Exploring soccer’s greatest: Who truly deserves the title of best player?

Understanding greatness in soccer

Soccer is one of the most popular, if not the most popular sporting events in the world. This exciting game prides itself on a huge following from all corners of this planet. As such, different people and agencies have vested their interest in this particular sport to provide or consume different services depending on their tastes, i.e., 1Win download app providing sports betting services to Bangladeshi bettors.

Besides the services, people are attracted to soccer because of the amazing athletes it has. This has led to a discussion about who are the soccer players of all time. To understand this, we need to know what makes a sportsman the best. Here are the key traits to check out:

• Technical skills
• Physical fitness
• Tactical intelligence
• Mental toughness
• Work ethic and consistency
• Big-game performance
• Teamwork and leadership
• Adaptability

The position of a footballer in the field also plays a crucial role when it comes to determining greatness. Each position comes with a distinct set of responsibilities and demands. These positions include:

• Goalkeepers
• Defenders
• Midfielders
• Forwards/attackers

In order to be the best soccer player of all time, you must master the demands of your position aside from the individual talent. Therefore, athletes’ greatness and legacy are determined by how well they fulfilled and excelled in their positions.

Criteria for ranking top players

Ranking the best soccer talents of all time can be a challenging task since it entails careful analysis of several factors to ensure fairness and accuracy. Using a system approach can lead to fair and unbiased assessments. This is because different contenders operate in different positions which have varying demands and responsibilities.

What are the metrics used in ranking top players?

Some metrics have been created to assist in ranking top participants in a fair and unbiased manner. The table below highlights these metrics:

Metric	Description	Relevant Position
Goals	Total goals scored over a season or career	Attackers, Midfielder
Assists	Passes that lead directly to a goal	Midfielders, Attackers
Passing	Includes key passes and pass completion %	Midfielder, Defenders
Saves	Shot saves by the goalkeeper	Goalkeeper
Clean Sheets	Matches in which the team concedes no goals	Goalkeeper, Defenders
Dribbles Completed	Successful dribbles past opponents	Attackers, Midfielders
Defensive Errors	Mistakes that lead to scoring chances for the opponents	Goalkeepers, Defenders
Trophies Won	Total team major honors like league titles, domestic trophies, and international titles	All Positions
Individual Awards	Individual accolades such as Player of the Season, Golden Boot, Best Playmaker, Ballon d’Or	All Positions
Big Game Performance	Influence in important games like finals, knockout rounds, derbies	All positions
Injury records	Frequency and severity of injuries.	All positions

Individual accolades vs. team achievements

Both individual accolades and team achievements are crucial in the ranking of top soccer competitors. While individual accolades show a player’s success and skill, team achievements focus on the success of the team in a season.

Those who are able to win individual accolades while leading their teams to success are regarded as the complete package. e.g.,

• Pele
• Diego Maradona
• Ronaldo Nazario
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Lionel Messi

International tournaments and league performance

Performance on both international and club levels also has a big influence when ranking top soccer stars. Each of these levels highlights an individual’s skills, consistency, and ability to perform under different circumstances.

The difference in these levels include:

International tournaments	League performances
World stage and high pressure	Consistency throughout the season
High competition level	Highly competitive with more quality
Representing one’s country	Contributing to club success
Impact on legacy	Long-term impacts and records

Those who excel at club and international level are considered great performers.

Current top contenders

A lot of names usually come up when we talk about athletes who are frequently regarded as the best today. The conversation is a never-ending one as different people have varying opinions. Here are the current top contenders:

• Lionel Messi. Lionel Messi boasts over 40 trophies including the 2022 World Cup and is considered by most people as the best soccer player ever. Currently playing for Inter Miami, he’s won the most Balloon d’Or (8) and has more than 800 career goals.
• Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo is playing in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr and is already in the category of the best soccer player of all time. As one of the best looking soccer players, he is a versatile forward who has won 5 UCL titles, 1 UEFA Euros, among other trophies. He also has 5 Balloon d’Or, second most.
• Kylian Mbappe. Kylian Mbappe is one of the youngest World Cup winners at 18 and a 7-time Ligue 1 winner with PSG. Currently plying his trade with Real Madrid, the pacy winger is considered one of the hottest stars currently.
• Kevin De Bruyne. Kevin De Bruyne has achieved some individual wards that some could only dream of. He’s a three-time player of the season, a Champions League winner, and 6-time Premier League champion. The midfielder has combined 102 goals and 161 assists in his 9-year period with Man City.
• Luka Modric. Luka Modric, a Ballon d’Or winner and 6-time Champions League winner with R. Madrid could not miss this list. He can play multiple positions in the midfield earning the most caps in Croatian history.

Legend of the game

Football may be difficult when it comes to compiling the list of its legendary athletes to ever walk the pitch. The origin of football can be traced back to centuries ago thus it has witnessed several individuals.

To be considered a legend, one must have the best the game has ever seen and become a household name in the football industry. They include:

• Pele
• Diego Maradona
• Eusebio
• Johan Cruyff
• Franz Beckenbauer
• Lev Yashin
• Boby Chalton
• Mitchel Platini
• Garrincha
• Alfredo Di Stephano
• Zinedine Zidane
• Ferenc Puskas
• George Best
• Ronaldo Nazario

Impacts of these legends on the sport

The above legends have left a mark on the sport and how it’s played. These individuals exhibited varied styles, achievements, and innovations that transformed the games raising standards, emergence of new tactics, and inspiring future generations. For example:

• Pele. Pele pioneered the attacking play due to his valuable technique and athleticism. He could also score from anywhere on the pitch thereby creating an all-round attacker. Pele is the only footballer to win 3 World Cups which cemented the global importance of the sport.
• Cruyff. The father of ‘Total Football’ which entailed a tactical idea of fluidity, movement, and versatility.
• Diego Maradona. Maradona exhibited the art of dribbling and individual brilliance due to his incredible dribbling, vision, and playmaking prowess.
• Zico. The “White Pele” has extraordinary playmaking ability and brought flair and precision to the game. He defined the attacking midfielder role inspiring the likes of Ronaldinho and Kaka.
• Eusebio. Originally from Mozambique, he pioneered the African influence in the European football. He was one of the best goal scores in his era
• Lev Yashin. Yashin redefined the role of a goalkeeper earning him the nickname the “Black Spider.” He was aggressive, commanding, and he knew well how to control his areas.

Comparisons between past and today’s stars

The comparison between legends and today’s stars shows how the game has evolved over the years. This is shown in the table below.

Aspect	Past Legends	Todays’ Stars
Playing style	Empasised on individual flair and creativity (dribbling and tactical innovation)	Focuses high intensity, speed, and athleticism
Skillset	Entailed mastering of specific skill e.g., Pele’s shooting, Maradona’s dribbling, and Yashin’s goalkeeping	Focuses on well-rounded players with several skills, e.g Messi’s playmaking and Ronaldo’s versatility
Tactical Role	Roles were more specialised= lesser responsibilities	Athletes are expected to adapt to multiple roles, e.g., inverting fullbacks
Technology and analytics	Limited use of technology. Tactics and training based on intuition and experience	Extensive use of data analytics, video analysis, and VAR

The debate: Messi vs. Ronaldo

This is the greatest rivalry this game has ever seen. The fans and the media have fuelled this rivalry for the longest time possible due to the identical record and sporting success.

After spending 9 years facing-off each other while playing Barcelona and Real Madrid, they are no longer playing in Europe. However, their rivalry still remains.

Ronaldo currently sits at 1237 with 901 goals while Messi has played 1069 and scored 838 times. Because of their different playing styles, the Barca’s legend has more assists (374) than the Portuguese strikers’ 254.

When it comes to international stats, Messi has 109 goals and 55 assists in 187 games played. On the other hand, Ronaldo has 132 goals and 36 assists in 214 games played.

Below is a quick breakdown of their detailed stats.

	Messi	Ronaldo
Hat Tricks	57	66
Penalties (% of total goals)	109/140 (13%)	164/194 (18.2%)
Free kick goals	65	64
Successful dribbles	3812	1870
Average match rating	8.42	7.78
Man of the match	404	214
Finals Goals + assists	50	25

As two of the most celebrated stars, Messi and Ronaldo’s achievements speak for themselves and have influenced fans and media globally.

Messi’s achievements include:

• International– 2021 & 2024 Copa America Champion, 2022 World Cup
• Club– 4-time Champions League winner, 13 league titles, 7 domestic cups
• Individual– 8 Ballon d’Or, 8 FIFA World Player of the year, 6 European Golden Shoe

Ronaldo’s achievements are:

• International– 2016 UEFA Euros, 2019 UEFA Nation’s league
• Club– 5 Champions League titles, 7 League titles, and 6 domestic cups
• Individual– 5 Ballon d’Or, 5 FIFA World Player of the Year, & 4 European Golden Shoe

Playing styles

Messi

Messi has exceptional playmaking ability, agility, and dribbling. Besides, the Argentine is a versatile goal scorer known for his curling shots, and famous left-footed shots from outside the box.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo’s playing involves athleticism and aerial ability. His direct play and finishing have made him score the most goals in the history of the game. The former Madrid legend has also adapted over time in his career playing multiple positions.

Influence on fans and media

This debate has influenced fans and the media in numerous ways such as:

• Global fansbase
• Increased media coverage and marketability
• Inspiring future generation
• Defining legacy and setting records
• Social media influence

The major records held include:

Messi	Ronaldo
Most Ballon d’Or (8)	Most career goals scored (908)
Most European golden shoe (6)	Most international goals (133)
Most league goals in a single season (50)	Most international hat-tricks (10)
Most goals scored for a single European club (672)	Most Ballon d’Or nominations (18)

Emerging stars and future potential

There has never been a better for new stars and future potentials to break onto the scene than now. The sport is full of promising talents and this implies the game is in safe hands. Here is a list of the hottest prospects in the world right now:

• Vinicius Junior (R. Madrid)
• Eling Haaland (Man City)
• Jude Bellingham (R. Madrid)
• Lamine Yamal (Barca)
• Pedri (Barca)
• Arda Guler (R. Madrid)
• Endrick (R. Madrid)

Currently, Yamal is the real deal and is destined for great things ahead if he continues the same way. 

Impact of position on player rankings

The position an individual occupies on the field plays a crucial role as far as ranking is concerned. Each role comes with a set of responsibilities and demands thus making some positions more influential than others.

Advanced positions on the pitch are ranked higher than those of goalkeepers or defenders. This is because they directly impact the scoreline. In football, it is goals that matter most. However, their extraordinary contributions can earn them some recognition like Lev Yashin and Van Djik.

Below are some of the examples of outstanding footballers by their position and contribution.

• Lev Yashin (goalkeeper). He is known for his exceptional athleticism in goal and commanding presence in goal
• Manuel Neuer. A modern-day goalkeeper dubbed as the “Sweeper Keeper.” He pioneered the era of ball-playing goalkeepers.
• Sergio Busquets. He is an intelligent and positional-aware defensive midfielder. Busquets redefined his role by playmaking from deep leading to tactical evolution.
• Lionel Messi. He perfected this role under Pep Guardiola at Barca where he scored record breaking 91goals in a calendar year.

Public and expert opinion

Fans and expert opinion can play a major role when awarding who’s the best soccer player. This is   mainly achieved via:

• Social media
• New media channels- online streaming
• Fan engagement
• Mainstream sports channels

It is worth noting that contenders’ achievements, technical abilities, and consistency aren’t the only factors that determine their greatness. Their greatness is also influenced by external factors such as:

• Media influence. The media can shape the narrative about footballers, making their achievements reach a wide audience. This visibility can impact their ranking as well
• Fan loyalty. Those will huge global following are always viewed as the best as they are popular, e.g., Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, etc. 
• Awards. Prestigious awards like Ballon d’Or and FIFA Best Player honor individual success and are used as a benchmark for ranking purposes. Those who win these awards can cement themselves are greater players.

The role of statistics and data analytics

Thanks to modern data analytics, it is easy to evaluate athletes and determine the best performers. This is opposed to the traditionally subjective process and personal judgement. Here is how data analytics is revolutionizing talent evaluations:

• Spatial and movement data. Tracks participant’s movement data such as heatmaps, positioning, pressing, etc.
• Expected goal (xG) and Expected Assist (xA). xG measures the likelihood of a shot resulting in a goal. xA assesses the quality of the pass leading to goalscoring opportunities.
• Physical and biometric data. Helps in monitoring fitness and endurance using wearable technology and GPS. This helps in planning recovery and injury prevention.
• Defensive metrics. Data analytics can track pressing efficiency and intensity plus defensive contributions like blocks, tackles, clearances duel won, etc.