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50. Jairzinho
Devastating bursts of speed and lethal shooting secured Jairzinho a place in history after the 1970 World Cup. That Brazil side inspired a generation of footballers and the forward was still one of their biggest stars, despite him being relegated to the outside positions by Pele and Tostao.
He’s still the only player to have won the World Cup while scoring in every game in the tournament. If it wasn’t enough, the former winger would later show an eye for talent-spotting, taking a then-skinny Ronaldo to Cruzeiro and recommending him to the Brazil youth team.
Career highlight: His winner against reigning champions England was one of the 1970 World Cup’s most memorable goals.
49. Kevin Keegan
‘Mighty Mouse’ became the first British sportsman to successfully embrace commercial opportunities. On the pitch, KK’s swashbuckling displays helped garner trophies for Bill Shankly’s Liverpool side in the early 1970s, including a league title and the UEFA Cup.
Under Shanks’ replacement Bob Paisley, Keegan – by now an England star - took his game to another level, helping Liverpool to their first European Cup in 1977. He moved to Hamburg to “expand my horizons” that summer, winning a Bundesliga title, plus two Ballon d’Or awards in a three-year spell.
Career highlight: “Goals pay the rent, and Keegan does his share,” enthused BBC commentator David Coleman after Keegan smashed home his first goal in the 1974 FA Cup Final against Newcastle. He added the third in a comprehensive 3-0 win.
48. Gaetano Scirea
A pacy and clever defender, Scirea's elegance and cerebral attitude to the game was in marked contrast to the spikier approach of Italy and Juventus team-mate Claudio Gentile.
Playing sweeper for most of his career, Scirea – whose death in a car accident at just 36 was mourned by all Italian supporters – claimed his conversion from a midfielder "helped me see the game in a way others didn't”. That was no idle boast and was borne out by the fact he won trophies by the bucketload, and remains one of only five European players to have won all international club trophies recognised by UEFA and FIFA.
Career highlight: His team-mates Dino Zoff and Paolo Rossi may have been more feted, but Scirea's impeccable performances as Italy won the 1982 World Cup were a masterclass in the art of defending.
47. Wayne Rooney
It was never a debate between Ronaldo and Messi in the early days: Wayne Rooney was far more highly-rated than his Manchester United colleague. And considering that he would smash goalscoring records for both club and country, it's somewhat strange that his career paled in comparison to those two since, with his retirement at 35 a crying shame considering the longevity of a modern player.
The Merseyside lad was equal parts power and precision across a career that began as a 16-year-old netting on his debut against Arsenal. Rooney was physically supreme, pacy and aggressive but could caress the ball like few other Englishmen have ever have.
Career highlight: His astounding Euro 2004 tournament in which he top-scored and announced himself as the most exciting wonderkid on the continent.
46. Didi
“I’m nothing compared to Didi. I’ll never be anywhere near as good as he is,” Pele once said. Dubbed the Ethiopian Prince because of his elegant style, the midfielder won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958 and 1962, and even had a stint with Real Madrid.
Didi is also attributed with first using the 'knuckleball' free-kick that has become so common. The pioneer would make dead balls swerve unexpectedly, helping him score plenty of career goals.
Career highlight: Beating Pele and 13-goal Just Fontaine to player of the tournament in 1958.
45. Gianluigi Buffon
Most footballers begin to wane at 30 - Buffon balanced quality and longevity like a 1970s Coppola movie, winning eight more Serie A titles with Juventus, to take his tally to 10. He’s the only goalkeeper to make the Ballon d’Or top two since Dino Zoff in 1973. He only retired in 2023, aged 45, after returning to boyhood side Parma in Serie B.
Career highlight: World Cup glory with Italy in 2006, just as Juventus side were being relegated to Serie B because of Calciopoli.
44. Gunter Netzer
An elegant playmaker, Netzer was one of the game’s best ever passers, able to put the ball on a spot from any distance. The leader of a Monchengladbach team that won two Bundesliga titles, he left for Real Madrid and won two more championships.
Career highlight: Star of the show as West Germany were crowned European champions in 1972.
43. Stanley Matthews
‘The Wizard of the Dribble’ is arguably the most entertaining player England has ever produced. At Blackpool, he won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956 - at Stoke, he played in the top flight at 50, still a record.
Career highlight: So incredible was his display in the 1953 FA Cup final, that it became known as The Matthews Final - even though team-mate Stan Mortensen scored a hat-trick.
42. Ronald Koeman
There is no modern equivalent to Ronald Koeman. Think of Sergio Ramos in his prime with the mind of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Still the top-scoring defender in the history of the game, Koeman was integral to Johan Cruyff's Dream Team and the man who scored Barcelona's first-ever European Cup winner. Sure, the headlines were all about his rocketing free-kicks and blasts from distance – but he was a brilliant sweeper too whose reading of the game was sublime. It's ridiculous to think a player in his position could manage over 250 career goals.
Career highlight: That goal against Sampdoria in the final European Cup final before the rebrand. It changed the trajectory of an entire football club.
41. Romario
The king of the toe poke, the Brazilian had dazzling close control and nerveless finishing abilities - when he was through on goal, the keeper was basically doomed. Prolific for Vasco da Gama, PSV and Flamengo, he was the first player to net 100 goals for three different clubs.
Career highlight: Player of the tournament at the 1994 World Cup, as Romario led Brazil to glory.
