Dak PrescottCeeDee LambMicah ParsonsTrevon DiggsSauce GardnerGarrett WilsonBreece HallTrevor LawrenceTravis EtienneCalvin RidleyC.J. StroudNico CollinsBrock PurdyDeebo SamuelBrandon AiyukGeorge KittleJordan LoveChristian WatsonAmon-Ra St. BrownAidan HutchinsonJared GoffDrake LondonKyle PittsBijan RobinsonJayden DanielsTerry McLaurinJa'Marr ChaseTee HigginsMark AndrewsDe'Von Achane
Football

Football Legends

The world's most popular sport and its greatest players.

516Athletes
516Full Biographies
5Women
55+Nations

Advertisement

All Football Athletes

Browse 516 of the greatest football players of all time.

Nation
AR
Football

Welsh

Aaron Ramsey

Midfielder

Dynamic Welsh midfielder who scored the winning goals in two FA Cup finals and became a modern Arsen…

AW
Football

American

Abby Wambach

Centre Forward

The most capped international footballer in history at the time of her retirement — 184 goals for th…

AP
Football

Ghanaian

Abedi Pelé

Attacking Midfielder/Winger

Ghana's greatest ever footballer and African Player of the Year three times — a key figure in Marsei…

AH
Football

Moroccan

Achraf Hakimi

Right-back/Wing-back

The most dynamic attacking full-back of his generation — Morocco's World Cup hero and PSG's most exc…

AH
Football

Norwegian

Ada Hegerberg

Centre Forward

The first ever women's Ballon d'Or winner — Ada Hegerberg's goals record at Lyon is without comparis…

A
Football

Brazilian

Adriano

Centre Forward

The Emperor — at his peak in 2004 and 2005, Adriano Leite Ribeiro was arguably the most complete cen…

AM
Football

Nigerian

Ahmed Musa

Forward

Pacy and powerful Nigerian winger who won the AFCON and represented the Super Eagles with distinctio…

AS
Football

English

Alan Shearer

Centre Forward

Premier League all-time top scorer with 260 goals, a Newcastle United icon and England striker of ra…

AG
Football

Argentine

Alejandro Garnacho

Winger

Manchester United's teenage sensation — the bicycle kick volley that won United the FA Cup.…

AG
Football

Russian

Aleksandr Golovin

Midfielder

Russia's finest modern footballer — Monaco star and Champions League player.…

AD
Football

Italian

Alessandro Del Piero

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

Juventus' beloved attacking midfielder, Italy's World Cup winner and the club's all-time leading sco…

AN
Football

Italian

Alessandro Nesta

Centre Back

One of the most elegant defenders in football history, whose grace and reading of the game defined A…

AM
Football

American

Alex Morgan

Centre Forward

America's most recognisable female footballer — a two-time World Cup winner whose combination of pac…

AO
Football

English

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Midfielder / Winger

Dynamic and powerful English midfielder whose career at Arsenal and Liverpool was curtailed by a dev…

AL
Football

French

Alexandre Lacazette

Forward

Clinical French striker whose intelligent movement, link-up play and passion made him a fan favourit…

AP
Football

Spanish

Alexia Putellas

Attacking Midfielder

Two-time Ballon d'Or Féminin winner and the architect of Barcelona's era of dominance — Putellas' vi…

AM
Football

Argentine

Alexis Mac Allister

Midfielder

World Cup winner with Argentina — Liverpool's midfield engine who was playing in the Championship tw…

AS
Football

Chilean

Alexis Sánchez

Forward/Winger

Chile's greatest footballer — two Copa América triumphs and a charismatic Arsenal period that still …

AD
Football

Argentine

Alfredo di Stéfano

Centre Forward

Real Madrid's greatest ever player whose five consecutive European Cups set the standard for club do…

AD
Football

Iranian

Ali Daei

Centre Forward

Iran's greatest footballer and the first player in history to score 100 international goals — Ali Da…

AB
Football

Brazilian

Alisson Becker

Goalkeeper

The goalkeeper who scored a 95th-minute header to keep Liverpool in the Champions League race.…

AM
Football

Scottish

Ally McCoist

Centre Forward

Rangers' all-time leading scorer with 355 goals — the most prolific striker in Scottish football his…

AD
Football

Canadian

Alphonso Davies

Left-back

Refugee from Liberia to Bayern Munich star — Canada's most important footballer and a Champions Leag…

ÁM
Football

Spanish

Álvaro Morata

Forward

Well-travelled Spanish striker who scored at the highest level for Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea an…

AH
Football

French

Amandine Henry

Defensive Midfielder

France's greatest midfielder and one of the finest players of her generation — captain of Olympique …

AH
Football

Spanish

Ander Herrera

Midfielder

Tenacious Spanish midfielder whose work rate, passion and tactical versatility made him a fan favour…

AA
Football

Ghanaian

André Ayew

Forward / Attacking Midfielder

Versatile Ghanaian forward and son of Abedi Pelé who has served the Black Stars with distinction acr…

AP
Football

Italian

Andrea Pirlo

Deep-Lying Playmaker

The Architect — the most elegant deep-lying playmaker in football history whose laser passing, free-…

AI
Football

Spanish

Andrés Iniesta

Central Midfielder

Andrés Iniesta Luján was born in Fuentealbilla in 1984 and joined Barcelona's La Masia academy at 12…

AR
Football

Scottish

Andrew Robertson

Left-back

From promotion-playoff with Hull to Champions League winner — the most remarkable full-back developm…

AS
Football

Ukrainian

Andriy Shevchenko

Centre Forward

The most feared striker in European football at the turn of the millennium — Andriy Shevchenko's com…

AC
Football

English

Andy Cole

Forward

One of the most lethal strikers in Premier League history, third on the all-time scoring list with 1…

ÁC
Football

Argentine

Ángel Correa

Forward

Quick, versatile and industrious Argentine forward whose energy and goals have served Atletico Madri…

AG
Football

French

Antoine Griezmann

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

World Cup winner and Europa League record scorer — French football's most reliable tournament perfor…

AR
Football

German

Antonio Rüdiger

Centre-back

The most aggressive modern defender — Chelsea's Champions League winner who became Madrid's defensiv…

A
Football

Brazilian

Antony

Winger

Manchester United's £86 million signing who struggled under the Premier League's intensity.…

AR
Football

Dutch

Arjen Robben

Right Winger

Bayern Munich's Dutch winger whose trademark left-foot cut-in became one of football's most unstoppa…

AW
Football

French

Arsène Wenger

Manager

The Professor — revolutionary Arsenal manager who transformed English football with his approach to …

AV
Football

Chilean

Arturo Vidal

Midfielder

Ferocious box-to-box midfielder and Copa América winner whose combative style and medal haul made hi…

AG
Football

Ghanaian

Asamoah Gyan

Forward

Ghana's all-time leading scorer whose missed penalty against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup became on…

AC
Football

English

Ashley Cole

Left Back

One of the greatest left-backs in football history, renowned for his defensive excellence against th…

AT
Football

French

Aurélien Tchouaméni

Midfielder

Real Madrid's youngest Champions League Final starter — France's most promising defensive midfielder…

AO
Football

Moroccan

Azzedine Ounahi

Midfielder

Energetic and technically gifted Moroccan midfielder whose standout 2022 World Cup performances earn…

BS
Football

French

Bacary Sagna

Right Back

Reliable and athletic French right-back who provided consistent quality at Arsenal before moving to …

BS
Football

German

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Midfielder

Germany's World Cup-winning midfielder — the bloodied face that defined the 2014 Final.…

B
Football

Brazilian

Bebeto

Centre Forward

The cradle celebration — Bebeto's rocking-a-baby goal celebration after scoring against the Netherla…

BC
Football

English

Ben Chilwell

Left Back

Attack-minded English left-back whose overlapping runs and delivery made him a key part of Chelsea's…

BW
Football

English

Ben White

Defender/Right-back

Arsenal's most versatile defender — deployed as both centre-back and right-back with equal excellenc…

BS
Football

Portuguese

Bernardo Silva

Midfielder/Winger

Manchester City's heartbeat — the most versatile and relentless pressing midfielder in Guardiola's s…

BP
Football

German

Birgit Prinz

Centre Forward

Germany's greatest striker and three-time FIFA World Player of the Year — scored 128 international g…

BC
Football

English

Bobby Charlton

Forward / Midfielder

Manchester United and England legend, Munich air disaster survivor, World Cup winner and one of the …

BM
Football

English

Bobby Moore

Centre Back

England's 1966 World Cup-winning captain, widely regarded as the greatest defender in the history of…

BF
Football

Portuguese

Bruno Fernandes

Attacking Midfielder

Dynamic Portuguese playmaker whose goals, assists and leadership transformed Manchester United after…

BS
Football

English

Bukayo Saka

Winger/Right-back

Arsenal's irreplaceable heartbeat — the most consistent English winger of his generation whose direc…

C
Football

Brazilian

Cafu

Right-back

The most capped Brazilian player — World Cup winner and the most complete right-back in football his…

CP
Football

Spanish

Carles Puyol

Centre Back

Barcelona's lion-hearted captain who led the club to its greatest era with physical courage and exce…

CL
Football

American

Carli Lloyd

Midfielder

Two-time FIFA World Player of the Year and the hero of two Women's World Cup finals — her hat-trick …

CT
Football

Argentine

Carlos Tevez

Forward

The Apache — Champions League winner and the most combative forward of his generation.…

CV
Football

Colombian

Carlos Valderrama

Midfielder / Winger

Colombia's greatest footballer, the flamboyant playmaker and captain who led his nation to their fin…

C
Football

Brazilian

Casemiro

Defensive Midfielder

One of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation, a five-time Champions League winner with …

CA
Football

Spanish

César Azpilicueta

Right Back / Centre Back

Mr. Reliable — Chelsea's versatile captain who played across the entire back line with unwavering co…

CF
Football

Spanish

Cesc Fàbregas

Midfielder

Arsenal's teenage prodigy who became a World Cup and European Championship winner with Spain.…

CB
Football

South Korean

Cha Bum-kun

Forward

South Korea's first football superstar, a fearless and prolific goal-poacher who took Europe by stor…

CA
Football

Scottish

Charlie Adam

Central Midfielder

Scotland's most technically gifted midfielder of the 2000s and early 2010s — Charlie Adam's range of…

CW
Football

British

Chris Waddle

Winger

One of the most elusive wingers English football produced in the 1980s — Chris Waddle's shuffling, u…

CE
Football

Danish

Christian Eriksen

Midfielder

The man who died and came back — survived a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 and returned to win the Prem…

CS
Football

Dutch

Clarence Seedorf

Midfielder

The only player to win the Champions League with three different clubs.…

CM
Football

French

Claude Makélélé

Midfielder

The midfielder so influential that his position was named after him — the 'Makélélé Role' became a t…

CB
Football

Chilean

Claudio Bravo

Goalkeeper

Agile and commanding Chilean goalkeeper who captained Chile to Copa América glory and was a Champion…

CC
Football

Argentine

Claudio Caniggia

Forward

Electrifying Argentine winger and World Cup winner whose dazzling pace, blond mane and extravagant s…

CD
Football

American

Clint Dempsey

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

The Deuce — American footballer who became the first from the USA to score 50 Premier League goals a…

CJ
Football

American

Cobi Jones

Winger/Midfielder

The most capped American footballer of his era — LA Galaxy legend and one of the pioneers of America…

CG
Football

Dutch

Cody Gakpo

Winger/Forward

PSV's Eredivisie golden boy who scored in three consecutive World Cup games on debut — then joined L…

CP
Football

English

Cole Palmer

Midfielder/Forward

Chelsea's match-winner — named Premier League Player of the Season at 21, the breakout story of 2023…

CR
Football

Portuguese

Cristiano Ronaldo

Forward

The most prolific goalscorer in football history — 900+ career goals across Manchester United, Real …

CR
Football

British

Cyrille Regis

Centre Forward

West Brom and England striker who was one of the first Black players to represent England at senior …

DB
Football

Dutch

Daley Blind

Defender / Midfielder

Intelligent and versatile Dutch defender whose reading of the game and passing ability allowed him t…

DA
Football

Brazilian

Dani Alves

Right-back

The most decorated player in football history by trophies won — over 40 major titles across a 20-yea…

DC
Football

Spanish

Dani Carvajal

Right-back

Five-time Champions League winner with Real Madrid — the most decorated right-back in the competitio…

DP
Football

Argentine

Daniel Passarella

Centre Back

Imperious Argentine captain who lifted the 1978 World Cup and was one of the most commanding defende…

DS
Football

English

Daniel Sturridge

Forward

Electrifying English striker whose lethal finishing powered Liverpool's famous 2013-14 title challen…

DB
Football

Northern Irish

Danny Blanchflower

Midfielder

Charismatic Northern Irish captain who led Tottenham to the historic Double in 1961 and was the inte…

DD
Football

Polish

Dariusz Dziekanowski

Centre Forward

Poland and Celtic's goal-scoring forward whose hat-trick for Celtic against Partizan Belgrade in 198…

DA
Football

English

Darren Anderton

Midfielder / Winger

Skilful and versatile Tottenham and England winger whose talent was often cruelly curtailed by injur…

DF
Football

Scottish

Darren Fletcher

Midfielder

Determined Scottish midfielder who overcame a serious illness to forge a distinguished career at Man…

DN
Football

Uruguayan

Darwin Núñez

Forward

Liverpool's £85 million Uruguayan whose combination of pace and wayward finishing made him one of fo…

DM
Football

Scottish

Dave Mackay

Midfielder

Fearless and inspirational Scottish midfielder whose indomitable spirit and courage made him one of …

DA
Football

Austrian

David Alaba

Centre Back / Left Back

Supremely versatile Austrian defender who excelled at both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, winning tr…

DB
Football

English

David Beckham

Right Midfielder

England captain and Premier League icon whose set-piece delivery was unmatched, becoming a global cu…

DD
Football

Spanish

David de Gea

Goalkeeper

Manchester United's greatest modern goalkeeper — four Premier League titles and more Player of the Y…

DG
Football

French

David Ginola

Left Winger

The most flamboyant French footballer to play in the Premier League — David Ginola's combination of …

DL
Football

Brazilian

David Luiz

Centre Back

Flamboyant and technically gifted Brazilian centre-back whose adventurous style and curly hair made …

DS
Football

English

David Seaman

Goalkeeper

Legendary Arsenal and England goalkeeper nicknamed 'Safe Hands', renowned for his bravery, positioni…

DV
Football

Spanish

David Villa

Centre Forward

Spain's all-time top scorer, World Cup winner and the finest Spanish striker of his generation.…

Football

Croatian

Davor Šuker

Centre Forward

Croatia's World Cup hero — Davor Šuker's six goals in the 1998 World Cup, including the tournament's…

DU
Football

French

Dayot Upamecano

Centre-back

Bayern Munich's French defender — built in the Red Bull system and bought for the highest German tra…

DS
Football

Welsh

Dean Saunders

Centre Forward

Wales's most prolific striker of the late 1980s and 1990s — a quick, intelligent forward who scored …

DR
Football

English

Declan Rice

Midfielder

Arsenal's £105 million midfielder — one of the Premier League's finest all-round midfielders of the …

D
Football

Portuguese

Deco

Attacking Midfielder

The engine of Barcelona's 2004-05 and 2005-06 Champions League era — Deco's ability to link play, ca…

DB
Football

Senegalese

Demba Ba

Forward

Powerful and prolific striker whose goals for Newcastle United and Chelsea earned him a reputation a…

DL
Football

Scottish

Denis Law

Forward

The King — Manchester United's Scottish legend and European Footballer of the Year 1964, scorer of 2…

DB
Football

Dutch

Dennis Bergkamp

Forward / Attacking Midfielder

Dennis Nicolaas Maria Bergkamp was born in Amsterdam in 1969 and named after Denis Law.…

DD
Football

French

Didier Deschamps

Midfielder/Coach

The only Frenchman to win the World Cup as player and coach — the water carrier who became the archi…

DD
Football

Ivorian

Didier Drogba

Centre Forward

Didier Yves Drogba Tébily was born in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in 1978 and became Chelsea's most importa…

DZ
Football

Ivorian

Didier Zokora

Defensive Midfielder

Ivory Coast's midfield warrior and Tottenham's combative holding midfielder — a key figure in the re…

DC
Football

Spanish (born Brazilian)

Diego Costa

Forward

Ferocious and combative striker whose aggression, physicality and goals were instrumental in Chelsea…

DF
Football

Uruguayan

Diego Forlán

Forward

The 2010 World Cup Golden Ball winner who proved Fergie wrong — one of football's greatest second ac…

DG
Football

Uruguayan

Diego Godín

Centre Back

Warrior-like Uruguayan centre-back who was the heartbeat of Atlético Madrid's defensive excellence u…

DM
Football

Argentine

Diego Maradona

Attacking Midfielder

Diego Armando Maradona was born in Villa Fiorito, a shantytown on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, in …

DB
Football

Bulgarian

Dimitar Berbatov

Forward

The most elegant striker in Premier League history — sharing the Golden Boot with five goals in one …

DP
Football

French

Dimitri Payet

Attacking Midfielder/Winger

The Euro 2016 hero who lit up English football for one season — Marseille's most beloved modern play…

DD
Football

Portuguese

Diogo Dalot

Right Back

Versatile Portuguese full-back who developed into one of Manchester United's most consistent perform…

DJ
Football

Portuguese

Diogo Jota

Forward

Liverpool's most clinical substitute-turned-starter — hat-trick against Atalanta on debut, FA Cup an…

DK
Football

Dutch

Dirk Kuyt

Forward/Right Midfielder

The most selfless and industrious Dutch player of his generation — Dirk Kuyt's work rate, pressing a…

DS
Football

Hungarian

Dominik Szoboszlai

Midfielder

Hungary's greatest modern player — Liverpool's captain at 23 and the free kick that qualified Hungar…

DC
Football

Brazilian

Douglas Costa

Winger

Electric Brazilian winger whose blistering pace and dribbling terrorised defences at Bayern Munich a…

DD
Football

Yugoslav

Dragan Džajić

Left Winger

The Magic Dragan — Yugoslavia's greatest ever player and Red Star Belgrade legend voted the best Eur…

DM
Football

Belgian

Dries Mertens

Forward

Napoli's all-time top scorer and a beloved figure in Naples, whose goalscoring transformed him from …

DV
Football

Serbian

Dušan Vlahović

Forward

Powerful Serbian striker whose aerial prowess, finishing and physical presence have made him one of …

DY
Football

Trinidadian

Dwight Yorke

Forward

Charismatic striker whose lethal partnership with Andy Cole powered Manchester United's historic 199…

EH
Football

Belgian

Eden Hazard

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

Chelsea's most gifted player of the modern era and Belgium's greatest footballer — dribbler of excep…

ÉM
Football

Brazilian

Éder Militão

Centre-back

Real Madrid's most commanding modern defender — Champions League winner and Brazil's cornerstone at …

E
Football

Brazilian

Ederson

Goalkeeper

The most accurate passer in Premier League history — a goalkeeper who functions as an outfield playe…

ED
Football

Dutch

Edgar Davids

Defensive/Central Midfielder

The Pitbull — the most ferocious and technically exceptional defensive midfielder of the 1990s, famo…

ED
Football

Bosnian

Edin Džeko

Forward

Powerful Bosnian striker who scored crucial goals for Manchester City and became one of Serie A's mo…

EC
Football

Uruguayan

Edinson Cavani

Forward

PSG's all-time leading scorer — the most dedicated professional of his generation and one of footbal…

EC
Football

French

Eduardo Camavinga

Midfielder

Born in a refugee camp in Angola — the most extraordinary personal background in modern football.…

EH
Football

Senegalese

El Hadji Diouf

Forward

Controversial and skilful Senegalese forward whose flair and notoriety made him one of the most talk…

EF
Football

Chilean

Elías Figueroa

Centre Back

Three-time South American Footballer of the Year and widely regarded as the finest defender South Am…

ES
Football

English

Emile Smith Rowe

Midfielder/Forward

Arsenal's creative breakthrough of 2021 — the attacking midfielder who kept Özil's shirt number warm…

EM
Football

Argentine

Emiliano Martínez

Goalkeeper

The World Cup-winning goalkeeper whose celebration provoked controversy — and whose saves won it.…

EA
Football

Togolese

Emmanuel Adebayor

Forward

Tall and technically gifted Togolese striker who scored over 200 career goals across Europe's top le…

EP
Football

French

Emmanuel Petit

Midfielder

Elegant French midfielder who scored in the 1998 World Cup final and formed a brilliant partnership …

EC
Football

Argentine

Emre Can

Forward

Liverpool's powerful German midfielder who rose through the academy to become a key figure in Klopp'…

E
Football

Brazilian

Endrick

Forward

Teenage Brazilian sensation who became one of the youngest players to star in the Brasileirão before…

EF
Football

Argentine

Enzo Fernández

Midfielder

World Cup Best Young Player winner at 21 — the most expensive British transfer ever.…

EC
Football

French

Eric Cantona

Forward

The charismatic French king of Manchester United who transformed the club at the dawn of the Premier…

EH
Football

Norwegian

Erling Haaland

Centre Forward

The most prolific striker in the history of the Premier League — whose 36-goal season in 2022-23 sma…

EE
Football

Egyptian

Essam El Hadary

Goalkeeper

Record-breaking Egyptian goalkeeper who became the oldest player to appear at a World Cup and the ol…

E
Football

Mozambican

Eusébio

Centre Forward

The Black Panther — Benfica's greatest ever player and the first truly global African football star.…

F
Football

Brazilian

Fabinho

Defensive Midfielder

Dominant Brazilian defensive midfielder whose interceptions and tactical discipline anchored Liverpo…

FC
Football

Italian

Fabio Cannavaro

Centre Back

Italy's 2006 World Cup-winning captain and Ballon d'Or winner — one of the finest defenders of his g…

F
Football

Brazilian

Falcão

Defensive/Central Midfielder

The Eighth King of Rome — Falcão's five seasons at AS Roma in the early 1980s were among the finest …

FA
Football

Colombian

Faustino Asprilla

Forward

Explosive and unpredictable Colombian forward whose extravagant skill and powerful finishing lit up …

FC
Football

Italian

Federico Chiesa

Winger / Forward

Explosive Italian forward whose directness and ability to score in big moments made him a hero of Eu…

FV
Football

Uruguayan

Federico Valverde

Midfielder

El Pajarito — Real Madrid's most complete midfielder and Uruguay's most important modern player.…

FP
Football

Hungarian

Ferenc Puskás

Forward

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

F
Football

Brazilian

Fernandinho

Midfielder

Tireless Brazilian midfielder whose energy, intelligence and versatility were the engine of Manchest…

FC
Football

Portuguese

Fernando Couto

Centre Back

Commanding Portuguese centre-back who was a stalwart of the national team and Porto's successful era…

FH
Football

Spanish

Fernando Hierro

Centre Back / Defensive Midfielder

Legendary Real Madrid captain who combined defensive excellence with prolific goalscoring, winning f…

FT
Football

Spanish

Fernando Torres

Centre Forward

Liverpool's devastating striker at his peak and Spain's World Cup and Euro-winning centre-forward.…

FI
Football

Italian

Filippo Inzaghi

Forward

The ultimate poacher — a predatory striker who lived on the shoulder of the last defender and became…

FM
Football

French

Florent Malouda

Winger / Midfielder

Versatile and explosive French winger who provided crucial goals and assists during Chelsea's trophy…

FW
Football

German

Florian Wirtz

Attacking Midfielder

Germany's most gifted teenager since Müller — Bundesliga champion and the European Championship's st…

F
Football

Brazilian

Formiga

Defensive Midfielder

The most enduring international footballer in history, male or female — Formiga competed at seven co…

FT
Football

Italian

Francesco Totti

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

Francesco Totti was born in Rome in 1976, grew up a Roma supporter and spent his entire 25-year prof…

FR
Football

French

Franck Ribéry

Left Winger

Bayern Munich's dazzling French winger and UEFA Best Player in Europe 2013 — direct, rapid and a cre…

FB
Football

Italian

Franco Baresi

Centre Back/Sweeper

AC Milan's imperious sweeper and Italy captain — arguably the greatest defensive organiser the game …

FL
Football

English

Frank Lampard

Central Midfielder

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

FB
Football

German

Franz Beckenbauer

Sweeper/Defender

Der Kaiser — German footballer and manager who won the World Cup both as player (1974) and manager (…

FL
Football

Swedish

Freddie Ljungberg

Midfielder

The redhead who terrorised Premier League defences for Arsenal across the Invincibles era — Freddie …

FR
Football

Colombian

Freddy Rincón

Midfielder

Powerful and energetic Colombian midfielder whose stunning goal against Germany at the 1994 World Cu…

FK
Football

French

Frédéric Kanouté

Forward

Tall, elegant striker of Franco-Malian heritage whose goals and professionalism at Sevilla and West …

GB
Football

Argentine

Gabriel Batistuta

Centre Forward

Batigol — the most prolific Argentine striker of his generation and one of the most feared centre-fo…

GM
Football

Brazilian

Gabriel Magalhães

Centre-back

Arsenal's commanding centre-back — the defensive foundation of his Premier League title challenges.…

GM
Football

Brazilian

Gabriel Martinelli

Winger/Forward

Arsenal's Brazilian winger — signed for £6 million, developed into one of the Premier League's most …

GB
Football

Welsh

Gareth Bale

Winger/Forward

Wales's greatest footballer — four Champions Leagues with Real Madrid and the overhead kick heard ar…

G
Football

Brazilian

Garrincha

Right Winger

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

GL
Football

English

Gary Lineker

Forward

England's third-highest goalscorer and 1986 World Cup Golden Boot winner, renowned for his clinical …

GM
Football

Chilean

Gary Medel

Defender / Midfielder

Fearless and fiercely competitive Chilean midfielder-defender nicknamed 'El Pitbull' for his combati…

GN
Football

English

Gary Neville

Right Back

Manchester United legend and England international who redefined consistency and professionalism at …

G
Football

Spanish

Gavi

Midfielder

The youngest Ballon d'Or finalist in history — Barcelona's ferocious midfielder who plays at age 20 …

GG
Football

Italian

Gennaro Gattuso

Midfielder

The ultimate midfield warrior — a ferociously competitive battler who protected AC Milan's defence w…

GH
Football

English

Geoff Hurst

Forward

The only player in history to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, sealing England's 1966 triumph…

GB
Football

Northern Irish

George Best

Forward

Manchester United's mercurial genius — European Footballer of the Year 1968 and arguably the most na…

GW
Football

Liberian

George Weah

Centre Forward

The only African footballer to win the Ballon d'Or — crowned world's best in 1995 while at AC Milan.…

GW
Football

Dutch

Georginio Wijnaldum

Midfielder

Liverpool's unsung engine — two consecutive Champions League Final goals and a Premier League title.…

GP
Football

Spanish

Gerard Piqué

Centre Back

Spain's World Cup winner and Barcelona defender who combined defensive excellence with a flair for t…

GM
Football

German

Gerd Müller

Centre Forward

Der Bomber — Germany's World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend whose 365 Bundesliga goals were a r…

GZ
Football

Italian

Gianfranco Zola

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

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

GB
Football

Italian

Gianluigi Buffon

Goalkeeper

Italy's World Cup-winning goalkeeper and Juventus's towering presence in goal across three decades —…

GD
Football

Italian

Gianluigi Donnarumma

Goalkeeper

The Euro 2020 Golden Glove winner who debuted at 16 — Italy's most important goalkeeper since Buffon…

GS
Football

Brazilian

Gilberto Silva

Midfielder

The 'Invisible Wall' — a disciplined Brazilian holding midfielder whose tireless work rate anchored …

GH
Football

English

Glenn Hoddle

Midfielder

One of the most naturally gifted English footballers ever, a visionary playmaker whose technique and…

GR
Football

Portuguese

Gonçalo Ramos

Forward

Exciting young Portuguese striker who announced himself as a major talent at the 2022 World Cup and …

GH
Football

Argentine

Gonzalo Higuaín

Centre Forward

One of Serie A's most prolific strikers — holder of the single-season Serie A scoring record with 36…

GP
Football

North Macedonian

Goran Pandev

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

The greatest player in North Macedonian history — the man who scored the goal that sent tiny North M…

GB
Football

English

Gordon Banks

Goalkeeper

England's 1966 World Cup-winning goalkeeper, universally acclaimed as one of the greatest goalkeeper…

GX
Football

Swiss

Granit Xhaka

Midfielder

Arsenal's divisive warrior — the captain who was stripped of the armband and then redeemed as a Bund…

Football

Turkish

Hakan Çalhanoğlu

Midfielder

Set-piece specialist and playmaker who reinvented himself as a deep-lying midfielder at Inter Milan …

Football

Turkish

Hakan Şükür

Centre Forward

Turkey's greatest footballer and the scorer of the fastest goal in World Cup history — Hakan Şükür's…

HZ
Football

Moroccan

Hakim Ziyech

Winger / Attacking Midfielder

Gifted Moroccan winger of Dutch heritage whose dribbling brilliance and match-winning ability lit up…

HK
Football

English

Harry Kane

Centre Forward

England's all-time leading goalscorer and one of the Premier League's most prolific strikers — a com…

HK
Football

Australian

Harry Kewell

Left Winger / Midfielder

Australia's most naturally gifted footballer, a left winger whose technical brilliance earned him a …

HM
Football

English

Harry Maguire

Centre-back

The most expensive defender in history at the time — and the most publicly discussed since.…

HL
Football

Swedish

Henrik Larsson

Centre Forward

The King of Kings — Henrik Larsson is the greatest player in Celtic's history and one of the finest …

HM
Football

Armenian

Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Attacking Midfielder

Armenia's greatest footballer, a creative and technically gifted midfielder who starred across Europ…

HC
Football

Argentine

Hernán Crespo

Centre Forward

Champions League finalist and two-time Italian league winner — one of the most clinical penalty box …

HN
Football

Japanese

Hidetoshi Nakata

Attacking Midfielder

Japan's most important football export — Hidetoshi Nakata's move to Perugia in 1998 and subsequent s…

HM
Football

South Korean

Hong Myung-bo

Defender / Midfielder

South Korean captain and defensive anchor who led his nation to a stunning fourth-place finish at th…

HS
Football

Bulgarian

Hristo Stoichkov

Forward

One of the most fiercely competitive attackers in the history of football — Hristo Stoichkov's combi…

HL
Football

French

Hugo Lloris

Goalkeeper

France's World Cup-winning captain and Tottenham's longest-serving player of the Premier League era.…

IR
Football

Welsh

Ian Rush

Centre Forward

Liverpool's greatest ever goalscorer — 346 goals for the club across two spells and Wales's all-time…

IW
Football

British

Ian Wright

Centre Forward

Arsenal's record goalscorer before Thierry Henry — 185 goals for the Gunners after not turning profe…

IK
Football

French

Ibrahima Konaté

Centre-back

Liverpool's commanding centre-back signed from Leipzig — a dominant aerial presence with composure o…

IC
Football

Spanish

Iker Casillas

Goalkeeper

Spain's World Cup-winning captain and the most capped Spanish player ever — a penalty-saving colossu…

İG
Football

German

İlkay Gündoğan

Midfielder

Manchester City's captain in the Treble season — scored both goals in the cup final that completed t…

I
Football

Spanish

Isco

Attacking Midfielder

Real Madrid's most technically gifted midfielder — three Champions Leagues and the finest close cont…

IS
Football

Algerian

Islam Slimani

Forward

Prolific Algerian striker whose goalscoring across the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A establish…

IR
Football

Croatian

Ivan Rakitić

Midfielder

Barcelona's Croatian metronome — Champions League winner and World Cup finalist.…

IZ
Football

Chilean

Iván Zamorano

Forward

Prolific and combative Chilean striker nicknamed 'Bam Bam' who was among the most feared forwards in…

JC
Football

English

Jack Charlton

Centre Back

Towering centre-back who won the World Cup with England and later became a national hero in Ireland …

JG
Football

English

Jack Grealish

Winger / Attacking Midfielder

Dazzling English winger whose close control, creativity and flair make him one of the most entertain…

JW
Football

English

Jack Wilshere

Midfielder

Prodigiously talented English midfielder whose dazzling ability was tragically undermined by persist…

JM
Football

German

Jamal Musiala

Attacking Midfielder

Bambi — the most naturally gifted German since Özil, balancing English and German identity.…

JM
Football

English

James Milner

Midfielder

The ultimate professional — a versatile, tireless midfielder who excelled across two decades and thr…

JR
Football

Colombian

James Rodríguez

Midfielder/Forward

The 2014 World Cup Golden Boot — Colombia's most gifted player and the volley that captured the worl…

JW
Football

English

James Ward-Prowse

Midfielder

The finest free kick taker in Premier League history — broke David Beckham's dead ball record.…

JV
Football

English

Jamie Vardy

Forward

The most remarkable story in English football — non-league to Premier League champion in four years.…

JO
Football

Slovenian

Jan Oblak

Goalkeeper

Arguably the world's best goalkeeper of the last decade, a shot-stopping machine whose consistency a…

JS
Football

Argentine

Javier Saviola

Forward

Explosive and nimble Argentine forward nicknamed 'El Conejo' (The Rabbit) who was one of Europe's mo…

JZ
Football

Argentine

Javier Zanetti

Right Back/Midfielder

The most loyal captain in Italian football history — Javier Zanetti made 858 appearances for Inter M…

JO
Football

Nigerian

Jay-Jay Okocha

Attacking Midfielder

So good they named him twice — PSG's Nigerian wizard whose skill and flair made him one of football'…

JP
Football

French

Jean-Pierre Papin

Centre Forward

Marseille's prolific forward and Ballon d'Or winner in 1991 whose volleys and acrobatic strikes beca…

JD
Football

English

Jermain Defoe

Forward

Prolific and instinctive goalscorer who ranks among the Premier League's all-time top scorers across…

JB
Football

German

Jérôme Boateng

Centre-back

World Cup-winning defender and Bayern Munich's most decorated centre-back of the modern era.…

JN
Football

Spanish

Jesús Navas

Right Back / Winger

Sevilla and Spain legend who reinvented himself from flying winger to dependable right-back across a…

JB
Football

Scottish

Jim Baxter

Left Midfielder

Slim Jim — arguably the most naturally gifted Scottish footballer of the twentieth century, a left-s…

JB
Football

British

Jimmy Bullard

Central Midfielder

Championship and Premier League cult hero — one of the most entertaining and likeable players of his…

JF
Football

Dutch

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Centre Forward

Dutch striker who terrorised Premier League defences at Chelsea and Leeds — twice Golden Boot winner…

JG
Football

English

Jimmy Greaves

Forward

The most natural goalscorer in English football history, whose prolific record across club and count…

JC
Football

Portuguese

João Cancelo

Full Back

Technically exceptional Portuguese full-back whose ability to invert into midfield redefined the mod…

JF
Football

Portuguese

João Félix

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

Football's most expensive teenager — £113 million at 19 and the talent that divided Atlético Madrid.…

JM
Football

Portuguese

João Moutinho

Midfielder

Industrious and technically excellent Portuguese midfielder who served his country across four major…

JS
Football

Spanish

Joaquín Sánchez

Winger

Spain's evergreen entertainer, a dribbling wizard who played professional football into his 40s and …

JC
Football

English

Joe Cole

Midfielder / Winger

Dazzlingly skilful English winger whose tricks and creativity lit up West Ham and Chelsea during his…

JC
Football

Dutch

Johan Cruyff

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

Johan Cruyff was born in Amsterdam in 1947 and grew up near Ajax's De Meer stadium.…

JA
Football

Irish

John Aldridge

Centre Forward

Republic of Ireland legend and Liverpool striker who scored 330 professional goals — one of the most…

JA
Football

Australian

John Aloisi

Forward

Australian striker and national hero who scored the penalty that sent Australia to their first World…

JS
Football

English

John Stones

Centre-back

The ball-playing centre-back who grew into a Champions League winner under Pep Guardiola.…

JT
Football

English

John Terry

Centre Back

Chelsea captain and one of the Premier League's most commanding centre-backs across two decades at S…

JH
Football

English

Jordan Henderson

Midfielder

Liverpool's Champions League and Premier League-winning captain — a leader defined by collective ach…

JF
Football

Portuguese

José Fonte

Centre Back

Dependable and commanding Portuguese centre-back who captained his country to Euro 2016 victory and …

JM
Football

Portuguese

José Mourinho

Manager

The Special One — winner of league titles in four countries and two Champions Leagues, the most deco…

JK
Football

German

Joshua Kimmich

Right Back / Midfielder

Supremely versatile German star equally at home at right-back or in midfield, whose intelligence and…

JM
Football

Spanish

Juan Mata

Attacking Midfielder

Chelsea's Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons — the most technically refined Spanish player o…

JR
Football

Argentine

Juan Román Riquelme

Attacking Midfielder

The last of the classic playmakers — Juan Román Riquelme's slow, deliberate style, his ability to co…

JS
Football

Argentine

Juan Sebastián Verón

Midfielder

Imperious Argentine playmaker nicknamed 'La Brujita' whose sublime technique and vision graced Lazio…

JB
Football

English

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder

The complete modern midfielder — Champions League winner at 20 whose goals, leadership and maturity …

JA
Football

Argentine

Julian Alvarez

Forward

Versatile and hardworking Argentine forward who won everything at Manchester City before a record mo…

Football

Argentine

Julián Álvarez

Forward

Dynamic young Argentine striker whose goals, work rate and big-match brilliance have established him…

JK
Football

German

Jürgen Klinsmann

Forward

The reformed diver who became a genuine idol — World Cup winner in 1990 who reinvented his image wit…

JF
Football

French

Just Fontaine

Centre Forward

Owner of the most extraordinary single-tournament record in football history — 13 goals in 6 games a…

KH
Football

German

Kai Havertz

Forward / Attacking Midfielder

Elegant German forward who scored the winning goal in the Champions League final for Chelsea before …

K
Football

Brazilian

Kaká

Attacking Midfielder

AC Milan's Brazilian maestro — Ballon d'Or winner in 2007 and the most celebrated midfielder of the …

KK
Football

Senegalese

Kalidou Koulibaly

Centre Back

Towering Senegalese centre-back whose power, speed and defensive dominance made him one of the most …

KM
Football

Japanese

Kaoru Mitoma

Winger

Japan's greatest footballer of the modern era — the winger whose late touches proved he was onside.…

KB
Football

French

Karim Benzema

Centre Forward

Real Madrid's Ballon d'Or winner in 2022 and the club's all-time Champions League scorer — a complet…

KH
Football

Japanese

Keisuke Honda

Attacking Midfielder / Forward

Iconic Japanese attacking midfielder and global ambassador for the sport, whose career took him to A…

KD
Football

Scottish

Kenny Dalglish

Forward

One of football's greatest ever forwards and managers — King Kenny who won six league titles with Li…

KM
Football

Scottish

Kenny Miller

Centre Forward

The only player to have scored for both Celtic and Rangers — a goal-poacher of remarkable consistenc…

KS
Football

English

Kenny Sansom

Left Back

England's most-capped left-back for decades, a technically gifted and supremely consistent defender …

KD
Football

Belgian

Kevin De Bruyne

Central/Attacking Midfielder

Kevin De Bruyne was born in Ghent in 1991 and spent a difficult spell at Chelsea — making only three…

KK
Football

British

Kevin Keegan

Forward

Two-time European Footballer of the Year and one of English football's most charismatic figures. Won…

KK
Football

Georgian

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Winger

Electrifying Georgian winger who took Serie A by storm in his debut season and was instrumental in N…

KL
Football

Scottish

Kim Little

Attacking Midfielder

Scotland's greatest ever footballer — Arsenal's creative fulcrum and the player who has single-hande…

KC
Football

French

Kingsley Coman

Winger

Scored the Champions League Final winner for Bayern — the former PSG player who scored against his o…

KM
Football

English

Kobbie Mainoo

Midfielder

Manchester United's youngest key player in decades — scored at Wembley in the FA Cup Final at 19.…

K
Football

Spanish

Koke

Midfielder

Atlético Madrid's all-time appearance record holder, a midfield metronome whose vision and passing h…

KT
Football

Ivorian

Kolo Touré

Centre Back

Fearless Ivorian defender who was a key figure in Arsenal's 'Invincibles' season and later won the P…

KM
Football

French

Kylian Mbappé

Forward

The fastest and most lethal striker of his generation — World Cup winner at 19, Champions League win…

LY
Football

Spanish

Lamine Yamal

Winger

The youngest scorer in European Championship history — born the day Spain last won the Euros and win…

LD
Football

American

Landon Donovan

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

The greatest American footballer of his generation — MLS all-time top scorer and scorer of the most …

LK
Football

French

Laurent Koscielny

Centre Back

Intelligent and quick French centre-back who became Arsenal captain and one of the Premier League's …

LM
Football

Argentine

Lautaro Martínez

Forward

Inter Milan's lethal striker and Argentina's World Cup hero — the most complete South American strik…

LP
Football

Argentine

Leandro Paredes

Midfielder

Commanding Argentine midfielder whose calm distribution and ball retention anchored PSG and the Arge…

LD
Football

English

Lee Dixon

Right Back

Rock-solid right-back who was a vital member of Arsenal's legendary back four for over a decade.…

LG
Football

German

Leon Goretzka

Midfielder

Powerful German box-to-box midfielder whose physical transformation and all-round ability have been …

LS
Football

German

Leroy Sané

Winger

PFA Young Player of the Year at City — Germany's electric winger of a new generation.…

LF
Football

British

Les Ferdinand

Centre Forward

Sir Les — Newcastle's beloved centre-forward whose combination of power and technique made him one o…

LY
Football

Soviet

Lev Yashin

Goalkeeper

The Black Spider — the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or, and the greatest goalkeeper in footba…

LB
Football

Irish

Liam Brady

Midfielder

Sublimely gifted Irish playmaker whose left foot and creative brilliance lit up Arsenal and Italian …

LM
Football

Dutch

Lieke Martens

Left Winger

The Netherlands' most celebrated winger — FIFA Best Women's Player and UEFA Women's Player of the Ye…

LT
Football

French

Lilian Thuram

Defender

France's most capped player and the man who scored both goals in the 1998 World Cup semi-final.…

LM
Football

Argentine

Lionel Messi

Forward

The greatest footballer who ever lived — eight Ballon d'Or awards, a World Cup, four Champions Leagu…

LM
Football

Argentine

Lisandro Martinez

Centre Back

Fierce and combative Argentine defender nicknamed 'The Butcher' whose intensity and ball-playing abi…

LI
Football

Italian

Lorenzo Insigne

Winger / Forward

Napoli's beloved local hero, a diminutive winger whose curling goals and passion embodied the spirit…

LS
Football

French

Louis Saha

Forward

Explosive and skilful French striker whose pace and finishing ability shone at Fulham and Manchester…

LP
Football

Brazilian

Lucas Paquetá

Midfielder

Creative and technically gifted Brazilian midfielder whose elegant style and big-game performances h…

LV
Football

Spanish

Lucas Vázquez

Right Back / Winger

Versatile and hardworking Real Madrid stalwart who reinvented himself from winger to right-back and …

LB
Football

British

Lucy Bronze

Right Back

England's most decorated female footballer and the finest full-back in women's football — Champions …

LD
Football

Colombian

Luis Diaz

Winger

Explosive Colombian winger whose dribbling, pace and directness have made him one of the most exciti…

LF
Football

Portuguese

Luís Figo

Right Winger

The transfer that changed football — moved from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000 for a world record …

LS
Football

Uruguayan

Luis Suárez

Centre Forward

Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz was born in Salto, Uruguay in 1987 and became one of the most prolific and …

LM
Football

Croatian

Luka Modrić

Central Midfielder

Luka Modrić was born in Zadar, Croatia in 1985, the son of a factory worker who was killed in the Cr…

LS
Football

English

Luke Shaw

Left Back

Talented English left-back who became the most expensive teenager in football history when he joined…

MN
Football

German

Manuel Neuer

Goalkeeper

Bayern Munich's sweeper-keeper who redefined the position with his ability to play as an additional …

MC
Football

Spanish

Marc Cucurella

Left-back

Euro 2024 winner — the handball that wasn't, and a left-back whose redemption arc at Chelsea was com…

MO
Football

Dutch

Marc Overmars

Winger

Arsenal's pace merchant — the winger who helped end the long wait for the Double.…

MT
Football

German

Marc-André ter Stegen

Goalkeeper

Barcelona's goalkeeper who may be the best in the world — perpetually behind Neuer in the Germany qu…

M
Football

Brazilian

Marcelo

Left-back

The greatest attacking left-back in football history — four Champions Leagues and the benchmark for …

MB
Football

Croatian

Marcelo Brozović

Midfielder

Tireless Croatian midfielder whose exceptional passing, stamina and game intelligence made him the m…

MS
Football

Chilean

Marcelo Salas

Forward

Lethal Chilean striker nicknamed 'El Matador' who terrorised defences across South America and Italy…

MA
Football

Spanish

Marco Asensio

Winger / Attacking Midfielder

Gifted Spanish attacker whose stunning left foot produced spectacular goals during Real Madrid's Cha…

MR
Football

German

Marco Reus

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

The most beloved one-club man in modern football — Borussia Dortmund's captain through two decades.…

MV
Football

Dutch

Marco van Basten

Centre Forward

Marco van Basten was born in Utrecht in 1964 and became, during the seven seasons of his peak, the m…

MV
Football

Italian

Marco Verratti

Midfielder

Diminutive Italian maestro whose close control and passing in tight spaces made him one of the fines…

MA
Football

Spanish

Marcos Alonso

Left Wing-Back / Left Back

Attack-minded Spanish wing-back who thrived under Antonio Conte's system at Chelsea and contributed …

MR
Football

English

Marcus Rashford

Forward/Winger

The campaigner who forced a government U-turn on free school meals — and a United player of two very…

MT
Football

French

Marcus Thuram

Forward

The son of Lilian who became a Serie A champion — France's most reliable modern striker.…

MB
Football

Italian

Mario Balotelli

Forward

Supremely talented but unpredictable Italian striker whose brilliance and controversy made him one o…

MG
Football

German

Mario Götze

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

The substitute who scored the greatest goal in World Cup Final history — and then struggled to follo…

MK
Football

Argentine

Mario Kempes

Forward

Explosive Argentine striker who won the 1978 World Cup Golden Boot and was one of the most feared ma…

MH
Football

Welsh

Mark Hughes

Centre Forward

Sparky — one of the most competitive and technically accomplished centre-forwards of his era, winnin…

MV
Football

Australian

Mark Viduka

Forward

Powerful and prolific Australian striker who terrorised defences in the Premier League, Champions Le…

MF
Football

Belgian

Marouane Fellaini

Midfielder

Powerful Belgian midfielder whose aerial dominance and physical presence made him a unique asset at …

M
Football

Brazilian

Marquinhos

Centre Back

PSG's long-serving captain, a composed and intelligent Brazilian centre-back who has anchored the cl…

M
Football

Brazilian

Marta

Forward

Six-time FIFA World Player of the Year and Brazil's all-time leading scorer — widely regarded as the…

MK
Football

English

Martin Keown

Centre Back

Ferociously competitive Arsenal defender whose intensity, man-marking ability and warrior mentality …

Football

Norwegian

Martin Ødegaard

Midfielder

Arsenal's captain — debuted in the Bundesliga at 15 and became Norway's greatest modern player.…

MP
Football

English

Martin Peters

Midfielder

Versatile and cerebral midfielder who scored in the 1966 World Cup final and was famously described …

MM
Football

English

Mason Mount

Winger/Forward

Chelsea's academy graduate who became one of England's most important midfielders of the 2020s — tec…

MK
Football

Croatian

Mateo Kovačić

Midfielder

Three Champions Leagues — an Inter Milan captain at 18 who became Chelsea and City's midfield engine…

MH
Football

German

Mats Hummels

Centre-back

World Cup winner and three-time Bundesliga champion — Germany's finest defensive reader of the game.…

ML
Football

British

Matthew Le Tissier

Attacking Midfielder

Southampton's one-club legend whose goals-to-appearances ratio and technically brilliant play made h…

MD
Football

Dutch

Matthijs de Ligt

Centre Back

Prodigiously talented Dutch centre-back who captained Ajax to the Champions League semi-final as a t…

MI
Football

Argentine

Mauro Icardi

Forward

Prolific but controversial Argentine striker who was one of Serie A's deadliest goalscorers before a…

MR
Football

American

Megan Rapinoe

Winger

Two-time FIFA World Player of the Year and the most decorated American in women's football history —…

Football

German

Mesut Özil

Attacking Midfielder

The World Cup winner with the most beautiful assist record — Germany's most controversial modern foo…

MH
Football

American

Mia Hamm

Forward

The player who built women's football globally — Mia Hamm was the first women's player to become a g…

MB
Football

German

Michael Ballack

Midfielder

Germany's most important player of his generation — four Bundesliga titles and a World Cup Final run…

MC
Football

English

Michael Carrick

Midfielder

Elegant central midfielder whose composure, passing range and tactical intelligence made him the hea…

ME
Football

Ghanaian

Michael Essien

Central Midfielder

Chelsea's Ghanaian powerhouse — African Player of the Year and one of the most complete midfielders …

ML
Football

Danish

Michael Laudrup

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

Denmark's greatest footballer and one of the finest creative players European football produced in t…

MO
Football

English

Michael Owen

Forward

Golden Boot winner at the 1998 World Cup aged 18, Ballon d'Or winner in 2001 and one of England's fi…

MP
Football

French

Michel Platini

Attacking Midfielder

Three-time European Footballer of the Year and France's greatest player of his generation — a playma…

MP
Football

Bosnian

Miralem Pjanić

Midfielder

Technically brilliant Bosnian playmaker whose passing range and set-piece delivery were among the fi…

MK
Football

German

Miroslav Klose

Centre Forward

The FIFA World Cup's all-time leading scorer with 16 goals — Germany's World Cup winner in 2014 and …

MA
Football

Egyptian

Mohamed Aboutrika

Attacking Midfielder / Forward

Egypt's most beloved modern footballer, a graceful and prolific attacking midfielder known as 'The M…

MS
Football

Egyptian

Mohamed Salah

Forward

Mohamed Salah Ghaly was born in Nagrig, Gharbia Governorate, Egypt in 1992. He developed at El Mokaw…

NK
Football

French

N'Golo Kanté

Midfielder

The most loved player of his generation — two league titles in two consecutive seasons, Champions Le…

NF
Football

Spanish

Nacho Fernández

Centre Back

Loyal one-club defender who spent his entire career at Real Madrid, quietly excelling whenever calle…

NA
Football

German

Nadine Angerer

Goalkeeper

The finest goalkeeper in the history of women's football — FIFA World Player of the Year 2013, Women…

NM
Football

Serbian

Nemanja Matic

Midfielder

Commanding Serbian midfielder whose physical presence and tactical intelligence anchored the midfiel…

NV
Football

Serbian

Nemanja Vidić

Centre Back

Manchester United's ferocious Serbian centre-back, voted Premier League Player of the Season twice a…

NJ
Football

Brazilian

Neymar Jr.

Forward

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo in 1992 and became Brazil's rec…

NB
Football

English

Nicky Butt

Midfielder

Tough-tackling midfielder and Class of '92 graduate who was a key part of Manchester United's domina…

NW
Football

Spanish

Nico Williams

Winger

Euro 2024 winner alongside Lamine Yamal — Spain's most thrilling winger of a new golden generation.…

NA
Football

French

Nicolas Anelka

Forward

Supremely talented but enigmatic French striker who played for a record number of top clubs and won …

NO
Football

Argentine

Nicolás Otamendi

Centre Back

Uncompromising Argentine centre-back and World Cup winner whose relentless defending and leadership …

NB
Football

Italian

Nicolò Barella

Midfielder

Dynamic Italian box-to-box midfielder whose energy, technique and leadership have made him one of Eu…

NW
Football

English

Nigel Winterburn

Left Back

Tenacious and committed left-back who completed Arsenal's legendary back four and served the club wi…

NS
Football

English

Nobby Stiles

Midfielder

Ferocious and fearless midfielder whose toothless jig with the World Cup trophy in 1966 became one o…

NG
Football

Portuguese

Nuno Gomes

Centre Forward

Nuno Gomes — Portugal's most reliable striker across the generation between Eusébio and Cristiano Ro…

NK
Football

Nigerian

Nwankwo Kanu

Forward

The gentle giant — Nwankwo Kanu's quiet dignity and extraordinary natural ability made him one of th…

OI
Football

Nigerian

Odion Ighalo

Forward

Powerful Nigerian striker who scored 40 Premier League goals and became one of the most unexpected s…

OG
Football

Norwegian

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

Forward

Manchester United's 'Baby-faced Assassin' whose Champions League final winner sealed the 1999 Treble…

OB
Football

Soviet

Oleg Blokhin

Forward/Winger

The Soviet Union's greatest footballer — Oleg Blokhin was the first Soviet player to win the Ballon …

OK
Football

German

Oliver Kahn

Goalkeeper

The Titan — Germany's greatest goalkeeper and the only keeper to win the Golden Ball at a World Cup.…

OG
Football

French

Olivier Giroud

Forward

The World Cup winner who scored the most elaborate goal in Puskas Award history.…

OG
Football

French

Olivier Giroud II

Forward

World Cup winner and Champions League champion — scored the most technically elaborate goal in Premi…

OW
Football

English

Ollie Watkins

Forward

The goal that sent England to the Euro 2024 Final — from League One to the decisive goal at Dortmund…

OD
Football

Brazilian

Oscar dos Santos

Attacking Midfielder

Creative Brazilian playmaker who impressed at Chelsea before controversially moving to China at the …

OA
Football

Argentine

Ossie Ardiles

Midfielder

World Cup-winning Argentine midfielder whose dazzling skill and audacious move to Tottenham in 1978 …

OD
Football

French

Ousmane Dembélé

Winger

The fastest dribbler in football — two Champions League finals, consistent brilliance and persistent…

PA
Football

Argentine

Pablo Aimar

Attacking Midfielder / Forward

Visionary Argentine playmaker dubbed 'The New Maradona' by Diego Maradona himself, whose exquisite t…

PM
Football

Italian

Paolo Maldini

Left Back/Centre Back

Paolo Cesare Maldini was born in Milan in 1968, the son of AC Milan captain Cesare Maldini, and join…

PC
Football

Senegalese

Papiss Cissé

Forward

Powerful and prolific Senegalese striker whose stunning goalscoring record and infectious personalit…

PJ
Football

South Korean

Park Ji-sung

Midfielder

Asia's greatest footballer — Champions League winner and the player who could mark anyone.…

PJ
Football

Northern Irish

Pat Jennings

Goalkeeper

Legendary Northern Irish goalkeeper who excelled at both Tottenham and Arsenal across an extraordina…

PE
Football

French

Patrice Evra

Left Back

Passionate and dynamic French left-back who became one of the Premier League's finest defenders duri…

PK
Football

Dutch

Patrick Kluivert

Centre Forward

The heir to Johan Cruyff's Ajax legacy at 18 — Patrick Kluivert's Champions League winning goal agai…

PV
Football

French

Patrick Vieira

Central Midfielder

Arsenal's dominant French captain who embodied the Invincibles midfield with a combination of power,…

PG
Football

British

Paul Gascoigne

Attacking Midfielder

Gazza — the most naturally gifted English footballer of his generation whose tears at Italia 90 made…

PM
Football

Scottish

Paul McStay

Central Midfielder

The Maestro — Paul McStay was the most technically gifted Scottish midfielder of his generation, a p…

PP
Football

French

Paul Pogba

Midfielder

World Cup winner and the most expensive British-based signing of his era — magnetic and maddening in…

PS
Football

English

Paul Scholes

Central Midfielder

Manchester United midfielder regarded by Xavi and Zidane as one of the finest passers in the history…

P
Football

Portuguese

Pauleta

Forward

Prolific Portuguese striker who became his nation's all-time leading scorer, beloved at Paris Saint-…

PD
Football

Argentine

Paulo Dybala

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

La Joya — Juventus's celebrated number 10 whose career never fully converted brilliance into trophie…

P
Football

Spanish

Pedri

Midfielder

The heir to Iniesta — Barcelona's creative engine and the finest midfield talent of his generation.…

PR
Football

Spanish

Pedro Rodriguez

Winger / Forward

World Cup, European Championship and Champions League winner whose big-game pedigree added quality a…

P
Football

Brazilian

Pelé

Forward

Three-time World Cup winner widely considered the greatest footballer of all time. Scored 757 career…

PG
Football

Spanish

Pep Guardiola

Manager

Widely considered the finest manager of his generation — architect of tiki-taka at Barcelona and rec…

P
Football

Portuguese

Pepe

Centre-back

Real Madrid's most ferocious defender — three Champions Leagues and a formidable partnership with Ra…

PM
Football

German

Per Mertesacker

Centre Back

Towering German centre-back whose intelligence, positioning and leadership compensated for his lack …

PH
Football

Danish

Pernille Harder

Attacking Midfielder

Denmark's greatest footballer and one of the finest attacking midfielders in the women's game — twic…

PB
Football

British

Peter Beardsley

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

One of the most technically gifted English forwards of the 1980s and early 1990s — Peter Beardsley's…

PR
Football

English

Peter Reid

Midfielder

Combative and influential midfielder who was the driving force behind Everton's mid-1980s golden era…

PS
Football

Danish

Peter Schmeichel

Goalkeeper

Manchester United's giant Dane — the finest goalkeeper in English football history and architect of …

Football

Czech

Petr Čech

Goalkeeper

One of the greatest goalkeepers in Premier League history, holding the all-time record for clean she…

PF
Football

English

Phil Foden

Midfielder/Winger

Manchester City's homegrown genius — the most decorated English player of his generation and the cre…

PN
Football

English

Phil Neville

Defender / Midfielder

Versatile and dependable England international who enjoyed success with Manchester United and Everto…

PL
Football

German

Philipp Lahm

Full-back/Midfielder

Germany's World Cup-winning captain — the most intelligent full-back in football history.…

PC
Football

Brazilian

Philippe Coutinho

Attacking Midfielder / Forward

Gifted and creative Brazilian midfielder whose skill, vision and goalscoring made him one of the Pre…

PA
Football

Gabonese

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Forward

Africa's striker of the decade — Arsenal's Golden Boot winner and the fastest player over short dist…

PK
Football

French

Presnel Kimpembe

Centre Back

Homegrown PSG centre-back whose aggression and athleticism made him a key figure in their domestic d…

RF
Football

Colombian

Radamel Falcao

Forward

El Tigre — the most complete centre-forward in world football before his knee injury changed everyth…

RL
Football

Portuguese

Rafael Leão

Winger/Forward

AC Milan's electric left winger — Serie A champion and Portugal's most exciting modern forward.…

RS
Football

English

Raheem Sterling

Forward/Winger

One of England's most effective attackers of the modern era, Premier League champion five times with…

R
Football

Brazilian

Raphinha

Winger

Explosive and direct Brazilian winger whose dribbling brilliance and clinical finishing have made hi…

RH
Football

Danish

Rasmus Højlund

Forward

Manchester United's £72 million Danish striker — set a Champions League scoring record for teenage g…

RG
Football

Spanish

Raúl González

Forward

Real Madrid's all-time leading scorer before Ronaldo and the most important Spanish striker of his g…

RP
Football

English

Ray Parlour

Midfielder

Arsenal's 'Romford Pelé', a tireless and versatile midfielder whose energy and underrated quality ma…

RW
Football

English

Ray Wilson

Left Back

The unsung left-back of England's 1966 World Cup-winning team whose consistency and defensive excell…

RJ
Football

English

Reece James

Right-back

Chelsea's captain and England's finest right-back — persistent injury frustration of a truly special…

RH
Football

Colombian

René Higuita

Goalkeeper

Eccentric Colombian goalkeeper famous for his scorpion kick save and one of the most flamboyant pers…

RC
Football

Portuguese

Ricardo Carvalho

Centre Back

Elegant and composed Portuguese centre-back who was a European champion with Porto and Chelsea and p…

R
Football

Brazilian

Richarlison

Forward/Winger

The bicycle kick in Qatar — Brazil's most passionate forward and Everton's greatest modern striker.…

RL
Football

British

Rickie Lambert

Centre Forward

Rickie Lambert — one of the great late-developer stories in English football, a striker who was play…

RV
Football

Argentine

Ricky Villa

Midfielder

Argentine World Cup winner whose mazy solo goal in the 1981 FA Cup final replay is one of the most i…

RF
Football

English

Rio Ferdinand

Centre Back

Manchester United's commanding centre-back who formed one of England's finest ever defensive partner…

R
Football

Brazilian

Rivaldo

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

Brazil's World Cup winner and Ballon d'Or holder whose bicycle kick goals and creative brilliance li…

RM
Football

Algerian

Riyad Mahrez

Right Winger

Leicester City's PFA Player of the Year during his miraculous 5000-1 title win and Manchester City's…

RB
Football

British

Robbie Blake

Winger/Forward

Burnley's beloved cult hero — Robbie Blake was one of the most technically gifted players to grace t…

RF
Football

English

Robbie Fowler

Centre Forward

Liverpool's beloved "God" — one of the most clinical natural finishers English football has ever pro…

RK
Football

Irish

Robbie Keane

Forward

Republic of Ireland's all-time leading scorer and one of the most consistent strikers to have played…

RL
Football

Polish

Robert Lewandowski

Centre Forward

One of football's most prolific strikers of the modern era — winner of two Bundesliga top scorer rec…

RP
Football

French

Robert Pirès

Left Midfielder / Forward

Arsenal's elegant French winger, voted FWA Footballer of the Year in 2002 and a key member of the In…

RP
Football

Yugoslav

Robert Prosinečki

Attacking Midfielder

Robert Prosinečki — Yugoslavia and Croatia's most technically gifted midfielder of the late 1980s an…

RB
Football

Italian

Roberto Baggio

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

The Divine Ponytail — Italy's 1994 World Cup Golden Boot winner whose missed penalty in the final de…

RC
Football

Brazilian

Roberto Carlos

Left-back

The physics-defying free kick specialist — four Champions Leagues and Brazil's World Cup winner.…

RF
Football

Brazilian

Roberto Firmino

Forward

The pressing pioneer who made Salah and Mané world-class — Liverpool's selfless false nine and the c…

RM
Football

Italian

Roberto Mancini

Forward/Manager

From Euro 2020 manager to Champions League winner as manager — football's most elegant midfielder tu…

RV
Football

Dutch

Robin van Persie

Forward

The man who won the title for Manchester United — his hat-trick header against Southampton defined a…

R
Football

Spanish

Rodri

Midfielder

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner — Manchester City's defensive midfielder and the best in the world at hi…

RD
Football

Argentine

Rodrigo De Paul

Midfielder

Combative and technically brilliant Argentine midfielder whose goals and leadership were central to …

RH
Football

English

Roger Hunt

Forward

Liverpool's legendary 'Sir Roger', a prolific goalscorer who was a key member of England's 1966 Worl…

RM
Football

Cameroonian

Roger Milla

Centre Forward

The dancing goalscorer who captivated the 1990 World Cup — the first African to truly capture global…

R
Football

Brazilian

Romário

Centre Forward

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

RL
Football

Belgian

Romelu Lukaku

Forward

Belgium's all-time leading scorer and one of the most physically powerful strikers of his generation…

R
Football

Brazilian

Ronaldinho

Attacking Midfielder/Forward

The most joyful footballer who ever played — two Ballon d'Or, a World Cup and the Barcelona performa…

R
Football

Brazilian

Ronaldo

Forward

The original R9 — the most naturally gifted striker football has produced.…

RN
Football

Brazilian

Ronaldo Nazário

Forward

R9 — two World Cups, two Ballon d'Or and the most naturally gifted striker in football history.…

RN
Football

Brazilian

Ronaldo Nazário II

Forward

R9 — the complete striker whose two World Cups define Brazilian football in the modern era.…

RK
Football

Irish

Roy Keane

Central Midfielder

Roy Maurice Keane was born in Cork in 1971 and became the most combative and driven central midfield…

RD
Football

Portuguese

Ruben Dias

Centre Back

Commanding Portuguese centre-back whose arrival at Manchester City transformed their defence and led…

RC
Football

Portuguese

Rui Costa

Attacking Midfielder

Fiorentina and AC Milan's visionary Portuguese playmaker — one of the most technically gifted attack…

RG
Football

Dutch

Ruud Gullit

Forward/Attacking Midfielder

AC Milan's dreadlocked Dutch forward — Ballon d'Or winner in 1987 and part of one of the most celebr…

RV
Football

Dutch

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Forward

The most clinical Premier League penalty box striker of his generation — 150 goals in 219 United app…

RG
Football

Welsh

Ryan Giggs

Left Winger/Midfielder

The most decorated player in English football history with 13 Premier League titles, known for longe…

RG
Football

Dutch

Ryan Gravenberch

Midfielder

Liverpool's breakthrough midfielder of 2024 — the Ajax prodigy who rediscovered himself on Merseysid…

SM
Football

Senegalese

Sadio Mané

Forward

Liverpool forward who lit up the Premier League and won the Champions League, league title and AFCON…

SM
Football

Senegalese

Sadio Mané II

Forward

From a village without electricity to Champions League winner — Africa's Player of the Year and a ch…

SK
Football

Ivorian

Salomon Kalou

Forward / Winger

Skilful Ivorian forward who provided consistent goals and assists during Chelsea's successful era.…

SS
Football

Italian

Salvatore Schillaci

Centre Forward

Toto Schillaci — the most celebrated one-tournament wonder in football history who came from nowhere…

SK
Football

Australian

Sam Kerr

Centre Forward

Chelsea and Australia captain — the most clinical striker in women's football of her generation and …

SK
Football

German

Sami Khedira

Midfielder

Box-to-box German midfielder who won the World Cup and enjoyed success at both Real Madrid and Juven…

SN
Football

French

Samir Nasri

Midfielder / Winger

Technically brilliant French playmaker whose flair and creativity delighted fans at Arsenal and Manc…

SE
Football

Cameroonian

Samuel Eto'o

Forward

Africa's greatest footballer of his era — four-time African Player of the Year and Champions League …

SC
Football

Spanish

Santi Cazorla

Midfielder

Magically two-footed Spanish playmaker whose vision, technique and infectious joy lit up Arsenal's m…

Football

Spanish

Saúl Ñíguez

Midfielder

Dynamic Spanish midfielder who scored spectacular goals for Atlético Madrid and was once considered …

SB
Football

Scottish

Scott Brown

Central Midfielder

Celtic's warrior captain who led the club to nine consecutive Scottish league titles — one of the mo…

SM
Football

Scottish

Scott McTominay

Midfielder

Energetic Scottish midfielder whose determination and goalscoring ability from deep made him a homeg…

SG
Football

German

Serge Gnabry

Winger

Explosive German winger who overcame a difficult spell at Arsenal to become one of Bayern Munich's m…

SA
Football

Argentine

Sergio Agüero

Centre Forward

Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo was born in Quilmes, Buenos Aires in 1988 and joined Independiente…

SB
Football

Spanish

Sergio Busquets

Defensive Midfielder

The most underrated great of the golden generation — the defensive midfielder who made Xavi and Inie…

SR
Football

Spanish

Sergio Ramos

Centre-back

The most decorated defender in football history — World Cup, two Euros and four Champions Leagues.…

SK
Football

Malian

Seydou Keita

Midfielder

Elegant and technically brilliant Malian midfielder whose creativity and goals graced Barcelona, Lyo…

SK
Football

Japanese

Shinji Kagawa

Attacking Midfielder

Japan's most naturally gifted modern midfielder, whose dribbling brilliance and technical mastery ea…

SO
Football

Japanese

Shinji Okazaki

Forward

Tireless and dependable Japanese striker who became a Premier League champion with Leicester City in…

SN
Football

Japanese

Shunsuke Nakamura

Attacking Midfielder

Celtic's brilliant Japanese playmaker whose free-kick against Manchester United in the Champions Lea…

SA
Football

Scottish

Sir Alex Ferguson

Manager

The most successful manager in British football history — 38 trophies with Manchester United includi…

S
Football

Brazilian

Sócrates

Attacking Midfielder

The Doctor — Sócrates was a practising medical doctor who played football at the highest level and w…

SF
Football

Algerian

Sofiane Feghouli

Winger / Attacking Midfielder

Technically gifted Algerian winger who made his name in the Premier League and Spanish football whil…

SC
Football

English

Sol Campbell

Midfielder

A test athlete to verify the import works correctly.…

SH
Football

South Korean

Son Heung-min

Forward/Winger

Asia's greatest footballer and one of the Premier League's most beloved players — Son Heung-min beca…

SE
Football

Italian

Stephan El Shaarawy

Forward / Winger

Exciting Italian-Egyptian forward nicknamed 'Il Faraone' who burst onto the scene at AC Milan before…

SB
Football

English

Steve Bould

Centre Back

Commanding centre-back who partnered Tony Adams at the heart of Arsenal's defence and was a pillar o…

SM
Football

English

Steve McManaman

Attacking Midfielder/Winger

Liverpool's flying winger who became the first British player to win the Champions League with a non…

SG
Football

English

Steven Gerrard

Central Midfielder

Steven George Gerrard was born in Whiston, Merseyside in 1980 and spent his entire playing career at…

TK
Football

Japanese

Takefusa Kubo

Winger / Midfielder

Supremely gifted young Japanese winger who became the first Japanese player to win La Liga and one o…

TA
Football

English

Tammy Abraham

Forward

Roma's record-breaking striker — scored the goal that won the Europa Conference League.…

TS
Football

English

Teddy Sheringham

Forward

Prolific striker whose intelligence, vision and link-up play made him one of England's finest forwar…

TC
Football

Peruvian

Teófilo Cubillas

Attacking Midfielder

Peru's greatest footballer and one of the finest players of the 1970s — scored 10 World Cup goals ac…

TH
Football

French

Théo Hernández

Left-back

AC Milan's explosive left-back — scored in the Champions League Final, World Cup runner-up with Fran…

TW
Football

English

Theo Walcott

Forward / Winger

Electric pace and natural finishing made Walcott a thrilling presence at Arsenal, where he became on…

TA
Football

Spanish

Thiago Alcântara

Midfielder

Magically elegant Spanish midfielder whose vision, passing and ball control were among the finest th…

TS
Football

Brazilian

Thiago Silva

Centre Back

One of the finest defenders of his generation, whose reading of the game and leadership defied age d…

TC
Football

Belgian

Thibaut Courtois

Goalkeeper

The tallest and most dominating goalkeeper of his generation — Champions League winner and Yashin Aw…

TH
Football

French

Thierry Henry

Forward

Thierry Daniel Henry was born in Les Ulis, France in 1977 and began his professional career as a win…

TH
Football

French

Thierry Henry MLS

Forward

Thierry Henry at New York Red Bulls — the Arsenal and France legend who helped establish Major Leagu…

TM
Football

German

Thomas Müller

Forward

Bayern Munich's legendary "Raumdeuter" (space interpreter) — World Cup winner and one of football's …

TP
Football

Ghanaian

Thomas Partey

Midfielder

Arsenal's midfield anchor — Ghana's most important modern player and a Champions League-calibre defe…

TC
Football

Australian

Tim Cahill

Midfielder / Forward

Australia's greatest footballer and the first Australian to play and score in the English Premier Le…

TW
Football

German

Timo Werner

Forward

Rapid German forward whose pace and movement caused havoc, though his finishing was often scrutinise…

TH
Football

American

Tobin Heath

Right Winger

America's most creative and technically gifted winger — two-time Women's World Cup champion whose dr…

TK
Football

German

Toni Kroos

Midfielder

The most accurate passer in football history — four Champions Leagues and a World Cup with metronomi…

TA
Football

English

Tony Adams

Centre Back

Arsenal's legendary captain and defensive rock who led the club to multiple titles and became an ico…

TC
Football

British

Tony Cottee

Centre Forward

West Ham and Everton striker whose 213 top-flight goals across fifteen seasons made him one of the m…

TA
Football

English

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Right-back/Midfielder

The right-back who created more chances than most midfielders — Liverpool's most technically gifted …

TB
Football

English

Trevor Brooking

Midfielder

Elegant and cultured West Ham and England midfielder whose grace on the ball and FA Cup final heroic…

TS
Football

British

Trevor Steven

Right Midfielder/Winger

Trevor Steven — one of the most complete right midfielders English football produced in the 1980s, a…

Football

Turkish

Tuncay Şanlı

Forward

Tuncay Şanlı — Turkey's most versatile attacking player of the 2000s, a forward of technical quality…

VM
Football

Nigerian

Victor Moses

Winger / Right Back

Versatile Nigerian winger who won the Champions League with Chelsea and gave outstanding service to …

VO
Football

Nigerian

Victor Osimhen

Forward

Serie A's most explosive striker — Napoli's title-winning hero and Africa's Player of the Year 2023.…

VK
Football

Belgian

Vincent Kompany

Centre Back

Manchester City's beloved captain who led them to his first Premier League title in 44 years and was…

VJ
Football

Brazilian

Vinícius Jr.

Left Winger

Real Madrid's Brazilian winger — Champions League winner, Copa América winner and one of the most el…

VJ
Football

Brazilian

Vinicius Junior

Winger

The Ballon d'Or champion — Brazil's most thrilling footballer and Real Madrid's match-winner whose s…

VV
Football

Dutch

Virgil van Dijk

Centre Back

Virgil van Dijk was born in Breda in 1991 and developed at Groningen and Celtic before Southampton s…

VB
Football

Portuguese

Vítor Baía

Goalkeeper

Legendary Portuguese goalkeeper widely regarded as one of the finest shot-stoppers of his generation…

VM
Football

Dutch

Vivianne Miedema

Centre Forward

The Netherlands' World Cup and European Championship winner whose goal-scoring records at Arsenal br…

WR
Football

English

Wayne Rooney

Forward

England's all-time leading scorer and Manchester United's record goalscorer.…

WR
Football

French

Wendie Renard

Centre Back

Olympique Lyonnais and France captain — the most dominant defender in women's club football history,…

WS
Football

Dutch

Wesley Sneijder

Attacking Midfielder

Netherlands' World Cup 2010 finalist and one of the finest attacking midfielders of his generation —…

WB
Football

Ivorian

Wilfried Bony

Centre Forward

Swansea City's powerful Ivorian striker who set a Premier League goals record for the club before be…

WZ
Football

Ivorian

Wilfried Zaha

Winger

Crystal Palace's greatest ever player — the forward who was released by United and became a Premier …

WS
Football

French

William Saliba

Centre-back

Arsenal's calmest presence — a centre-back of exceptional composure who was loaned back to France be…

WB
Football

Brazilian

Willian Borges

Winger

Dependable Brazilian winger whose pace, dribbling and crucial goals made him a key performer across …

XA
Football

Spanish

Xabi Alonso

Midfielder

The complete deep-lying playmaker — World Cup, two Euros and a Champions League with Real Madrid.…

XH
Football

Spanish

Xavi Hernández

Central Midfielder

Xavier Hernández Creus was born in Terrassa in 1980 and joined Barcelona's La Masia academy at 11.…

YT
Football

Ivorian

Yaya Touré

Central Midfielder

The engine of Manchester City's transformation from perennial mid-table side to Premier League dynas…

YE
Football

Moroccan

Youssef En-Nesyri

Forward

Athletic and prolific Moroccan striker who scored the goals that helped write Morocco's greatest cha…

Z
Football

Brazilian

Zico

Attacking Midfielder

The White Pelé — Zico's technical mastery, free-kick accuracy and creative intelligence made him one…

ZZ
Football

French

Zinedine Zidane

Attacking Midfielder

Zinedine Zidane was born in Marseille in 1972 to Algerian immigrant parents and grew up in the La Ca…

ZI
Football

Swedish

Zlatan Ibrahimović

Centre Forward

The most audacious striker in football history — scored bicycle kicks, backheels and 30-yard volleys…

ZI
Football

Swedish

Zlatan Ibrahimovic-b

Forward

Ego, acrobatics and goals — the greatest Swedish player and a striker who defied age and physics.…

By Country

Football Nations

British

110

athletes

French

46

athletes

Brazilian

45

athletes

Spanish

39

athletes

Argentine

33

athletes

German

31

athletes

Dutch

22

athletes

Portuguese

22

athletes