Who is the greatest footballer of all time? Is that Maradona, Ronaldo, or maybe a Dutch player? This article is about the top 5 best football players ever. So of course also the best football player in the world, whether this is for 2021, 2022, or another year. Let's quickly run onto the field and see who is or was the best football player.

1. Diego Maradona

You may already feel him coming, but Diego Maradona is one of the top 5 best football players worldwide. This Argentine professional football player was born in 1960. He grew up in a slum in Buenos Aires. When he played football at a local club as a ten-year-old boy, he was discovered as a talent. At a later age, he played for FC Barcelona and from 1984 with the Italian SSC Napoli.

In 1986 Maradona participated in the World Cup in Mexico. Here he was considered the star player and was immediately awarded the title of best football player in the world. He later worked as a coach for the Argentina national football team.

In later life, Maradona was not doing so well. He was admitted to a drug clinic (in the year 2000). He also suffered from heart problems. In 2004 he went into cardiac arrest after a cocaine overdose. He was hospitalized again in 2007. This is followed by several recordings and operations. Maradona died of cardiac arrest in 2020.

Tip: to the football shop

2. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is number two in the top 5 best footballers ever. This Argentine Spanish professional footballer was born in 1987. He played football since his childhood. This started at the age of five at the neighborhood club, and later at the youth academy of FC Barcelona. In the end, he made a debit in the first team of FC Barcelona.

Messi has been named the greatest player of all time several times. In the years 2009 to 2012, 2015, and 2019 he was awarded the title of best football player in the world. In 2021 he even became the record international (all-time top scorer).

3. Ronaldo

We all know this footballer under the name Ronaldo, but his full name is Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima. Not to be confused with Cristiano Ronaldo. He was born in the year 1976 in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). He was a youth player at a local football club. At the age of 16, he made his debut as a professional footballer. In 1994 Ronaldo ended up at PSV Eindhoven. He then moved to FC Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid, and AC Milan. Of course, he was also the star at several World Cups.

Ronaldo was named World Football of the Year in 1996 and 1997. Ronaldo has had to deal with persistent knee injuries before. In 2008, Ronaldo got married for the third time. In 2011, Ronaldo retired from professional football.

4. Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese professional footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was born in 1985. This man is also one of the top 5 best football players ever. Until the year 2003, he was also among the most expensive footballer of all time. Cristiano started his career at a young age playing for the amateur club CF Andorinha. When he was 12 he joined the youth academy of Sporting CP (a Portuguese football club from Lisbon). In the year 2003, he stood out during a Manchester United game. Ronaldo scored 131 victories. Cristiano Ronaldo left for Real Madrid in 2009. In 2018 he played for Juventus (Italy). He returned to Manchester United again in 2021.

Cristiano Ronaldo was featured in the 2004 European Championship, 2006 World Cup, and 2008 European Championship to many European Championships and World Cups that followed. This footballer mainly plays left-winger. In the years 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017 he was awarded the title of best footballer in the world.

5. Ronaldinho

The names Ronaldo, Christiano Ronaldo, and Ronaldhino also cause some confusion. Ronaldo de Assis Moreira is known as Ronaldinho. This is a Brazilian-Spanish professional football player, born in 1980. In 2004 and 2005 he was named World Footballer of the Year. This makes him one of the top 5 best footballers ever.

He started at a Brazilian football club in Porto Alegre. In 2003 he competed with FC Barcelona, ​​scoring his first goal in a game against AC Milan. In 2008 he played for AC Milan, and in 2011 for Flamengo. He has also played for several other clubs. In 2018, Ronaldinho decided to stop playing football for good.

Might be nice to know but the name Ronaldinho refers to 'Little Ronaldo'. He got that nickname because the Brazilian footballer Ronaldo Luiz Nazario de Lima broke through a little earlier.

Other good football players

Of course, the list of best football players ever or best football players worldwide is much longer. That is why you will find the numbers 6 to 15 below:

7. Johan Cruyff

8. Pele

9. Andrés Iniesta

10. Andrea Pirlo

11. Gianluigi Buffon

12. Luka Modric

13. George Best

14. Thierry Henry

15. Xavi

We all know Johan Cruyff. He is the number 7 best footballer ever. Cruijff was born in 1947 (Amsterdam) and died in 2016 (Barcelona). He was named European Footballer of the 20th Century in ¹⁹⁹⁹. He played professional football for 20 years, after which he was a trainer at Ajax and later FC Barcelona.

Pelé was an outstanding Brazilian footballer, born in 1940. In his entire career, he managed to score as many as 1301 goals.

Numbers 16 to 25

Curious about even more best football players ever? Here come the numbers 16 through 25:

16. Franz Beckenbauer

17. Roberto Carlos

18. Raul

19. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

20. David Beckham

21. Neymar

22. Carlos Puyol

23. Steven Gerrard

24. Ryan Giggs

25Francescoco Totti

At number 45 is the Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp and at number 48 Arjen Robben. This list comes from the ranker.com website. From here we also made the top 5 best football players worldwide (ever).