Soccer Episode 7: Top 50 Players

By Bora, inspired by Ronald

These are the top 50 soccer players in the world, in my opinion...

50. Ruud Gullit, Netherlands

49. Tugay Kerimoğlu, Turkey

48. Arda Turan, Turkey

47. Rivaldo, Brazil

46. Robin Van Persie, Netherlands

45. Just Fontaine, France

44. Roberto Carlos, Brazil

43. Andres Iniesta, Spain

42. Mario Gomez, Germany

41. Uwe Seeler, West Germany

40. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, Brazil

39. Andrea Pirlo, Italy

38. George Weah, Liberia

37. Thierry Henry, France

36. Gianluigi Buffon, Italy

35. Gianni Rivera, Italy

34. Hugo Sánchez, Mexico

33. Nilton Santos, Brazil

32. John Charles, Wales

31.Mesut Ozil, Turkey, and Germany

30. Enzo Francescoli, Uruguay

29. Cafu, Brazil

28. Iker Casillas Fernández, Spain

27. Socrates, Brazil

26. Giuseppe Meazza, Italy

25. Xavi Hernández, Spain

24. Djalma Santos, Brazil

23. Bobby Moore, England

22. Lothar Matthäus, West Germany

21. Bobby Charlton, England

20. Marco Van Basten, Netherlands

19. Ronaldo, Brazil

18. Zico, Brazil

17. Franco Baresi, Italy

16. Michel Platini, France

15. Gerd Muller, Germany

14. Eusebio, Portugal

13. Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (Ronaldinho), Brazil

12. Paolo Maldini, Italy

11. George Best, Northern Ireland

10. Ferenc Puskas, Hungary

9. Garrincha, Brazil

8. Alfredo di Stefano, Argentina, Colombia and Spain

7. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal

6. Franz Beckenbauer, Germany

5. Zinedine Zidane, France

4. Diego Maradona, Argentina

3. Johan Cruyff, Netherlands

2. Lionel Messi, Argentina

1. Edison Arantes do Nascimento (Pelé), Brazil

Bookended his career at the top level with World Cup wins, first as a brilliant 17-year-old in 1958 and then 12 years later as part of one of the greatest teams to ever grace the competition. In between he picked up another winner’s medal in 1962, although was injured during the tournament. The all-time top scorer for Brazil, Pele fired in a total of 1,281 goals during a glittering career.