Ranking the 10 Best Soccer Strikers of All Time

Football is a sport where the strikers are the most discussed players. They are the ones who make the game entertaining, scoring heaps of goals, often using tricks, skills and intelligent finishing. Across the centuries, the sport has been blessed with many strikers who have influenced the way the game is played and have provided some of the best memories to millions of its followers. With all of these in mind, we have ranked the top ten strikers of all time using the following ranking factors.

But what separates these legends from ordinary goal scorers is their legacy and consistency. These players didn’t care much about records or stats; for them, all that mattered was to perform for their team. They played under immense pressure and pain, but turned it all into a motivational factor to move ahead. From Pele’s graceful dribbling to Gerd Muller’s finishing, we have included some of the best soccer strikers in our list. Now. Let’s take a look at it:

Ranking Factors

Performance: A player becomes truly exceptional when he performs under pressure. It is those moments that will be forever etched into the hearts of billions and it is these moments that make the best strikers in soccer.

Consistency: The second parameter we consider to rank the best soccer strikers in the world is their consistency throughout their careers.

Contributions to Team Success: Goals mean little without team success. Additional recognition is always given to strikers whose goals helped team to lift silverware.

Best Soccer Strikers of All Time

10. Jimmy Greaves

A prolific goal-scorer whose name faded away because of recency bias, Greaves was outstanding. The things he did with those old footballs, which felt like they were made of rock, were insane. The technique required to generate the power and curve he got is on another level from what we see today, making him one of the best soccer strikers in the world.

With six golden boots in England’s top division and being the record goal scorer for Tottenham Hotspur until Harry Kane arrived, Greaves is not just a Tottenham legend, he is a football legend.

9. Marco van Basten

Arguably the best striker the Netherlands has ever produced, van Basten was a phenomenon. He was Milan’s superstar who played a pivotal role in the club winning consecutive European Cups and on the international level, he helped the Dutch clinch their only ever EURO title in 1988, making him one of the best soccer strikers in the world.

By the age of 27, he had almost 400 goal contributions and 3 Ballon d’or awards, which is arguably at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Marco van Basten will always be remembered as a big “What if?” But his achievements in his short span of his career alone makes him an all-time great.

8. Robert Lewandowski

A goal-scoring machine, Lewandowski has been an inspiration. Coming from a country that does not usually dominate the sport, Lewandowski’s start at Dortmund was a bit of a joke, with the striker getting ridiculed for his constant misses. But he persisted on, became a menace at Dortmund and after moving to Bayern Munich, he made consistency look so easy, often sweeping up the best goalscorer awards with ease. Now he is continuing his legacy at FC Barcelona, a move that was initially criticised when people doubted that he won’t be able to replicate his achievements, making him one of the soccer best strikers.

His movement is elite, often getting into positions that other strikers do not get into and scoring goals with precise finishing. His 19/20 season is arguably the greatest ever season a striker could achieve, but unfortunately, he did not receive any recognition for it as the Ballon d’Or event was cancelled for that year. Nevertheless, Lewandowski’s legacy will always be remembered for the achievements he’s gotten, the records that he’s broken and the memories he’s etched into the hearts of millions. He has etched his name as one of the best soccer strikers in football history.

7. Ronaldo

Nicknamed “O Fenômeno,” Ronaldo or R9 was a sensation. It felt like he could do everything. He was an amazing dribbler, used to dance around defenders and trip them casually. His pace was excellent and he used to shoot like a sniper. He was adored at every club he ever was and just like van Basten, injuries derailed his career and forced him to retire. The former Real Madrid striker has already cemented his place as one of the best soccer strikers in history.

His achievements are glorious. The striker won two Ballon d’Or trophies, and he was named the Best FIFA Men’s Player on three occasions, each time with a different club (Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid). Ronaldo was also a key figure in how Brazil used to play, winning five trophies with them, including two FIFA World Cups, in 1994 and 2002. During the 2002 tournament, his hairstyle became iconic and his performances more so. The striker finished as the top scorer with scoring eight goals, winning the Golden Boot in the process. Ronaldo’s goals were one of the key reasons behind Brazil’s success.

6. Alfredo di Stefano

Alfredo Di Stefano is arguably the most influential striker in this sport. Di Stefano took the game of football to a level the continent had never seen before. When playing against Manchester United, Sir Bobby Charlton was in awe, looking at the things Di Stefano was doing.

An icon of Real Madrid, Di Stefano’s record for the club was magnificent. He was not only the driving force behind Real Madrid winning the first five European Cups and also eight leagu, he was also chiefly responsible for the quick success of the competition. Everyone wanted to see his Real Madrid side, making them the giant that they are now. While it is unfortunate that he never played a World Cup match, his achievements overshadow it.

5. Eusebio

Eusebio spent the majority of his career at Benfica and is regarded as their best player ever. A phenomenal goalscorer, Eusebio helped Benfica to 17 trophies during his time with the club, including the European Cup in 1961/62 and an incredible 11 league titles, making him one of soccer best strikers in the world. He was an icon for the whole country and is still regarded as the best player ever to represent Portugal, despite the emergence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Unfortunately, he did not win any tournaments in his international career, with the third-place finish in the 1966 World Cup being the best. He won the prestigious Ballon d’or award in 1965, and is currently in 13th place in the all-time goalscorers list.

4. Romario

Romario is another Brazilian legend who made goal-scoring look so easy. At his peak, he was unstoppable. “A cartoon footballer”, as Jorge Valdano said, could disarm defenders with a touch and score goals for fun. His move, “The Romario Turn”, was iconic, and many legends after him tried to do it. Romario is an icon for PSV Eindhoven, winning eight trophies in his tenure. While he never won a Ballon d’Or, he was unbothered as he never desired personal achievements.

With him just being behind Pele on the all-time top scorers’ list, the debate to decide who is better has been a part and parcel of Brazilians’ lives.

3. Ferenc Puskas

One of the most important players of the 20th century, Puskas was a revelation. He was part of the revolutionary 1950s Hungarian national side, which won an Olympic Gold Medal. One of the more impressive things in his career is that when Puskas joined Real Madrid, he was almost 32. Yet, he went on to win La Liga on five occasions and the European Cup on three!

Puskas redefined the role of a traditional forward, his goal catalogue was sensational. It is one of the biggest reasons why the Best Goal Award is currently named “The Puskas Award.” The Hungarian striker is highly regarded as one of the best soccer strikers in the world.

2. Gerd Muller

If you look at any goal-scoring record, you will consistently find the name “Gerd Muller.” Nicknamed ‘Der Bomber’, he was the blueprint of how an elite striker should be, a pure 9, having a ridiculous ability to be in the right position at the right moment. Some of his records are outstanding, scoring 85 goals in a calendar year, which stood as the best ever until Lionel Messi arrived.

While he was not as popular because of sharing the limelight with Beckenbauer, the striker’s achievements stand tall on its own. He won the European Championships with Germany in 1972 and lifted the World Cup with his country just two years later. He is still regarded as the best striker to have ever played for Bayern Munich and he is the yardstick for every elite forward who comes to Bavaria.

In honour of his achievements, France Football named a trophy, “The Gerd Muller Trophy”, to recognise and reward the highest-scoring footballer in Europe over the previous season.

1. Pele

Pelé is widely considered one of the greatest footballers in the history of the sport and is often mentioned in the same breath as all-time greats Diego Maradona and now Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. He was the attacking hub of a dynasty. He was the creator, finisher and everything else – he was the king.

Pele was so good physically and technically that you could tell people he was from the future and they wouldn’t argue. He did everything he did while playing with a heavier ball, hand-made boots, playing on horrible pitches, with a much more violent game than it is today, no modern nutrition, physical therapy, sports medicine, no modern training technology, and yet, he played magnificent football.

While his achievements in the sport are beyond incredible – he only player in football history to have won the World Cup on three occasions, his trophies with Santos, his impact is beyond what he achieved on the pitch, transcending the sport of football and giving it the popularity it enjoys today. Pele is a global icon and the athlete of the century and also one of the best soccer strikers in history.

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