Pele, Maradona or Messi at No 1? The 50 greatest players in World Cup history

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Pele, Maradona or Messi at No 1? The 50 greatest players in World Cup history

Sports Staff · The Independent

Wed, Jun 17, 2026 ·

5 min read

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It is the ultimate list of footballing greats, based solely on their displays in the most prestigious tournament on the planet. Star players the world over can perform for their club – but who are those who have shone brightest for their nation in the history of the men's Fifa World Cup?

Just two weeks out from the 23rd World Cup starting in North America on 11 June, we're counting down our best of all time. From Pele and Messi to Maradona and Beckenbauer, with a sprinkling of Zidane, Mbappe and Ronaldo in the mix, these are the players who have lit up the "greatest show on earth" over the past 96 years.

And now, we reveal the top-10. Our Chief Football Writer Miguel Delaney has written why the No 1 pick was not in any doubt .

Using a specific formula and points system , The Independent's team of sports reporters have ranked the top-50 players in World Cup history, from the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930 all the way to the first-ever winter event in Qatar in 2022. And to stress : this is all about performances in World Cups, not simply the best-ever players who have featured in a World Cup.

One player who does not make the top-50 is Cristiano Ronaldo : the Portugal captain is set to take part in his sixth World Cup this summer, but Senior Football Correspondent Richard Jolly explains here why one of football's greatest-ever players is not amongst the pantheon of World Cup greats.

So, who has made the top-10 in our list of the World Cup's greatest-ever players?

50. Fritz Walter (West Germany)

World Cups played:1954, 1958
World Cup record:Winner 1954
Games:11
Goals:3
Best moment:Lifting the World Cup no one expected West Germany to win

Football saved Fritz Walter from the Soviet gulag in World War II, with the aid of a Hungarian prison guard who recognised a top player. Walter certainly found a way of repaying Hungarian football.

The greatest shock in World Cup final history came in 1954; the all-conquering Hungary were beaten by West Germany, who had been banned from the 1950 tournament and had lost 8-3 to Hungary in the 1954 group stages.

Walter was the architect and inspiration of "The Miracle of Bern'. He was involved in two goals in the final and he, and brother Ottmar, are one of only two pairs of brothers to win the World Cup – along with the Charltons.

Richard Jolly

Fritz Walter (centre) was the inspiration behind West Germany's "Miracle of Bern" (ullstein bild/Getty)

49. Vava ( Brazil )

World Cups played:1958, 1962
World Cup record:Winner 1958, 1962
Games:9
Goals:7
Best moment:Brace in 1958 final, to bring Brazil from 1-0 down to 2-1 up en route to victory over Sweden

One of just four players who have played in only two World Cups and won them both.

You might associate the Brazilians with flair but sometimes you need something less flashy, and Vava's close-range finishes were as clinical as they were crucial in the 1958 final; Brazil were 1-0 down to Sweden early, before Vava turned things around with a brace – his second of the tournament.

He also scored twice in the 1962 semi-final win over Chile, before netting again in the final. And he'd previously scored in the 1958 semi-finals. A big-moment player.

Alex Pattle

Vava (left) had an impeccable World Cup record for Brazil (Getty)

48. Leonidas (Brazil)

World Cups played:1934, 1938
World Cup record:Third place 1938
Games:5
Goals:8
Best moment: Two extra-time goals completed a hat-trick in Brazil's 6-5 win over Poland in the round of 16

He may not share the famous reputation of other great Brazilians on this list, but Leonidas was an icon of the 1930s.

The forward known as "Black Diamond" won the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball in 1938, despite Brazil losing to eventual champions Italy in the semi-finals.

Lawrence Ostlere

Leonidas (centre) won both the prize for best player and top goalscorer in 1938 (AFP/Getty)

47. Didi er Deschamps ( France )

World Cups played:1998
World Cup record:Winner 1998
Games:6
Clean sheets:5
Best moment:Lifting the trophy as captain at his sole World Cup

That moment above sums it up: Deschamps was clinical as a World Cup player – one tournament, one trophy

The stats bolster this claim, too: the defensive midfielder helped his side to five clean sheets in the six games he played (including a 3-0 shutdown of a great Brazil side in the final), and France conceded in the sole match he missed. Furthermore, Deschamps did all of this as captain.

Of course, he would lead Les Bleus again as a coach (winning the World Cup in 2018 and losing the 2022 final), but we haven't even factored that into his inclusion here.

Alex Pattle

Didier Deschamps led France to World Cup glory on home soil in 1998 (AFP/Getty)

46. Daniel Passarella ( Argentina )

World Cups played:1978, 1982, 1986
World Cup record:Winner 1978, 1986
Games:12
Goals:3
Best moment:Lifting the World Cup on home soil in 1978, becoming the youngest captain to do so at the age of just 25

Passarella captained Argentina to their first-ever World Cup win in 1978, with the tough-tackling, fierce defender (who had a remarkable eye for goal) proving a steely counterpart to the mercurial talents of teammate Mario Kempes.

He went to further tournaments in 1982 and 1986, and remains the only Argentine to win two World Cups (despite losing his place in the first team due to enterocolitis as Diego Maradona and co. triumphed in Mexico ).

Chris Wilson

Daniel Passarella won two World Cups with Argentina (Getty)

45. Rudi Voller (Germany)

World Cups played:1986, 1990, 1994
World Cup record:Winner 1990, runner-up 1986
Games:15
Goals:8
Best moment:After being confined to the bench in the 1994 group stage, his last-16 start yielded a crucial brace in a 3-2 win over Belgium

Voller has a varied history at the World Cup. He scored a fair few goals, even scored in a final but lost it, won it another time, was sent off on one occasion and was hooked early on another.

While Voller's late equaliser wasn't enough for West Germany to overcome Argentina in the 1986 final, it was a triumphant personal moment, as was his statement brace in the afore-mentioned 1994 clash with Belgium.

Between those competitions, he blotted his 1990 tournament copybook with a red card – but returned in time to start in Germany's victorious final.

Alex Pattle

Rudi Voller won the 1990 World Cup and was a finalist in 1986 (Hulton Archive)

Graphic by Lawrence Ostlere

44. Antoine Griezmann (France)

World Cup played:2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup record:Winner 2018, runner-up 2022
Games:19
Goals:4
Best moment:He was man of the match as France eventually ran riot against Croatia with a 4-2 win in the 2018 final, scoring a penalty for good measure.

Griezmann won recognition on the pitch for his persona as much as his quality with the ball, and it shone brightly in the 2018 quarter-finals when his goal came through a Fernando Muslera mistake. With a Uruguayan mentor growing up, in addition to his compassion for Muslera after a dreadful lowlight to the goalkeeper's career, Griezmann was subdued with his celebration.

One of the great French players in their second golden era, Griezmann was vital for this team throughout. He has won one World Cup and been a finalist in another.

Griezmann was allowed to flourish a little more under Didier Deschamps than he did for his club, largely with Diego Simeone and Atletico Madrid . A selfless player, able to knit the attack together, take a set-piece and hold his nerve in the final third, he was unlucky to only finish third behind Luka Modric and Eden Hazard in the voting for 2018's Golden Ball.

Jack Rathborn

Antoine Griezmann was one of France's star players in their 2018 triumph (Getty)

43. Martin Peters ( England )

World Cups played:1966, 1970
World Cup record:Winner 1966
Games:9
Goals:2
Best moment:Scoring England's second goal in the 1966 World Cup final

A player ahead of his time, the injection of Peters into England's 1966 starting side proved the catalyst that took the "wingless wonders" to World Cup glory.

Marrying a tireless work ethic with an intuitive attacking brain, it was Peters who set up the winner for clubmate Geoff Hurst against Argentina, and he might have gone down in folklore as the final match-winner if not for West Germany's equaliser in the last moments of normal time. It mattered not, of course.

Could there have been more success in 1970? The substitution of Peters and Bobby Charlton by Alf Ramsey, with England 2-1 up in the last eight against those same West Germans, was a major misstep.

Harry Latham-Coyle

Martin Peters (centre) holds the trophy aloft after England's 1966 victory (Getty)

42. Ronaldinho (Brazil)

World Cups played:2002, 2006
World Cup record:Winner 2002
Games:10
Goals:2
Best moment:Lobbing David Seaman in the 2002 quarter-final against England

He may have been the least heralded of the "Three Rs" in 2002, but his performance when knocking England out in the last eight was astonishing.

Trailing to Michael Owen's poached opener, Ronaldinho embarked on a run from halfway to tee up Rivaldo for the leveller, sending Ashley Cole to the floor following a stepover.

Then came his moment of ingenuity and the moment David Seaman will never forget. Re-watching the footage of that exquisite lob, what stands out most is how perfectly the ball nestled in the left corner.

That he was shown a red card seven minutes later for planting his studs on Danny Mills' ankle is almost forgotten and, either way, he returned for the final that offered the Selecao redemption for 1998, before his club career soon became stratospheric.

Alan Smith

Ronaldinho was central to Brazil knocking out England in 2002 (Getty)

41. Didi (Brazil)

World Cups played:1954, 1958, 1962
World Cup record:Winner 1958, 1962
Games:15
Goals:3
Best moment:Didi is attributed with nine assists on football's biggest stage, one behind teammate Pele (10) in the all-time ranking, but it was his control in the 1958 semi-final against France that won him admirers, allowing Pele to thrive, though he also managed to impose himself on the game with the iconic folha seca (dry leaf) free-kick.

Often forgotten behind some dazzling teammates, and maybe underappreciated in his time, today's game would recognise Didi as the orchestrator in one of the best teams of all time.

Able to dictate the tempo of the game, the grace of Didi allowed Pele, Garrincha and others to prove decisive in the final third. Also an innovator with his technique and the folha seca (dry leaf) shot, which saw the ball dip viciously.

His goal and two assists in the 1958 semi-final against France might rank among the all-time greatest single-game performances.

Jack Rathborn

Brazil midfielder Didi was a showman and an orchestrator (Getty)

40. Roberto Carlos (Brazil)

World Cups played:1998, 2002, 2006
World Cup record:Winner 2002, runner-up 1998
Games:17
Goals:1
Clean sheets:7
Best moment:The only World Cup goal he ever scored, in the 2002 group stage contest with China . A free-kick outside the penalty area on the right with a perfect angle for his rocket of a left foot. Blasted past the wall and swerved away from the goalkeeper into the far side-netting. A beauty.

Like most football fans, I have several England shirts collected over more than two decades, and, in that time, I have only ever bought one different national team jersey. That was the shirt of the 2002 World Cup champions Brazil.

Ignore Ronaldo; I loved Roberto Carlos.

There is an argument as to whether the great defender redefined what it was to play full-back (yes), but what isn't up for debate is that he perfected his role at left wing-back. Blistering pace, overlapping runs, indefatigable energy, curling crosses and a set-piece specialist. Like Beckham, but Brazilian and better.

Michael Jones

Roberto Carlos scored a rasping free-kick against China in 2002 (Getty)

39. Roger Milla (Cameroon)

World Cups played:1982, 1990, 1994
World Cup record:Quarter-finalist 1990
Games:10
Goals:5
Best moment:Scoring twice against Romania in 1990 to announce himself on the global stage aged 38

The poster boy of all veteran players and, for many, Africa's first global star. Having featured in 1982, when Cameroon fell at the first hurdle, Milla had to be coaxed out of retirement for Italia '90.

His impact as a substitute, aged 38, was transformative. Sprung off the bench in the second group game against Romania, he scored twice in a 2-1 win to ultimately seal their progress. In the round of 16, versus Colombia , he was brought on with the match scoreless and nabbed another brace in extra-time to lead the Indomitable Lions towards a stage no African nation had been before – the quarter-finals. And he celebrated with his iconic corner-flag jig.

Milla contributed two assists against England as Cameroon led 2-1, only for it to end in extra-time heartbreak.

Four years later, he became the oldest outfield player to feature in a World Cup, aged 42, coming on as a substitute in defeats to Brazil and Russia, scoring in the latter despite a 6-1 loss.

Alan Smith

Cameroon's Roger Milla was a star of Italia '90 (Getty Images)

38. Jurgen Klinsmann (West Germany/Germany)

World Cups played:1990, 1994, 1998
World Cup record:Winner 1990
Games:17
Goals:11
Best moment:Lifting the trophy on his tournament debut, after playing every game and scoring three goals along the way

Klinsmann's World Cup legacy is as interesting as it is impressive. See the moment above for a summary of his tournament debut, and although his sophomore effort brought a slightly premature exit, Klinsmann racked up a further five goals.

Then, his last tournament in 1998 brought another quarter-final defeat but three more goals – and with Klinsmann as captain.

Of 1990, he told me in 2021 : "[As a young player], you really have difficulty comprehending what's happened. You just join the group, party, and think: 'This is the coolest. I scored a couple of goals, how cool.'"

Alex Pattle

Jurgen Klinsmann scored an impressive 11 World Cup goals (Getty Images)

37. Gordon Banks (England)

World Cups played:1966, 1970
World Cup record:Winner 1966
Games:9
Clean sheets:6
Best moment:His "save of the century" from Pele in 1970

It says a lot that Banks's greatest moment is not from 1966, when he kept four clean sheets in England's winning run. He went untroubled until Eusebio's late penalty in the semi-finals, the first goal he conceded in 721 minutes of international football. Beaten twice in the final, ultimately, it did not matter.

Fast-forward four years and Banks enjoyed and endured a dramatic tournament in Mexico. A day after being informed he'd been awarded an OBE, he made that astonishing save from Pele, clawing the Brazil legend's powerful header away from goal as he stretched desperately behind him. It's said that Pele remarked: "I thought that was a goal." Banks replied: "You and me both."

More drama was to come, though. England made it to the quarter-finals, but Banks missed the defeat to West Germany after suffering an upset stomach. While he blamed a dodgy bottle of beer, there are conspiracy theories to this day that the CIA poisoned him, in order to obstruct joint-favourites England's progress and make Brazil's path to glory easier for geo-political reasons.

Kieran Jackson

Gordon Banks (far-left) kept four clean sheets in England's run to World Cup glory in 1966 (Getty Images)

36. Philipp Lahm (Germany)

World Cups played:2006, 2010, 2014
World Cup record:Winner 2014
Games:20
Clean sheets:10
Best moment:Captaining Germany to a World Cup trophy in 2014

Lahm was undoubtedly one of Germany's greatest ever players, captaining them at two World Cups.

In a modern era of inverting full-backs and position-less football, Lahm was one of the first players to ever be trusted to play in midfield despite being a traditional full-back by trade.

He was technically excellent, as well as someone who would cover every blade of grass in each game. With the crowning moment of his international career leading Germany to a World Cup triumph in 2014, Lahm cemented his place amongst the nation's greats.

Archie Corbett

Philipp Lahm captained Germany to the 2014 World Cup (Getty)

35. Ferenc Puskas (Hungary/Spain)

World Cups played:1954, 1962
World Cup record:Runner-up 1954
Games:6
Goals:4
Best moment:Scoring the opening goal in the 1954 World Cup final even if the day ended in Hungary, the "Golden Team", suffering a defeat that would leave a mark over the country that it has never recovered from

Only one question follows the "Magical Magyars" now. Led by Puskas, the left-footed wonder, Hungary were the world's best team and went unbeaten between 1950 and 1954.

Then, in their second game of the 1954 World Cup, Puskas suffered an ankle injury as a result of a crunching tackle during Hungary's 8-3 victory over West Germany.

Clearly unfit, Puskas only returned in time for the final, where West Germany beat Hungary 3-2 in the "Miracle of Bern". So, what if Puskas didn't get injured earlier in the tournament, and what if his late equaliser was not disallowed for a disputed offside?

Jamie Braidwood

Ferenc Puskas was the star player of the famous 1954 Hungary team (Getty Images)

34. Sandor Kocsis (Hungary)

World Cups played:1954
World Cup record:Runner-up 1954
Games:5
Goals:11
Best moment:Four goals during an 8-3, group-stage pummelling of West Germany in the 1954 World Cup. Deadly throughout that game, Germany would get their revenge in the final, but Kocsis actually delivered more than his more illustrious teammate Puskas

Combined with Puskas to revolutionise European football, but Kocsis was actually the superior player on the biggest stage of them all.

He proved prolific and his deadly run in 1954 saw him score four goals in one World Cup game against Germany, helping him to the Golden Boot that year and becoming the first player to score two hat-tricks in one tournament.

Jack Rathborn

Sandor Kocsis became the first player to score two hat-tricks at a World Cup (Getty)

33. Rivaldo (Brazil)

World Cups played:1998, 2002
World Cup record:Winner 2002, runner-up 1998
Games:14
Goals:8
Best moment:Though a superb volley against Belgium in the round of 16 in 2002 stands out on a personal level, lifting the World Cup as joint-top scorer at the end of the tournament was the highlight of a glittering career

Rivaldo was a key part of the Brazil team that lost the final to France in 1998, and by 2002 he had picked up a Ballon d'Or as he emerged as a leader in a side that also contained Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

He scored five goals across seven matches in Japan and South Korea – including in every game up to the semi-finals – and his sublime dummy set up Ronaldo's second in the final to wrap up his side's fifth World Cup trophy. The less said about the pathetic play-acting when the ball gently hit him near the corner flag against Turkey in 2002, the better.

Chris Wilson

Rivaldo starred in Brazil's 2002 triumph (Getty)

32. Lev Yashin (USSR)

World Cups played:1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
World Cup record:Semi-finals 1966
Games:12
Clean sheets:4
Best moment:Facing a Pele-inspired Brazil in the 1958 World Cup, he single-handedly stopped the game becoming a rout, making a number of brilliant saves in a respectable 2-0 defeat for the USSR.

The greatest goalkeeper in the history of the sport – Lev Yashin's athleticism, acrobatic saves and imposing presence made 'the Black Spider' an icon and he remains the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or (in 1963).

He allegedly saved over 150 penalties in his career and revolutionised the position by coming out to claim crosses, closing down attackers and yelling instructions at his defenders. Making four World Cup squads, Yashin was named as the goalkeeper in the all-time Fifa World Cup Dream Team in 2002 and helped the USSR to the semi-finals in 1966.

He took a very 1960s approach to fitness, saying that his secret was "having a smoke to calm your nerves, then tossing back a strong drink to tone your muscles."

Luke Baker

Lev Yashin was one of football's great goalkeepers (Getty)

31. Thomas Muller (Germany)

World Cups played:2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup record:Winner 2014
Games:18
Goals:10
Best moment:Hat-trick in 2014 group-stage against Portugal

Golden Boot winner in 2010 and Silver Boot winner four years later, Muller was a player who thrived on the world stage.

From scoring his first international goal in his first World Cup appearance against Australia in 2010 and his brace against England in the last 16, to his hat-trick to open up proceedings in 2014 and his volley which set Germany on their way to their iconic 7-1 triumph versus Brazil, Muller's early World Cup record was simply outstanding.

Perhaps his only personal blot was his needless yellow card against Argentina in 2010, which meant he missed the semi-final defeat to Spain. A tireless worker, brilliant finisher and competitive animal, Muller's absence this summer will feel somewhat peculiar.

Kieran Jackson

Thomas Muller won the 2014 World Cup with Germany (Getty Images)

30. Luka Modric (Croatia)

World Cups played:2006, 2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup record:Runner-up, 2018
Games:19
Goals:2
Best moment:Stunning curler in 3-0 win over Argentina in 2018 group stage

In a world where the Ballon d'Or so often leans on team accolades in deciding its winner, rarely does a runner-up medal cut the mustard. After inspiring Croatia to a shock World Cup final in 2018, Modric became an exception to this.

Pulling the strings from midfield, the Real Madrid maestro produced one of the all-time great tournament campaigns and while it ended in defeat to champions France, he still beat off their star performers - the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba - to the Golden Ball.

Four years later, he led his country to a third-place finish, dumping out Brazil in the process. Once destined for the group-stage exit, Croatia are now serious players. Modric has been their torchbearer - and at 40, he's still got life.

Will Castle

Luka Modric won the Golden Ball award for best player at the 2018 World Cup (Getty)

29. Paolo Maldini (Italy)

World Cups played:1990, 1994, 1998, 2002
World Cup record:Runner-up, 1994
Games:23
Clean sheets:11
Best moment:Five consecutive clean sheets at home tournament in 1990

In four World Cups, one of the game's greatest left-backs played 23 matches and was only ever beaten on penalties or a golden goal in the knockout stages. Third at Italia 90, they were defeated by Brazil in a final shootout at USA 94, before spot kicks were their undoing against eventual winners France in '98.

The extra-time loss to South Korea in 2002 was the sorest of all for Il Capitano because of a series of controversial decisions made by Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno.

He was still motoring along at AC Milan, though, when Marcelo Lippi tried to beckon him out of international retirement for 2006. Maldini turned the offer down, pointing to a persistent knee injury, and the Azzurri went on to win the tournament. "It was destiny, I guess," he said.

Alan Smith

Paolo Maldini took part in four World Cups but did not win the competition (Getty Images)

28. Michel Platini (France)

World Cups played:1978, 1982, 1986
World Cup record:Semi-finals, 1982, 1986
Games:14
Goals:5
Best moment:Scoring the equalising goal against Brazil in the 1986 quarter-finals, a game which France ended up winning on penalties.

One of the great number 10's of his era, Michel Platini was more than just a creative marvel.

He has an eye-watering goal record for Les Bleus, scoring 41 in his 72 overall caps, and bagging five across his three World Cup campaigns.

His iconic free-kicks and intelligent play saw him named "French Player Of The Century" in 1999. He is also one of very few players to play for two national teams at senior level, after he came out of retirement to play an exhibition game for Kuwait at the request of the Kuwaiti Emir in 1988.

Archie Corbett

Michel Platini was part of a France side who made consecutive semi-finals (Getty)

27. Mario Kempes (Argentina)

World Cups played:1974, 1978, 1982
World Cup record:Winner, 1978
Games:18
Goals:6
Best moment:The winning goal in the 105th minute of the 1978 World Cup final. Kempes burst into the box, evaded two sliding tackles, saw his initial shot saved and bundled in the bouncing rebound to send Estadio River Plate into raptures.

Only three men have won the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and lifted the trophy at the same World Cup, so Mario Kempes is part of an incredibly exclusive club.

The 1978 tournament on home soil where he achieved the feat was his masterpiece, although the 23-year-old didn't get going until the second group stage when he scored twice against Poland, twice in the controversial 6-0 win over Peru and twice in the 3-1 extra-time win over Netherlands in the final.

Remarkably, for such an accomplished No 9, he didn't score a single goal in his other 15 World Cup matches, but his inspirational 11-day spell in 1978 is enough.

Luke Baker

Mario Kempes scored twice in the 1978 World Cup final (Getty)

26. Xavi (Spain)

World Cups played:2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
World Cup record:Winner, 2010
Games:15
Goals:0
Best moment:2010 World Cup semi-final versus Germany. A masterful performance of possession-based football saw Xavi win the man of the match award but it was his corner kick, swung onto the head of Carles Puyol, that set up the winning goal and sent Spain through to the final.

Forever to be remembered as a Spanish midfield maestro, Xavi's partnership with Andres Iniesta will go down as one of the greatest of all time.

Across three major tournaments between 2008-2012, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the duo were unstoppable as Spain proved they were the best team in the world. Described as the 'beating heart' of the Spanish team in 2010, Xavi provided the highest number of accurate passes and covered more ground per game than any other player.

His partner, Iniesta, took the plaudits in the final, but Xavi's mastery of tiki-taka was unmatched by his peers.

Michael Jones

Xavi was Spain's midfield maestro in 2010 (Getty)

25. Giuseppe Meazza (Italy)

World Cups played:1934, 1938
World Cup record:Winner 1934, 1938
Games:9
Goals:3
Best moment:With Italy leading Brazil 1-0 in the 1938 semi-final, Meazza stepped up to take a penalty. His shorts suddenly fell down after the elastic in them ripped, so he held his shorts up with his left hand and still managed to score the spot-kick. Italy won the match 2-1 to reach the final.

A hard-drinking, brothel-visiting, chain-smoking playboy known as Il Genio ('the genius') for his on-pitch brilliance, Giuseppe Meazza is everything you want from a 1930s sporting icon.

The San Siro is officially called Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for a reason... One of the best, and most important, footballers in the first half of the 20th century, he won the 1934 and 1938 World Cups with Italy, claiming the Golden Ball for best player at the former and captaining the Azzurri in the latter.

A prolific goalscorer with an eye for the spectacular, he also delivered two sumptuous assists against Hungary in the 1938 final.

Luke Baker

Italy captain Giuseppe Meazza receives the Jules Rimet trophy after his team's 4-2 victory over Hungary in 1938 (Getty Images)

24. Roberto Baggio (Italy)

World Cups played:1990, 1994, 1998
World Cup best finish:Runner-up, 1994
Games:16
Goals:9
Best moment:Clutch brace against Nigeria to save 10-man Italy from elimination in '94.

Roberto Baggio's World Cup story is one of cruelty; his crucial penalty miss in the 1994 final will forever be the lasting memory of the Italian on football's grandest stage.

That's an injustice, because Baggio's '94 campaign was one for the ages. He dragged Italy through the knockouts, his five goals all decisive in beating Nigeria, Spain and Bulgaria to get what was by no means a prime Italy squad into that final with Brazil.

The 1993 Ballon d'Or winner is also the only Italian to score at three different World Cups in history. If not for that miss, he would probably crack the top 10. But there is no doubt of his worth in the top half of this list.

Will Castle

Roberto Baggio scored decisive goals against Nigeria, Spain (pictured) and Bulgaria in 1994 before his final heartbreak (Getty Images)

23. Just Fontaine (France)

World Cups played:1958
World Cup record:Semi-finals, 1958
Games:6
Goals:13
Best moment:Announcing himself on to the World Cup stage with a hat-trick against Paraguay in France's opening game, while wearing borrowed boots.

The ultimate one-tournament wonder? Just Fontaine went to Sweden '58 as a back-up striker who had to borrow a pair of boots and left it as a World Cup legend.

His frankly ludicrous record of 13 goals in a single tournament will never be broken. While dazzlingly talented strike partner Raymond Kopa pulled the strings, Moroccan-born Fontaine averaged more than two goals per game in that World Cup (scoring 13 in six) including a hat-trick against Paraguay and four against West Germany in the third-place play-off.

However, a 5-2 loss to a Pele-inspired Brazil in the semi-finals ended France's dreams of glory.

Luke Baker

Just Fontaine (left) scored an astonishing 13 goals in 6 World Cup games (Getty)

22. Bobby Charlton (England)

World Cups played:1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
World Cup record:Winner, 1966
Games:14
Goals:4
Best moment:It might sound strange not to call the win in the 1966 final Charlton's best moment, but the Englishman's brace in the 2-1 win over Eusebio's Portugal side was a pivotal moment for the Three Lions and a notable personal milestone on his way to picking up the 1966 Ballon d'Or.

1966 was Charlton's third World Cup, and while the Manchester United man had not managed to make his mark in 1958 or 1962, the stage was set as Sir Alf Ramsey's side hosted the 1966 edition.

By now, Charlton was the key man in the Three Lions team, and he showed his worth with the only goal in the win over Mexico and both goals in the semi-final against Portugal.

His displays helped him win the Ballon d'Or that year, capping off his rise to the top of the game just eight years after the Munich Disaster.

Chris Wilson

Bobby Charlton scored a match-winning brace against Portugal in the 1966 semi-finals (Getty Images)

21. Romario (Brazil)

World Cups played:1990, 1994
World Cup record:Winner, 1994
Games:10
Goals:5
Best moment:His semi-final header against Sweden broke the deadlock and booked Brazil's place in the final.

It remains a travesty that one of Brazil's great strikers effectively played only one World Cup, barely appearing in 1990 due to injury and being omitted from the squad in 1998 and 2002.

But Romario was the undoubted star of 1994, helped by sidekick Bebeto, scoring five goals as he led Brazil to glory.

Lawrence Ostlere

Romario was the star of Brazil's 1994 triumph (Getty)

20. Carlos Alberto (Brazil)

World Cups played:1970
World Cup record:Winner, 1970
Games:6
Goals:1
Clean sheets:1
Best moment: That goal in the 1970 final. A nine-pass move, the ball was laid on a plate by Pele to a marauding Alberto storming down the right and the captain struck a fierce 73mph shot, first-time, into the far corner. It was the icing on the cake, and Brazil were world champions for a third time.

In a team with astonishing technical ability and talent, Alberto was a dynamic leader who glued the famous Brazil 1970 World Cup squad together.

While he missed out on the 1966 squad, which crashed out in the group stages, and a knee injury ruled him out of the 1974 tournament, the tough-tackling and loud-mouthed Alberto played every minute of the 1970 run in Mexico.

His goal in the final is one of the most iconic moments in World Cup history, sealing a 4-1 triumph. Has a ball ever been struck quite so sweetly?

Kieran Jackson

Carlos Alberto (top far-left) was the captain of Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning team (Getty Images)

19. Andres Iniesta (Spain)

World Cups played:2006, 2010, 2014, 2018
World Cup record:Winner, 2010
Games:14
Goals:2
Best moment:There can only be one choice here. Outside Shakira's Waka Waka anthem, the enduring snapshot of the 2010 World Cup is the winning goal. Cesc Fabregas collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and slipped Iniesta in on the right. He took a touch, let the ball bounce, then smoked it past Maarten Stekelenburg in Spain's moment of glory. Iconic.

World Cups can be brutal. In three of Andres Iniesta's tournaments, Spain were truly woeful but in the fourth they were exceptional.

From 2008-2012, Spain were by far the best team in the world, and they earned that epitaph by winning the 2010 World Cup thanks to Iniesta's extra-time goal against the Netherlands.

That was the peak for Barcelona's influential midfielder but, alongside Xavi, he orchestrated Spain's tiki-taka route through the tournament with control, vision, pinpoint passing, and fluid movement all building to a crescendo in Johannesburg and a historic World Cup title.

Michael Jones

Andres Iniesta celebrates his 2010 World Cup final-winning goal (Getty)

18. Eusebio (Portugal)

World Cups played:1966
World Cup record:Semi-finals, 1966
Games:6
Goals:9
Best moment:Four goals against North Korea in the quarter-finals, Eusebio carried the weight of a nation on his shoulders at the 1966 World Cup, producing one of the finest individual campaigns at his only appearance in the tournament. Now regulars, Portugal qualified for the World Cup only twice in the 20th century, which shows what an outlier he was.

A double, including a lashed volley from an acute angle, against a Brazil side carrying an injured Pele dumped the defending champions out of the tournament, but it was the quarter-final against North Korea in which he produced his real star-turn.

Having fallen 3-0 behind, Eusebio struck four times in succession to turn the match and reach the semi-finals, where his tears after defeat to England became a defining image.

Harry Latham-Coyle

Eusebio leaving Wembley in tears after Portugal's semi-final loss to England was one of the defining images of the 1966 World Cup (Getty Images)

17. Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)

World Cups played:1998, 2002, 2006, 2010
World Cup record:Winners, 2006
Games:18
Clean sheets:9
Best moment:That night in the Westfalenstadion, charging out of defence deep in extra time, Cannavaro sparked Italy's late counter-attack and Alessandro Del Piero's goal that sealed their famous semi-final win over hosts Germany.

At 5ft 9in, Fabio Cannavaro was short for a centre-back. But in 2006, the Italy captain's peerless reading of the game and defensive instincts saw him stand out like a giant.

Italy only conceded twice that summer, despite fielding three different centre-back combinations. Cannavaro was the constant, a leader in every sense who saw the danger before it had even happened.

There is a reason he remains the last defender to have won the Ballon d'Or, an honour he received shortly after lifting the World Cup. He put his success down to three things: "Eating well, getting plenty of sleep and having sex."

Jamie Braidwood

Fabio Cannavaro lifts the World Cup for Italy in 2006 (Getty)

16. Jairzinho (Brazil)

World Cups played:1966, 1970, 1974
World Cup record:Winner, 1970
Games:16
Goals:9
Best moment:Scoring in the final of the 1970 World Cup to complete his famous feat of netting in every game.

One of the greatest wingers of all time, Jairzinho made history by scoring in every match of Brazil's famous 1970 glory, a feat overshadowed by Pele.

Speed, strength, flair and balance all blended to make him a deadly dribbler who could also run behind defences and finish with power.

Post Pele, Jairzinho was Brazil's best player in 1974 when they finished fourth in West Germany.

Lawrence Ostlere

Brazil's Jairzinho scored in every game of the 1970 World Cup (Getty)

15. Cafu (Brazil)

World Cups played:1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
World Cup record:Winner 1994, 2002
Games:19
Clean sheets:10
Best moment:Lifting the trophy as captain in 2002.

One of just two players to break the Pele-Maradona- Messi top-two dominance during the construction of our list, courtesy of my own No 2 pick, for which I got some stick... but Cafu is the only player ever to reach three straight finals, a remarkable stat.

Yes, he was a bit-part player as a 24-year-old in 1994, but he helped Brazil to survive extra time in that final versus Italy, before going on to captain his nation to glory in 2002.

Ten clean sheets from 19 games is another impressive stat, too.

Alex Pattle

Cafu was Brazil captain when the Selecao won the World Cup in 2002 (Getty Images)

Graphic by Lawrence Ostlere

14. Paolo Rossi (Italy)

World Cups played:1978, 1982, 1986
World Cup record:Winner, 1982
Games:14
Goals:9
Best moment:The hat-trick against Brazil jumps out, but delivering in a final immortalised Rossi. Setting up the third goal in the 1982 final settled nerves and almost started the Azzurri celebrations, but scoring the opener must rank as his greatest moment. Nobody was stopping him from bundling the ball home against Germany en route to a 3-1 win and a third star for the Azzurri.

If ever a player owned a tournament, it was Rossi in 1982, the torero (bullfighter) proved deadly in and around the box and was a genuine force for Italy en route to a third star on that iconic blue shirt.

The World Player of the Year in the same year, Rossi capitalised on mistakes with clinical finishing, the perfect combination with the majestic Italian defending that year through Claudio Gentile, Gaetano Scirea and more.

He also stood above some of the titans of the game in one of the all-time great games in which Italy beat Brazil 3-2 in the group stage.

Jack Rathborn

Paolo Rossi (right) was Italy's star player as they won the 1982 World Cup (Getty)

13. Bobby Moore (England)

World Cups played:1962, 1966, 1970
World Cup record:Winner, 1966
Games:14
Goals:0
Best moment:Becoming the only Englishman to lift the World Cup – after wiping his hands on his shorts so they were clean for the queen.

The perfectly-timed challenge on Jairzinho in 1970 may be the most famous World Cup tackle, but Moore shared two iconic scenes that day: there was also the England captain swapping shirts with Pele, in a gesture of mutual respect.

Four years earlier, there was the moment when some thought it was all over, when many were screaming for Moore to boot the ball out and he strolled forward, looked up, released Geoff Hurst and sent him clear for his hat-trick goal in the 1966 World Cup final. That was Moore in microcosm: a defender, but classy and creative, and with the enviable ability to make it all look easy.

Richard Jolly

Bobby Moore holding the World Cup in 1966 - the most famous photo in English football history (Central Press/AFP/Getty)

12. Lothar Matthaus (West Germany/Germany)

World Cups played:1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998
World Cup record:Winner, 1990
Games:25
Goals:6
Best moment:Lifting the World Cup in 1990 as West Germany captain following their penultimate match before German reunification

"He is the best rival I've ever had. I guess that's enough to define him." So said Diego Maradona of Lothar Matthaus.

That's some recommendation.

But if you still want more, the German powerhouse – who was the dictionary definition of a combative central midfielder – became the first outfield player to appear at five World Cups when he graced France '98 as a 37-year-old, held the record for most World Cup games played with 25 until being eclipsed by Lionel Messi and was the talismanic captain who hoisted the last World Cup trophy before West and East Germany reunited once more.

Luke Baker

Germany's Lothar Matthaus competed in five World Cups, winning the 1990 tournament (Getty Images)

11. Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)

World Cups played:1974
World Cup record:Runner-up, 1974
Games:7
Goals:3
Best moment:Though he finished as runner-up in his only World Cup, by far the Dutchman's best – or at least most iconic – moment came in the group stages against Sweden, when he produced the first ever 'Cruyff turn' on bewildered defender Jan Olsson.

Cruyff is one of the few players on this list never to win the game's biggest prize, but his performance at the 1974 World Cup has since gone down in history.

He was the Dutch side's leader as they brought 'Total Football' to the world stage, and while they fell at the last hurdle in losing the final 2-1 to West Germany, Cruyff and co. had done enough in their seven games to influence the sport for decades to come.

Chris Wilson

Johan Cruyff is the highest-ranked player in our list who did not win the World Cup (Getty Images)

10. Miroslav Klose (Germany)

World Cups played:2002, 2006, 2010, 2014
World Cup record:Champions, 2014
Games:24
Goals:16
Best moment:Record-breaking goal against Brazil in 2014

Klose embodies the profile of "World Cup striker" more than any, hence his title as the competition's all-time record goalscorer.

While never the flashiest, the Germany striker possessed potency that developed with age. He was the ultimate target man - his first five World Cup goals, including a hat-trick against South Korea, came with his head. A runners-up medal and two semi-final finishes came before lifting the title aged 36 in his last, record-breaking campaign in 2014; his historic 16th strike aptly coming in the similarly seismic 7-1 thrashing of Brazil.

Klose dominated the biggest stage to the point where his appreciation goes far beyond the footballing world. Just ask Rihanna .

Will Castle

Miroslav Klose scored his record-breaking goal in the 7-1 win against Brazil in 2014 (Getty)

9. Gerd Muller (West Germany)

World Cups played:1970, 1974
World Cup record:Winner, 1974
Games:13
Goals:14
Best moment:The winner in the 1974 final. It was classic Muller: the ability to sniff out space in a crowded box, the sharp turn, the precise finish.

In an age when goals became scarcer, no one told Gerd Muller. 'Der Bomber' went at better than a goal a game; for West Germany, with 68 in 62, and in World Cups, with 14 in 13.

Since the 1950s, only one player has got 10 in a tournament: Muller, in 1970. They were important goals, too: a quarter-final winner against England, a semi-final brace against Italy. In 1974, he scored in the de facto semi-final against Poland and the final decider against the Netherlands.

He is the only player to score in the final of the World Cup and the European Cup in the same year.

Richard Jolly

Gerd Muller (left) scored 14 goals in 13 World Cup appearances for West Germany (Getty Images)

8. Kylian Mbappe (France)

World Cups played:2018, 2022
World Cup record:Winner, 2018
Games:14
Goals:12
Best moment:His hat-trick in the 2022 final, specifically his stunning volley equaliser.

Contrary to his much-publicised shortcomings in his hunt for a Champions League title at club-level, what a sensational mark Mbappe has made in his first two World Cups.

From his 2018 debut at 19 - when he repeated two of Pele's feats: scoring two goals as a teenager in a World Cup match (against Lionel Messi's Argentina, no less) and scoring a goal in the final as a teenager - to his outstanding contribution to France's run to consecutive finals in 2022, nobody has frightened the life out of international defenders over the last decade quite like Mbappe.

A rapid turn of pace, pinpoint accuracy and composure beyond his years, Mbappe's hat-trick in the final in 2022 was a thing of beauty. How high would he already be on this list if the penalty shoot-out had gone France's way? How high could he be come 19 July this year?

Kieran Jackson

Kylian Mbappe's 2022 hat-trick in the final was one of the all-time great World Cup performances (PA Wire)

7. Garrincha (Brazil)

World Cups played:1958, 1962, 1966
World Cup record:winner 1958, 1962
Games:12
Goals:5
Best moment:Take your pick from either of the assists for Vava's goals in the 1958 final against Sweden.

The 'angel with the bent legs', Garrincha was born with one shorter than the other. Perhaps a physical uniqueness made him a mazy dribbler. Certainly defenders struggled to stop him.

He and Pele came into the Brazil team during the 1958 tournament, adding the extra dimension that won the Selecao their first World Cup. More than anyone, Garrincha won them their second; with Pele injured, he scored twice each in the quarter-final and semi-final; sent off then, he was allowed to play in the final.

He only lost one game in a Brazil shirt: in the 1966 tournament.

Richard Jolly

Astonishingly, Garrincha only lost one game in a Brazil shirt (Getty Images)

6. Zinedine Zidane (France)

World Cups played:1998, 2002, 2006
World Cup record:Winner, 1998
Games:12
Goals:5
Best moment:Two goals in the 1998 final

One of five players to score in multiple World Cup finals and among a dozen to find the net more than once in a single showdown, Zidane will instead be remembered for that headbutt, the final exasperating act of a dazzling career.

His performance in the '98 final on home turf to shock Brazil ensured he won that year's Ballon d'Or by a landslide, having also won the Champions League with Juventus.

But it was that outburst towards Marco Matterazzi eight years later, perhaps costing Les Bleus another world championship, which many will insist was his headline moment. Two decades on it remains football's most iconic red card; for some it tarnished his reputation, for others it only deepened their adoration of a flawed genius.

Alan Smith

A tale of two images: Zinedine Zidane scored twice in the 1998 final against Brazil... (Hulton Archive)

... but was sent-off for a head-butt on Italy's Marco Materazzi in the 2006 final (AFP/Getty)

5. Ronaldo (Brazil)

World Cups played:1994, 1998, 2002, 2006
World Cup record:Winner, 1994, 2002
Games:19
Goals:15

Best moment:Scoring twice in the 2002 World Cup final against Germany, completing one of football's great comebacks.

Ronaldo was close to his brilliant best at the 1998 World Cup, leading Brazil to the final, where his health became the story before kick-off.

It was a football tragedy which became a redemption story: knee injuries meant he was not the same player in 2002 but his two goals secured the World Cup for Brazil.

Three more goals in 2006 took his total tally to 15, surpassing Gerd Muller's record.

Lawrence Ostlere

Ronaldo scored the match-winning double against Germany in the 2002 final (Getty)

4. Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)

World Cups played:1966, 1970, 1974
World Cup record:winner 1974
Games:18
Goals:5
Best moment:One of only two men to win it as both captain and coach, so can you choose just one?

The most famous sweeper in footballing history, Beckenbauer nonetheless played in midfield in his first World Cup, scored four goals and was named in the team of the tournament; as he would be two more times.

He changed the 1970 quarter-final against England, dislocated his shoulder in the semi-final – and played on – and won the World Cup as captain in his native Munich in 1974.

The beaten finalists, the Dutch, had the reputation for Total Football but, more than virtually anyone else to play the game, Beckenbauer was a total footballer.

Richard Jolly

Franz Beckenbauer (left) celebrates the 1974 triumph with West Germany manager Helmut Schoen (Getty Images)

3. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

World Cups played:2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
World Cup record:Winner 2022, Runner-up 2014
Games:26
Goals:13
Best moment:His goal against Mexico in the 2022 group stage sparked Argentina to life after defeat in their opening game.

For many years, Messi's relationship with the World Cup was complicated and often uneasy.

He was barely used in 2006 despite some electric cameos; he failed to score in 2010 as Argentina toiled under Diego Maradona's chaotic coaching; and although he was excellent for much of the 2014 tournament, Messi couldn't overcome Germany in the final in Rio de Janeiro.

So when Argentina were knocked out of the 2018 tournament by France in the last-16, it seemed like Messi's World Cup dream might be over. But four years later, despite his advancing years, Messi was magical in Qatar, scoring crucial goals against Mexico and Australia and conjuring mesmerising assists against Croatia and the Netherlands, as his mission inspired Argentina to the final.

Messi scored seven goals in all and converted two penalties in shootouts, as Argentina finally triumphed; 36 years since Maradona's glory in Mexico and 16 years since Messi's own World Cup debut, his long pursuit of history was over.

Lawrence Ostlere

Lionel Messi lifts the World Cup in 2022 - his crowning moment (Getty Images)

2. Diego Maradona (Argentina)

World Cups played:1982, 1986, 1990, 1994
World Cup record:Winner, 1986
Games:21
Goals:8
Best moment:His "Goal of the Century" against England in 1986. Dribbling from his own-half, evading half of the England team before sitting down goalkeeper Peter Shilton and slotting into an empty net.

Where do we start? His first and last World Cups ended in ignominy, with a red card in 1982 as Argentina crashed out to Brazil and a failed drugs test in 1994, but we don't want to focus on that...

Instead, let's roll on to 1986: no World Cup has been associated with one man more than this one. Maradona, the captain, was sensational, scoring five goals and five assists.

Two of them, against England, epitomised the left-footed maestro: the first was the infamous "Hand of God", rising highest to beat Shilton to the ball with his hand, undetected by the referee. Five minutes later, that run, that shot, that moment. He scored two more in the semi-finals against Belgium, including another stunning solo run-and-finish, before a match-winning assist against West Germany in the final. Otherworldly displays.

At Italia '90, he was hampered by an ankle injury, unable to reach the meteoric heights of four years earlier. Argentina limped to the final via two penalty shoot-out wins before Germany got their revenge. Yet while he may just be a one-time champion, he will forever be scribed into footballing folklore with his performances at the World Cup.

Kieran Jackson

1. Pele (Brazil)

World Cups played:1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
World Cup record:Winner 1958, 1962, 1970
Games:14
Goals:12
Best moment:Scoring twice in the 1958 final to lead Brazil to their first World Cup glory.
READ: Why Pele had to be No 1 over Maradona and Messi

Pele remains the only man to have won three World Cups, and he was instrumental in two of those.

The 17-year-old became a superstar when he scored a hat-trick in the 1958 semi-final against France, televised to millions around the world, before scoring twice in the final to beat Sweden.

Pele was troubled by injury in 1962 and was kicked out of the 1966 World Cup, but he returned to be Brazil's star player once more in 1970, scoring one and making two – including Carlos Alberto's iconic strike – to beat Italy 4-1 in the final in Mexico City.

Pele's movement, skill, speed and imagination made him a unique talent, and he repeatedly summoned his best performances on the World Cup stage. Nobody has left such a clear imprint on multiple tournaments as Pele.

Lawrence Ostlere

Pele is the only player to win three World Cups (Getty Images)

Graphic by Lawrence Ostlere

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