Ranking the 10 Best World Cup Players of All Time: Messi to Maradona and Beyond

The FIFA World Cup is the most widely viewed and followed sporting event in the world, with a global audience of over 3.5 billion people. The tournament has a rich history, dating back to 1930, and has been won by some of the greatest players of all time. In this article, we will be ranking the top 10 World Cup players of all time, from Lionel Messi to Diego Maradona and everyone in between.

When building this list, we took into account only the players' World Cup performances, excluding other international tournaments and club competitions. This is because the World Cup is the most prestigious and competitive international tournament in football, and the players who excel in this stage are the true greats of the game. So, without further ado, let's start with our ranking from 10 to 1.

We start this list off with a bang, as Italy's Fabio Cannavaro is arguably the greatest center back in World Cup history. His 2006 run to the title is the stuff of legend, anchoring an Italy defense that gave up only two goals during the entire tournament, one of which was an own-goal and the other being a penalty. Cannavaro was the captain of that '06 squad that knocked France out in the finals, and for the cherry on top, he won the Ballon d'Or that year, an extremely rare feat that only two other true defenders have accomplished. His leadership, defensive skills, and vision on the pitch made him a key player in Italy's World Cup-winning team.

Coming in at number 9 is England's Bobby Charlton, a legendary midfielder and one of the greatest players of the 1960s. Charlton's leadership and goal-scoring abilities were the driving force behind England's win on their home soil in 1966, and the country has revered him ever since. Charlton's vision, creativity, and skill on the ball made him one of the greatest midfielders of his generation, and his impact on the sport of football will never be forgotten.

French playmaker Zinedine Zidane ranks 8th on our list, and it's easy to see why. Before Kylian Mbappé was setting the world ablaze, Zidane was leading the charge for Les Bleus with his elegance and poise from the attacking midfielder position. He was an absolute delight to watch, a soccer player's favorite soccer player. His 1998 World Cup performance is the stuff of legend, as he led France to the title on their home soil, doing so by being the conductor for the team's entire attack.

At number 7 is Miroslav Klose, Germany's prolific striker who won the Golden Boot in 2006. Klose was practically a walking goal with the ball on his foot, notching 16 World Cup goals in just 24 games, a prolific pace that is almost mind-bending to think about. But he wasn't just scoring empty goals, either. Klose experienced plenty of team success on the world stage, helping Germany reach four consecutive World Cup semifinals, culminating in winning the 2014 title with Die Mannschaft.

Coming in at number 6 is Diego Maradona, a Argentine legend who carried his team to victory in 1986. Maradona's 1986 campaign on the world stage with Argentina was nearly impossible to match. He knocked out world powers such as Uruguay, West Germany, and England, the latter of the three producing two of his most iconic goals.

At number 5 is Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar who has won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002. Ronaldo was a part of three World Cup teams with Brazil, and was arguably the best player in the world for two of those. He scored 15 goals in World Cup play and won the Golden Boot in 2002, with his performance leading the charge for Brazil to win their fifth and most recent world title.

We move on to number 4, where we find Andres Iniesta, the Spanish midfielder who won the World Cup with Spain in 2010. Iniesta was the engine that made those legendary Spanish teams go, and his extra-time goal to win the World Cup against the Netherlands in 2010 is one of the most iconic strikes in the history of the sport. Iniesta's composure, intelligence, and passing prowess made him one of the best midfielders of all time.

Coming in at number 3 is Kylian Mbappé, the young French striker who won the World Cup with France in 2018 and 2022. Mbappé's career so far stacks up against some of the best the sport has to offer, and the crazy part is, he's only 27 years old. How's this for a World Cup résumé? He won the tournament at 19, scored a hat trick in the 2022 final, and he's on pace to absolutely shatter the all-time goal-scoring streak recently set by Lionel Messi.

At number 2 is Lionel Messi, the Argentinian superstar who has won the World Cup with Argentina in 2022. Just edging out his fellow countryman and former coach, Messi nabs the silver medal spot on this list. I mentioned the fact that Messi has the goal-scoring record for the World Cup, but he also has a title in 2022 as well as two FIFA Golden Balls, the only player to ever win the award twice.

And at the top of our list is none other than the Brazilian legend, Pelé. Pelé remains the only player in soccer history to win three World Cups. He has 12 total goals in only 14 World Cup matches. In addition to that, he was named the greatest player in soccer history by FIFA not once, but twice. Fellow countryman Ronaldo, a legend in his own right, even credited Pelé for inspiring him to play soccer. England's Sir Bobby Charlton once said that it seemed like the sport of soccer "was invented for this magical player." When members of this list are in awe of you, you have rightly earned the top spot.