The biggest football icons of the 90s
Who are the most legendary and recognisable football figures from the last decade of the 20th century?
From the introduction of the back-pass rule to the inauguration of the Premier League and Champions League, and the expansion of the World Cup, the 90s were a time of great change in football.
The 90s was also a decade of true icons of the game – from all around the world, at club and international level.
Taking in players and managers alike, we've picked out 32 of the best...
32. Jose Luis Chilavert
We all love a goal-scoring goalkeeper, don't we? Well, Paraguayan icon Jose Luis Chilavert is one of the best there's ever been.
When he wasn't busy keeping the ball out of the net at the other end, Chilavert racked up an astonishing 67 goals career goals – including eight for Paraguay, for whom his 1998 World Cup performances earned him a spot in the Team of the Tournament.
31. Roger Milla
Roger Milla had retired by 1996 – but we couldn't omit one of the most iconic World Cup players of the decade from this list.
The Cameroon legend became the oldest scorer in the history of the tournament when he found the net at Italia '90 (four times, in fact) aged 38 – then he went and broke his own record four years later at the age of 42!
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30. Kevin Keegan
"I will love it if we beat them – love it!"
Kevin Keegan's 1996 rant at Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United is etched in Premier League folklore, with the Newcastle manager's extraordinary outburst precipitating his team's collapse in the 1995/96 title race.
That was a low point in Keegan's Magpies tenure, during which he assembled the Tyneside club's brilliant 'Entertainers' side.
29. George Weah
One of the finest African footballers of all time, George Weah was the continent's first Ballon d'Or winner – claiming the game's ultimate individual accolade in 1995.
A two-time Serie A champion with AC Milan, Weah – who is one of the greatest players never to have the opportunity to feature at the World Cup – would go on to become president of his native Liberia.
28. Carlos Valderrama
He had one of the greatest barnets in the history of the game – but Colombian hero Carlos Valderrama was about more than his peroxide-blond afro.
The midfielder – who represented his country at the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cup's was among the most gifted South American stars of the 90s, and was named by Pele in his 2004 'FIFA 100' list of the world's greatest living players.
27. Jurgen Klinsmann
All-time German great Jurgen Klinsmann played in the Premier League, the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1 during the 90s – and he had a significant impact on all of them.
Fondly remembered in England for his goal-laden two spells at Tottenham – where he joshed critics with his iconic 'diving' celebration – the free-scoring striker won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany – and Euro 96 with reunified Germany.
26. Gheorghe Hagi
Romania's greatest player of all time, Gheorghe Hagi was one of the best players on the planet during the 80s and 90s – starring for Real Madrid and Barcelona in the latter decade.
Hagi bagged 35 goals in 124 caps for his country, who he helped to the quarter-finals of the 1994 World Cup – where he was included in the tournament's all-star team.
25. Robbie Fowler
Robbie Fowler grew up an Everton fan – and went on to become a Liverpool legend, making sure of that status during an utterly prolific first spell at Anfield.
PFA Young Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996, Fowler banged in 28 Premier League goals in 38 games over the course of the 1995/96 season – narrowly missing out on the Golden Boot to Alan Shearer – and netted 171 times for the Reds in all.
24. Hristo Stoichkov
Hristo Stoichkov is Bulgaria's greatest ever player – and he almost inspired his country to the 1994 World Cup final, jointly top-scoring with six goals at the tournament in the USA.
The multifaceted forward – who won the 1991/92 Champions League with Barcelona – also scooped the 1994 Ballon d'Or and was included in Pele's 'FIFA 100' list.
23. Michael Owen
Michael Owen burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old in 1997, becoming Liverpool's youngest ever scorer at the time with a goal on his Premier League debut against Wimbledon.
Injuries ultimately robbed him of the kind of career he ought to have had, but Owen was absolutely electric in the late 90s – during which he scored arguably his best ever goal: that stunning solo effort for England against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup.
22. Alessandro Del Piero
Alessandro Del Piero would have to wait until 2006 to taste World Cup glory with Italy – but he was one of the Azzuri's hottest talents in the latter half of the 90s.
Del Piero made quite a name for himself at Juventus – with whom he spent the vast majority of his career – winning three Serie A titles and the Champions League between 1994 and 1998, top-scoring in the 1997/98 edition of the latter competition.
21. Roy Keane
The ultimate Premier League hardman, Roy Keane is an indisputable Manchester United legend – and a winner of 12 major trophies with the club, who he captained to an historic treble in 1998/99.
At international level, the no-nonsense midfielder starred for the Republic of Ireland – featuring in all of their games at the 1994 World Cup, including the famous group-stage victory over eventual runners-up Italy.
20. Gianfranco Zola
Few, if any, Italian players have enjoyed as much success in English football as Gianfranco Zola – who earned himself legendary status at Chelsea.
The diminutive, devilishly skilful forward – who turned out for Italy at the 1994 World Cup and Euro 96 – helped the Blues to glory in the FA Cup in 1996/97, and in the League Cup and Cup Winners' Cup the following campaign.
19. Ryan Giggs
One of the most decorated players in the history of football, Ryan Giggs got his hands on an incredible 35 pieces of silverware over the course of his career – the entirety of which he spent with Manchester United.
He 16 of those trophies during the 90s, with his iconic 1996 FA Cup semi-final winning goal against Arsenal going down as one of the best ever in England's esteemed domestic cup competition.
18. Peter Schmeichel
Man United's reliable, often heroic last line of defence throughout their wildly successful 90s, Peter Schmeichel is one of the finest goalkeepers the game has ever seen.
A 1998/99 treble winner with United, the great Dane – who prevented and scored goals for club and country – had been between the sticks for Denmark's unlikely European Championship victory of 1992.
17. Romario
One of the most clinical finishers in the history of the game, football history gods RSSSF have Romario down as having scored a whopping 1,003 career goals.
The legendary striker found the net 55 times in 70 caps for Brazil – including five in their 1994 World Cup triumph – and won league titles with Barcelona and PSV in the early 90s.
16. Luis Figo
Before invoking the wrath of the club's supporters by moving directly to Real Madrid in 2000, Luis Figo was a darling of Barcelona – spending five trophy-laden years with the Catalan giants.
The brilliant Portuguese winger helped Barca to two La Liga titles, and European glory in the Cup Winners' Cup – as well as featuring for his country at Euro 96.
15. Alan Shearer
A 1994/95 Premier League winner with Blackburn Rovers, Alan Shearer was by far the most prolific goalscorer in the English top flight during the 90s.
The former England striker – who became an absolute legend at hometown club Newcastle – won three Premier League Golden Boots in succession between 1995 and 1997, finding the net a career-best 37 times in all competitions in each of the 1995/96 and 1996/97 seasons.
14. Lothar Matthaus
Lothar Matthaus' career spanned four decades, but the sublimely complete German midfielder enjoyed most of his success in the 90s – which he kicked off by winning the 1990 World Cup with West Germany.
Matthaus spent most of his club career at Bayern Munich, with the second of his two spells with the Bavarian giants beginning in 1992 and yielding three Bundesliga titles (as did his first stint).
13. Rivaldo
Rivaldo won the World Cup towards the end of his international career in 2002, but he was undoubtedly one of the standout Brazilian stars of the 90s.
A genius on the ball, the 1999 Ballon d'Or winner scored three goals during Brazil's run to the 1998 World Cup final – having struck 28 times in each of his first two seasons at Barcelona.
12. Roberto Carlos
The greatest left-back of all time? There are certainly few who could challenge Roberto Carlos for that honour, such was the Brazilian's magnificently attacking take on the role.
A Real Madrid icon and a 1998 World Cup finalist (and a winner four years later), Roberto Carlos scored some of the most physics-defying goals of all time – including his frankly outrageous free-kick against France at the 1997 Confederations Cup.
11. Gabriel Batistuta
At a time when Serie A was still king among Europe's top leagues, Gabriel Batistuta banged in the goals for fun – earning himself the apt nickname Batigol.
The Argentine great never got his hands on the scudetto with Fiorentina (he would have to wait until he joined Roma at the start of the 21st century) but he brought regular joy to their fans by getting on the scoresheet more than 200 times during a nine-year stay in Florence.
10. Paolo Maldini
His father Cesare was an AC Milan legend – and Paolo Maldini followed in his footsteps and then some, spending his entire 25-year career with the Rossoneri.
One of the finest, classiest defenders ever to grace the game, Maldini won five Serie A titles and the Champions League in the 90s – captaining Milan and Italy during the latter part of the decade.
9. Dennis Bergkamp
A master technician, Dutch genius Dennis Bergkamp scored some of the most spectacular goals in Premier League and World Cup history during the 90s.
His last-minute winner in the 1998 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina is widely replayed to this day, while his 1997 hat-trick for Arsenal – with whom he won his first of three Premier League titles in 1997/98 – away to Leicester City was a true exhibition in finishing.
8. Arsene Wenger
The first manager from outside the UK or Ireland to win the English top-flight title, Arsene Wenger took over as Arsenal boss in 1996 and led them to Premier League glory within two years.
An unknown quantity at the time, the Frenchman's arrival was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism – but he went on to play a huge part in revolutionising the English game through his modern, scientific approach.
7. Paul Gascoigne
There has never been another English footballer like Paul Gascoigne – and there probably never will be, such was Gazza's unique brilliance as both a player and character.
A scorer of stupendous goals for club and country, the immensely popular Gascoigne lit up Euro 96 on home soil – and gave us one of the most iconic celebrations of all time: the 'dentist's chair'.
6. David Beckham
From that goal from the halfway line for Manchester United against Wimbledon, to his infamous sending off for England after kicking out at Diego Simeone at the 1998 World Cup, it's fair to say the 90s were eventful for David Beckham.
Above all, though, the decade was a hugely successful time for the future Three Lions captain – who won nine major trophies with United, including the 1998/99 treble and shaped a career that would see him renowned as one the finest dead-ball specialists in history.
5. Eric Cantona
The first overseas superstar of the Premier League era, Eric Cantona dazzled for Manchester United – playing an inspirational role in each of their first four league triumphs under Alex Ferguson.
Notoriously enigmatic with the media, the Frenchman notched some truly stunning goals – usually with his collar turned up, of course – although he is perhaps best remembered for his 1996 'kung-fu' kick on Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons, which led to that unforgettable line: "When the seagulls follow the trawler...".
4. Zinedine Zidane
When ranking the greatest players of all time, Zinedine Zidane is invariably up there in the top 10 – and quite possibly the top five – and the legendary France superstar was undoubtedly one of the best on the planet in the 90s.
Inspirational in Les Bleus' 1998 triumph at their home World Cup, Zidane – who made a name for himself at Bordeaux before joining Juventus in 1996 – won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year that year
3. Roberto Baggio
Bestowed with one of the best nicknames in the history of football – Il Divin Codino (The Divine Ponytail) – Roberto Baggio was at the forefront of the global game in the 90s, dazzling in attack for Italy, Juve and both Milan clubs (among others).
Winner of the 1993 Ballon d'Or, Baggio, with five goals, almost singlehandedly carried Italy to the 1994 World Cup final – where the Azzurri lost to Brazil as he agonisingly blazed the decisive penalty over the bar in the shootout.
2. Ronaldo
The 'original' Ronaldo redefined the centre-forward position in the 90s, terrorising defences for PSV, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Brazil.
Ronaldo would later inspire his country to victory at the 2002 World Cup – and he might done so four years earlier had he not suffered a seizure just hours before the final.
O Fenomeno collected the first of his two Ballons d'Or in 1997, having banged in a prolific 47 goals in 49 games during his one and only season with Barca.
1. Sir Alex Ferguson
Quite possibly the greatest manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United dominated English football in the 90s – which culminate with their memorable treble win of 1998/99.
Knighted the month after United's dramatic 1999 Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich – which epitomised 'Fergie time' – the famously feisty Scot led the club to five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a League Cup before the 90s were out (among other trophies).
Ferguson's unparalleled success saw him named Manager of the Decade by the League Managers Association (LMA).
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Tom Hancock started freelancing for FourFourTwo in April 2019 and has also written for the Premier League and Opta Analyst, among others. He supports Wycombe Wanderers and has a soft spot for Wealdstone. A self-confessed statto, he has been known to watch football with a spreadsheet (or several) open...
