One of the most controversial topics in sports, many argue about who they believe are the greatest soccer players of all time. By comparing many different factors including success, skills, goals, strength of legacy and many more, we have determined our top seven best soccer players at each position.
Goalkeepers:
Often one of the most underrated positions in soccer, the goalkeeper plays an important role in a team’s success. By making important saves, organizing their team and distributing the ball, goalkeepers can determine the outcome of a game. Throughout the history of soccer, there have been many elite goalkeepers, but many have stood out amongst the rest. Here are the top seven goalkeepers of all time.
- Iker Casillas:
The most dominant keeper of all time, Iker Casillas played during the Golden Age for both Real Madrid and Spain. Casillas only conceded two goals in six games on his way to becoming a World Cup champion in 2010. He also won three Champions League titles for Real Madrid. Over his career, almost half of his games were clean sheets, and he had more appearances than goals allowed.
- Gigi Buffon:
The recently retired Italy legend Gigi Buffon has won almost every trophy he could with Italy and his club team, Juventus. Individually, he won both the UEFA Best Player of the Year and Footballer of the Year. Out of his 34 total trophies, the majority came from his time at Juventus and Italy, including a World Cup win in 2006.
- Lev Yashin:
Born in the Soviet Union in 1929, Lev Yashin spent his entire 18 year career at Dinamo Moscow. In that time, he won the Soviet League five times, the Soviet Cup three times, the Euro Cup and the 1956 Olympics. Yashin’s most impressive achievement was winning the Ballon d’Or in 1963, the only keeper ever to have won it.
- Manuel Neuer:
Another World Cup winning goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer has proved to be the best keeper in recent football. His total of 36 trophies beats out the keepers above him. However, he spent his whole career at Bayern Munich in Germany, and the lack of competition there has knocked him down in the rankings.
- Petr Cech:
Petr Cech, one of Chelsea FC’s most iconic players known for his headgear, helped lead Chelsea to their first Champions League win, including saving two penalties in the shootout at the end. He ended his career with 28 trophies but did not have much international success with the Czech Republic.
- Peter Schmeichel:
Often said to be the best keeper in Premier League history, close with Petr Cech, Peter Schmeichel won 28 trophies in his career, most at Manchester United. Schmeichel is the most capped Danish player of all time, and he helped Denmark win the European Championships in 1992. Schmeichel’s legacy has carried on through his son, Kasper, who has had success in the Premier League too.
- Oliver Kahn:
One of many great German goalkeepers, Oliver Kahn led the German national team and their most prominent club team, Bayern Munich, for almost 15 years. Although he is often overshadowed by his replacement, Manuel Neuer, Kahn achieved a lot of success in his time with these teams.
Defenders:
Between stopping opposing attackers and supporting their own forwards, defenders have often been the factor that makes teams successful. They provide teams with opportunities to be more unpredictable while attacking, and they help teams feel secure by protecting their goal. Different defenders have contributed to the success on all parts of the field for their teams, but below are the seven who have contributed the most.
- Paolo Maldini:
Mostly playing left back, Paolo Maldini protected the left side of the AC Milan defense for his entire career. During his time there, he won 27 trophies including three Champions League trophies for Milan. He also came close to international glory by placing second in both the World Cup and the European Championships.
- Carles Puyol:
Carles Puyol was a top defender in the prime era of Spain and Barcelona. Puyol had success with every team he played for, winning a World Cup for Spain and three Champions Leagues with Barcelona.
- John Terry:
While only winning 17 trophies which is fewer than most of the great defenders, John Terry led Chelsea FC to their first ever Champions League win, five Premier League wins and a Europa League win. While he never achieved the same success as some of his fellow legends, Terry demonstrated his skillfulness with a consistent high level of play throughout his entire career.
- Nemanja Vidic:
Few defenders have ever been compared to Nemanja Vidic, whose aggression and tackling were unparalleled. Playing for Manchester United, Vidic won the Premier League five times, the Champions League once and Footballer of the Year twice. Vidic also helped Serbia reach the World Cup twice.
- Franz Beckenbauer:
The greatest defender for years, Franz Beckenbauer dominated for Germany and Bayern Munich. Beckenbauer won almost every trophy possible, including the Ballon d’Or, Footballer of the Year, a World Cup, the European Championships and the Bundesliga champion.
- Bobby Moore:
Bobby Moore played for West Ham, Fulham and a number of other clubs from 1958-1979. Moore is widely regarded as England’s greatest captain, as he led them to a World Cup win in 1966. He also had success with West Ham, winning them multiple cups, and was chosen as the 1964 Footballer of the Year.
- Roberto Carlos
One of the greatest attacking defenders ever, Roberto Carlos was treated like a midfielder at times by Brazil, Real Madrid and many of his other clubs, Carlos was known for his magical left foot. Even though he played defense, the quality of Carlos’ freekicks has been matched by very few players.
Midfielders:
The most versatile players on the field, midfielders are known for their creativity that finds holes in defenses. Unrelenting stamina and impressive field vision makes midfielders great, and their contributions on offense and defense help lead teams to success. Here are the seven midfielders we believe have contributed the most to their teams during their careers.
The only tie on the list, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez played together for most of their careers at Barcelona and Spain, who were arguably the greatest duo of all time. Their box-to-box skill, creativity and endless energy helped them to win a myriad of trophies during their careers.
- Zinedine Zidane:
Widely considered the biggest French legend, Zinedine Zidane is considered by many to be the best midfielder ever. His aplomb with the ball, passing, dribbling and shooting earned him much praise from his teams. While he will forever be remembered for getting a red card in the 2006 World Cup final, Zidane had many moments of brilliance and nearly endless success.
- Frank Lampard:
Frank Lampard is still the all time highest scorer at Chelsea FC, and he helped lead the club to their first Champions League win and three Premier League titles. He also achieved individual success with his win of the Footballer of the Year in 2005.
- Steven Gerrard:
The biggest legend for Liverpool FC, Steven Gerrard spent nearly his whole career at the English club, except for two years at LA Galaxy in the MLS. Gerrard played alongside Frank Lampard on the England national team, but they didn’t have any major success. Gerrard’s biggest achievements include Footballer of the Year in 2009 and the UEFA Best in Europe award and Champions League in 2005.
- Luka Modric
One of the truly great players of his generation, Luka Modric has made his name through his unrelenting work rate and impressive field vision. Modric has won a myriad of trophies, including breaking Messi and Ronaldo’s dominance in 2018 by winning the Ballon d’Or. He’s been most impressive, however, for Croatia, who he has led to second and third place in the past two World Cups.
- Kevin de Bruyne
Kevin de Bruyne has been an integral part of the Manchester City dynasty that has formed in recent years. He has led the Premier League in assists three times, contributing 285 total assists in his career. De Bruyne has also experienced lots of success winning trophies, including a treble of the Champions League, the Premier League and the FA Cup. However, De Bruyne’s club success has not carried over to his national team, Belgium, who has recently disappointed their fans.
Forwards:
By scoring goals for their teams, forwards are often given the credit for their team’s success. From brilliant goalscorers to crafty wingers, forwards are able to display their skill on the attack and produce the most memorable moments for fans with their impressive team goals or solo runs. Without further ado, here are the top seven forwards of all time.
- Lionel Messi
Few rivalries in sports have come close to the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, Messi’s recent success in the World Cup seems to have solidified his spot as the greatest of all time. Holding records like most goals and assists in the La Liga, seven Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Player of the Year awards and most goals in a calendar year with an impressive 91 goals, Messi has consistently proved his dominance. Messi finally won arguably the biggest trophy of his career recently with his World Cup win with Argentina in December of 2022.
- Cristiano Ronaldo
While Messi has inched in front of Cristiano Ronaldo, few can argue against him being the second best. Ronaldo has the most goals ever, 859, including 127 for Portugal, the most by any player for Portugal’s international team. Ronaldo has won over 30 trophies including five Champions League titles.
Considered to be the greatest player of all time for many years, Pelé was a magician with the ball and helped lead Brazil to three World Cup trophies. Pelé was a natural goalscorer and still holds many records that may never be broken.
- Thierry Henry
Thierry Henry, one of the most versatile attackers playing winger and striker, was known for his exceptional speed and skill. Playing for English club Arsenal, Spanish club Barcelona and France, Henry won many trophies, including a World Cup and a Champions League. Additionally, he was chosen Player of the Year eight times before retiring in 2015.
- Ronaldo Nazario
Ronaldo Nazario may be overshadowed by his namesake Cristiano Ronaldo, but he is still one of the most accomplished soccer players ever. Traveling between many different rivals, including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter Milan and AC Milan, Ronaldo ended his career with nearly 300 goals in under 500 games, two Ballon d’Or awards, two World Cup wins and three Fifa Best Player of the Year awards in addition to many more individual and team awards.
Another great Brazilian forward, Ronaldinho was known for his skill and poise during his time at AC Milan, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Averaging over one goal contribution per two games in his career, Ronaldinho was a legend at the left wing.
- Wayne Rooney
The third highest scorer of all time in the Premier League, Wayne Rooney dominated for Manchester United during his 13 seasons with the club. He is Man United’s top scorer with 253 goals, achieving legend status at one of the biggest clubs in the world. He is also a legend for England as the most capped outfield player and second highest scorer.
