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The 10 greatest footballers of all time

The beautiful game has seen some exceptionally talented players displaying their skills in the last century. They have never failed to make fans, analysts and sports betting enthusiasts smile. Making a top ten list is always hard to do in any sport, and the same holds true in football. If you are a fan of soccer betting, you may already have some thoughts as to the best players, and a list that helps you work out your picks. Most lists tend to favor strikers, for it is they who are noticed and worshipped by the fans. Hard working midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers are often not given their due. We have tried to be as fair as possible while making this list, and phew, it was indeed difficult to shortlist ten. Here you go!

  1. Pele - Edson Arantes Dos Nascimento makes it to the top of the lists of many fans and pundits, and this one is no different. King Pele was a joy to watch and had everything that a coach would have wanted in a striker- a powerful foot, a good header of the ball, blistering pace and great dribbling and passing skills. He is the only player till date to have won 3 World Cup medals. He is also the youngest ever goal scorer in a World Cup, as well as the youngest to score a hat trick at the quadrennial event. He scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for the Brazilian national team and racked up over 500 goals for Santos. The man was a genius, and it is highly unlikely that somebody of his quality will ever grace the football pitch again.
  2. Diego Maradona - If there is one person who has always been a rival to Pele for the title of greatest footballer ever, it is Diego Armando Maradona. The short Argentine, like Pele was also born in the month of October. Widely acknowledged as one of the best ever players that the Albicelestes have produced, Maradona is best remembered for his performances in the 1986 World Cup. He single handedly dribbled past five English players after picking up the ball in his own half and sent it past Peter Shilton in the quarterfinal against the Three Lions. The Goal of the Century, as that Maradona special is better known, is something that the Argentines take pride in even today. He spearheaded Argentina's 1986 World Cup triumph, leading from the front with five goals and five assists to his name. He shared FIFA's Player of the Century award with Pele.
  3. Johann Cruyff - The Dutch have given us some brilliant players, and Johann Cruyff is certainly up there with the best. Cruyff is remembered as one of the best exponents of the Total Football philosophy invented by Rinus Michels. Although he was a centre forward, he would often drop to the wings or move deeper back to confuse his markers. Cryuff is said to have possessed one of the best footballing brains of his generation. His ability to think and execute moves that others would not have dreamt of attempting makes him an even more special man. He was also a huge success as a manager later in his life. Many of Cryuff's compatriots, including Franz Beckenbauer, have rated him as the finest European footballer ever.
  4. Alfredo Di Stefano - Real Madrid's all time highest scorer with 216 goals in 262 games was an extremely versatile forward who played international football for three nations- Argentina, Spain and Colombia. Ferenc Puskas and he were a deadly combination upfront, and much of Real Madrid's success in the 50's and 60's can be attributed to him.
  5. Franz Beckenbauer - Germany's greatest footballer of all time is the first non attacking player to appear in this list. He scored 14 goals in 103 appearances for West Germany, an excellent statistic for a defender. He is the only player to win the World Cup both as captain and coach. Many credit Beckenbauer with the invention of the modern sweeper's role. Der Kaiser was truly an emperor on the pitch.
  6. Lev Yashin - Voted as the best goalkeeper of the 20th Century by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, Lev Yashin was an imposing figure in goal with his all black outfit. Till date, he is the only goalkeeper to win the European Footballer of the Year award. He stayed loyal to Dynamo Moscow all throughout his career. Yashin's reflexes and shot stopping ability were nothing short of extraordinary. With a reported 480 clean sheets and 150 saved penalty kicks in his career, it hardly comes as a surprise that FIFA's best goalkeeper award is named after him.
  7. Ferenc Puskas - One of the most famous faces of the Magical Magyars team that dominated European football in the 1950's, Ferenc Puskas also plied his trade for Spanish giants Real Madrid. With a left foot that would have goalkeepers trembling the moment it came into contact with the ball, Puskas ranks as one of the greatest strikers of all time, scoring an astonishing 84 goals in 85 games for Hungary. The Galloping Major had 514 goals in 529 games in his spells with Honv-d and Real Madrid. The stats speak for themselves, don't they?
  8. George Best - Rejected by Glentoran and signed by Manchester United, George Best was a Northern Ireland star who made news, both on and off the football pitch. With his long hair, good looks and talent on the pitch, Best was an instant hit with the press. The Belfast boy is best remembered for his two goals against Benfica in a European Cup quarterfinal match in 1966. A local saying tells us this about his talent - "Maradona good, Pele better, George best." His inability to contain his drinking problem curtailed his career and ultimately lead to his death.
  9. Eusebio - If Pele was the star of the '58 World Cup, Eusebio was certainly the best player on view in the 1966 edition. He top scored with nine goals, three of which came in Portugal's amazing 5-3 win quarterfinal against North Korea. The Black Panther's speed and accuracy during the tournament were appreciated by one and all, but Portugal unfortunately went out at the hands of eventual winners England. He scored 317 goals for Benfica in a career spanning a decade and a half, and is their all time record scorer.Another player whom you could bank upon to score if you were into football betting.
  10. Michel Platini - One of France's greatest players and three times European Player of the Year, Michel Platini completes this list. Zinedine Zidane, France's best player in the last decade always chose to be Platini when he played with his friends. Platini scored 41 times in 72 appearances for the Les Bleus and also captained them to their first ever European Championship title in 1984. He started his career with AS Nancy and ended it with Juventus. He is also the current UEFA president, the governing body of the sport in Europe.

There are many great players, both past and present. Next time you are reading football odds, consider the team you will be betting on. Online sports betting is a very popular hobby these days, and you could really increase your soccer betting success with a little knowledge of the players that make up the teams that you like to place bets on.

If you find the thought of watching the entire lifetime of a line, following the betting odds, and getting the chance to jump in on a big line movement exciting, then half time betting is for you. Even if you prefer the slower and more methodical pace of regular bets, don't dismiss the idea totally. Remember, it's a game of two halves!