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60. Luis Suarez
Messi was Messi, Neymar was something close to that, and Luis Suarez was completely different to the other two: ruthless, destructive and just as prolific and M and N.
The debates raged for a decade over who was king out of Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski and Suarez – some added Cavanis and Higuains to the equation. But none of them boasted El Pistolero's pure brilliance: perhaps the greatest individual Premier League campaign ever preceded 198 goals in 283 Barça appearances, before the club turfed him out.
Naturally, Chewy Luis wound up at Atletico Madrid, and dragged them to another league title to dunk on his former employers. What did we say about ruthless?
Career highlight: Suarez followed 31 goals in 33 Premier League games in 2013/14 with a spectacular Treble in 2015. MSN were born.
59. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
An excellent dribbler who could crash in shots with virtually no backlift, the powerfully built Rummenigge was arguably the most effective forward in Europe during the late 1970s and early '80s.
His fruitful partnership with midfielder Paul Breitner (Bayern Munich were nicknamed ‘FC Breitnigge’) helped bring shedloads of silverware to Bavaria, including three European Cups in succession. Rummenigge starred on the international stage as well, winning the European Championship in 1980.
Career highlight: In the World Cup's first ever penalty shootout, Rummenigge stayed typically calm, netting his spot kick against France in an infamous semi-final to help send eventual runners-up West Germany into the final.
58. Jimmy Greaves
Were it not for injury ruling him out of the World Cup final, Jimmy Greaves may have been the most famous English footballer of a generation. As it was, he just had to settle for being one of the best.
The highest goalscorer in the history of English top-flight football (357 goals), Greaves was a byword for brilliance in the 18-yard area, showing composure that few others could. The Essex-born forward still has an astounding goals-to-game ratio that holds up against modern-day forwards, 44 times for his country in just 57 matches. He still holds the record for most England hat-tricks with a whopping six – one every 10 games or fewer.
Career highlight: Two Cup Winners' Cup final strikes in a 5-1 rout of defending champions Atletico Madrid, as Tottenham became the first Brits to lift a European trophy.
57. Denis Law
There wasn't a more thrilling sight in the 1960s and early '70s than the vision of 'The Lawman' triumphantly punching his right fist into the air after plundering one of his 237 goals in 404 Manchester United appearances.
Law netted United's first goal in the 1963 FA Cup Final, won two league titles with Matt Busby's men, and dovetailed perfectly with the other two members of the 'Holy Trinity' - George Best and Bobby Charlton. Having unluckily missed out on the European Cup final triumph in 1968 with injury, Law nonetheless played on into the technicolor '70s, before enjoying a second spell at rivals Manchester City.
Career highlight: Law was United's top scorer during their title-winning 1964/65 campaign, winning the Ballon d'Or in the process.
56. Gianni Rivera
When asked to name Italy's four best players for the forthcoming 1970 World Cup, the normally taciturn England manager Alf Ramsey joked: “Rivera, Rivera, Rivera, Rivera.”
Ramsey's response spoke volumes for the almost evangelical aura that surrounded the Milan star, who racked up an astonishing 501 appearances between 1960 and 1979. Not that he was universally loved in Italy; controversial writer Gianni Brera labelled him abatino (young priest), implying that he was a luxury player with an aversion to physical battles. That didn't prevent a string of Milan managers from building their teams around the luminary talents of 'Golden Boy', however.
Career highlight: “It was as easy for him as if he were serving me tea,” gushed Milan striker Jose Altafini, after Rivera had provided him with assists in Milan's triumphant 1963 European Cup Final against Benfica.
55. Daniel Passarella
Widely considered one of the best centre-backs of all time, Passarella is remembered for his range of qualities. The Argentine was a ferocious defender, strong in the tackle and extremely good positionally. His heading abilities were absolutely extraordinary given the fact that he was just 5ft 8in tall.
His attacking contribution was incredible, with 175 goals scored in all competitions. Passarella was also known for building the attacks from behind with his immaculate passing. His leadership qualities were second to none, and he was nicknamed the Great Captain. He won titles, too – six of them with River Plate before moving to play for Fiorentina and Inter in Serie A.
Career highlight: Captaining Argentina to the World Cup triumph in 1978 was the greatest feat, and it’s hugely unfortunate that Passarella missed the 1986 tournament through illness – but was still in the squad and got a second winner’s medal.
54. Fritz Walter
Walter mostly played in midfield yet managed to average almost a goal per game during his 20 years at Kaiserslautern, the beloved club he led to two German championship titles and refused to leave despite receiving very tempting offers from abroad.
Starring alongside younger brother Ottmar, a centre-forward, he was the leader not only for the club, but also for the West German team that won the World Cup in 1954 against all odds. Walter scored three goals during the tournament, but his overall contribution was much more significant. These days, he has an award named after him (the Fritz Walter Medal), given to Germany's brightest youth prospects every season.
Career highlight: Walter was magnificent in West Germany's sensational 3-2 win over Hungary in the 1954 World Cup Final, and had a hand in two goals.
53. Juan Alberto Schiaffino
Tall and slender, Schiaffino possessed a deft touch and sublime technical skills which made him frustratingly unpredictable for opponents. He was one of the most dominant attacking players of his era, winning four championship titles in Uruguay with Penarol, then moving to Italy and helping Milan to win three titles in five years.
His greatest achievement was undoubtedly at the 1950 World Cup – the tournament won by Uruguay against all odds.
Career highlight: In what was technically the World Cup final, Schiaffino scored the equaliser against Brazil in 1950, helping lead Uruguay to one of the greatest sensations of all time.
52. Dino Zoff
The only Italy international to win both the European Championship (in 1968) and the World Cup (in 1982), goalkeeper Zoff joined Juventus at the comparatively late age of 32 – then won six Scudetti and made 330 consecutive appearances.
Known for his incredible reflexes and positional sense, Zoff played on well into his 40s. Italy manager Enzo Bearzot described the normally level-headed keeper planting a kiss on his cheek following his team's 3-2 win over Brazil in 1982 as "a fleeting moment which was the most intense of that World Cup".
Career highlight: Aged 40, Zoff became the oldest player to feature in a World Cup final, as he captained Italy to victory against West Germany in 1982.
51. Carlos Alberto
Brazil’s captain led the way for a new generation of more attacking full backs, paving the way for Cafu, Roberto Carlos and more. His leadership was pivotal at the World Cup in 1970, and he also enjoyed success alongside Pele at Santos.
Career highlight: His stunning finish in the World Cup final against Italy, rounding off a stellar team move, is rated by many as the greatest ever scored.
