Football, soccer as its known in states, is by far the most played and watched sport in the world and football has seen some of the greatest athletes over the years and decades. Every time a golden generation hang up their boots a new breed comes in and lift your heart. We take a look at 10 greatest footballers of all times. But before we start our countdown here are a few things which we considered in a player to be balled him as a true great of the game.
Talent/Ability: The first thing to consider in this kind of countdown is the talent a player posses. Sheer talent is what separate a good football from a truly great. Was he able to replicate his talent into the success on the pitch. A player might have all the talent in the world but it will be useless if he did not replicate it on the pitch over long period of time consistently.
Success/trophies: Another important factor is success with the team, playing in most important matches and having a big impact in those games and competitions. There have been players who were not really flashy, or skilled like others but manage to win trophies throughout their careers for example some of the golden generation of Spanish national team who not only won 2010 world cup but two back to back European titles as well as success with their respective club teams like Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Longevity: Another important aspect in assessing players is how long they played football at the highest/elite level. for example, Ronaldinho was probably the most skilled/talented player of all times but he failed to keep his career at elite level while players like Giggs and Paolo Maldini dominated two decades of their career.
Fear Factor: When we talk about all-time great footballers mostly all of them dominated in big games. You see, you can win matches with average/good players but to win major competitions you need those big game players who are likely to have an impact when it really matters.
Individual Brilliance: There are players who carry an average team single handedly to success largely down to their unique individual brilliance. Sometime its the opposite a great team/system help get the best of a player who other wise struggle in different team or system.
#1. PELE
Three time world cup winner with Brazil back in 1958, 1962 and 1970 and a true icon of the game, Pele is widely considered as the greatest footballer of last century and FIFA also recognized that with awarded him the best footballer of 20th century. His international career was upright success but his club success is debatable because he spent most of his career playing for native Santos and a few years in American league which was and still not considered a very competitive league.
Although Pele won everything there was to be won with Santos, scored most number of goals (apparently the most by any footballer in history). According to unofficial statistics Pele has scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 games. He scored more than 100 goals in a year three times for santos in 1959, 1961 and 1965. Only downer in his career has been the fact that he never played in Europe when european football was alot more competitive than anywhere else in the world. But still his international success with native Brazil and unprecedented ability to score important goals consistantly truly made him the greatest football player of all times.
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