100 Greatest Footballers of All Time

Argentine·Football

Lionel Messi

Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, known for his dribbling, vision, and goal-scoring ability.

838 career goals · 112 international goals

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2

EP

Brazilian·Football

Edson Pelé

Three-time World Cup winner widely considered the greatest footballer of all time. Scored 757 career goals for Santos and Brazil.

757 career goals · 77 international goals

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3

DM

Argentine·Football

Diego Maradona

Argentine footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, famous for leading Argentina to 1986 World Cup victory with

345 career goals · 34 international goals

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4

CR

Portuguese·Football

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, five-time Ballon d'Or winner and all-time international to

900 career goals · 135 international goals

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5

JC

Dutch·Football

Johan Cruyff

Dutch football legend and three-time Ballon d'Or winner who revolutionized the game with Total Football and is considered one of the greates

406 career goals · 33 international goals

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6

RN

Brazilian·Football

Ronaldo Nazário

Brazilian striker widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, known for his pace, skill and clinical finishing ability.

414 career goals · 62 international goals

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7

ZZ

French·Football

Zinedine Zidane

Zinedine Zidane was born in Marseille in 1972 to Algerian immigrant parents and grew up in the La Castellane housing project.

95 career goals · 31 international goals

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8

RG

Brazilian·Football

Ronaldinho Gaucho

The most joyful footballer who ever played — two Ballon d'Or, a World Cup and the Barcelona performance that made Real Madrid fans applaud.

233 career goals · 33 international goals

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9

FB

German·Football

Franz Beckenbauer

Der Kaiser — German footballer and manager who won the World Cup both as player (1974) and manager (1990), and defined the libero role.

109 career goals · 14 international goals

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10

AD

Argentine/Spanish·Football

Alfredo di Stéfano

Argentine-Spanish footballer considered one of the greatest players of all time, led Real Madrid to five consecutive European Cup victories

516 career goals · 23 international goals

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11

TH

French·Football

Thierry Henry

Thierry Daniel Henry was born in Les Ulis, France in 1977 and began his professional career as a winger at Monaco before an unsuccessful spe

334 career goals · 51 international goals

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12

MV

Dutch·Football

Marco van Basten

Marco van Basten was born in Utrecht in 1964 and became, during the seven seasons of his peak, the most complete centre-forward in the histo

376 career goals · 24 international goals

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13

ED

Mozambican/Portuguese·Football

Eusébio da Silva

The Black Panther — Benfica's greatest ever player and the first truly global African football star. Born in Mozambique, he scored 733 goals

733 career goals · 41 international goals

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14

MG

Brazilian·Football

Manuel Garrincha

Brazil's right winger who never lost a match in which he and Pelé played together — a dribbler of supernatural ability.

232 career goals · 12 international goals

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15

GM

German·Football

Gerd Müller

Der Bomber — Germany's World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend whose 365 Bundesliga goals were a record that stood for 49 years.

735 career goals · 68 international goals

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16

XH

Spanish·Football

Xavi Hernández

Spanish footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time, instrumental in Spain's golden era and Barcelona's tiki-t

96 career goals · 13 international goals

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17

AI

Spanish·Football

Andrés Iniesta

Spanish midfielder widely regarded as one of football's greatest playmakers, scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final for Spain.

91 career goals · 13 international goals

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18

FP

Hungarian/Spanish·Football

Ferenc Puskás

Real Madrid's Golden Age striker and captain of the Mighty Magyars — one of the greatest scorers in football history.

746 career goals · 84 international goals

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19

RB

Italian·Football

Roberto Baggio

The Divine Ponytail — Italy's 1994 World Cup Golden Boot winner whose missed penalty in the final defined and haunted his career.

318 career goals · 27 international goals

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20

GB

Northern Irish·Football

George Best

Manchester United's mercurial genius — European Footballer of the Year 1968 and arguably the most naturally gifted British player of all tim

179 career goals · 9 international goals

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21

PM

Italian·Football

Paolo Maldini

Paolo Cesare Maldini was born in Milan in 1968, the son of AC Milan captain Cesare Maldini, and joined the club's youth academy at ten.

33 career goals · 7 international goals

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22

MP

French·Football

Michel Platini

Three-time European Footballer of the Year and France's greatest player of his generation — a playmaker of rare elegance and lethal scoring

353 career goals · 41 international goals

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23

RC

Brazilian·Football

Roberto Carlos

Brazilian footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest left-backs of all time, known for his powerful free-kicks and attacking style at

69 career goals · 11 international goals

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24

MC

Brazilian·Football

Marcos Cafu

Brazilian football right-back widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs in history, known for his attacking prowess and World Cup su

45 career goals · 5 international goals

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25

LY

Soviet·Football

Lev Yashin

Soviet football goalkeeper, widely regarded as the greatest goalkeeper of all time. Won Ballon d'Or in 1963, the only keeper to achieve this

Olympic Gold 1956 (USSR)

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26

RD

Brazilian·Football

Romário de Souza

Brazil's 1994 World Cup winner and scorer of over 1,000 career goals — a natural finisher of almost supernatural efficiency.

743 career goals · 55 international goals

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27

SB

Brazilian·Football

Sócrates Brasileiro

Brazilian footballer and intellectual known as 'Doctor Socrates', captained Brazil in two World Cups and was a key figure in Corinthians Dem

22 career goals · 22 international goals

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28

RK

Brazilian·Football

Ricardo Kaká

Brazilian footballer who won the 2007 Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, known for his elegant playmaking and technical brillian

204 career goals · 29 international goals

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29

LS

Uruguayan·Football

Luis Suárez

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz was born in Salto, Uruguay in 1987 and became one of the most prolific and controversial strikers in Premier League

580 career goals · 69 international goals

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30

NJ

Brazilian·Football

Neymar Jr.

Brazilian forward and one of the world's most skillful players, known for his dribbling, creativity, and flair on the pitch.

443 career goals · 79 international goals

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31

RF

Brazilian·Football

Rivaldo Ferreira

Brazil's World Cup winner and Ballon d'Or holder whose bicycle kick goals and creative brilliance lit up the late 1990s.

382 career goals · 35 international goals

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32

AD

Italian·Football

Alessandro Del Piero

Italian football legend and attacking midfielder/forward who captained Juventus for over a decade and won the 2006 World Cup with Italy

346 career goals · 27 international goals

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33

SR

Spanish·Football

Sergio Ramos

Spanish footballer and centre-back, widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of all time with over 180 international caps for Spain.

185 career goals · 23 international goals

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34

DB

Dutch·Football

Dennis Bergkamp

Dutch footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest forwards and playmakers in football history, known for his technical brilliance and

172 career goals · 37 international goals

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35

AS

English·Football

Alan Shearer

Premier League all-time top scorer with 260 goals, a Newcastle United icon and England striker of rare power and consistency.

283 career goals · 30 international goals

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36

RG

Welsh·Football

Ryan Giggs

The most decorated player in English football history with 13 Premier League titles, known for longevity and creativity over three decades.

168 career goals · 12 international goals

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37

SG

English·Football

Steven Gerrard

English footballer and midfielder who captained Liverpool for over a decade, leading them to Champions League glory in 2005 and becoming a c

191 career goals · 21 international goals

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38

FL

English·Football

Frank Lampard

Frank James Lampard was born in Romford in 1978, the son of West Ham vice-chairman Frank Lampard Sr.

303 career goals · 29 international goals

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39

PS

English·Football

Paul Scholes

English midfielder regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, known for his passing range, vision, and goal-scoring ability

155 career goals · 14 international goals

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40

BC

English·Football

Bobby Charlton

Manchester United and England legend, Munich air disaster survivor, World Cup winner and one of the greatest players in the history of the g

249 career goals · 49 international goals

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41

PS

Danish·Football

Peter Schmeichel

Danish goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, famous for his commanding presence and leadership at Manchester United

1 career goals · 1 international goals

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42

ML

Danish·Football

Michael Laudrup

Danish footballer widely regarded as one of the greatest playmakers of all time, who won La Liga with both Barcelona and Real Madrid in the

197 career goals · 37 international goals

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43

GZ

Italian·Football

Gianfranco Zola

The little magician — voted Chelsea's greatest ever player by the fans who watched him.

193 career goals · 10 international goals

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44

RL

Polish·Football

Robert Lewandowski

One of football's most prolific strikers of the modern era — winner of two Bundesliga top scorer records and Poland's greatest footballer.

748 career goals · 82 international goals

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45

ZI

Swedish·Football

Zlatan Ibrahimović

Swedish striker and one of football's most prolific goalscorers, known for his acrobatic goals, technical ability, and charismatic personali

570 career goals · 62 international goals

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46

HK

English·Football

Harry Kane

England's all-time leading goalscorer and one of the Premier League's most prolific strikers — a complete centre-forward of exceptional qual

395 career goals · 68 international goals

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47

SK

Malian·Football

Seydou Keita

Elegant and technically brilliant Malian midfielder whose creativity and goals graced Barcelona, Lyon and the Premier League during a distin

121 career goals · 25 international goals

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48

HK

Australian·Football

Harry Kewell

Australia's most naturally gifted footballer, a left winger whose technical brilliance earned him a move to Liverpool and a distinguished Eu

80 career goals · 17 international goals

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49

NO

Argentine·Football

Nicolás Otamendi

Uncompromising Argentine centre-back and World Cup winner whose relentless defending and leadership made him one of the most reliable defend

4 international goals

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50

CB

Chilean·Football

Claudio Bravo

Agile and commanding Chilean goalkeeper who captained Chile to Copa América glory and was a Champions League winner with Barcelona.

2015× Champions League

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51

SK

Japanese·Football

Shinji Kagawa

Japan's most naturally gifted modern midfielder, whose dribbling brilliance and technical mastery earned him success at Borussia Dortmund an

31 international goals

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52

PA

Argentine·Football

Pablo Aimar

Argentine attacking midfielder and playmaker who won Olympic gold in 2004 and was known for his exceptional technical ability and vision on

125 career goals · 10 international goals

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53

JS

Argentine·Football

Juan Sebastián Verón

Imperious Argentine playmaker nicknamed 'La Brujita' whose sublime technique and vision graced Lazio, Manchester United and Inter Milan.

9 international goals

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54

AO

Moroccan·Football

Azzedine Ounahi

Energetic and technically gifted Moroccan midfielder whose standout 2022 World Cup performances earned him a move to one of Europe's biggest

nominated 2022× Ballon d'Or

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55

RB

Brazilian·Football

Raphinha Belloli

Brazilian winger known for his pace, dribbling, and crossing ability. Rose from Brazilian football to become a key player for Barcelona and

3 international goals · 2025× Champions League

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56

PC

Brazilian·Football

Philippe Coutinho

Brazilian attacking midfielder/winger known for long-range strikes and playmaking ability. Won Champions League with Bayern Munich and Copa

85 career goals · 21 international goals

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57

FT

Brazilian·Football

Fabinho Tavares

Dominant Brazilian defensive midfielder whose interceptions and tactical discipline anchored Liverpool's midfield during their trophy-laden

1 international goals · 2019× Champions League

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58

VM

Nigerian·Football

Victor Moses

Versatile Nigerian winger who won the Champions League with Chelsea and gave outstanding service to Nigeria across multiple tournaments.

69 career goals · 12 international goals

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59

RC

Portuguese·Football

Ricardo Carvalho

Elegant and composed Portuguese centre-back who was a European champion with Porto and Chelsea and played under Jose Mourinho at both clubs.

24 career goals · 4 international goals

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60

RD

Portuguese·Football

Ruben Dias

Commanding Portuguese centre-back whose arrival at Manchester City transformed their defence and led to immediate title success.

4 international goals · 2023× Champions League

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61

JK

German·Football

Joshua Kimmich

Supremely versatile German star equally at home at right-back or in midfield, whose intelligence and intensity drive Bayern Munich's system.

5 international goals · 2020× Champions League

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62

TS

Brazilian·Football

Thiago Silva

One of the finest defenders of his generation, whose reading of the game and leadership defied age during a remarkable spell at Chelsea.

7 international goals · 2021× Champions League

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63

JÁ

Argentine·Football

Julián Álvarez

Dynamic young Argentine striker whose goals, work rate and big-match brilliance have established him as one of the world's most exciting for

9 international goals · 2023× Champions League

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64

TA

Spanish·Football

Thiago Alcântara

Magically elegant Spanish midfielder whose vision, passing and ball control were among the finest the game has ever seen.

2 international goals · 2020× Champions League

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65

CA

Spanish·Football

César Azpilicueta

Mr. Reliable — Chelsea's versatile captain who played across the entire back line with unwavering consistency for over a decade.

18 career goals · 2021× Champions League

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66

JM

English·Football

James Milner

The ultimate professional — a versatile, tireless midfielder who excelled across two decades and three of England's biggest clubs.

60 career goals · 1 international goals

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67

BC

English·Football

Ben Chilwell

Attack-minded English left-back whose overlapping runs and delivery made him a key part of Chelsea's Champions League-winning side.

11 career goals · 1 international goals

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68

DS

English·Football

Daniel Sturridge

Electrifying English striker whose lethal finishing powered Liverpool's famous 2013-14 title challenge alongside Luis Suárez.

68 career goals · 8 international goals

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69

AO

English·Football

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Dynamic and powerful English midfielder whose career at Arsenal and Liverpool was curtailed by a devastating knee injury.

20 career goals · 7 international goals

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70

DL

Brazilian·Football

David Luiz

Flamboyant and technically gifted Brazilian centre-back whose adventurous style and curly hair made him one of the most recognisable defende

57 career goals · 3 international goals

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71

VB

Portuguese·Football

Vítor Baía

Legendary Portuguese goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the finest shot-stoppers of his generation and the cornerstone of Porto's great Eu

2004× Champions League

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72

SO

Japanese·Football

Shinji Okazaki

Tireless and dependable Japanese striker who became a Premier League champion with Leicester City in one of football's greatest fairytale st

100 career goals · 50 international goals

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73

LD

Colombian·Football

Luis Diaz

Explosive Colombian winger whose dribbling, pace and directness have made him one of the most exciting forwards in the Premier League.

32 career goals · 12 international goals

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74

TK

Japanese·Football

Takefusa Kubo

Supremely gifted young Japanese winger who became the first Japanese player to win La Liga and one of Real Madrid's most exciting attacking

6 international goals

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75

SÑ

Spanish·Football

Saúl Ñíguez

Dynamic Spanish midfielder who scored spectacular goals for Atlético Madrid and was once considered one of Europe's brightest midfield talen

45 career goals · 3 international goals

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76

GR

Portuguese·Football

Gonçalo Ramos

Exciting young Portuguese striker who announced himself as a major talent at the 2022 World Cup and is tipped for the very top of the game.

Primeira Liga 2023 (Benfica)

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77

KK

Georgian·Football

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Electrifying Georgian winger who took Serie A by storm in his debut season and was instrumental in Napoli's first Scudetto in 33 years.

Serie A 2023

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78

IZ

Chilean·Football

Iván Zamorano

Prolific and combative Chilean striker nicknamed 'Bam Bam' who was among the most feared forwards in South America and Spain during the 1990

258 career goals · 34 international goals

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79

MB

Croatian·Football

Marcelo Brozović

Tireless Croatian midfielder whose exceptional passing, stamina and game intelligence made him the metronome of Inter Milan's midfield.

6 international goals

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80

RD

Argentine·Football

Rodrigo De Paul

Combative and technically brilliant Argentine midfielder whose goals and leadership were central to the World Cup-winning squad of 2022.

3 international goals

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81

ÁC

Argentine·Football

Ángel Correa

Quick, versatile and industrious Argentine forward whose energy and goals have served Atletico Madrid and the national team with distinction

2 international goals

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82

DC

Brazilian·Football

Douglas Costa

Brazilian winger known for pace, dribbling and crossing ability. Won major trophies with Bayern Munich and Juventus including Champions Leag

50 career goals · 3 international goals

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83

PP

Portuguese·Football

Pedro Pauleta

Portuguese striker who became Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer with 47 international goals, renowned for clinical finishing in French

234 career goals · 47 international goals

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84

MA

Spanish·Football

Marcos Alonso

Spanish left-back known for his attacking prowess and set-piece expertise, winning Premier League, Champions League and Europa League with C

29 career goals · 1 international goals

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85

OD

Brazilian·Football

Oscar dos Santos

Brazilian attacking midfielder known for his technical skills, creativity, and playmaking ability during spells at Chelsea and in Chinese fo

38 career goals · 12 international goals

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86

JM

Portuguese·Football

João Moutinho

Industrious and technically excellent Portuguese midfielder who served his country across four major tournaments and won major honours acros

7 international goals

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87

KR

Spanish·Football

Koke Resurreccion

Atlético Madrid's all-time appearance record holder, a midfield metronome whose vision and passing have defined the club for over a decade.

44 career goals

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88

DG

Uruguayan·Football

Diego Godín

Warrior-like Uruguayan centre-back who was the heartbeat of Atlético Madrid's defensive excellence under Diego Simeone.

8 international goals

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89

EA

Togolese·Football

Emmanuel Adebayor

Tall and technically gifted Togolese striker who scored over 200 career goals across Europe's top leagues, most memorably at Arsenal, Totten

32 international goals

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90

MB

Italian·Football

Mario Balotelli

Supremely talented but unpredictable Italian striker whose brilliance and controversy made him one of football's most fascinating characters

14 international goals

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91

AA

Ghanaian·Football

André Ayew

Versatile Ghanaian forward and son of Abedi Pelé who has served the Black Stars with distinction across multiple tournaments and generations

25 international goals

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92

JS

Argentine·Football

Javier Saviola

Explosive and nimble Argentine forward nicknamed 'El Conejo' (The Rabbit) who was one of Europe's most coveted strikers in the early 2000s.

11 international goals

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93

MS

Chilean·Football

Marcelo Salas

Lethal Chilean striker nicknamed 'El Matador' who terrorised defences across South America and Italy during the late 1990s and early 2000s.

37 international goals

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94

FC

Portuguese·Football

Fernando Couto

Commanding Portuguese centre-back who was a stalwart of the national team and Porto's successful era in the late 1990s.

38 career goals · 6 international goals

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95

CC

Argentine·Football

Claudio Caniggia

Argentine footballer who became a key striker for Argentina's national team and Juventus, famous for his pace and crucial World Cup performa

16 international goals

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96

JC

English·Football

Jack Charlton

Towering centre-back who won the World Cup with England and later became a national hero in Ireland as their beloved manager.

72 career goals · 6 international goals

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97

WR

English·Football

Wayne Rooney

English footballer and Manchester United's all-time leading goalscorer with 253 goals, earning 120 England caps and scoring 53 international

763 career goals · 53 international goals

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98

AZ

Brazilian·Football

Arthur Zico

Brazilian football legend known as one of the greatest attacking midfielders ever, master of free kicks and creative playmaker for Flamengo

508 career goals · 66 international goals

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99

OB

Soviet/Ukrainian·Football

Oleg Blokhin

Soviet/Ukrainian footballer who became the first Eastern European to win the Ballon d'Or in 1975, legendary striker and winger for Dynamo Ky

518 career goals · 42 international goals

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100

HŞ

Turkish·Football

Hakan Şükür

Turkey's greatest footballer and the scorer of the fastest goal in World Cup history — Hakan Şükür's strike after 11 seconds against South K

497 career goals · 51 international goals

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