On Wednesday 25th November 2020, the legendary Diego Maradona died at the all too young age of 60. His passing sent a ripple of shock and sadness around the globe. In Argentina, Maradona was more than just a football player, he was a hero. A flawed, somewhat controversial hero, certainly, but a hero, nonetheless. And great crowds of devastated mourners have paid their respects to the man who led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986.
Football fans the world over are mourning the loss of one of the most celebrated football players the sport has ever seen. But the question as to whether Maradona was the greatest football player of all time is one that has inspired fierce debate over the years. His passing has got football fans all riled up again. Many fans believe that no other player has come close to Maradona’s greatness, whereas others strongly believe that Messi has outplayed his fellow countryman.
Messi
Out of respect for his very recent passing, we’re going to leave his legendary status well alone. We’ve put together a list of the top five football players the world has ever seen, and Maradona is firmly in first place. In the number two spot is Lionel Messi. We can already hear Messi fans howling with indignation, but we’re sticking to our guns on this one.
Messi will undoubtedly go down in history as a footballing legend. This giant among footballers has one no less that six Golden Boots, an Olympic Gold Medal, and numerous wins with Barcelona. But he has never led Argentina to a World Cup win. He came agonisingly close in 2014. Argentina made it to the finals but were beaten by Germany. You can relive all the highs and low of that tournament by using a casino bonus Canada, as found here, to play Football Star.
Pele
The number three spot goes to Pele. Brazil’s greatest football player was named World Player of the Century by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History & Statistics). He was also named as one of the FIFA Player of the Century -the other winner was, of course, Diego Maradona. Pele played on Brazil’s national team from the age of 16. Pele’s Brazil team won not one, not two, but three World Cups. He is the only player ever to have won three FIFA World Cups. He has also scored more goals for the Brazil team than any other player. If we weren’t honouring Maradona today, we might well re-think the order of merit here and place Pele in the number one spot.
Cristiano Ronaldo
At number four, we find Cristiano Ronaldo. Winner of five Golden Boots, four European Golden Shoes, and 30 trophies, Ronaldo is another strong contender for the top spot. This renowned Portuguese player holds the UEFA Champions League record for the most goals scored and the most assists. The Ronaldo Vs Messi debate has been a hot topic for years. But we think Messi has the edge. The Portuguese Football Federation named Ronaldo the ‘Best Portuguese Player of All Time’ in 2015, and with this we’d have to agree.
Zinedine Zidane
And finally, at number five we have Zinedine Zidane. This French player has thrice won the title of FIFA World Player of the Year. He has been described as being one of the greatest players to ever walk on to the pitch by a huge number of his peers, including David Beckham, Roberto Carlos, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. In 1998, Zidane scored twice in the FIFA World Cup final and helped lead France to a 3-0 victory against Brazil. He’s considered a national hero in France and was awarded the Legion of Honour in 1998.
