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60. Clarence Seedorf
There’s no such thing as coincidence; certainly not when it comes to Seedorf being the only player to have won the Champions League with three different clubs. Whether for Ajax (1995), Real Madrid (1998) or Milan (2003 and 2007) the Dutchman was a consistent, composed midfield presence for every team he turned out for. Inconspicuous, maybe. Insignificant, never.
59. Gheorghe Hagi
“We were team-mates at Galatasaray in 1996, and he was one of the best left-footed players of all time. Gheorghe’s technique was just amazing, especially striking the ball. He could see three pictures ahead of anybody else on the pitch – a true general on the field.” Brad Friedel, FFT 287 (May 2018)
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58. Marcel Desailly
“With some central defenders, you’ll think, ‘he’s not strong’ or, ‘he’s not so quick’, but Desailly was virtually impossible to play against. I tried kicking him once and hurt my foot, which shows you what sort of game I had against him.” Michael Owen, FFT 157
57. Frank Lampard
His 177 Premier League goals (the fourth-highest total ever and two more than Thierry Henry) is ludicrous for a central midfielder – but Lampard was just as gifted at picking passes as he was at finding the onion bag, and remained remarkably consistent under myriad Chelsea managers with wildly different systems.
56. Ruud van Nistelrooy
Two-footed, majestic in the air and deadly in one-on-ones, the Dutchman was a nightmarish proposition for defenders. He was a poacher supreme, with just one of his 150 United goals coming from outside the area. But Ruud knew his strengths – hard graft and killer instinct – and exploited them to the limit.
55. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The hair, the ink, the regal ‘do I not amuse you?’ posturing and the third-person bon mots (“Zlatan doesn’t do auditions”) makes it hard to separate footballer from myth. But we’d still be hailing a great: an intimidating physical presence married to speed, technique, artistry and acrobatic finishes.
LONG READ The making of Zlatan – friends and foes reveal the rise behind the legend
54. Robert Lewandowski
The Polish forward has always been effective but for Bayern he’s been on another planet: 125 Bundesliga goals from 152 games, giving him a frankly silly strike rate of 0.82. Lew is mainly a penalty-box fox, but his pace, positioning and lethal finishing combine to form the ultimate modern marksman.
53. Rio Ferdinand
Ferdinand was at the vanguard of transforming how English players defend. While never shying away from a good battle, he went about his work in a European style: snuffing out danger quietly rather than through crunching tackles, and was a limousine of a player cruising upfield. Imperious.
52. Andriy Shevchenko
“Football chose me. Destiny pushed me in the direction of football and that’s why I’m here today. I was meant to be a footballer. I was always told patience is the best of virtues, and that you will achieve your goals as long as you work very hard.” FFT 127
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51. Alessandro Nesta
“Quite simply, he’s the best defender in Italy, and that’s saying something. He’s quick and tall – two vital things for a centre-back – he puts his opponents under pressure all the time and has a quality touch with a ball at his feet.” Roberto Carlos, FFT 119 (July 2004)
50. Alan Shearer
“Watch these and study what Shearer does,” said Juventus boss Marcello Lippi, presenting his forward line with some video homework, after Newcastle beat Juventus in the 2002/03 Champions League. The Premier League’s record marksman – and lover of creosote – really was that good at his late-90s peak that Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet and Marcelo Salas had to study him. Nuff said.
49. Cafu
“An incredible athlete and warrior on the field, and a sincere and kind man off it. He is strong and powerful, and he possesses exceptional technique. Cafu’s runs from defence resulted in numerous goals, and his jokes helped to ease the pressure during training and in matches.” Andriy Shevchenko, FFT 195
BIG INTERVIEW Cafu: "It's true that Milan were celebrating at half-time against Liverpool in Istanbul"
48. Roy Keane
“Roy dictates the pace of play. He’s a great tackler and he starts attacks, passes with metronomic accuracy and works tirelessly. When things are tough, as they were in the 1999 Champions League semi-final in Turin, Keaney gets going.” Teddy Sheringham, FFT 93 (May 2002)
YEAR ZERO The making of Roy Keane (Nottingham Forest, 1992/93)
47. Patrick Vieira
“Vieira had non-stop energy and athleticism, mixed with a delicate touch. He was a real presence and he couldn’t half tackle. I can remember standing in the tunnel, looking up at him and then thinking, ‘What am I going to do with you today?’ A monster of a player.” Danny Murphy, FFT 235
46. Matthias Sammer
For two years in the ’90s, he was king of Europe. Oozing class in a libero role at Euro ‘96, Sammer scooped Player of the Tournament as Germany were crowned champions. He was Die Mannschaft’s heartbeat, and 12 months later would captain Borussia Dortmund to Champions League glory too.
45. Peter Schmeichel
Manchester United’s 1990s dominance could not have happened without the Dane’s bear-like presence. One of the all-time goalkeeping greats, he left United in the best possible way – with the Treble. And, not content with dominating his own area, Schmeichel even scored 11 goals in his career.
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44. Arjen Robben
Knowing what Robben will do is one thing – stopping it is another. He perfected the art of cutting inside and finding the net, and scored the winner in the 2013 Champions League Final – one of nearly 150 goals he hit for Bayern Munich. He would be higher on this list but for injury; his arrival was key to Chelsea’s first title in 50 years.
BIG INTERVIEW Arjen Robben: 'They called me the "man of glass" – but I had the last laugh'
43. Pavel Nedved
The midfielder’s blond locks made him a style icon as well as one of the finest talents of his generation. A superlative passer, gliding across the pitch, Nedved helped his country to the Euro ‘96 final and Lazio to their only Scudetto since 1974 – then won the Ballon d’Or as a Juventus player in 2003. Also: the hair...
42. Javier Zanetti
The Tractor seemed to play on forever: with 1,114 career matches (mostly for Inter), he’s seventh on the list of all-time appearances. How did he do it? Through versatility, unparalleled consistency and maximising his abilities with an ultra-diligent approach to training every single day.
BIG INTERVIEW Javier Zanetti – "The free-kick against England? We'd practised it for four years!"
41. Carles Puyol
“We met as teenagers, and it gave me great joy to see him turn into a huge player. He was strong and worked hard, but a Barcelona legend? No chance. Then he proved us all wrong! He was everything to Barça and the heartbeat of their success.” Luis Garcia, FFT 249 & FFT 280
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