Discover the Legends of Soccer: Top Players of all Times

Most soccer players may have retired or even left this world but they are still alive in the hearts of fans. The gold never gets old as they have become an inspiration to the fans as well as to the upcoming soccer champions. 

In this blog, we will not go into deep past like the 30s and 20s because there were no video recordings of that era . So, lets begin with some gold legends of soccer and then head over to the recent top players. 

1. Pele (Brazil & Santos, 1950s-1970s)

Edson Aramtes do Nascimento, mostly known as Pele was a Brazilian player; he played as a forward. When soccer legends are the topic his name automatically comes to mind even for those who are not into soccer. He died just recently and leaves a great mark on the world of soccer. He earned his place very quickly as a global star and won two world cups in 1958 and 1970.

Pele's astonishing trait is that he never reduced his pace as a goal scorer. He has secured 1,281 goals in just twenty-two years of his career.  Words and records are not enough to display his excellence. Therefore, Nelson Mandela portrayed him like this, “To watch him play was to watch the delight of a child combined with the extraordinary grace of a man.”

2. Ferenc Puskas (Hungary & Real Madrid, 1950s- 1960s)

Ferenc Puskas is another shining star from the 1950s,he played as an inside forward. He led both of his teams very powerfully by showing off his precise goal-scoring skills. During his career at Real Madrid, he scored 514 goals in 529 match appearances. In addition, he won three European titles and three league titles. For Hunagry he proved not to be less as he scored 83 goals in 85 matches, and won five league titles. In short, he is just another shining star from the 50s like Pele. 

3. Johan Cyruff (Netherlands & Barcelona, the 1970s)

Anyone who has followed soccer streams in the 1970s must know the name of Johan Cyruff, a great inside forward player. His name is written along with many attributes such as a thoughtful player, a great in-ground leader, three-time European footballer of the year, and many more.

He is one the players behind the milestone “Total Football”, and worked along with his coach Rinus Michels.  Cyruff is still praised for his ball control, dribbling, and calculating abilities. He won many titles under his name but lacked any international medals. 

4. Diego Maradona (1980s-1990s, Argentina & Barcelona)

Not going to exaggerate but Diego Maradona is of the big names of his times and a true inspiration. He played as an Attacking midfielder and is known as the best of all time. His biggest achievement that can never be forgotten was winning the world cup of 1986 by scoring five goals and seven assists with such talent.

Diego has been a one-man army for his team during that world cup. The famous title he has under his name was “Goal of the Century”. This title is one of his achievement when he scored the goal by passing three defenders at a very high pace just four minutes after the first goal. Not only for Argentina but he has played outclassed at the club and won the UEFA Cup and two Italian Leagues. 

5. Lev Yashin (Russia & Dynamo Moscow, 1950s/1960s)

Behind every world-class soccer team, there is an exceptional goalkeeper who never let the ball slip away. You must have seen several shorts from soccer streams posted online on various sites. One of the most remembered legendary goalkeepers is Lev Yashin who is known for his remarkable defensive abilities. He is also known for his electrifying pace for coming out from hard positions to save the ball.

Lev Yashin has saved 150 penalty kicks and 270 clean sheets out of the 420 games he had appeared in. He set a record as high as a legend could be. He has won five Soviet Champions, a European Champion, and an Olympic gold medal. 

6. Zinedine Zidane (France & Real Madrid, 1990s/ 2000s):

Whether you are a soccer fan or not, one must have heard Zinedine Zidane when the talk is about art in sports. He has played as an attacking midfielder and his elegance is praised the most. His technique is a true inspiration for upcoming professional soccer players and a piece of art for the fans.

Zidane's clips are available in slow motion to completely digest his visionary actions and technique. Even in the live soccer streams, they replay Zidane’s moves. Winning the 1988 World Cup was like a reward to his sports career and then he continue to shine for his country. He remained European Footballer of the Year three times which made him on the list of all-time best soccer players. 

7. Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal & Man United/ Real Madrid, since the 2000s/2010s)

Christiano Ronaldo does not even need any introduction to this generation as we all have grown to see him excelling at different levels. He is a winger and striker with all the unique skills that are seen after decades. For his fans, he is the GOAT but the other half of the soccer fans consider Messi (his rival) as the GOAT. The debate is still going on because both the players are not aging and still showing their skills. He has won the Ballon d’Or awards five times in his never-ending career. He won the 2016 European Cup but the fans got disappointed as he could not win any World Cup out of the three World Cups he has appeared in. Fans have always reached out to see him on the ground and his fan following is still increasing swiftly. 

8. Lionel Messi (Argentina & Barcelona, since the 2000s/ 2010):

Lionel Messi is the greatest rival to Ronaldo and the only soccer player that beat all the records of past soccer legends. The debate of GOAT between him and Ronaldo has kind of tilted to his side after Argentina won the 2022 World Cup under Messi’s leadership. He is a right winger and support striker and is known best for his dribbling skills. His performance is like a true piece of art in the world of soccer. Other than the world cup he has won six Ballon D’Or awards under his name. In short, he is known as the number one player of modern times. 

Above are the precise list of Soccer legends and it can go on with many more upcoming heroes such as Neymar and Mbappe. If you are are die hard fan, you can watch live soccer streams on Reddit soccer streams and enjoy great contemporary masterpieces. Additionally, you can also watch any soccer streams online at any time and anywhere. So, do not miss the chance to enjoy the most passionate sports as the hype is not overrated.