With an estimated 3.5 billion fans worldwide, football (or soccer) is undoubtedly the most popular sport on the planet. Nothing else comes close. And one of the reasons we love it so much? The superstars who have graced pitches all around the globe, from Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro to London, Paris, Madrid and beyond – the players who get us off our seats and entertain and excite us every time they pull on their shirts and lace up their boots; the ones who remind us why we fell in love with the beautiful game in the first place. We worship them, we wear their names on our backs and, when we take to the pitch, we try to be them.
WELCOME
JUDE BELLINGHAM • From Birmingham to the Bernabéu, Bellingham’s living the dream and still got the world at his feet
PAOLO MALDINI • The legendary defender was a mainstay of one of Europe’s greatest clubs
LIONEL MESSI • Against all the odds, a tiny Argentine became the greatest of all time – and inspired millions
ALISSON BECKER • Liverpool and Brazil’s man between the sticks
SON HEUNG-MIN • One of the greatest Asian footballers of all time, Son is one of the Premier League’s shining lights
TOP 10 MANAGERS • Meet the game changers who won trophies without ever kicking a ball for their successful sides
RONALDO • At his peak perhaps the deadliest goalscorer in history, O Fenômeno is still held as the gold standard for strikers
ANTOINE GRIEZMANN • Growing into one of the best players of a generation, Griezmann is always a man for the big occasion
JOHAN CRUYFF • Perhaps the most innovative player the game has ever seen, this free-flowing Dutchman introduced the world to Total Football
ADA HEGERBERG • The free-scoring Norwegian dynamo continues to leave her mark both on and off the pitch
VICTOR OSIMHEN • The Lion of Africa, Victor Osimhen is one of the most dangerous strikers on Earth
ERLING HAALAND • A frightening combination of pace, strength and finishing ability has propelled Norway’s goalscoring ‘Terminator’ to the very top
TOP 10 GOALKEEPERS • Agility, composure and spectacular saves made these players a reliable last line of defence
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ • Since bursting onto the scene as a teenager, Mbappé has been one of the most thrilling footballers in the world
MIA HAMM • This icon of the women’s game is a true trailblazer, giving the new generation a hero to look up to
PELÉ • If there’s a name synonymous with football, it’s Pelé – Brazil’s ‘king’ and the sport’s first global icon
BUKAYO SAKA • Saka stepped into the Arsenal team as a teenager and has gone on to become a world-class winger
ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI • The Polish goal machine has found the back of the net for fun, wherever he’s playing
KEVIN DE BRUYNE • Manchester City’s Belgian superstar overcame some early setbacks to become one of the world’s leading midfielders
TOP 10 DEFENDERS • From rapid wing-backs to canny sweepers, get up close with the most dependable defenders in world football
CRISTIANO RONALDO • From humble beginnings, CR7 would work harder than anyone to become an all-time great
RONALDINHO • An entertainer like no other, Ronaldinho bewitched and bewildered like few have ever managed
DIEGO MARADONA • Adored, abhorred but never ignored, Maradona was an icon whose legacy is still alive today
XAVI HERNÁNDEZ • Barcelona and Spain’s pass master won it all and helped define an entire way of playing
TOP 10 MIDFIELDERS • Meet the midfield maestros who boss the game from the middle of the park
MARTA • Often regarded as the female GOAT, Marta is an icon that transcends gender for what...
