15 Greatest Footballers of The 20th Century
6. Michel Platini
Arguably the greatest French footballer of all time and one of the finest midfielders from the 80s. Comparison is often drawn with Diego over the similarity in their styles of play, however, Michel was in a league of his own. A legend of the Bianconeri, the Frenchman is particularly remembered for his exploits with France in the 1984 Euro win, as a part of a midfield quartet that famously came to be known as The Magic Square or Carre Magique.
5. Alfredo Di Stefano
One of the most influential figures in the history of the game. The first superstar of the game, Di Stefano remains the greatest player to never kick a ball in World Cup. The talisman of the first edition of the Real Madrid Galacticos, he has come to be regarded as the most complete footballer of all time owing to his expertise in almost every possible position on the pitch.
4. Johan Cruyff
The birth of a new philosophy. One of the greatest revolutionaries of the beautiful game, Cruyff was the prime conduit of the legendary Dutch side from the 70s. One of the greatest footballers of all time, he was the first to win three Ballon d’ors. An equally successful manager under whom bloomed the brilliant Barcelona of the 90s, Johan remains the inventor of what we today call, the Cruyff Turn. Not just as a player, but Cruyff remains one of the most influential persons in the history of the game, being the main orchestrator of Rinus Michel’s scintillating Total Football that first put Italy’s catenaccio to the sword.
3. Garrincha
The Charlie Chaplin of football. Arguably the greatest to grace the green. No footballer in the history of the game has given so much joy to his viewers than this stunted man with uneven legs. The greatest dribbler the world has ever seen. In the absence of the inimitable Pele, it was this man who led Brazil to glory in 1962. A nightmare for any defender on any given day, if right-wing was heaven, this man was a god.
Great piece
Great piece but some dreadful selections … how can any defender be placed ahead of Moore? … How can Eusebio not be on the list? … Platini? Mattheus? Nah, sorry – not good enough … and where are Stanley Matthews & Jinky Johnstone? … and worst of all .. Maradonna should not be on that list – a proven drugs cheat as well as the handball … how do we know most of his great games weren’t done on PED’s?