If you are a soccer fan, or simply a sports enthusiast in general, it’s worth brushing up on the history of football. It is really interesting to know who the best players at each position were and which teams were the greatest – and why.
Pele
The Brazilian superstar was arguably one of the best soccer players that ever lived. He played for the Brazilian national team from the age of 17 to his retirement from international play aged 38. He is regarded by many as one of the greatest ever players to play and he holds several elite football records, including most international goals (he scored 200) and most international caps (he wore the captain’s armband more than anyone else).
Diego Maradona
Another of the greatest players in history, Maradona played as a forward for Argentina’s national team, he helped Argentina win the 1982 World cup with a host of spectacular goals, including scoring twice in the final match against West Germany. He has struggled with drug abuse and obesity during his life; he survived a cardiac arrest in 1994 and had a liver transplant in 2005.
Ferenc Puskas
He is probably one of the most famous soccer players of all time and considered one of the greatest players in history. He was born in Hungary, but played for Spain in the 1954 and 1958 World Cups, winning both tournaments. He led Real Madrid to five straight European Cup wins (1956-1960). He was known for great control and skill with the ball.
Franz Beckenbauer
He is one of the most iconic soccer players of all time. Beckenbauer has won three FIFA World Cups with Germany together with a record three wins of the European Cup/Champions League (with Bayern Munich).
Eusebio Da Silva Ferreira
Eusebio was born in Mozambique but played for Portugal at the 1966 World Cup. He is often called “The Black Panther” or “O Rei (The King)”. He was one of the first Portuguese footballers to become a global superstar and he is considered by many as Portugal’s best-ever player and one of Europe’s finest strikers ever.
Alessandro Del Piero
Originally from Argentina, Alessandro was born in the Italian city of Cremona. He played as a midfielder for Juventus F.C. and is also remembered as one of Italy’s greatest ever players. He was featured on the cover of FIFA video games, including FIFA 14, FIFA 15, and FIFA 16.
David Beckham
David was born in Leytonstone to English parents and grew up in Spain. His career started at Manchester United where he won several awards.
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Alfredo was born in Argentina but moved to Spain when he was very young. He played for Real Madrid from 1953 to 1964, then later moved to Espanyol and finished his career with River Plate in Argentina.
Luis Fernández
Luis is often referred to as “El Pipa” or “The Pipe”, because of his tall, skinny, and thin appearance. He was born in Cuba and played as a striker for several teams such as Racing de Santander, Inter Milan, and Real Madrid.
Gonzalo Higuaín
Gonzalo was born in Argentina but moved to Italy when he was very young. He played for River Plate until he signed for Real Madrid in 2008, where he spent four years before joining Napoli in 2013.
Conclusion
There are numerous great footballers throughout history, but these six stand out as being among the very best of all time.