The great Johan Cruyff is one of the greatest players in soccer history. He reached mythic levels in his native Netherlands and influenced coaches and managers for decades after his retirement. He has three Ballon d’Or awards to his name and has a feint move named after him.
Pele
Pele is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. He is the only player to have scored more than 1200 goals, a record that stands today. His talent for scoring goals made him an invaluable center of attack for his club and national teams. Pele delivered his best game when it mattered the most. When he was just 17 years old, he led his country to a World Cup title. He scored two goals in the tournament final against Sweden. He was born in Brazil, and he died on March 24, 2016.
Born in Brazil, Pele started his professional career at a minor league club in Bauru, Sao Paulo state, before signing with the Santos Football Club in 1956. In a few short years, his team won nine consecutive Sao Paulo league championships, and he also won the Libertadores Cup and Intercontinental Club Cup. His success led him to become Brazil’s national hero. He had a unique combination of power and accuracy, and he had incredible anticipation of his opponents.
Messi
Lionel Messi is a forward for FC Barcelona in Spain. He has also played for the national team of Argentina. He moved to Spain when he was 13 years old. At that time, he was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency. His parents decided to get him injected with the hormone every night, but this was expensive and they struggled to afford it. The club agreed to cover the cost of the treatment. Despite his afflictions, Messi is considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
Cristiano Ronaldo is another player who made history by being the most expensive transfer in soccer history. In fact, he was so expensive that he had to leave Real Madrid. While he was with Real Madrid, he won four Ballon d’Ors, three Golden Shoes, and two FIFA “The Best” awards. Ronaldo has dominated the game in every league he has played in, including the UEFA Champions League.
Messi has won numerous individual awards during his career. He is the highest-scoring player in South American soccer history with 81 international goals. He has also won the Olympic gold medal and the Copa America. In 2012, he was named captain of Argentina’s national team. Since then, he has retired from international football twice, but he has returned to the team three times. He has also won the Spanish Super Cup eight times and the FIFA Club World Cup three times.
Zidane
One of the most popular and enduring soccer players in history is Zinedine Zidane, from France. He was born in Marseille on 23 June 1972. His parents were Algerians who emigrated to France two decades before his birth. He grew up in a rough neighborhood, and eventually made his way to the top of the soccer world.
Zidane’s technical ability is legendary. His dribbling skills and magic touch on the ball were unmatched in professional soccer. In addition to being an excellent passer, he was an excellent leader who led France to the 2006 World Cup final. He was a charismatic and highly intelligent player who possessed the ability to read a game like no other.
His play against Brazil in 2006 was an unmatched display of talent. His sheer presence on the pitch was magnetic. He outran his opponents without ever appearing to sprint, outmuscled them with the laziest shrug, and possessed a devastating first touch. It’s no wonder Zidane is regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
Eusebio da Silva Ferreira
Eusebio da Silva Ferreira was a Portuguese football legend and one of the greatest strikers of all time. He was born in Mozambique during the Second World War, when the country was still a Portuguese colony. Although he came from a poor family, he was able to become a professional striker, and he became one of the greatest players of all time. Eusebio was nicknamed the “Black Panther” and “Black Pearl,” and was also known as “o Rei” (the King). He played for Benfica for fifteen years and won 10 Portuguese league championships and 41 international goals. He was also married and had two daughters with his wife Flora.
Eusebio moved to Lisbon in his late teens and joined Benfica at age 18. He had previously played for a local team called Sporting Clube de Lourenco Marques. The Portuguese club bought him for 350,000 Portuguese escudos, which is equivalent to EUR136,000 in 2009. He was discovered by Benfica thanks to the work of legendary Brazilian coach Jose Carlos Bauer, who saw Eusebio’s talent in Lourenco Marques and recommended him to Benfica.
Johan Cruyff
One of the greatest soccer players of all time was the legendary Dutchman Johan Cruyff. His genius on the field influenced managers and coaches for decades after his retirement. He was a three-time Ballon d’Or winner and was also named European Player of the Century by the IFFHS in 1999. He was born in Amsterdam and grew up in a working-class family. He eventually became the manager of Barcelona, winning two Champions Leagues and a Cup.
Many sources rank the best football players in history, and one list often includes Johan Cruyff in the Netherlands. Others include Franz Beckenbauer of Germany and Obdulio Varela of Uruguay. While a list is subjective, some sources cite different criteria when ranking players. For example, the World Soccer poll ranks the 100 greatest players of the last century. There’s also the FIFA Player of the Century list, which includes Pele, Maradona, and Beckenbauer. Another list consists of FIFA Grand Jury award winners.
Johan Cruyff started his career playing football for Ajax, where he won the Ballon d’Or three times in three years. He later went on to manage Barcelona and founded his own sportswear label. After retiring from football, Johan Cruyff went on to influence many other players and managers. He died in 2016 of lung cancer at the age of 68.
Zinedine Zidane
French soccer player, Zinedine Zidane, is widely regarded as one of the best players in history. Born in Marseille, France, Zidane was first introduced to soccer when he was five. He started playing the game on the street with friends and eventually moved on to junior teams. The young player quickly rose through the ranks, displaying the qualities that football scouts look for.
During his career, Zidane played for Bordeaux and Juventus. He won the Supercoppa Italiana, Serie A, and the UEFA Champions League. In the 1998 World Cup, he scored two goals and earned the European Golden Ball. He also won the UEFA Champions League for France three times. He also won the Serie A twice, including the 1998 title. In 2001 and 2002, his Juventus side won the UEFA Champions League and La Liga, as well.
After retiring from playing, Zidane became the manager of Real Madrid. His managerial skills and vast soccer knowledge were put to good use once he retired as a player. Zidane took over the first team of Real Madrid in January 2016. In the next three years, Zidane won the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the UEFA Club World Cup. His career at Real Madrid was a great one and he is widely regarded as one of the best in European soccer history.
Garrincha
The legendary Brazilian footballer, Mane Garrincha, was one of the most talented players in history. He won two FIFA World Cups and is considered the original Samba soccer star. He played for Botafogo for over twenty years, and was one of the best players in the world.
Garrincha’s early career was not all smooth sailing. Despite being told by doctors that he was unfit to play football, he began training at Botafogo and quickly became the club’s best player. He scored over two hundred goals for the club, winning three Brazilian league titles and two World Cups.
Garrincha was born with a deformed spine and a shorter left leg than his right, making it difficult for him to play the game. He also had to grow slowly and was very small for his age. Despite these handicaps, Garrincha became one of the best football players of all time and became a national hero.
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