Big moments have come through the greatest stage of the game. Apart from producing winners, the FIFA World Cup is famous for creating football legends. It has produced the likes of Pelé in the 1950s and Lionel Messi in 2022 whose prowess has been a national symbol of pride, especially considering that their victories have influenced generations of fans. While there are endless debates concerning who the greatest FIFA World Cup players of all time are, some players have become famous owing to their achievements during the FIFA World Cup. These individuals made a difference when it mattered most.
Apart from winning the FIFA World Cup trophy, these players came from different backgrounds and even introduced new tactics and styles in the field. In addition, the players played memorable matches even without clinching the coveted trophy. Overall, their feats have contributed to the rich history of the FIFA World Cup through goals, leadership and exemplary performances.
1. Pelé
Pelé is the standard for success in the World Cup. The famous Brazilian has bagged three FIFA World Cups in the years 1958, 1962 and 1970, an achievement that has not been duplicated by any other player. In the tournament, he netted 12 goals in 14 games. At the tender age of 17, Pelé was the hero of the 1958 World Cup with six goals, two in the finals game. Pelé has also played an important role in helping Brazil win the 1970 World Cup.
2. Diego Maradona
Maradona produced one of the most influential World Cup campaigns ever in 1986. He guided Argentina to the title almost single-handedly. His famous “Goal of the Century” against England showed his balance, control and creativity. In the same game, he also scored the controversial “Hand of God” goal. Across four World Cups, Maradona played 21 matches and scored eight goals. His leadership and personality made him a national icon in Argentina.
3. Lionel Messi
The story of Messi in football ended with his team’s victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He managed to become the first player in history who was able to score in all knockout games of the same tournament. In addition, Messi won the award of the Golden Ball twice – in 2014 and 2022. Messi made 26 appearances at the World Cup tournaments scoring 13 goals.
4. Johan Cruyff
Football was revolutionized by Cruyff through tactics and athleticism. The Dutch midfielder led his country to the finals of the 1974 World Cup and served as the poster boy for the Total Football system. He found the back of the net a total of 33 times across 48 international games. Though Cruyff could never win the coveted World Cup trophy, no one compares to him when it comes to football ideology.
5. Franz Beckenbauer
Beckenbauer brought authority and elegance to defending. He captained West Germany to the 1974 World Cup title and later coached the team to another triumph in 1990. Across 103 international appearances, he scored 14 goals despite playing in defence. His ability to control matches from deep positions changed the role of defenders in modern football.
6. Ronaldo Nazário
Also nicknamed “The Phenomenon”, Ronaldo revolutionized the position of a striker. He won the World Cup twice for Brazil in 1994 and 2002. Despite being seriously injured, Ronaldo came back to net eight times during the 2002 championship and helped Brazil defeat Germany in the final by scoring twice. In total, Ronaldo managed to net 15 goals in the World Cup after playing 19 matches.
7. Miroslav Klose
Klose became football’s ultimate World Cup specialist. The German striker scored 16 World Cup goals, the highest total in tournament history. He found the net in four consecutive tournaments between 2002 and 2014. Klose also lifted the trophy with Germany in 2014. His positioning and efficiency made him one of the competition’s most reliable goal scorers.
8. Lothar Matthäus
Consistency and Leadership were the keywords of Matthäus. He was the only footballer who played in five FIFA World Cups and scored a record of 25 goals in the World Cups. The midfielder was an important member of West Germany that won the 1990 FIFA World Cup, and he contributed 23 goals in 150 appearances.
9. Ferenc Puskás
In the 1950s, Puskas was the captain of the famed Hungarian team known as the “Mighty Magyars.” In 85 appearances for Hungary, he found the back of the net 84 times, and he was one of the best strikers to ever play in Europe. Hungary won their way to the World Cup final, where they met their first loss of the decade.
10. Zinedine Zidane
The elegance of Zidane was accompanied by his leadership qualities. In 1998, he guided France to its first world cup trophy by scoring two times in the final match with Brazil. In 2006, he was awarded the world cup player of the tournament even after losing the finals with Italy. His record for France stands at 31 goals in 108 games and later enjoyed major success as a coach with Real Madrid.
