Ronaldo, Messi, Maradona, Pele, Zidane, and more legends made this surprising list of the greatest footballers of all-time.
The late Diego Maradona has been ranked as the greatest footballer of all-time, with Pele and Lionel Messi completing the top-three.
The legendary Maradona, who sadly died in 2020 aged 60, is widely regarded as one of the finest talents ever seen in football and played a pivotal role in Argentina’s famous 1986 World Cup triumph.
So, in a list made by 90Min, Maradona was recognized as the best player in football history.
Ranking the 5⃣0⃣ greatest footballers of all time.
You might disagree, you might not. 😉 pic.twitter.com/Xc18WRha54
— 90min (@90min_Football) April 22, 2021
Fellow legends Franz Beckenbauer and Johan Cruyff, meanwhile, joined Pele and Messi to complete the top-five.
Cristiano Ronaldo was voted as the seventh-best player in football history and behind Ronaldo Nazario, who took sixth-place.
Other active players to make 90min’s list are Andres Iniesta (31st), Robert Lewandowski (48th) and 2018 Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric (50th).
The 50 greatest players in history
* Luis Suarez in 34th-place is the Spanish 1960 Ballon d’Or winner, not the Uruguayan Suarez that currently plays for Atletico Madrid.
Pos | Player | Country |
---|---|---|
1. | Diego Maradona | Argentina |
2. | Pele | Brazil |
3. | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
4. | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany |
5. | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands |
6. | Ronaldo Nazario | Brazil |
7. | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal |
8. | Zinedine Zidane | France |
9. | Michel Platini | France |
10. | Roberto Baggio | Italy |
11. | Alfredo Di Stefano | Argentina |
12. | Mane Garrincha | Brazil |
13. | Gerd Muller | Germany |
14. | Paolo Maldini | Italy |
15. | Ferenc Puskas | Hungary |
16. | Franco Baresi | Italy |
17. | Zico | Brazil |
18. | George Best | Northern Ireland |
19. | Marco van Basten | Netherlands |
20. | Eusebio | Portugal |
21. | Romario | Brazil |
22. | Raymond Kopa | France |
23. | Giuseppe Meazza | Italy |
24. | Bobby Charlton | England |
25. | Ruud Gullit | Netherlands |
26. | Ronaldinho | Brazil |
27. | Lothar Matthaus | Germany |
28. | Socrates | Brazil |
29. | Bobby Moore | England |
30. | Rivelino | Brazil |
31. | Andres Iniesta | Spain |
32. | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Germany |
33. | Luis Suarez [Spanish] | Spain |
34. | Xavi | Spain |
35. | Johan Neeskens | Netherlands |
36. | Gianluigi Buffon | Italy |
37. | Hristo Stoichkov | Bulgaria |
38. | Kevin Keegan | England |
39. | Sandor Kocsis | Hungary |
40. | Gunnar Nordahl | Sweden |
41. | Lev Yashin | Soviet Union |
42. | Kaka | Brazil |
43. | George Weah | Liberia |
44. | Paul Breitner | Germany |
45. | Paolo Rossi | Italy |
46. | Omar Sivori | Italy |
47. | Jairzinho | Brazil |
48. | Robert Lewandowski | Poland |
49. | John Charles | Wales |
50. | Luka Modric | Croatia |