Completing football is a rare and remarkable achievement that only a select few players have managed to accomplish.
To “complete football” means winning every major trophy available and topping it off with the biggest individual prize in the sport—the Ballon d’Or. It’s a feat so challenging that even legends like Pelé, Diego Maradona, and Cristiano Ronaldo have not managed to achieve it. But nine players have, and today, we’re counting them down from 9 to 1.
9. Sir Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton was the first player to ever complete football. A Manchester United legend, Charlton was a pivotal figure in both club and country during the 50s and 60s. He won league titles and domestic cups with United, and in 1968, he helped them secure their first-ever European Cup. However, his crowning achievement came in 1966 when he led England to their first and only FIFA World Cup victory. Charlton’s performances earned him the Ballon d’Or the same year, cementing his place in history as the first player to complete football.
8. Paolo Rossi
The only Italian to achieve this feat, Paolo Rossi was instrumental in Italy’s 1982 World Cup triumph, where he claimed both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot. Rossi had already won league titles and domestic cups with Juventus before securing the Champions League in 1985. His sensational World Cup performance earned him the Ballon d’Or later that year, making him the eighth player to complete football.
7. Gerd Müller
Gerd Müller, the legendary German striker, completed football in the 1970s. He was a key player for Bayern Munich, winning multiple league titles and domestic cups. Müller also played a crucial role in Bayern’s three consecutive European Cup victories. His Ballon d’Or win in 1970 and Germany’s World Cup triumph in 1974 sealed his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
6. Franz Beckenbauer
Müller’s teammate, Franz Beckenbauer, also completed football. Known as “Der Kaiser,” Beckenbauer was a defensive maestro who captained both Bayern Munich and the German national team to numerous victories. He won league titles, domestic cups, and three European Cups with Bayern. Beckenbauer also led Germany to World Cup glory in 1974 and won the Ballon d’Or twice, in 1972 and 1976, making him the only defender to complete football.
5. Kaká
Kaká is perhaps the most recent player to complete football, doing so in 2007. The Brazilian playmaker won league titles and domestic cups with AC Milan and Real Madrid. He was part of Brazil’s World Cup-winning squad in 2002, but it was his incredible performances in Milan’s 2007 Champions League campaign that earned him the Ballon d’Or, ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. This made Kaká the eighth and last Brazilian to complete football.
4. Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane is the only Frenchman to complete football, and he did so in style. Zidane was always the main man in his teams, from Juventus to Real Madrid to the French national team. His brace in the 1998 World Cup final helped France secure their first World Cup, and his famous volley in the 2002 Champions League final led Real Madrid to glory. Zidane’s Ballon d’Or win in 1998 was the icing on the cake, marking his place among football’s all-time greats.
3. Rivaldo
Rivaldo was another Brazilian who completed football, and he did so while playing for some of the biggest clubs in Europe. He won league titles and domestic cups across Brazil, Spain, Italy, and Greece, and in 2002, he was part of Brazil’s World Cup-winning squad. Rivaldo secured the Champions League with AC Milan in 2003, but his crowning achievement was winning the Ballon d’Or in 1999 after an incredible season with Barcelona and a standout performance at the Copa America.
2. Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining footballers of all time, but he was also incredibly successful. The Brazilian magician completed football with a unique flair, winning the World Cup in 2002, the Champions League with Barcelona in 2006, and league titles and domestic cups across different countries. Ronaldinho won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, and his legacy is further solidified by his status as the only player to have won the World Cup, Copa America, Confederations Cup, Copa Libertadores, Champions League, and Ballon d’Or.
1. Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi, often hailed as the greatest footballer of all time, completed football in the most dramatic fashion. By the age of 22, Messi had already won everything except the World Cup. Despite numerous attempts, the World Cup eluded him until 2022, when he finally lifted the coveted trophy with Argentina. Messi has won multiple Champions Leagues, league titles, domestic cups, and a record seven Ballon d’Or awards. His World Cup victory solidified his legacy as the most decorated player in football history, making him the ninth and most celebrated player to complete football.
As of 2024, these nine players are the only footballers to have completed the sport, but this exclusive club could still expand. Will Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modrić, or Kylian Mbappé be the next to join this prestigious list? Only time will tell.
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