The 100 Best Footballers of All Time | Bleacher Report
The 100 Best Footballers of All Time
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Who is the greatest soccer player of all time?
Fans, pundits and players have hotly debated the question since the game's inception, arranging and rearranging the hierarchies with every generation of exhausted talent. But besides the insuperable subjectivity of the query itself (meaning that everyone will have there own opinion, thank you very much), several factors further complicate the question—of the vast span of time in which professional soccer has been played, the degree of global exposure between, say, Real Madrid and Penarol and the lack of concrete evidence from soccer's early era. One cannot honestly compare the '30's player of which there is no video evidence with a star like Cantona, living from first to last in front of the camera. That said, there are a few benchmarks that do make such distinctions possible.  
On my scale, three factors matter. First, pure ability—easy. Second, length of career. Three—and this is usually for tiebreakers—permanence of contribution to sport. World Cups, Continental Cups, championships, Golden Balls, etc. also play a part. I should also note that their are no players listed who still play in Europe—so no Messi etc. There are a few who are still active-in less challenging or at least less prestigious leagues-whose contributions to soccer history are essentially finished. 
So that's that. I'm sure this list will either omit or misplace your favorite player, but that's how it is. Please forgive the liberal use of superlatives and feel free to comment should the urge strike you.
And now,  in your correspondent's humble opinion, the 100 greatest players of all time.
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94. Elias Figueroa
A centerback averse to violence, Elias Figuero excelled in the heart of the defense with an elegant tactically awareness and constant interception of the opposition’s passes. The best player to ever emerge from the nation of Chile, he represented his country 47 time throughout his career and through three different World Cups. He played for several clubs during his long career, notably his hometown club Santiago Wanderers, Brazilian club Internacional and Uruguayan club Penarol.  Despite playing an underappreciated defensive position, he was twice awarded the Brazilian Player of the year whilst playing for as well as the South American Footballer of the Year three times in a row.
91. Claudio Taffarel
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Brazil’s best goalkeeper ever, Taffarel has distinguished himself as the ultimate stopper in the land of plenty (of goals). Domestically, Taffarel played at Internacional, Parma, Reggianoa and Atletico Mineiro, but it would be at Galatasary that he would enjoy his greatest club successes, part of a team that dominated Turkish football for three years in row, won the UEFA Cup-beating out Arsenal, where Taffarel was decreed the man of the match and defeated Real Madrid in the Super Cup. Internationally, Taffarel remains Brazil’s most capped goalie, having played in three World Cup tournaments. In the ’94 WC, which Brazil would go on to win, Taffarel would allow a meager three goals from open play throughout the tournament. Finally, with Brazile, Taffarel would also win the Copa America twice.
85. Ruud Gullit
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Captain of of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88, Gullit was a versatile player, bulky but balanced,  with a poise that rendered him unerring in the penalty box. He broke out at PSV, scoring 46 goals in 68 league appearances and earning his first World Player of the Year award.  Silvio Berlusconi shelled out a then world record price to bring Gullit to AC Milan where he, Van Basten and Rijkaard would lead the rossoneri to a half-decade of dominance at home and abroad, collecting three Scudetti and two European championships.
80. Jean-Pierre Papin
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Jean-Pierre Papin may not have been the fastest, not the prettiest player on the pitch, but the man could score almost at will. At Marseille, Papin began a phenomenal goal record that enable the team to win four French titles in a row and was the league’s top scorer for five consecutive seasons. Transferred to AC Milan for a record breaking 10 million pounds, with whom Papin would win two Scudetti and finish top scorer his first year. He would win the UEFA cup with Bayern Munich in ’96, though, playing a less pivotal role. 
79. Paolo Rossi
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World champion in 1982 with the Italian national team, Paolo Rossi sealed his place in the history books with his sixth goal that won Italy the competition (and himself the Golden Ball). Only he, Mario Kempes and Ronaldo have won been World Cup winners, top scorers and Golden Ball recipients in the same year. His poacher's hat-trick against Brazil and the goal against West Germany in the final particularly stand out. At the club level with Juventus, he would win two Scudetti and the Champions Cup. In other news, he also participated in the most recent edition of the Italian version of Dancing with the Stars.
77. Mario Kempes
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Confusingly named both “The Bull” and “The Matador“ Kempes was nicknamed El toro and El Matador. An energetic whirlwind, Kempes would bewilder defenders by staying high and out  of the box before surging forward at an opportune moment. Scoring 85 out of 105 appearances at local outfit Rosario Central, Kempes then moved to Valencia, where he won two consecutive Pichichi’s.
At Valencia, he won the Copa del Rey, the European Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.  For Argentina, he scored 43 caps for Argentina and scored 20 times, representing his country in three World Cups in 1974, 1978 and 1982 and winning the competition in 1978. He was the leading goal scorer in the 1978 tournament, scoring six goals, including two in the final itself. In ’78, he was voted South American Footballer of the year.
75. Emilio Butragueno
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Known as the Vulture for his tendency to hover at the edge of the offside trap Emilio Butragueno epitomized an era of Real Madrid football. Quietly industrious on the field and off, Butrageuno was content to let his lay speak for itself. With La Quinta del Buitre (The Vulture’s Cohort) at his side, Butragueno won six league titles, two Spanish Cups, two Spanish Super Cups, two UEFA Cups and a Spanish League Cup and topped it all of with the Pichichi trophy in 1990/91 season as the top scorer in La Liga. In all, he played 341 games and 123 goals for his main club.
69. Rivelino
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Nicknamed “Patada Atòmica” for his his concussive free kicks, passing, trickery (he invented the elasticò  move made famous by Ronaldinho ) and a moustache that would put Super Mario to shame, Rivelino is, among many other things, credited with the fastest goal in football, scoring directly from kick-off when he noticed the opposing goalie still on his knees in pre-match prayer. Rivelino was one of the greatest offensive midfielders in the world in his prime and spent most of his career in Corinthians, scoring 141. He was an integral component to the WC-winning ’70 side, scoring a three, including the free-kick missile against the Czechs that got him his sobriquet.
67. Johann Neeskens
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Johann Neeskens, aka “Johann the Second” (Cruyff beinG number one), was a Dutch midfielder, proponent of Total football and part of the greatest team to never win the World Cup, the ’74 and ’78 Dutch Squad. After winning a hat-trick of UEFA cups with Ajax when the club was at the pinnacle of its success, Neeskens transferred to Barcelona with mentor Cruyff; their appearance is creditied with infusing the Catalan side with its attack-minded “tiki-taka” style for which they are now so famous. Check his goal against Brazil in the ’74 WC if you remain unimpressed.
65. Lillian Thuram
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A versatile man-marker and the most-capped French player ever, Thuram could play on the right as well as the center of the back four. For France, he won the '98 World Cup, quickly followed by the 2000 European title, being part of the first team to ever do so.  He made his name at Parma, winning the UEFA cup, before sold to Juventus following the sale of Zinedine Zidane . He won four Scudetti with Juventus (two revoked) before moving on to Barcelona in the wake of Calciopoli. Now, Thuram fights racism and helps with volunteer efforts. 
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63. Steve Bloomer
It takes a special person to organize a football match in the middle of a German internment camp. But that is exactly what “The Pride of Derby” did: When taken prisoner at the outbreak of WWI—Bloomer was coaching a German team—he set up a league among the 5,000 prisoners and guards that would attract up to 1,000 spectators. A legend at Derby County—his bust sits outside the stadium, and the anthem “Steve Bloomer’s Watchin’” is played before every home game—he would score 317 goals in 536 First Division games, many of them off his trademark “daisy-cutter”. He remains the second-highest goal-scorer of all-time in England.
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57. Luis Suarez
Not the homonymous player from Uruguay known for the errant hand. “Luisito” was the first Spanish player to win the European Player of the Year award, given for his contributions to Barcelona, where he won two leagues.  Suarez excelled on the inside left of midfield, where he would collect the ball at the back and through invention and fleetness of foot would work it up to the attacker. At Inter—where he became the most expensive transfer in history, to that point—Suarez would win three Scudetti. He remains the only non-naturalized Spaniard to win the European Player of the Year award.
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55. Omar Sivori
His nickname “Big Head” says it all. Sivori came to fame as a member of Argentina’s “Trio of Death” that included Humberto Maschio and Antonio Angellini. Leaving River Plate one of the premier clubs in Argentina, Sivori transferred to a Juventus that would dominate the Italian league as well. A strutting, audaciously talented primadonna, Sivori formed a fearsome partnership with the Welshman John Charles and Giampiero Boniperti, leading the Turin side to three Scudetti. Sivori would win the Ballon D’Or while he was there and remains one of the team’s top scorers (he also holds the record for most goals in a single game, a staggering six).
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54. Silvio Piola
A hero and co-founder of the fanatical calcio craze in Italy, Piola singlehandedly inspired a nation to start kicking the ball around. Some 60 years after his retirement, Piola still holds the record for most goals in Serie A, at an insuperably high 274; second place is 49 goals back. He remains the highest-scoring player for three different teams: Pro Vercelli, Lazio and Novara. He has scored the most open-play goals in a single game in Serie A (six), and for good measure, he remains the oldest goal scorer in Serie A at 40 years of age. He is also apocryphally credited with inventing the bicycle-kick, though the authorship is disputed.  Piola won Italy’s first World Cup in 1938, scoring two goals in the final. He is also the fourth highest on all-time appearances for Italy.
50. Gheorghe Hagi
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Nicknamed “the Maradona of the carpathians” as well as "the commander", Hagi cemented a reputation as one of the best attacking midfielders of all time. Hagi could outdribble an opponent only to lash in a stunning, one in a million left footers as well as incredible ball control and passing abilities. Holds second most Romania caps and most goals. A wandering goal scorer, Hagi was one of the few to play for both Madrid and Barcelona (sandwiching a stint at brescia), scoring in all, a whopping 236 goals. He won four titles and the UEFA cup. 
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49. Lev Yashin
Lev Yashin was everything the Soviet Union could have wanted of an athlete proletarian. Born into the conflagration of world war, Yashin bulked up when he worked at a munitions depot. Following his stand-out play, he would be signed for Dinamo Moscow, the club he would stay at for his entire career. At Dinamo, Yashin would win the championship five times while personally being voted World’s Best Goalkeeper a record six times, keeping 270 clean sheets and putatively saving around 150 penalties in his career. To this day, he remains the only goalie to have won the “European Player of the Year” award. 
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47. Giovanni Rivera
Giovanni Rivera, nicknamed “abatino” “little abbot” for his diminutive stature and pious appearance, was the first Italian to win the Ballon D’or, who played as a winger and playmaker for AC Milan. Winner of Euro ’68, Rivera militated in the red and black for 19 season, playing a staggering 658 games and scoring 164 goals despite his receded position. At AC, Rivera won three Scudetti and two European cups. Since 1987, Rivera has taken an active part in Italian politics and currently runs Italy’s Youth Federation. An idol of the Curva Sud, Rivera is named in at least four of Milan’s fight songs.
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45. Giacinto Facchetti
 In a footballing era defined by a defensive immobility, Facchetti would mold the position of right back in his own image, transforming an ancillary rearguard hold into the critical attacking outlet it has become. A smooth, domineering right-back Facchetti played his entire career in “La Grande Inter” (The Great Inter) that would dominate the Italian peninsula throughout the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, making 643 appearances and scoring 75 goals. With Inter, Facchetti would win the European Cup twice in a row (‘64 and 65), a trophy that would not return to the nerazzuri until the arrival of a certain Portuguese loudmouth named Mourinho. Giacinto Facchetti would also play 94 times for Italy, 70 of which he would be captain.  
42. Romario
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If Romario, Rio’s newest mayoral candidate, is as smooth a politician as he was a goalscorer, his opponents won’t stand a chance. The classic “have foot, will travel” goalscorer, Romario has played on no less five continents, scoring over 1000 goals in the process (Apocryphal. FIFA lists him at 929 goals). As that staggering number can attest, the man could put ‘em away- and in ‘94 he did it all year long. Spanish Cup, La Liga Top Scorer, World Player of the Year, Best Player of World Cup ‘94 and, of course, the World Cup itself...he probably pulled a muscle carrying all those awards. Unfortunately, the high water mark was just that- an all too temporary plateau. He would spend the better part of the next 13 years bouncing around the world, always consistent but never again tapping that magical vein of form that had captivated the world in US ‘94. That rollercoaster consistency-and the fact that he played a huge portion of his career in less competitive leagues- penalizes him in the hierarchy here, but there’s no denying how friggin’ good he was.
40. Zico
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Known as the "White Pelé" for his skill, finishing ability and passing quality, Zico’s direction of the ball remains legendary and quite possibly unsurpassed. Gifted with a curving free kick as well as a tactical genius, Zico lit up the early eighties and is often considered the greatest player of that era. Never imported to Europe, Zico remained in Brazil for his career (check). He would score 52 goals in 52 matches for Brazil, representing them at three different World Cups, none of which they won (though ’82 is considered one of the greatest Selecao sides ever). Given his lack of trophies, Zico is often considered one of the best players in football history to not have won the World Cup. In ’77, he was awarded South American Player of the Year, and in ’83, he would receive World Player of the Year.
38. Denis Law
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Buoyed by a flair for the game, Denis Law is the only Scottish player to win the Eurpean Footballer award (while at Manchest United). Manchester’s second highest goal scorer behind Bobby Charlton, a statue at Stratford End commemorates “The King” and his contribution to the Red Devil. During his 11 years at Manchester, he scored 237 goals in 409 and won two leagues and a European Cup. He is also holds the Man Utd’s record for most goals in a season with 46. Law played for Scotland a total of 55 times and jointly holds the Scottish record for goals at 30. 
34. George Best
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When standing and sober, George Best did everything in his power to live up to the standards of his last name. A sturdy winger who could seemingly do everything, Best won the European Cup with Manchester United in addition to two league titles and European Footballer of the year. Unfortunately, while Best could do no wrong on the field, it seemed he could do no right off it. Constantly awash in “booze and birds”(as he termed them),  Best’s career lasted a fragile six years at the pinnacle of the game before his salacious exploits took their toll. Best would die at the age of 59, after a forced liver transplant caused an infection.
32. Claudio Gentile
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In English, “gentile” means gentle. A misnomer if there ever was one.  The Times listed Gentile as one of the roughest players ever, part of the deadly trio that included Bergomi and Tardelli. That said, Gentile was only sent off once in his career after receiving two yellow cards. A man-marking right’back, Gentile had perfect timing for the clean challenge and never refrained from the tough tackles. At Juventus he appeared almost 300 times, winning six national titles and two European titles. Gentile appeared for Italy in two World Cup tournaments and was on the field for the ’82 final won by the Italians. His marking of Maradona and Zico at that tournament remains legendary. 
31. Luis Figo
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There are few players who have worn both the merengue and the blaugrana. Fewer still are those who did so with some success. Luis Figo of Portugal was one of these.
One of Portugal’s Golden Generation (tangent: does every country have its own Golden Generation? Seems like it), Luis Figo was a stunningly fast winger, equipped with the whole nine-yards- fancy step-overs, phenomenal first touch and a bomb shot (including free-kicks). Over the course of a twenty year first-team career (good lord) and between four different clubs (Sporting CP, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter) he won more awards than you could shake a very shakeable stick at. In abridged form: two La Liga titles with both Barcelona and Real Madrid (four total), four Serie A titles, a Champions League and a Ballon D’Or. Whew. Also, his transfer from Barcelona to Madrid set the world record at 65 million pounds, though not getting knifed for doing so seems like a bigger deal.
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When Maradona defines someone as “The best rival I’ve ever had," you listen.
Matthaus played in five World Cups, the most ever for an outfield player, and he holds the record for most WC matches ever played (25). Matthaus started his career as an attacking midfielder equipped with a positional clairvoyance and a watchmaker’s sense for timing; he pretty much could do anything.
As he aged, Matthaus gravitated further and further towards the bottom of the pitch, retaining a formidable influence over the run of play. In 1990, he captained West Germany to the 1990 World Cup, after which he was named European and World Footballer of the year. Besides the torrent of plaudits received at the international level, Matthaus won a scudetto with Inter Milan, four Bundesliga titles and two UEFA Championships. A harsh-spoken cankicker, Matthaus may not be the most personable of footballers, but his resume speaks for itself.
28. Bobby Moore
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One of the greatest English outfield players ever, Moore captained the England team that won their only World Cup in 1966. Second on the all-time caps list for England at 108, Moore also played every minute of every game he was capped for. The youngest man ever to captain England at the senior level (aged 22). Won the FA cup with West Ham as well as the UEFA Cup. Pele described him as the greatest defender he ever played, while Jock Stein, a famous Scottish manager said “There should be a law against him. He knows what's happening 20 minutes before everyone else.”
27. Ronaldinho
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How the mighty have fallen. A supremely talented individual player in his youth, Ronaldinho was a joy to watch: quick, superlatively talented on the ball and with a penchant for the cheeky and the audacious that made him a true crowd-pleaser, talents for which he would be draped in individual awards. With Brazil, he won the 2002 edition of the World Cup in which he scored his now famous free-kick to England's damage. At the club level, he won two La Ligas and a Champions League with Barcelona. Add on top the two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, just for good measure.
Unfortunately, Ronaldinho did not age well, his predilections for rum and late-night sambas taking a heavy toll that saw his form spiral quickly into mediocrity at AC MIlan and now Flamengo.
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25. Raymond Kopa
Before Kopa was a footballing hero, he shoveled coal in the deep underground shafts of the newly industrialized Northern France. Practicing his dribbles between breaks, he learned to leverage his small stature (5'6"), which gave him great balance and acceleration necessary to embarrass his lankier opponents.
Following an impressive two year stint at SCO Angers, Kopa transferred to Reims, with whom he won two French Leagues and lost a European final against, prophetically, his future employer Real Madrid. Immediately afterwards, he transferred to the Spanish capital, where he would win three more European Cups and two La Ligas. 
24. Paolo Maldini
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Paolo Maldini, son of the manager Cesare Maldini, was the rare scion capable of eclipsing the glories of the father. Equally comfortable at the left and center of the defense, Maldini embodied the cool-headed, tactically astute defender at the forefront of an impregnable defense. A one-club man, Paolo spent 25 seasons in AC Milan’s black and red, winning five Champions Leagues, seven Serie A titles and a barrelful of personal accolades. Maldini holds the record for fastest goal in a UEFA club final (51 seconds), a goal that also made him the oldest player to score in a final. The second most capped player in Italian history (at 126),  Paolo earned his first cap under his father in 1986 and played internationally until 2002. Paolo and Cesare are the only father son combo to have won the European Cub chapionship.
21. Kenny Dalglish
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Six league titles, three European Cups and five domestic cups. Record goals appearances for Scotland.YA bevvy of personal goals.  And the holder of two hats—one of the only people to simultaneously be player and manager. Dalglsh’s exploits alongside the teenage Ian Rush expunged any memories of the departing Kevin Keegan. Within his first season, Dalglish had scored 31, including the winner of the ’78 European cup final. Over 13 years, that sum would grow to 118. Now Dalglish leads another Red resurgence, as Liverpooi strive to find their customary place at the top of the table once more.
20. Roberto Baggio
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Nicknamed “il divino codino” (the divine ponytail) for his questionable taste in coiffure, Baggio could unlock the steeliest of defenses through his speed and technical ability (see his goal against Czechozlavkia, which one can watch on repeat), redefined the Italian club and national scene renowned for their steely defense rather than artful trickery. Winner of the Ballon d’or and world player of the year in 1993, Baggio has also scored in three world cups, the only Italian to do so. He has never collected a trophy internationally, having missed the crucial penalty against Brazil in 1994 (in the final).
17. Gerd Muller
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Tell a Dutchman your favorite player ever is Gerd Muller, and you will have lost a friend. But the goal that wrested the  ‘74 World Cup from the best Netherlands side in history was one of very, very many. 398 for Bayern Munich and 68 for West Germany (out of only 62 appearances), to be exact. His tally stills stand as the highest in Germany; his competitor is 97 goals back.
Not the most physically imposing of players, Muller invented the penalty area predator mold that would serve Inzaghi and Raul so well and finessed it to such a degree that he won the German top scoring mark seven times out of 11 years. Add to that the Golden Boot at the ’70 World Cup, the Champions Cup top scorer four times, the Euro top scorer in ’72…It goes on.
Bayern would win four Bundesliga titles and three European Champions cups while he was there, cementing the place of Bayern in the international scene. No less than Franz Beckenbauer has proclaimed that “Everything that FC Bayern has become is due to Gerd Muller and his goals."
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15. Ferenc Puskàs
The player for whom the competition of most beautiful goal is named. And not by chance. The list of accomplishments is staggering. Scoring 84 goals from 85 appearances for Hungary, or the 157 out of 182 for real Madrid-despite signing for Madrid at the ripe age of 31, or winning the Pichichi four times out of five years, five Spanish leagues, five Hungarian championships,seven goals in two European championship finals, it keeps going on. In short, Puskas, along with Di Stefano, formed Real Madrid into the European juggernaut it is today. That makes Rea 35 out of 39. He was also an ex-Army Major who had to fend off an angry Brazilian squad that the Hungarians had just knocked out of the ’54 World Cup with a cleat and a bottle.  
14. Franco Baresi
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The name Baresi has become synonymous with the regal physicality of impregnable defenses. Francesco Baresi played with a singular style, powerful, imperious, ruthless. Gianni Brera said that he would attack a ball as the wolf attacks the lamb. An unparalleled libero roaming the itch, Baresi could intercept or interdict the opponent’s play and immediately command a counter-attack.
Throughout the whole of his career, he would only wear the colors of AC Milan—staying with them through double relegation—and Italy, with both of whom he would go onto win glory. Over 20 seasons at Milan, he would win six Scudetti, three Champions Cups, two International Cups, two European Supercups and four Italian Super Cups. He was included in the ’82 Italian squad that won the World Cup, though he didn’t play a minute. Immediately afterwards, he would captain the team at an unprecedented 22 years of age.
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13. Eusebio
Best. Portuguese. player. Ever. I mean, his nickname was “the black panther”, for his slinky acceleration and ability to sink the ball. Eusebio’s name would became synonymous with hisclub of heart, Benfica, where he would score a mindboggling 320 goals out of 312 appearances.
Benfica would go on to win 11 Primeira Ligas and undo the imperious Real Madrid of the Di Stefano era to claim the European cup. Named European footballer of the year in ’65, he’d go on to win the European boot in ’68 and ’73 as well and was the top Portuguese goal scorer seven seasons out of nine. Crazy talk.
12. Zinedine Zidane
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He was the iconic figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship. After a brief international retirement, he returned to the national team in 2005 and captained France to the 2006 World Cup Final, where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament's most outstanding player.
At club level, Zidane won the La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid, two Serie A league championships with Juventus, an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup each with both aforementioned sides. He is, alongside Brazilian striker Ronaldo, the only three-time FIFA World Player of the Year winner; he also won the Ballon d'Or in 1998. Inizia come terzino sinistro nel Cannes.
Divenuto poi centrocampista e trequartista, allo straordinario talento calcistico univa tecnica incredibile e una superiore intelligenza tattica. Zidane era famoso per i suoi dribbling funambolici e gli stop eleganti in cui riusciva con qualsiasi parte del corpo.[5] Il colpo che può esser definito quale suo marchio di fabbrica è sicuramente la "ruleta", detta anche "veronica". Poteva inoltre ricoprire quasi tutti i ruoli offensivi, dal mediano al centrocampista, dal centrocampista di fascia al trequartista, suo ruolo prediletto; all'occorrenza poteva anche essere impiegato come seconda punta. Possedeva una straordinaria visione di gioco, un controllo di palla eccezionale con entrambi i piedi e precisione nei passaggi e nei lanci; ottima anche l'abilità nei calci piazzati. Tutte qualità grazie alle quali è considerato uno dei calciatori più forti di tutti i tempi. 2 scudetti, one liga, one champion league. One wc, euro. Best euro 00 player. Golden ball wc 2006. 95 out of 506. 31 out of 108 for france
11. Marco Van Basten
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Another footballing career abruptly truncated through injury, in his prime, Marco Van Basten and his Milan played some of the most jaw-unhinging football ever recorded. Signed by Silvio Berlusconi thanks to his sublime volleys, velvet touch and torrent of goals, Van Basten would win the European Footballer of the Year three times (1988, '89 and '92) and FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992, scoring 277 goals in 11 pro years, in two of which he finished as the capocannoniere. He would become the first player to score four goals in a Champions League match, winning two European cups in a row.
10. Bobby Charlton
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Had Bobby Charlton not survived the Munich air disaster, Manchester United would simply not be a team of the caliber they are today. Renowned for a keen offensive instinct and long-range bombshells, Charlton collected a World Cup trophy after a personal performance earned a European Footballer of the Year award and the Golden Ball.  Charlton won the English league three times with the Red Devils, then captained the team to a European cup in 1968. He has scored more goals for England and United than any other player. He is also second behind Ryan Giggs with most appearances for United.
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9. Garrincha
In Brazil, Pelè may have been “O Roi” (the king), but Garrincha was “O alegria de povo” (the Joy of the People). A winger of talent in abundance, equal to if not exceeding (fleetingly) that of his more famous and enduring compatriot, Garrincha was the most naturally gifted of players, though declared crippled at birth. Looking back at his footage, it appears his bowed legs somehow contributed, abetted his wholly idiosyncratic, mesmerizing style of play. It was said that Garrincha would beat a defender easily, wait for him to catch up, then do it all over again, just for the fun of it.
After winning the World Cup in ’58 along the eternal talisman Pelè, Garrincha dragged the Selecao to an immediate second despite losing his more celebrated companion to injury. In ’62, Garrincha won the World Cup, personally scoring six and winning the World Footballer of the Year award. Unfortunately, a dissolute and lackadaisical regard to training, combined with a heavy drinking problem, withered one of the greatest talents of all time.
7. Alfredo Di Stefano
Di Stefano scoring his back-heel against Manchester United
Alfredo Di Stefano made Real Madrid the merengues, a team whose all-white kit and untouchable quality of play defined an era of Spanish and continental football. Argentine by birth, Spaniard by choice and attacker by trade, “The Blonde Arrow” unleashed the balletic technique that characterized the South American game on a sluggish, dormant Europe.
Besides the finesse shot, he brought the playmaker’s omniscience to a continent occluded and obsessed with the long ball. Madrid would win the European Cup a staggering five times in a row playing a spectacular, squeaky clean game. The backheel goal against Manchester United remains a paragon of skill and sheer nerve, while the terrifying trident of Puskas, Di Stefano and Kopa are memorialized as one of the most potent front lines in history. Recognized as the greatest Spanish player of the 20th century, he is truly one of the best and most influential players to strap on cleats.
6. Ronaldo
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Love him or hate him, there is no defining the phenomenon that was “The Phenomenon”—the original Ronaldo. A complete player, at ease with either foot, and a truly unparalleled ability to finish from every angle possible, Ronaldo has carved himself a place in the history books as the most effective pure goal scorer of the last 50 years, if not of all time.
The awards won, both personal and collectively are mindboggling. The youngest player to receive FIFA’s World Player award—his first of three, age 20—Ronaldo also won two Ballon D’Or’s, two World Cups and holds the record for most goals scored in the World Cup. At a club level, he scored 247 goals out of 343 appearances for various clubs. In 96-’97, Ronaldo scored an absurd 47 goals in 49 games  for Barça, then winning the La Liga top scorer award in 1997 with 34 goals in 37 games followed by a slew of international trophies. He would win the Pichichi again with Madrid and the UEFA Cup with Inter. Unbelievably talented.
5. Franz Beckenbauer
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The defender of the century. Beckenbauer is the only man to have won the World Cup both playing and managing. Drawing on, then eclipsing, the free-roaming styles of Baresi and Facchetti, Beckenbauer could menace a team at any place on the pitch through a thoughtful, vivid reading of the game. Besides the WC and Euro championship earned on the field with Germany, Beckenbauer is also the only person to captain a team to three consecutive European Cup championships. “The Kaizer," besides dabbling in politics, went on to coach his alma mater Bayern Munich and then on to serve as its president. In 1999, IFFHS voted him the world’s third best player of the century. 
4. Michel Platini
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Before he was a bureaucrat, he was "Le Roi” (The King). Now the head of UEFA, Michel Platini was, in his day, the undisputed master of the pitch. He is considered one of the best passers and free-kick artists ever and, despite being a midfielder, has scored the second most goals for the French National team (after Henry).
Over the course of four short years at Juventus, he won two league championships, one European Cup (marred by the Heysel tragedy), one Cup winners Cup, one European Super Cup and one Intercontinental Cup title. Despite being a midfielder, he was Serie A's topscorer three times and was awarded three Ballon D'Ors back-to-back-to-back. For France, he won the '84 European Championship, a competition in which he finished top-scorer with nine goals, a sum as of yet unequaled.  
He retired at the early age of 32 and now helms one of the most important sporting organizations in the world.
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Wondering where this guy was going to slot in, eh?
All the Argentine and Napoli fans will likely hate me for not listing him as number one, but I stand by my decision. Yes, he was very, very, very good and one of the best, if not the best, individual players; there's no denying. That he played his best football in one of the most defensive leagues at the pinnacle of its prestige makes his accomplishments all the more impressive. El Pibe de Oro won Napoli their only two Serie A titles, but achieved his apotheosis by producing the most awesome World Cup goal in the competition's history—the Goal of the Century—striding, ducking and dodging through a statuesque English backline. In all, he scored 258 goals in a club career spanning three countries and six different clubs. 
But for all his winding runs, delicate assists and trophy-winning hand balls, Maradona did not have the influence over the shape and philosophy of a team that would have lifted him to first place. 
2. Pelè
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King of kings...the name synonymous with the joga bonita, with dauntless ability, with ingenious sleights of foot and with the greatest goal-scoring record in history: 1,281 goals in 1,363 games. Pelè had the kind of talent that didn't outshine those sharing the field but rather an entire generation of player. He was, and is, a remarkable athlete and ambassador of the game.  
The classic number 10 (literally, the number 10 achieved its significance because it belonged to Pelè), he was an inside forward and playmaker that dashed between the opposing lines—gifted with a powerful shot, speed and grace to outdance defenders and tactically aware of his teammates on the pitch..
 "The King" was a one-club man for much of his career, starting for Santos at the age of 16 and remaining for nearly two decades, over the course of which he won 10 Paulista Championships, two Copa Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups (at the expense of Eusebio's Benfica and Gianni Rivera's AC Milan). He was the Brazilian League's top scorer 11 times—nine of which were consecutive  
Brazil's top goal scorer of all-time (77 out of 92 appearance), Pelè is the only footballer to be part of three different World Cup winning squads (though he was awarded the '62 honor retroactively, having been injured early on in the competition). He is also only one of two people to have scored in four different World Cup tournaments.
Pelè played with an adolescent's infatuation his entire career—uncynical, inventive, incessantly accomplishing the impossible, the never-before-attempted. For this especially, he sits in at number two.
 
1. Johan Cruyff
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Whoa whoa whoa...all you Pelè and Maradona devotees, put down the axes and pitchforks and listen to me. The reasoning behind my choice for numero uno doesn't come down to purely technical abilities or international exploits: you can still safely say that both Pelè and Maradona were better (but just barely) individual players, but  neither bequeathed anything as as revolutionary or enduring as Cruyff's vision of "Total Football":  a style of play characterized by "tiki-taka" passing, commanding possession and the interchangeability of the outfield players now particularly in evidence at Barcelona.
"But!", you may cry, "What about Rinus Michels?!" Yes, Michels was the man who imparted the theory that was Totaalvoetbal. It was his big beautiful baby. But Cruyff became its high priest and practitioner and it was through Cruyff that Michel'sTotal Football flowed. To quote Star Wars, "The student has become the master". 
Pelè may have won three World Cups, but he did so with the aid of players like Garrincha, Rivelino and Jairzinho. Admittedly, Maradona dragged a mediocre Argentina side to the '86 World Cup, but he did so through singular, physical ability bereft of any real tactical comprehension. When drugs and late-night partying finally got to Diego, he quickly atrophied into a husk of his former self.
Side note: Besides his tactical legacy, I'd like to point out that Cruyff was very, very good. Between 1971 and 1974, he won three Ballon D'Ors (a record shared with compatriot Van Basten and Platini) as well as the Golden Ball of World Cup '74. He employed a close control of the ball, which, combined with bursting acceleration, allowed him to dance through defensive lines. He is most famous for the eponymous "Cruyff Turn." Plus he is responsible for this masterpiece . And this one . 
But he was called "Pythagoras in Boots" for his perception of teammates' movement. Though nominally a center-forward, he would often swap roles, dropping deep into his own half or out onto the wing to then exploit opponents' confusion. 
With Ajax, he won eight Eredivise titles and three European Cups in a row, scoring a total of 190 goals. As a player his stint at Barcelona earned him a lonely La Liga title, a dearth he would later rectify as the club's manager, when he won four Liga's in a row as well as the European Cup.
In essence, Cruyff modernized the game of football.
And while Pelè and Maradona possessed unparalleled individual abilities (that even Cruyff could not measure up to) Johan had the rare ability to elevate the level of his teammates to his own. Cruyff was great because he could make others appear great.  
For these titles, abilities and legacies, Cruyff deserves to be recognized as the greatest player of all time. 
So there you have it, the top 100 players ever. Enjoy.