The debate over who is the greatest soccer player of all time is seldom a cordial one. This opinion is baked into the minds of soccer fans over their ‘G.O.A.T.’ is.
Of course, there are plenty of factors that come into play over who someone considers truly great. Home country is a major factor. Brazilians lay claim that Pele is the greatest ever because he is the best player to don the famous yellow kit.
Then there are trophies. One of Pele’s biggest claims to greatness is the fact that he is the only player to win three World Cups in his career. It speaks to the longevity of his career, and his impact to produce on the biggest stage. In Argentina, many fans consider Diego Maradona the greatest player ever because he seemingly single-handedly brought Argentina the 1986 World Cup.
However, recency certainly plays a role. Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo light up the ‘GOAT’ debate in the modern era. Their dueling careers atop the world game make fans born in the 1990s and 2000s believe that these two are, by far, the greatest soccer players of all time.
Finally, people’s personal preference as to what makes a player great comes into question. Is it all about goals? Perhaps playmaking and assists take the cake? Or, some people are not all about the statistics. How impactful was a midfielder in each game they played? Did this club or country have so much success because of a rock at the back?
Who is the greatest soccer player of all time?
We want to know who you believe is the greatest player to grace the game.
Personally, as a 23-year-old that started truly watching soccer around Euro 2008 or the 2010 World Cup, Lionel Messi is the greatest of all time. Of course, my bias lies with my Barcelona fandom. Plus, I never watched players like Pelé, Maradona, Cruyff, Maldini or Zidane. Therefore, my ‘GOAT’ debate was always between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Undoubtedly, some of you will say Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest of all time. That, like any of the other aforementioned players, is a fair argument to make.
Be sure to mention what moment or game this player put together that really made him or her stand out for you when you think about the greatest soccer player of all time.
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Francis Samra
September 19, 2022 at 5:25 pm
From what I’ve read and seen in the way of tv coverage it has to be Pele at number 1, followed by Maradona. Di Stefano, Cruyff, Beckenbauer and Puskas were also all-time greats, as well as a host of other players. I cannot comment on players from pre-1950 or thereabouts, although I’m sure there were some great players in that period. Messi is, in my opinion, better than Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is a hard working athletic player with an incredible scoring record but not on the same skill level of the all-time greats above. I’m not totally convinced about Messi as I’ve seen too many games when he’s simply disappeared for both Barcelona and Argentina. As such, I don’t think he belongs in the company of the above mentioned all- time greats as he appears mentally fragile.
Jason Roy
August 19, 2022 at 5:15 am
CR7 is my all time favourite player.
Ron Miller
June 17, 2022 at 7:52 pm
Maradona is the goat .Messi is close second
pele is a fraud who never play in europe
locofooty
May 30, 2022 at 10:25 am
Kyle is so young! lol
Players I’ve watched:
Maradona
Ronaldo (R9)
Messi
Iniesta
Batistuta
Xavi
Cristiano
Maldini
Roberto Carlos
Cafu
All-time List:
Maradona
Pele
Cruyff
Messi
Ronaldo
Garrincha
Cristiano
Di Stefano
Best
Maldini
Kingsley
August 30, 2022 at 1:50 am
Left for me, ronaldinho is the greatest soccer of all time
Kingsley
August 30, 2022 at 1:55 am
Followed by messi
Ra
May 26, 2022 at 10:52 am
#1 Pele — self-explanatory
#2 Rogerio Ceni — The marksman goalkeeper that scored 132 goals, some of them unforgettable.
#3 Garrincha — The guy who would dribble a defender, and wait for him to come back to humiliate him some more.
#4 Messi
#5 R7
#6 Cruyff
#7 Maradona
Mercator
May 25, 2022 at 4:05 pm
The thing Ronaldo and Messi have is longevity. Fenomeno was insane at his peak, but didn’t have a 15+ year career.
Leo
May 25, 2022 at 11:29 am
How a guy can be the best in the World without winning a World Cup? Both Messi and CR7 froze with the largest possible sporting pressure when it mattered most. End of the story. Maradona is the opposite. It’s like an Ukrainian dude winning the World Cup Final against Russia in Qatar. Such a myth is this guy Maradona (and wasn’t even trying seriously to play football). Pele with current technology and amount of tournaments of today would have won 100 titles and score 5000 goals.
Yespage
May 25, 2022 at 11:49 am
The trouble is, there are only 3 or so World Cups during a player’s effective career. And plenty of other nations are pretty good at football. Add to that, World Cup football is a different type of football, as in, there much more concern about not losing than actually trying to win. So holding that against a player’s resume is silly.
Leo
May 25, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Precisely, because they can play 4 or 5 times a World Cup in their career. It’s the most difficult tournament to win. Soccer is about winning, and Pele won the most difficult tournament not once but 3 times. Messi or CR7 are couldn’t win once.
Yespage
May 25, 2022 at 8:54 am
Always the trouble with this subject. 105% subjective, -5% objective. These players were all legends. That is really the only objective statement that can be made.
Jose Teri
May 25, 2022 at 7:05 am
I need to ensure the world understands that we will never again be able to enjoy the calibre of football these 2 geniuses have afforded us. I love football, and what I was able to see from them, is paramount in this beautiful sport.
Messi’s hat tricks to supposedly the best team in the world Madrid is more than enough to separate him from the rest, his amazing dribbling and pint point passing will be engraved is the hearts of billions forever.
To some of you love to judge Diego Armando Maradona for the hand of god goal, let me tell you this is a short sided approach; those of you who only talk about this are simply squawking. Is the same game that this happened, Diego also single handedly took on the entire English team to score the goal of the Century!
There are no words to explain how these 2 players are and will forever be on a much higher level than the rest.
Andres Lionel Messi and Diego Armando Maradona (RIP) will never be forgotten!
Kooter
May 24, 2022 at 11:26 pm
Forget Maradona, admitted cheater and all-around scum-bag! It’s Pele and everyone knows it. And what about Miroslav Klose. Nobody wants to admit he has the most goals in World Cup history…you young pundits are drifty idiots!!!
Jack
May 24, 2022 at 6:29 pm
My top 5 GOAT Soccer players:
1. Pele: 3 World Cups (Could say 2 World Cups given he missed 1962 knock out round due to injury). Put Brazil on the map in the futbol world. Won 27 club trophies for Santos. Dominated the 1960s.
2. Maradona: 1 World Cup thanks to Hand of God. Dominated the 1980s.
3. Messi: Messi has the edge over CR7 with the Ballon D Orrs (7 vs 5), Euro Golden Boot (6 vs 4) and total Club Trophies (36 vs 30). Greatest Club footballer ever but not yet most decorated Club Player (Dani Alves: 40 club trophies). Winning Copa America was essential for his legacy.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo: CR7 has the edge over Messi with dominating the International game having 1 Euro, 1 Nations League along with having the most international goals (115). Plus, CR7 has 5 UEFA Champions League titles compared to Messi’s 4 European trophies.
5. Johan Cruyff: 3 Ballon D’Orrs, 3 Champions League title with Ajax. Key piece of 1965-1973 Ajax, one of the best football clubs ever. Also a great coach given he’s the founder of Barcelonas scheme of passing the ball.
Both Messi & CR7 are relatively even so it was hard to separate the two. If Messi or Ronaldo win the 2022 World Cup, that person moves up to #2 for me.
michael babb
May 24, 2022 at 9:47 pm
That’s a great damn list and a perfect breakdown. Having lived through most of those I would agree 100%.
Jim
May 24, 2022 at 5:12 pm
Maradona, at his peak he was the best over Pele’ who I rank second. Maradona was the captain of Napoli and Argentina. Pele’ was more complete and a better header but was not a captain and did not have to lead Brazil Maradona played with his heart on his sleeve and carried them in 1986 and almost won it again on a bad ankle. Argentina lost in 1990 by a penalty kick and they threw Cannigia out of the final, the only person Diego could pass too who was arfhreat to score. Messi is great but has to win the Cup. So is CR7 but the same for him however he is the better leader than Messi.
Kooter
May 24, 2022 at 11:29 pm
You’re a confused idiot. Maradona is a known cheater…he admitted it himself.
Ron
May 25, 2022 at 9:14 am
No need for insults