Football

10 Biggest Legends in Football History: Icons Who Redefined the Beautiful Game Forever

By Aniket Kuila

10. George Best

George Best brought entertainment to football with his ability in both dribbling and scoring. He won Manchester United's victory in the 1968 European Cup.

Image Credit: ArtPhotoLimited

9. Zinedine Zidane

Zidane’s elegance brought him a World Cup, Euro, and Champions League, both as a playmaking athlete and a three-time UCL coach.

Image Credit: Bleacher Report

8. Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo’s 5 Ballon d’Ors, 5 UCLs, and 1 Euro title define his legacy as an all-powerful, all-time fantastic, consistently brilliant.

Image Credit: Pixabay

7. Franz Beckenbauer

“Der Kaiser” was both a player and a coach who won the World Cup in each position and transformed the sweeper position into one of style.

Image Credit: Bayern Munich

6. Ferenc Puskás

Ferenc Puskas With 84 goals in 85 internationals, Puskas became Hungary’s finest ever left-footed goal scorer and inspired Real Madrid.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

5. Johan Cruyff

The man whose “Total Football” revolutionized the game and whose playing and coaching influenced the way the game is played.

Image Credit: La boutique SO

4. Alfredo Di Stéfano

He took Real Madrid to 5 consecutive European Cups, remapping versatility and total football with previously uneclipsed mentalism.

Image Credit: IMDb

3. Pelé

Pele, in three World Cups and with more than 1,000 goals, emerged as the first world superstar of football and the eternal legend of Brazil.

Image Credit: The New Yorker

2. Diego Maradona

Maradona guided Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986 with goals for the ages and inspired millions more with his artistry and devil-may-care genius.

Image Credit: Tribuna Expresso

1. Lionel Messi

He featured an iconic dribbling style and also won 8 Ballon d’Ors and the World Cup. According to his fans, this makes Lionel Messi the most complete football legend.

Image Credit: Messi