Top 10 greatest footballers of all time - Sports

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Top 10 greatest footballers of all time - Sports

THE debate around the greatest footballer EVER divides fans across the globe.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pele and Diego Maradona are often the names touted as the best to ever lace up a pair of boots.
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Ronaldo and Messi have battled it out for more than a decade as two of the greatsCredit: Getty
But there are also a host of other names in the conversation, including the likes of Zinedine Zidane, Brazilian Ronaldo, Gerd Muller, Johan Cruyff and George Best.
And what about other current players that are still active?
Does Neymar make it into the top 100? What about Real Madrid legend Luka Modric?
Here SunSport goes into detail reflecting on FourFourTwo's top 10 - with the more extensive 100 names listed further down.
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10) Ronaldo

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The "original" Ronaldo goes down as one of the best strikers to ever play the gameCredit: Action Images - Reuters
Brazilian Ronaldo is one of the most lethal, devastating strikers to ever play the game.

He scored 352 goals in 518 club appearances for the likes of Barcelona, Inter Milan Real Madrid and AC Milan.
But he also netted a breathtaking 62 times in 98 games for his country, 15 of which came at the World Cup.
9) Ferenc Puskas

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Puskas was the greatest player in a wonderful Hungary team during the 1950s and 60sCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
Hungary's best ever player - Ferenc Puskas was so good he has subsequently had Fifa's "best goal of the year" award named after him.
The legendary attacking midfielder scored 242 goals in 262 games for Real Madrid.

And he also bagged a quite ludicrous 84 goals in 85 for games for the Hungarian national team - including twice in the famous 6-3 win over England in 1953.
8) Franz Beckenbauer

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Beckenbauer was instrumental in helping Germany lift the World Cup in 1974Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
German icon Franz Beckenbauer revolutionised the role of a defender in the 1970s as his ability to carry the ball out from the back changed the very way people looked at the game.
He lifted the European Championships with West Germany in 1972, followed by the World Cup in 1974.
And he also won four Bundesliga titles in five years with Bayern Munich.

7) George Best

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Best's incredible natural talent made him a generational superstarCredit: PA:Empics Sport
Admired by many as the most talented player to have ever been produced anywhere in Britain.
George Best scored 179 goals in 470 appearances for Manchester United, winning the league title on two occasions and the European Cup in 1968.
His skill and ability with the ball was something football fans had seen on very few occasions - and we haven't seen it many times since.
6) Johan Cruyff

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Cruyff was revolutionary in the way he played the gameCredit: Corbis
Dutch legend Johan Cruyff was a visionary in the way he played and then managed his way to glory.

But focusing on him as a player, the forward won eight league titles with Ajax and helped them claim three European Cups in a row between 1971 and 1973.
He also won a league title with Barcelona, but narrowly missed out on claiming Netherlands' first World Cup in 1974 as West Germany beat them in the final.
5) Zinedine Zidane

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Zidane is widely regarded as France's greatest ever playerCredit: Getty
Zinedine Zidane carved out his legacy as a Juventus, Real Madrid and France player.
Many will remember the genius for his 2001 Champions League final volley.

But for French supporters he will go down as the man that helped them to glory at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
4) Pele

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Pele is the only player to win the World Cup three timesCredit: Getty
Still to this day, Pele stands alone as the only player to win the World Cup on three occasions - in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
He spent almost his entire 18-year club career at Brazilian side Santos where he racked up a stunning 643 goals in 659 appearances.
But his 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil is perhaps his most impressive statistic - with his international career unparalleled.

3) Cristiano Ronaldo

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Ronaldo has to settle for third place in this listCredit: Reuters
Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 700th club goal of his career on Sunday night as he continues to stake his claim as the greatest player of all time.
The Portuguese superstar has won five Champions Leagues, seven domestic league titles and five Ballon d'Ors.
He also triumphed with his country at Euro 2016 and holds the record for most international goals scored with 117 in 191 appearances.
2) Diego Maradona

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Argentine legend Maradona narrowly missed out on top spotCredit: Getty
Diego Maradona sits second in this list and yet he isn't even considered the greatest Argentinian player of all time - startling really.

The South American wizard won the 1986 World Cup almost single handedly with some of the most remarkable displays you will ever see.
He also claimed two Serie A titles with Napoli in 1987 and 1990 - scoring 115 goals in 259 games for the Italian club - and goes down as their greatest ever player.
1) Lionel Messi

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Messi sits top of the list as the greatest player of all timeCredit: AFP
It is no surprise to see Barcelona and Argentina legend Lionel Messi top the list.


He has bagged a ridiculous 691 club goals in 834 appearances, winning 10 LaLiga titles, Ligue 1 and four Champions Leagues - as well as a host of other accolades.

Messi also has a record-breaking seven Ballon d'Ors and also lifted the Copa del Rey with Argentina last year.

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Here is FourFourTwo's list of the top 10 greatest players of all time

The 100 best football players of all time
FourFourTwo's top 100 players ever:

1. Lionel Messi
   
2. Diego Maradona
   
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
   
4. Pele
   
5. Zinedine Zidane
   
6. Johan Cruyff
   
7. George Best
   
8. Franz Beckenbauer
   
9. Ferenc Puskas
   
10. Ronaldo
    
11. Gerd Muller
    
12. Alfredo di Stefano
    
13. Michel Platini
    
14. Zico
    
15. Garrincha
    
16. Bobby Charlton
    
17. Paolo Maldini
    
18. Romario
    
19. Giuseppe Meazza
    
20. Andres Iniesta
    
21. Franco Baresi
    
22. Marco van Basten
    
23. Eusebio
    
24. Xavi
    
25. Carlos Alberto
    
26. Ronaldinho
    
27. Ruud Gullit
    
28. Manuel Neuer
    
29. Socrates
    
30. Raymond Kopa
    
31. Lev Yashin
    
32. Lothar Matthaus
    
33. Stanley Matthews
    
34. Valentino Mazzola
    
35. Matthias Sindelar
    
36. Luis Suarez (born 1935)
    
37. Francisco Gento
    
38. Bobby Moore
    
39. Michael Laudrup
    
40. Roberto Baggio
    
41. Kenny Dalglish
    
42. Paolo Rossi
    
43. Nandor Hidegkuti
    
44. Gunter Netzer
    
45. Gianluigi Buffon
    
46. Didi
    
47. Rivellino
    
48. Kevin Keegan
    
49. Thierry Henry
    
50. Nilton Santos
    
51. Jose Manuel Moreno
    
52. Oleg Blokhin
    
53. Jairzinho
    
54. Gaetano Scirea
    
55. Dino Zoff
    
56. Juan Alberto Schiaffino
    
57. Fritz Walter
    
58. Daniel Passarella
    
59. Gordon Banks
    
60. Gianni Rivera
    
61. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
    
62. John Charles
    
63. Dixie Dean
    
64. Gunnar Nordahl
    
65. Johan Neeskens
    
66. Denis Law
    
67. Sandro Mazzola
    
68. Dennis Bergkamp
    
69. Jimmy Johnstone
    
70. Ronald Koeman
    
71. Omar Sivori
    
72. Teofilo Cubillas
    
73. Dani Alves
    
74. Eric Cantona
    
75. Jose Andrade
    
76. Cafu
    
77. Frank Rijkaard
    
78. Florian Albert
    
79. Luka Modric
    
80. Just Fontaine
    
81. Josef Masopust
    
82. Jimmy Greaves
    
83. Hugo Sanchez
    
84. Wayne Rooney
    
85. Philipp Lahm
    
86. Alan Shearer
    
87. Allan Simonsen
    
88. Sergio Busquets
    
89. Hristo Stoichkov
    
90. Roberto Carlos
    
91. Giacinto Facchetti
    
92. Peter Schmeichel
    
93. Sandor Kocsis
    
94. Luis Figo
    
95. Djalma Santos
    
96. Javier Zanetti
    
97. George Weah
    
98. Kaka
    
99. Mario Kempes
    
100. Gheorghe Hagi