Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo is often regarded as one of the best footballers to have ever played the game and his performances over the better part of a decade have only helped in reinforcing that belief among football fans. Ronaldo grew up in Madeira, Portugal but after graduating from the youth set up at Sporting CP he was immediately snapped up by English club Manchester United after his talent as a winger was spotted by their legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo spent six years at Manchester United and that was where he developed his game as a skillful, quick, lethal winger who could score goals and create opportunities for his team mates. He won plenty of trophies for Manchester United and also shone for the Portugual before he moved to Real Madrid as the world's most expensive player. At Real Madrid he has broken some of the most important goal scoring record that had stood for many years and also led the club to important trophies. Ronaldo is also the captain of the Portuguese national team and led them to the semifinals of the European Championships in the year 2012. He has also won plenty of individual awards that have further cemented his status as one of the world's premier footballers.
Lionel Messi is an Argentine former professional footballer counted amongst the best players in the world in football history. The only player in history to win five FIFA Ballons d'Or, he was also the first player to win three European Golden Shoes. During his playing career he shattered many world records and currently holds the records for most goals scored in La Liga, a La Liga season (50), a calendar year (91), a single season (73), and a Champions League match (5), among several others. Born into a football-loving family in central Argentina, he developed a passion for the sport at an early age and spent his childhood playing football with his brothers. He joined the youth team of Newell's Old Boys as a young boy and began playing for FC Barcelona's under-14 team when he was 13. Having made his competitive debut as a 17 year old, Messi quickly established himself as an integral player for the Barcelona club. His first big success came in the 2008“09 season, during which he helped Barcelona achieve the first treble in Spanish football. Over the ensuing years he proceeded to establish himself as Barcelona's all-time top scorer in official competitions and is also Argentina's all-time leading goalscorer with 55 goals in 112 matches. He retired in 2016 following Argentina's loss to Chile in the Copa América Centenario final. But, soon a campaign began to urge him to change his mind and Messi later on reversed his decision.
Superstar forward who starred for Santos from 2009 to 2013 and FC Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 before joining Paris Saint-Germain. He debuted with the Brazilian national team in 2010 and won the South American Footballer of the Year Award in 2011 and 2012.
David Robert Joseph Beckham is a former English professional football player. During his playing days, he became one of the most famous footballers in the world owing to his successful stints at some of the most famous clubs in the world and also for his skills as a midfielder that elevated him above the levels of many of his contemporaries. Beckham started off as a footballer in his home town of London and played for some local clubs before he entered the training scheme for young players at Manchester United. At Manchester United, David Beckham tasted success as the club went on an unprecedented winning spree through the mid and late 1990s. He won the coveted ˜treble' with Manchester United and became one of their most famous players before going on to play for Real Madrid, AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy in the United States. David Beckham was also an integral part of the supposed ˜Golden Generation' of England national football team and captained the team for a major part of his career; however the team did not taste the success that was expected of it. Beckham has also been one of the biggest faces in the endorsement industry and has consistently been ranked among the richest footballers in the world throughout his career.
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, he scored 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches, and was voted Football Player of the Century by the IFFHS in 1999. He is considered by many to be the greatest soccer player of all-time.
Alex Morgan is an accomplished American soccer player who has achieved several feats including the Olympics Gold Medal in 2012 and the FIFA Women's World Cup with her team in 2015. She started her youth soccer with ˜Cypress Elite' and then played for ˜California Golden Bears' during college studies. She was drafted numero uno by ˜Western New York Flash' during 2011 WPS Draft and she went on to contribute to the team's league championship win. Over the years, she has played for several clubs including ˜Portland Thorns FC' and ˜West Coast FC'. During 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, she became youngest player of the US women's national soccer team, where she presently plays as a forward. She scored the game-winning goal against Canada during semi-final of 2012 London Olympics. She achieved the feat of scoring 28 goals and collecting 21 assists in 2012, becoming the youngest US player to score 20 goals in a year. That year she was named US Soccer Female Athlete of the Year. Presently, a forward for ˜Orlando Pride' and ˜Olympique Lyonnais', she has also garnered recognition for her off-the-field pursuits including writing a four-book series and featuring in TV, magazines, and endorsements.
Striker known as The Phenomenon who won World Cup titles with Brazil in 1994 and 2002, and in 2006. He held the record for most goals scored in World Cup play with 15 until <a title='Miroslav Klose' href='/famous/miroslav-klose.htm'>Miroslav Klose</a> scored his 16th in 2014. He played for 7 different club teams, most notably Inter Milan and Real Madrid, and he received the Ballon d'Or in 1997 and 2002.
Star Swedish striker who played for Paris Saint-Germain FC from 2012 until 2016, when he joined Manchester United. In 2018, he joined the LA Galaxy. He previously played for FC Barcelona, AC Milan, and Inter Milan.
Mohamed Salah is an Egyptian footballer who plays as a forward for the Egyptian national team as well as the Premier League club ˜Liverpool.' Born and brought up in Gharbia, Egypt, he is a gifted footballer since his childhood. He started his career with the youth team of the Egyptian club ˜El Mokawloon.' Soon, his transition happened to the club's senior team in the ˜Egyptian Premier League' in 2010. In 2012, he transferred to the Swiss football club, ˜FC Basel'. He played an important role in Basel's victory in the 2012-13 ˜Swiss Championship' and the 2013 ˜Uhren cup.' In January 2014, he transferred to ˜Chelsea,' becoming the first ever Egyptian player to play with Chelsea. Subsequently, he played for ˜Roma' and ˜Fiorentina' (on loan) before signing a new contract with ˜Liverpool' in 2017. In 2017, he was named the ˜African Footballer of the Year' by BBC and CAF.
Midfielder who has played for both Manchester United and Juventus. He joined the French national team in 2013 and helped the team win the World Cup in 2018.
Harry Edward Kane is an English professional footballer who presently plays for the English national football team and the ˜Premier League' club ˜Tottenham Hotspur,' as a striker. He began his football career with ˜Ridgeway Rovers' and joined the ˜Arsenal' youth academy thereafter. He had a stint with ˜Ridgeway Rovers' again, after which he played for the ˜Watford' academy, before joining the ˜Tottenham Hotspur' academy. His first professional contract with ˜Tottenham Hotspur' was finalized in July 2010, and his first-team debut for the club was in a ˜UEFA Europa League' match in August 2011. ˜Tottenham' loaned him to ˜Leyton Orient,' ˜Millwall,' ˜Leicester City,' and ˜Norwich City,' before he could make a mark for himself in the first-team of the club. Kane has achieved several feats with the club, including finishing as the top scorer of the 2015“2016 and the 2016“17 seasons of the ˜Premier League,' being named the ˜Premier League Player of the Month' six times, being included in the ˜PFA Team of the Year' thrice, receiving the ˜Premier League Golden Boot' twice, and becoming the ˜PFA Young Player of the Year' once. He began representing England at the ˜Under-17' level and moved on to make his senior international debut in a ˜UEFA Euro 2016' qualifying match in March 2015.
Star forward who became one of Manchester United's all-time top scorers and led the club to 5 Premier League titles between 2007 and 2013. In 2017, he left Manchester United to return to Everton FC.
Ronaldinho is a Brazilian footballer considered to be one of the best players of his generation. A player regarded for his technique, tricks, overhead kicks, and dribbling, he was a member of Brazil's 2002 World Cup winning team. Playing in his very first World Cup, in 2002, he scored the game-winning score in a quarter-final victory over England. Along with Ronaldo and Rivaldo, he was a part of the attacking trio that made the Brazilian team one of the most formidable ones in international football. Born as the son of a small-time footballer, Ronaldinho developed an early interest in the game and started playing in the youth club matches by the time he was eight. He first caught the media's attention when as a 13 year old he scored all 23 goals in a 23“0 victory against a local team. Identified as a rising star, he made his senior side debut during the 1998 Copa Libertadores and eventually signed a five-year contract with French side Paris Saint-Germain in 2001. He was a member of the Brazilian squad in the World Cup 2002 and played an active role in helping his team clinch the championship. He later on joined the FC Barcelona of the Spanish league and achieved great success over the next few years, winning back-to-back FIFA World Player of the Year awards in 2004 and 2005
When someone plays for one of the biggest football clubs on the planet, there is understandably much curiosity surrounding them among the fans. And if that player attracts the highest transfer fee in the history of the game, then you know that we are talking about none other than the charismatic Welsh and Real Madrid footballer, Gareth Frank Bale. Renowned throughout the world for his speed and accuracy, Bale has carved a niche for himself playing in a club that boasts of only the top players in the world. The Real Madrid star has been playing professional football for more than a decade now and has astonished millions of people with his skills. A player of the big matches, Bale has won several awards and honors in his very illustrious career. Playing alongside some of the biggest names in the world at the moment, he has not let them overshadow his talent by playing brilliant football whenever he is on the field.
Colombian attacking midfielder and winger who won the Golden Boot Award at the 2014 World Cup after tallying 6 goals in the tournament. In 2017, he joined Bayern Munich on loan from Real Madrid, whom he originally started playing for in 2014. He debuted for the Colombian national team in 2011.
Mesut Ozil is a renowned German footballer who shot to fame when he was selected as one of the nominees for the ˜Golden Ball Award' in FIFA World Cup 2010. Mesut also earned acclaim and commendation from all quarters for playing a key role in the final fixture of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in which Germany became the world champions after trouncing Argentina. Ozil, who has been part of the German national squad since 2009 presently plays for Arsenal, an English football club. His professional career began to take root when he was picked up as one of team members to represent-˜Schalke'”his native club”in the 2006 edition of Bundesliga, the German national league. After his scintillating performance in the FIFA World Cup 2010 held in South Africa, he was roped in by the celebrated Spanish soccer club Real Madrid to represent the side in club championships. However, in 2013, he was transferred to Arsenal for a whopping fee of £42.5 million. Mesut who plays as a midfielder is noted for his aggressive playing style, and numerous footballers and coaches has seen in him shades of Zinedine Zidane, the legendary French footballer.
French soccer player who joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan from Monaco in 2017. During his 2016-2017 regular season, he scored a total of 14 goals for Monaco. He became a prominent member of the French national team, helping lead the team to a World Cup Championship in 2018.
Eden Hazard is a Belgian professional footballer who is currently signed to Chelsea F.C. and plays for the Belgian national team. He plays in the midfield position and is known for his offensive play style. He has earned the respect of his opponents who often describe him as "a superb passer" and "a defender's nightmare". Born to footballer parents, he started playing football at a very young age, sneaking into the adjacent Royal Stade Brainois playing ground one day from their backyard without telling anyone at home. His parents learnt about this only after the coach showed up at their home to praise the young boy's talent. He soon started practicing regularly to become a professional player. Even though his first competitive game at the age of ten against a girls' team ended up in a disastrous 5-0 loss, he made his way into Lille's first team at the age of 16. He eventually earned a place into the Chelsea team and raised himself to the levels of Ballon d'Or winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo with exceptional ball control and immense pace.
Luis Suarez is the star striker of the Uruguayan national soccer team who went on to play for Ajax and Liverpool before he joined the Spanish giants FC Barcelona. He came into prominence for all the wrong reasons including biting Italian defender, <a title='Giorgio Chiellini' href='/famous/giorgio-chiellini.htm'>Giorgio Chiellini</a>, during a world cup match in 2014. However, he is still considered to be one of the best strikers in the world and has been the European Top Scorer and winner of the ˜Golden Boot' award twice. His aggressive nature on the field has been attributed to his harsh upbringing, ridden with poverty, and a broken family where his father walked out leaving his mother to bring up seven siblings. His childhood sweetheart, whom he eventually married, has been his saving grace that had a positive bearing on his life and put him back on track. Today he is one of the highest paid footballers in the world with a net worth estimated at over $ 40 million.
Steven Gerrard is a former English professional footballer who played for Liverpool FC and the England national team as a central midfielder. Following his retirement from professional football, he started his career as an academy coach at Liverpool. He spent most of his 18-year-long career playing for Liverpool, and has been the captain of his club team for over a decade. By the time he left Liverpool to play for LA Galaxy, he became the third player ever to achieve 500 or more Premier League appearances for one club. He has also served as the captain of the England national team for some time. He has played 114 matches for England, the fourth most after Peter Shilton, Wayne Rooney and David Beckham. One of the best midfielders of his time, he has scored a total of 125 goals during his senior club career and 21 goals for his national team. Outside football, he has documented his personal and professional journey in two ghost-written autobiographies, 'Gerrard: My Autobiography' and 'My Story'. He has also made an appearance in the British sports drama film 'Will'.
Argentinian forward who joined Manchester City in 2011 after scoring 74 goals in 175 appearances for Atletico Madrid between 2006 and 2011. He debuted for the Argentinian national team in 2006.
Winger who made his professional debut in 2009 with Real Sociedad and joined the French national team in 2014. After five years with Real Sociedad, he became a member of Atletico Madrid in 2014. He won the 2018 World Cup with France.
Member of the Argentina national team who began playing striker for Juventus in 2015. He became well known for his excellent dribbling skills and control in limited space.
Bamidele Jermaine Alli, also known as Dele Alli, is an English professional footballer. He started his professional career with ˜MK Dons' and is presently with ˜Tottenham Hotspur.' He was born into a broken family and was raised by foster parents. However, he fought against all odds to fulfil his dream of becoming a professional footballer. He has represented the English ˜Under-17,' ˜Under 18,' ˜Under 19,' and ˜Under 21' teams and is presently a member of the English senior national team. He was approached to play for his father's native country, Nigeria, but could not do so because of his commitments with the English team. His professional career started with the youth team of ˜City Colts,' after which he spent a considerable time with ˜Milton Keynes Dons' (MK Dons), till he was transferred to ˜Tottenham Hotspur.' He has consistently been named the ˜Young Player of the Year' and has figured in the ˜PFA Team of the Year' since 2014. Due to his strained relationship with his parents, he has dropped his surname Alli from his jersey and now goes by just Dele. His girlfriend, Ruby Mae, has been a major influence on his personal life and is a source of inspiration for him.