducted based on both group-referenced and criteria-referenced. The group referenced point range is varied based on standard of competitiveness in the list. I did not write it in methodology anyway.

      In example, the forward list's average point is 78.6 (very high competitiveness) so the king range covers 10 % of group members (top 50) in condition of criteria referenced which required score at least 87.5 to achieve the class.

      Different to Garrincha, Offensive Lateral position is very low competitiveness. So the king-class covers only 6 % (means top 3) with minimum score > 85. In this case, only Garrincha has qualified for King-Class.

      Return to the issue, Cristiano Ronaldo need to beat Puskas only in this case to achieve the king-class. There are 2 points left. I think the opportunity is moderately possible.

      Delete
  22. When will you update this "Highest peaks" list and the others highest peaks lists?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry for my busy. I plan to start update around between July to October.

      Delete
  23. Any chance you have a list showing the top scorer in Europe for each year?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Top scorer of all competitions combined or anything ?

      Delete
    2. basically an equivalent of the modern European Golden Shoe

      Delete
    3. Zidane should replace Xavi when Matthaus could player as a full-role of destroyer. I think you could take Ronaldinho out and R.Carlos would help on the left-side attacking game to give space for Ronaldo. The formation is a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond (wingless).

      Delete
  24. Hello there. I see you know much about football so I would like to ask you some questions. Could you, please look at my dream team: 4-2-3-1 gk:yashin lb:r. carlos cb:maldini cb:beckenbauer rb:cafu dm:xavi dm:matthaus lw:ronaldinho am:maradona rw:messi cf:pele. Subs: kahn, casillas, b. moore, puyol, f.cannavaro, baresi, iniesta, rijkaard, garrincha, cruyff, zidane, Ronaldo (brasillian). Could you, please help me to put zidane and Ronaldo in the first team (dream team without them is not really a dream team) because I don't know who should I take out from the first team or change formation and so on. Thanks in advance. Greetings from Croatia.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Zidane should replace Xavi when Matthaus could player as a full-role of destroyer. I think you could take Ronaldinho out and R.Carlos would help on the left-side attacking game to give space for Ronaldo. The formation is a 4-1-2-1-2 diamond (wingless). (that is yours)

      Actually that is pretty good. Roberto carlos and Ronaldo could always be good on a pitch together and if r.carlos goes too offensive there is always maldini who could always cover his position. beckenbauer would be a great help to matthaus and cafu and messi could play along really good. zidane, maradona and pele are class for themselves





      Reply

      Delete
  25. Why is Raul Gonzalez so low? Suarez above him???? Even Henry who was his contemporary , it was generally agreed that Raul was the better player.

    Guardiola , who is a Barca player and should have bias for the likes of Suarez,Xavi,Iniesta agreed he is the greatest spanish player of all time. Hence, you should update your list in All time Spain series aswell.

    Sir Alex Ferguson , the greatest football mind of all time , who doesn't have any bias for Raul said "Real buy these big players like Figo, Zidane and Ronaldo but I think the best player in the world is Raúl".
    Luís Figo - "I think he is the greatest player to have ever played the game. He walks on the turf and astounds. It is utterly amazing"

    Why do you rank such a phenomenal football great so average?

    Raul was not a poacher like Gerd Muller or Inzaghi as evidenced on his player profile:
    "a highly creative forward"
    "He possessed excellent ball control and technical ability, and was effective in the air as well as with his feet"
    "Although primarily renowned for prolific goalscoring, Raúl was also a highly creative and hardworking player, capable of playing off of his team mates, creating chances, and assisting goals"
    "For his technical skills, elegance and performances, he was nicknamed "El Ferrari"

    Raul's ranking at individual awards is the most underrated I have ever seen due to his time alongside the most famous starstuded team with "hollywood" players alongside him and his was unlucky to not be in the same generation with Spain of 2008-2012.

    For those who have seen him play , and I have so hundreds of times , he is no doubt the ultimate providential player of football.
    I'm not sure how the statistic has changed in last years because of the emergence of Ronaldo and Messi , but Raul is the player with most game winning goals in football history , even more than Gerd Muller(Pele is not included in this statistic).

    I recomend you completly revise Raul's ranking. All the best!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Suarez more often create the chance to score by his own with his exceptional dribbling ability. Raul is much slower and also inferior technically although he was more all-round players, being able to perform as deep-lying forward and target-man. Importantly, Raul's productivity (Scoring and Assists) is largely lower than Luis Suarez in domestic competition. Raul at his peak, he made 25 goals and 5 assists in 37 games (81 %) but L.Suarez unanimously beat with 165.7 % for the most recent season so the gap of peak has a long distance between them.

      Delete
    2. I feel Real and Barca players have it somewhat easier than players in the past in regard of stats. But not all goals are the same. Raul has 2 times more game winning goals than Suarez.

      Delete
  26. How close is Thomas Muller to entering the ranking?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honesty he has not been calculated yet but I’m sure he has not been qualified since his club career is still short. At least he is just behind Neymar who is also not included. I think Muller need 2 more international-class domestic seasons and some of int.club.

      Delete
  27. They are all time favorite of mine. They can't be forgotten whenever it comes to football. They were among the creators of the football, that has made football look like as it is today.

    http://www.sportbulletins.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. WTF for Bergkamp his technical must be higher than A- why you ranked Bergkamp too low.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His first touch is deserved A but I see Ronaldinho is significantly superior to him in technical ball controlling. When consider speed of playing, Ronaldinho remains controlling the ball superbly while Bergkamp achieved it in lower speed and also less difficult style.

      Delete
  29. Can you post a source for Scarone's seasonal goal stats?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think his seasonal states in Uruguayan league is not available in any source, only 4 season in Italian Series A is available. http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/33620/Hector_Scarone.html

      However, the overall score record is refer to wikipedia that is not specified the source.

      Delete
  30. Hello,

    you say bergkamp is a Creative Forward then in the text a deep-lying forward

    What is the good role for him ?

    Cheers,
    PG

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Creative forward is a sub-position of deep-lying forward. Bergkamp is categorized in this position because he has a better creative and technical skill than scoring skill.

      Delete
  31. When we read your definition of deep-lying forward it seems scoring ability is not the main point but cruyff or di stefano were scoring a lot no ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Definition is a basic requirement for any position but more than that player could have an over-quality as the most important consideration is the role of player and the style of play is second to it

      Delete
  32. In which category do you put player like : Benzema, Rooney, Thomas Muller, Dybala, Griezman ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Benzema : Striker
      Rooney, Griezman, Thomas Muller : Forward
      Dybala : Offensive Midfielder

      Delete
    2. Am I wrong ?
      I would have say :
      - Rooney deep-lying forward
      - Griezmann forward
      - Muller Free Role/Side Froward
      - Dybala Attacking Midfielder not sure we can say playmaking attacking midfield
      - Benzema forward because he often choose to assist instead of going alone.

      Delete

    3. OK, I replied based on main category.
      Minor category as following ;
      Benzema : Although he made many assists but it was done in penalty era likes what Gerd Muller did. His dribbling ability or acceleration is also not good enough.
      Griezmann : Forward
      Muller : Deep-Lying Forward
      Dybala : Playmaking-Attacking Midfielder

      Delete
    4. I tend to agree for benzema's acceleration but I am not convinced benzema's dribbling ability are under Van Persie's or Forlan's abilities ranked as forward.

      Dribbling : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCTWM2QRvTU
      Assists : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhY1gsNMbKg

      Delete
    5. Benzema's dribbling is much depend on his fast movement while Van Persie and Forlan possesses a superior technique.

      Delete
    6. It's not so obvious for me especially for Forlan.

      Delete
  33. Naratorn ı want ask you a question,fritz walter and matthias sindelar are better than rivaldo in your top 50 best footballers of all time list. but rivaldo is better tham fritz walter and matthias sindelar
    in your top 50 best forward players of all time.:D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry for late replying. The criteria is not same between the two list. Footballer list is given more importance in international country career.

      Delete
  34. Messi is in King Gold and King Silver class. Please fix that.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Is this page still active

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sure, it will be updated after UCL final and once again after world cup.

      Delete
  36. Do you think messi can surpass pele within the next three seasons if he keeps playing like this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is depend on his performance in the 2018 World Cup where is a high gap to reach. Now his club career will not be much increased.

      Delete
    2. Publish the updated results..Messi was disappointing but is it realistic for him to catch maradona?

      Delete
    3. Messi is poor in only first match and then I think he is qualified. Maradona is also disappointing in international club in related three seasons and Maradona is disadvantageous in his longevity. There is a possibility for Messi to surpass Maradona if he will be superb in upcoming Copa America.

      Delete
  37. Del Piero's highest place in ballon d'or is 4th(2 times: 1995, 1996), not 10th.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Instead of ranking players for which I imagine we don't have nearly any materials except reputation. In this list I think about Braine, Nejedly, Kuzorra, Scarone...
    Wouldn't it be better to mention them outside of the ranking and put players for which we have enough materials : Rooney, Heynckes, Tevez, Butragueno, D.Villa...

    ReplyDelete
  39. Could you please provide the ability rating the players ? For example I am surprised to not see Bergkamp in top 50 ability. I would like to see how close he was.

    ReplyDelete
  40. The video of Cruyff is unavailable.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I guess CR7'S Peak position should change given what he has achieved in the last three seasons. I would certainly move him up in the rankings as well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree for peak but for ranking, it takes also into account skills of the player and in a lower scale the way the achievements have been done. He lacks the playmaking part and had a lot of game fact in his favor like offsides goals versus atletico, bayern etc ... All this should be mitigated. 4th is fine in my opinion.

      Delete
    2. It's outdated. See "The Footballers Evaluation Result". According to that scores, the new peak ranking is something like:
      1. Johan Cruyff (95.8)
      2. Pele (95.7)
      3. Lionel Messi (93.4)
      4. Eusebio (93)
      5. Ferenc Puskas (92)
      6. Cristiano Ronaldo (91.4)
      7. Di Stefano (91)
      8. Roberto Baggio (90.5)
      9. Meazza or Rivaldo? (Both 90)
      10. Meazza or Rivaldo? (Both 90)
      Moreno has 89.5, Rummenigge 88.5 and Sindelar 88.
      And I dont know the scores of Kubala, Sivori and Zsengeller.


      Delete
  42. Now Cristiano surpass Di Stéfano but both of them are outdated in the "Class" section.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Why you underrated Zlatan too much?
    He is no way below Raul,Totti,Neymar or even Suarez,In my opinion he must be at least top 15.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Only skill is persuasive but he had some below average domestic seasons. He also scored too few goals ratio in international club.

      Delete
    2. Ibra is indeed a lesser player than Suarez and Neymar, and convincingly so

      Delete
  44. Messi first ! Great !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great... Great fanfic. Only 13yo fanboys would say such a shit.

      Delete
  45. Maybe Di Stéfano has to be King Bronze like Cristiano Ronaldo? Now is in the same class of Kubala and Rivaldo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He might not be great enough for King-Class. He failed to lead Spain qualified for 1958 World Cup and in 1962 he was injury. Player with King-Class should at least achieve some world-class performance in major international tournament. I'm not sure he was world-class in 1947 Copa America but Brazil did not participate in tournament.

      Delete
    2. Spain was so unlucky to draw Switzerland and how sad it was they were not in world cup with the team they had.

      Delete
  46. I don't think Messi should be first, at least not yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. True
      His criteria is ridiculous. Santos withdrew from Libertadores a lot of times. That category is what put Messi over Pele in the evaluation score.

      Also this guy Dearman is an Argentina supporter. And there are many more ridiculous ranks in his other lists

      Delete
  47. What kind of shit is this???? Even FIFA says nobody was like Pelé (not even Müller), but a bottler who can only play in a world class club with Iniesta and Xavi and, since they left, he hasn't won anything relevant in his career, is better according to you??? Kocsis, Puskas, Müller and mainly Pelé... all of them have a better average goals per game ratio. Jokeable.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What is jokeable is your auto-conviction.

      Delete
    2. Pelé is not as good as you make him out to be. He was literally never even the top scorer of ANY of the 3 world cups he won. He was never brazil's best player in any of them too. He also won one of the world cups, whilst playing only a few minutes in the first game, before getting injured. He won a WC while not even playing 30 minutes in a game LOL xD

      https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1099349-top-5-things-pele-does-not-want-you-to-know

      Delete
    3. That bleacher report is worst piece of bs i've read on internet lol. Created by an obvious sore Messi fanboy.

      Full of joke points and half-sided lies. The scorelines he put there most of them were from friendly games and Pele goal stats in those matches are also wrong. I matched them with pele's biography

      Then he says about world cup there. According to him most appearance in world cup, most world cup matches these are more important than records like most assists in world cup history, most assists in a single world cup, most goals +assists in world cup finals, most goals+assists in world cup history. Pele has all of them lol.

      Then the thing he wrote about Gerson there, Pele not only praise his teammates like Coutinho, pepe etc, but also he called Garrincha greatest ever player in his position (winger) .

      Also that hater has no idea about Brazilian football and that u can see by his bs comments about the Paulista . And he brings fernando peyroteo lol to put down pele's goal stats. Peyroteo played in a Portugese league before War period with his team scoring 5 goals on average every game literally

      If u use the same thing about messi vs Pele, Pele's team scored nearly same amount of goal as Messi's Barcelona . Stats are there if u don't want to remain ignorant.

      Then Pele was not even a striker . He was a playmaker + scorer in one .

      All of those points that the guy brought up are rubbish if someone actually does his own research going deep into the stuffs

      And Pele's 1000 goals isn't the thing that makes him the goat. Most of guys who saw him and regards him GOAT explains his completeness and other sort of stuffs as reason why he's different


      Btw Messi is a loser internationally. Have been involved in some of the biggest UCL humiliation and bottling in recent years. Most of his so called proficieny comes of being the biggest bully in a league where his team is 10x ahead of other teams . In champions league for example where in later stages things get more balanced , he is not much ahead of a guy like Cristiano Ronaldo . Similiar in international stage

      Delete
  48. I think Sarosi deserves to be better placed on this list. It is very possible that he was the most complete footballer to ever touch the game.

    ReplyDelete
  49. What justifies the rank up of luis suarez ? He has not been so good forc barcelona the 4/5 past years and one of the reasons of the failure expecially in UCL beaten by fazio at running, unable to make any diferences in big matches except when the match is done ... and he needs much more chances to score.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He is better than Henry for sure. See goals + assists record in his entire career.

      Delete
    2. In my opinion it's not sot so obvious than the "for sure" you are using and I assume you are talking about greatness.

      L.Suarez in Liverpool and the first two years in barcelona was playing at a exceptionnal level, maybe comparable to the one shown by Henry in Arsenal but Henry was even more an assist provider at this time. (Here I compare the prime level when both are the best players of their team.)

      However, in my opinion, statistics don't show everything and L.Suarez level decreased after his first two years in Barcelona, he needed much more chances to score what could be seen in UCL but also in liga for example, in 2018/2019 he scored "only 22 goals" while a player of this level should have been around 35 goals in my opinion if we compare to the chance he had and what he has shown the previous years.
      And not only the ability to score, the ability to make differences with dribbling also decreased unable to keep close control, tying to beat opponent using force and pushing the ball failing most of the time. Even faced to player like Fazio for exemple who are not considered as top player....

      Well, what I wanted to criticized is he had a promotion being less and less good, but if you tell me it was a mistake before and he should already have been in this position I may understand, but in my opinion the greatness of L.Suarez is not "for sure" above henry, it may be a little higher with your criterias but "for sure" looks to me too much.

      Anyway very good job for this blog.

      Delete
    3. by the way if the reason of the change is statistics Ibrahimovic shouldn't be higher then ? In international club tournament he scored more than L.Suarez and if you can't say L.Suarez would have scored more with more games as he was decreasing...

      Delete
  50. I'm sorry that I didn't get to the true point. L.A Suarez is my scorecard is inferior to Henry domestically but he is advantageous in national team. I think L.A Suarez has more contributed to Uruguay than what Henry made for France but I will review if domestic score of Suarez is overrated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. For Ibra, I have increased his domestic score as I found he was underrated. His ranking has been moved up 3 places.

      Delete
    2. Suarez isn't overrated. He is the only player in the great Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, to ever come in between them winning two golden boots, one where he shared one with Cristiano in the PL, AND none of Suarez's goals were a pentalty. He is also the only player to come close to Messi and Ronaldo's 60-goal a season madness, where he scored 59 goals in one season for Barca. He is not overrated at all in my opinion.

      Delete
    3. But here we are discussing the contribution since 2017.
      For me he was like he got a promotion being less good in the ranking.
      That's why I asked if it was a mistake he was not here before.

      Delete
  51. How the hack Neymar can be above Zlatan? Can you explain me from witch sites you get the statistics? Fom me Neymar got to high, Ibra has not enough and no assists info at all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. statistics is not all in football you would probably the first one to shout if we would decreased Zidane because of this.

      Delete
    2. Neymar has a better international performance.

      Delete
  52. I have a few doubts regarding some players'roles. For example Totti here is classified as a forward but in the positional list is an advanced midfielder and the same goes for other players. I know you said that you were also going to take players from the advanced midfielder role but on which basis do you change the roles from a list to another?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, players in advanced midfielder list could be categorized as offensive midfielder if they're more often play in midfield area than others. Totti is more forward than midfielder if I have to select. He is a prolific scorer and often stay at trequarter area.

      Delete
  53. How many seasons does thomas muller need to break into the top 50? He is very inconsistent with many poor seasons, needs a coach that understands him to get the best out of him but his current coach is the best fit for him. I think with his current coach he has his highest whoscored point average if one excludes his 2014 WC performance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is what I've been thinking about. He is world cup winner and 2 European triple champion but like you said, he was poor and below average in multiple seasons so I have not included him in top 50 but I think another one international-class season could make him here.

      Delete
    2. Surely Muller has got to be one of the lowest players in terms of skill you have rated so far? Btw he seems to have improved technically of late.

      Delete
  54. Cruyff is a bit overrated, there is no doubt that Di Stefano was a superior footballer, it is outrageous for him to be two tiers below

    ReplyDelete
  55. Have you done an overall career score of the forwards listed?

    ReplyDelete
  56. Do the players in the reserved group come after the players who received an honourable mention or the opposite?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is no particular order between honorable mention and reserved players as it come from different purposes. You can see full list in 9x100 positional ranking.

      Delete
  57. Could it be that you will need more honourable mentions in the future? Out of footballers born in the 90s there are only Griezmann and Salah who could enter the main hall of fame but in the future there might be a generation with many forwards potentially deserving of a placement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I found it is difficult to make honorable mention for current players because the limitation of football has been eliminated in modern era. Players have a full chances to move to high standard league and football has not been interrupted by war or even pandemic. Anyway, the injury case could be applied to some specific honorable mention.

      Delete
  58. Didn't Bebeto have too much of a short career in Europe to be placed above both Del Piero and Cantona even though he has a much better national team performance?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bebeto did have some great seasons. I don't think he had poor domestic career.

      Delete
    2. How many good or great domestic seasons did Bebeto, Del Piero and Cantona have?

      Delete
  59. Uncomfortable to see how Messi is ranked first on the list. As you've mentioned, WC 2018 was probably his last chance to prove himself to be the footballs greatest. You are self-condtradicting yourself. Not to mention Messi has yet again failed to win Copa America 2019. 9 International Competition (4 world cups & 5 Copa America) and 0 trophy is just outrageous. Considering odds of winning Copa America is much higher than winning Euro Tournament.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cannot agree more... Everytime he fails (Argentina, UCL games with Barca during the last 5 ys), people and medias are finding excuses for him.

      Delete
    2. Football is a team sport, you know? Even when Argentina was failing, he was still the best player in their team.

      Delete
  60. How are Ibrahimovic and Muller progressing?

    ReplyDelete
  61. I think the excuses made for Messi in the UCL have some validity actually. Over the last 10 years Chelsea was the only dysfunctional team to win it and Barcellona have had serious structural problems over the past 5 years

    ReplyDelete
  62. I find it a bit odd that Gren features in the offensive midfielder list while at the same time he makes the substitution list for forwards.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I see that Ibrahimovic has moved up and is now in the 27th place. What do you think is his ceiling in this ranking? Could you also give us the total scores of the players who are in the substitution group please?

    ReplyDelete
  64. What is zsengeller doing in the forward list when he is described as a fast striker? I thought that category was reserved for the striker list

    ReplyDelete
  65. Think the class of Cruyff /Ronaldo should be updated. Like both in King Silver? Btw, Puskas and Di Stefano, should they be moved into King Bronze category?

    ReplyDelete
  66. Shouldn't Ronaldo's class be changed after he moved up the list?

    ReplyDelete
  67. Johnny Rep.

    He deserved to be on this list IMO. He wasn't even a striker (more of a right winger) and he's to this day Holland's top scorer in WCs, having played only two. And he was an instrumental part of the Ajax that team that won 3 European Cups in a row. Besides that, a very talented player.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I watched him in many videos and his technical and creative ability are not extraordinary enough. He was more fast, agile with great positional sense.

      Delete
    2. In realtà vinse solo l ultima delle tre.

      Delete
  68. Are Salah and Griezmann making progress? Is Muller any close to entering the list?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. E che dire di mbappe? Totalmente assente...

      Delete
  69. E' molto attento/a alla longevità. Credo che sta calcolando i punteggi di giocatori più esperti ad alti livelli e che lo inserirà dopo. Mi sembra che fece così con Modric.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Naratorm ho analizzato a fondo ali, trequartisti, attaccanti e centravanti
    Un solo unico forte dubbio... rensenbrink. Riconosciuto all unanimità ala sinistra. Ovunque tu vada a cercare, transfermakt, wikipedia francese, spagnolo, olandese, inglese, italiano,ecc. Nell anderlecht giocava ala nei 3 davanti. La prova sta nelle formazioni delle gare importanti e storiche. 2 finali di coppa coppe con i belgi, entrambe ala sinistra. 4 finali di supercoppa europea, 2 andata e 2 ritorno, in 3 era ala ed in una sola attaccante. Se andiamo a vedere nell olanda in 2 finali sempre schierato ala. Addirittura nella seconda mancava cruyff ed al centro stava rep, un ala spostata ma non rob. 5 finali importanti su 6 ala. Metterlo attaccante mi pare una forzatura non trovi? Sarebbe come considerare garrincha attaccante perché giocava sulla destra nei 3 davanti eppure resta un ala.

    ReplyDelete
  71. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  72. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Scusa se spesso rimuovo i commenti ma spesso ti pongo domande a cui in seguito trovo risposta nel sito stesso. Vorrei poterli rimuovere del tutto ma purtroppo rimangono.

    ReplyDelete
  74. what is youre prediction for neymars position once is career is all done and dusted? purely speculative.

    ReplyDelete
  75. I think Neymar is already physically declining. All the main player rating apps show a decline in his performances this season as well. I think Neymar could very surpass Suarez as he is way more talented but unless he wins the world cup or at a Copa america with Brazil in a starring role and/or other UCLs he should end up below the top 10 imo.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Una domanda, ho visto che nei 10x100 metti butragueno subito davanti a david villa, uguale nella nazionale spagnola. Se apparisse qui nella 50 che differenza di valutazione avrebbero?

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  77. Why are Suarez, Henry and Raul classed as a forwards and not as strikers? I know it is because of their playing style but what is in their style and role that convinced you of that exactly?

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  78. Naratorm, I really strongly feel that Thierry Henry and Luis Suarez should be classed as Strikers rather than forwards. I know they played in more than one position over the course of their careers, but for the vast majority and at their peak (Henry for Arsenal, Suarez for Liverpool/Barcelona) they were out and out strikers, playing on the last man, and their creativity were bonuses rather than requirements for their teams. The way they played is very different from other true "forwards" by your definition from the modern era, like Rooney, Messi, or Griezmann. Would you consider revising their positions, and look at moving them to the striker list? I think this would be a much more accurate reflection of the roles they played throughout their careers.

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  79. Muller has been rated as international class by Kicker for both halves of the 2020-2021 season. Does he enter the list eveb though he had a poor Euro (not surprising as the team was not doing well at all and he never performs great when the tactics do not suit him?) Do other forward players like Messi, Neymar and Suarez move up the list? Suarez was also disappointing in the Copa America but he won the league.

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  80. I have seen Neymar moves up to 19th place while Suarez and Muller are unchanged. How much does the latter need to make the top 50? Another international class season? Muller is another one like Neymar from which i sense signs of physical decline more obvious since he fell sick with Coronavirus so i do not know much he has in him.

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  81. T.Muller is my favourite player like Aimar for you so i am obviously biased but i believe that despite his inconsistency and his repeated failure at the Euros he could already make the list or at least be moved up the substitution list. Germany are a dysfunctional team that won only 18 of their past 42 matches under Loew and i believe that Muller's underperformance for Bayern between 2016 and 2019 is exaggerated as his goals and assist stats per 90 were actually very good, the likes of Kovac and Ancelotti simply did not trust him or mismanaged him.

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  82. I believe that T Muller might just have too many failures in his career to already make the list but that he should definitely be at the very least either first or second in the reserved list considering his importance to Bayern's system and his crucial role in Germany's world cup win. That 2014 Germany side might have one of the weakest benches of a World cup winning side in recent memory with several players retiring shorly after or ending up in lower divisions and out of that squad only Neuer ,Lahm Kroos, Muller and Hummels make the top 50 in the minor hall of fame. It was a very unbalanced side in terms of quality and the lack of depth in that side and his key role in Germany's world cup win should be more taken into account when considering T.Muller's ranking. Also in the latest season Bayern did not win a single Bundesliga match without Mueller starting.

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  83. Or rather more correctly they did not win a single bundesliga game without him being on the pitch.

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  84. I see you have greatly raised Hazard's score and it must be more because you saw his career was undervalued rather than because of his performance at the last euros. I believe Muller's career is similarly undervalued like Hazard's because they are both highly inconsistent in form and Hazard is an underperformer in the UCL like Muller in the Euros.

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  85. Imo T.Muller is arguably already not that much inferior to the likes of Del Piero and Cantona. Del Piero had certainly a higher peak but his career with the national team was not as good with a more stacked team and Del Piero post injury played less minutes for Juventus until they were relegated than Muller did for Bayern during his underperforming 2016-2019 seasons.

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    1. Sorry for late reply, I'm very busy and may backwards reply you later for other comments. I understand status of Thomas Muller but I think is extremely overrated when he is not a inspiring or influential players like Del Piero or Cantona. I think he is a great teamwork player. Anyway, I will keep your comments into consideration.

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    2. He kinda switches between overrated and underrated and back from underrated to overrated all the time. Del Piero was a more influential figure but he was grossly lacking in team work and i believe that played a role in Juventus's underachievement in his later years . I have not followed Cantona's career as much as Del Piero's.

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    3. Thank You for your consideration, there is a reason for him being protected by the Bayern's board among all his high and lows in a way someone Del Piero was not. He is more useful than his lack of individual domimance would suggest even when playing badly. His problem is that he is a bit of a nearly man, developed much more than his critics portrayed but far less than he should have to fulfil his early promise

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  86. I also think trophy bonus should give Muller a boost in counterbalancing his many failures.

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  87. Basically it seems to me that you have not upgraded Muller for his poor performance at the Euros and because you regard him as overrated as a player but Neuer had a even worse Euro than him and he was moved up. It seems to me not appropriate that he is just above Rooney on the reserved list when he has more two more international trophies than him and Rooney won only league cups as Manchester United's main player . Muller is also the highest scoring advanced midfielder in the history of the modern Uefa Champions League which is evidence of him not being overrated. He gets overrated at times but also underrated as he is a patchy player. I agree with him being below Del Piero and Cantona so far but him being only one place above Rooney is just not realistic when Muller has a far better international club and international tournament record despite playing in a slightly deeper role.

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  88. In terms of individual awards and decisiveness T.Muller was also named the best player of the last Uefa supercup between Bayern Munich and Sevilla. I have exhausted my considerations, i apologize for bothering you but i do believe he should be bumped up.

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  89. Basically i believe that his domestic scorecard is undervalued. I do not believe that he was as underperforming as he is made out to be in the bundesliga for Bayern in his disappointing seasons with the exception of the 2018-2019 season.

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  90. Also to elaborate on T. Mueller's performance in the 2019-2020 season he was also named the Uefa Champions League's third best midfielder by fellow professionals for the same season.

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  91. As further evidence of his performance in 2020 being notable he got into the UCL team of the season which he had never accomplished despite scoring and assisting many goals in the competition before as he is a teamwork player who does not always stand out. From what i see of Schall and Hansen on video footage i do not think they touched the heights T.Muller has at his best.

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  92. He was also Uefa's men sixth best player in Europe in 2020 receiving more votes than he did in 2013 when Bayern previously won the UCL.

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  93. How much does he need to accrue in int club, int country and in domestic club to make the list?

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  94. I think he should arguably be already there but i understand the coefficient you are using rates teamwork players less than players who are more individually dominating.

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  95. I think an example of Muller's not meeting expectations influencing perceptions of him is the 2016-2017 season. He had similar assists and goals statistics per 90 minutes to Marco Reus in the 2014-2015 season according to Fbref but Muller was rated as below international class for each half of the season by Kicker while Reus was rated as international class for a part of the season. Muller was disappointing that season and he was an important bench player but his numbers did not suggest he was below international class.

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  96. I was thinking someone like Neymar could end up as the Roberto Baggio of this era, i.e someone who had the potential to be a challenger for the title of best player of his time but did not manage to do so and hence was often overlooked during his career. Baggio was only accepted as one of the best players of all the time around the final years of his career based on what i read on some forums. It all revolves on how Neymar's career is going to pan out from now and on his longevity. A crucial difference is that Baggio won the ballon d'or in his prime.

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  97. Regarding Mueller i think watching some of his performances in the second half of the 2019-2020 season would maybe give you a different view of his peak level, he was very impressive both in the league and in the UCL .

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    1. I already name him at 43th after updating his performance of the last season.

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    2. I saw that. Thank you.

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  98. I think wayne rooney has done more than enough to deserve a ranking here

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  99. I do not believe so, Wayne Rooney was a great player but he has far worse statistics and a lower level of achievement than Thomas Muller in almost every competition with the exception of the Euros and according to the requirements used by the author Thomas Muller does not qualify for the top 50. The Premier league was also not as competitive as it is now in the early 2010s. If anything it is Thomas Muller who has done enough to be in the top 50 but is penalized by the criteria in place because he is a teamwork player and he had a poor euros. Rooney was not as crucial as Mueller for Man United and the England National team either, and that was despite Rooney being almost always an undisputed starter even in his poor spells while T.Mueller has had to fight for his starting place and has been often written off whenever he flattered to deceive. Rooney was also to a large extent a teamwork player, he was more individually dominating than T.Mueller because of better physical and technical attributes but not nowhere near as effective in his teamwork.

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  100. The classes will have to be updated.

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  101. Thats really nice information plz keep posting the nice blogs

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  102. Why no one in king bronze class? The final score of the forwards in queen gold class seems much higher than that of similarly placed players in different sectors of the positional hall of fame. It seems odd to me that Di Stefano and Gento are both in queen gold class when Di Stefano's final score is so much higher in the performance evaluation.

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  103. I really appreciate your work.

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  104. Thomas Muller's class is missing and Rensebrink is in queen bronze class even though he is ranked higher than Martino who is in queen silver class.

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  105. Luis Alberto Suarez has the same score of Kubala, but Kubala is in Queen Gold class and Suarez in Queen Silver class. You should check that.

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