You don’t have to be immersed in a Premier League match at a pub to have an opinion about the soccer GOAT hierarchy. Here’s our take on a classic debate.
Soccer may be the ultimate team sport, but within that emphasis on the collective is a feverish debate over the individual. The GOAT conversations may have evolved over the years, and every fan has his or her own personal favorite to defend at all costs. But when it comes down to it, there are plenty of facts, moments, goals, tournaments and trophies to point to in order to make an informed call.
It's always a bit of a fool’s errand to compare players from different eras, given all of the different circumstances, variables and ecosystems in play, but we’re here to do it anyway. Let’s add some fuel to the fire with Sleeper's top 25 men’s soccer players of all time.
The Greatest Men’s Soccer Players Ever
1. Lionel Messi
For years, Messi was a World Cup title short of securing his place atop the GOAT conversation. Then in 2022 it happened, as he led Argentina to the trophy in Qatar. Backed with loads of goals and silverware for both his clubs and country, a record eight Ballon d’Or trophies (given annually to the world’s best player) and the pairing of skill and longevity unmatched by any peer or predecessor, Messi will go down as the greatest.
2. Diego Maradona
Another Argentine, Maradona may be even more beloved back home than Messi, and at his peak there may have been nobody better, but he takes a back seat to Messi on this list, especially after Messi delivered for his country both in Copa América and the World Cup. Maradona’s 1986 World Cup performance, where he scored two of the most famous goals ever in the quarterfinals vs. England, cemented his legend, and he’s also royalty in Naples, Italy, where he guided Napoli to two Serie A titles.
3. Pelé
The Brazilian’s all-time goal tally is the stuff of folklore — 1,279 goals in 1,363 matches is the tally recognized by Guinness World Records, taking into account unofficial and amateur games.
There is no denying the rarefied air O Rei occupied during his career.
He won three World Cups for the Seleção, the only player in history to have won it three times, and his greatness transcended generations.
4. Johan Cruyff
The Dutch maestro’s influence over the sport has lasted long since his playing days, which were world-class in their own right. Cruyff revolutionized the modern game while hitting heights at Ajax and Barcelona and the Netherlands national team. He won three Ballon d’Ors in the 1970s, was a runner-up in a World Cup and had a legendary run as a manager as well.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo
Ronaldo may be the greatest pure goalscorer of all-time, and his personal rivalry with Messi — especially while both were in La Liga at rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid — fueled the sport for years.
No matter the club, league or competition, Ronaldo has been putting the ball in the back of the net for over two decades and remains on course to break the 1,000-goal barrier.
6. Franz Beckenbauer
Der Kaiser was a do-it-all dynamo for club and country, and he’s one of only three men to ever win the World Cup as both a player (1974) and a coach (1990). He was as complete of a talent as it gets, often operating as a sweeper, and he won the Ballon d’Or twice.
7. Alfredo Di Stefano
Real Madrid dominated Europe in the 1950s with five straight European Cup titles, thanks in large part to Di Stefano, who scored 308 goals in 396 matches in all competitions for the club. He was a two-time Ballon d’Or winner whose ability was only matched by his trophy count.
8. Zinedine Zidane
Zizou was as classy as it gets — well, until that headbutt in the 2006 World Cup final that wound up his final act as a player. But it’s a disservice to remember him for that alone when you consider how universally respected the French midfielder was during his elongated peak with France and at Juventus and Real Madrid. He went on to solidify his status as a manager, leading Real Madrid to a Champions League three-peat.
9. Ronaldo
The Brazilian striker was perhaps the most feared forward of his time, and his two-goal showing in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany displayed the peak of his powers. It takes a special player to pull off playing for both AC Milan and Inter Milan and Barcelona and Real Madrid, but O Fenômeno was as special as it gets.
10. Michel Platini
Before the French legend became a disgraced ex-FIFA executive, Platini was one of the most prolific players in the world — a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, European champion and one of the best goal-scoring attacking midfielders to ever play the game.
11. Ferenc Puskás
The Hungarian great was a goalscoring machine in his native country before taking his talents to Real Madrid, where he starred for the club from 1958-1966 and scored 242 goals.
Such was his ability that Puskas also has the honor of having FIFA’s Goal of the Year award named after him.
12. Mané Garrincha
The two-time World Cup winner starred alongside Pelé but was a sensation on his own, too — especially in the 1962 World Cup, when Pelé was injured. The Brazilian winger was a wizard with the ball at his feet, which is made even more remarkable considering he was born with a crooked spine and one leg being shorter than the other.
13. Gerd Müller
At 5’9”, “Der Bomber” may not have been the biggest striker, but he was one of the greatest goalscorers of all time. His 365 goals (in 427 appearances) remain a Bundesliga record, and his 68 international goals are second-most in Germany’s history. Of those, 14 came in World Cups, which is good for third-most in history, and his four in 1974 helped the Germans lift the trophy.
14. Eusébio
Long before Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal rested its hopes on Eusébio, whose skill and productivity rivaled that of Pelé and earned the unabashed respect of his Brazilian counterpart. He scored 473 goals in 440 official matches for Benfica, averaging more than a goal per game. He won one Ballon d’Or, led Portugal to its best World Cup finish ever (third in 1966) and netted Benfica one European title to go along with 11 domestic league crowns.
15. Marco van Basten
As good as van Basten was, there’s always the curiosity of how good he could have been had injuries not cut him down in his peak years. The Dutch human highlight reel starred for Ajax and AC Milan on the club level and captured a European title with the Netherlands in 1988, but he was forced to retire at 28 due to the state of his ankle. Even in his shortened career, he won three Ballon d’Ors.
16. Roberto Baggio
Baggio is synonymous with his penalty kick that sailed over the bar in the 1994 World Cup final and sealed Italy’s fate, but that’s entirely unjust for a player who was among the greatest and most creative attacking talents ever. He was a Ballon d’Or winner and also rocked an unmistakable ponytail.
17. Bobby Charlton
England has its first representative on our list in the form of the knighted forward, who starred for Manchester United (249 goals in 758 games) and the Three Lions. In 1966, he won both the World Cup and Ballon d’Or.
18. George Best
The Northern Irish winger rose to international prominence at Manchester United in the 1960s and 70s, but personal demons likely prevented his career from reaching even greater heights. As it was, Best had an innate ability to take on — and get by — defenders and was the 1968 Ballon d’Or winner.
19. Paolo Maldini
This list wouldn’t be complete without an Italian defender, and Maldini was best in class. He played for an audacious 25 seasons with AC Milan, where he served as captain, and he donned the armband for his country as well. While he somehow never lifted a major international trophy, he won five European club championships and seven Serie A titles as part of his haul with Milan.
20. Zico
Zico does not have the World Cup trophy that his fellow countrymen on this list boast, but that doesn’t take away from the glorious talent he possessed. He was a genius with the ball at his feet and crafted his legend on home soil with Flamengo. He’s the fifth-leading scorer in Brazil’s history behind Neymar, Pelé, Ronaldo and Romário.
21. Franco Baresi
Another Italian defender to join Maldini, Baresi was as steady as they come and part of the backbone of some of AC Milan’s best years, playing for the club for the entirety of his 20-year career.
Baresi won six Italian league titles and three European titles while with Milan and also was part of three top-three World Cup finishes with Italy, including the title in 1982.
22. Xavi
The heartbeat of Barcelona and Spain’s peak years, Xavi was a midfield mastermind, and if not for playing in the age of Messi and Ronaldo, he likely would have broken through for at least one Ballon d’Or (he finished third from 2009-2011).
23. Andres Iniesta
Another star at the core of the best Barça and Spain teams of the modern era, Iniesta also has a World Cup-winning goal to his name. He patrolled the midfield with grace and was an expert at passing and possessing the ball to great effect.
24. Ronaldinho
The electrifying and dazzling Brazilian embodied his nation’s jogo bonito style, keeping defenders on their heels and scoring at will throughout his career — doing it all with a wide smile on his face. At his peak playing in Europe, he starred at PSG, AC Milan and Barcelona, and he was a key cog in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning side while also capturing a Champions League title with Barça.
25. Lev Yashin
Goalkeepers tend to not get a lot of love when it comes to these lists, and it’s hard to compare their contributions and stats against those of field players. Nevertheless, Yashin remains the only GK to win the Ballon d’Or, is said to have saved over 150 penalty kicks in his career and was a pioneer for the position while starring for Dynamo Moscow and the Soviet Union national team between 1950-1970.
How Legends of the Game Impact Fantasy Soccer Strategies
If you’re an active player anywhere close to the top 25 players of all time, then chances are you’re going to be a safe pick for any fantasy soccer league or DFS games. The amount of prolific consistency it takes to be mentioned among these greats is enough to warrant attention from fantasy managers.
Even those who are playing today who may not reach the Messi-Ronaldo tier can still be plenty productive, though, and it’s the stars on the rise who have the makings of one day achieving that status who should clearly be under consideration as you craft your squads.
Any player scoring goals by the bucketload — or any fixture on one of the more explosive teams in Europe, where assists are just as likely to be racked up — should be on the radar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is better, Messi or Ronaldo?
Based on this list, our answer is Messi, but that should take nothing away from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who has hordes of fervent supporters ready and willing to sing his praises at any time. For 10 seasons, 2008-2017, one of these two all-timers won the Ballon d’Or, to give you an idea of their prolonged dominance.
Who are the next all-time soccer greats?
You can never predict how careers are going to pan out, but Real Madrid’s French star Kylian Mbappé and Man City’s Norwegian machine Erling Haaland are best situated to take aim at some of the marks Messi and Ronaldo have set before them. Note that “take aim” does not necessarily mean “come close to catching.”
What attributes make a soccer player valuable in DFS and fantasy leagues?
Finding players who rack up the goals and assists is a good place to start, though there’s value in having players who simply shoot and get the ball on frame as well. On the defensive side, there are points to be had for goalkeepers and defenders who keep clean sheets.
A good approach is plucking from the most prolific attacking and most stingy defensive sides, as even the players who aren’t necessarily the headliners still stand a chance at stockpiling the points by association.
Play Fantasy Soccer Games With Sleeper
Whether you’re a fan with strong feelings about the top soccer players of all time or just a novice interested in dabbling in the fantasy soccer and DFS spaces, be sure to join Sleeper, which you can do either by signing up on the website or downloading the app.
You can play Pick’em games for the Premier League, La Liga and Champions League or try your hand at drafting full squads in our Premier League and La Liga games to get your footie fix.
