10 Greatest European Players in Football History [Ranked]

In the history of football, there have been some very special players to play the game. Lionel Messi, Pele, and Maradona all spring to mind as three of the greatest.

Those three players share something in common – beyond their footballing brilliance – in that they are all from South America. But what of those who are from Europe?

With that in mind, the greatest ever players from that continent have been ranked. Legends from Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France, England and Hungary all make the list.

Ranking Factors

International careers
Club careers
Legacy within football

10Sir Bobby Charlton

England

As England’s greatest-ever footballer, it’s no shock that Sir Bobby Charlton makes the top 10 here. The 1966 World Cup hero was the best player at that tournament, picking up the Golden Ball and then winning the Ballon d’Or that same year.

The former England record goalscorer also achieved great things at club level. Indeed, he is quite probably Manchester United’s finest-ever player with 758 appearances and a now-surpassed record 249 goals for the club. A true legend in every sense of the word, David Beckham once outlined just how much he meant to the whole footballing community, saying: “He has always been about being successful, but even more so about helping other people. That’s what’s so special about him – he’s respected on the field, but even more so off the field”.

Sir Bobby Charlton for England

Caps
106

Goals
49

Assists
N/A

Honours
World Cup (196

9Gerd Muller

Germany

Gerd Muller’s record for West Germany is simply absurd. Averaging more than a goal per game – 68 strikes in 62 – this form helped deliver two major honours, with his nation winning the World Cup and then the Euros in the space of just two years.

The 1970 Ballon d’Or winner also delivered the goods for Bayern Munich, becoming their all-time top goalscorer with 563 goals. In terms of pure goalscoring talent, European footballers don’t come much more lethal than ‘Der Bomber’. Speed was key to his success, with Franz Beckenbauer summing it up best:

“His pace was incredible. In training, I have played against him and I never had a chance.”

Gerd Muller for Germany

Caps
62

Goals
68

Assists
11

Honours
World Cup (1974), European Championship (1972)

8Michel Platini

France

Michel Platini shares something in common with Messi. They are the only footballers to have won three consecutive Ballon d’Ors. The Frenchman did so between 1983 and 1985, while the Argentine went one better between 2009 and 2012. That alone is enough to suggest that France’s former all-time top goalscorer deserves to be on this list.

In that period of dominance in the 80s, he also captained his national team to their first major honour. His impact on the Euro 94 was substantial, with Platini bagging nine of France’s 14 goals in just five games. This included a “perfect” hat-trick against Belgium and the opening goal in the final vs Spain. Throw major club honours such as the European Cup, Serie A, Ligue 1 and others into the mix, and you have yourself an all-time great.

Michel Platini for France

Caps
72

Goals
41

Assists
17

Honours
European Championship (1984)

7Eusebio

Portugal

While he never won a major honour with Portugal, that’s not to say Eusebio sure knew how to shine on the biggest stage. After all, he fired his nation to a best World Cup finish of third place in 1996 with a mammoth 9 goals in six games – making him one of the finest players to ever play in the competition regardless of silverware.

He is Benfica’s greatest player, having won 11 league titles with the Portuguese giants, scoring 473 goals in 440 competitive matches along the way. Nicknamed “O Rei” (“The King”), the prolific striker, in his own words “did everything, except win a World Cup.” Still, that one blemish on his career does not diminish his otherworldly qualities as a footballer.

Eusebio for Portugal

Caps
64

Goals
41

Assists
N/A

Honours
None

6Paolo Maldini

Italy

The first defender on this list, Paolo Maldini was a glorious player in his pomp. While international honours may have evaded him, success at AC Milan came with ease. Indeed, the defender picked up 26 trophies in 25 seasons with the Serie A club, retiring in 2009 aged 41 with seven league titles, two Champions Leagues and numerous other awards.

Strutting around in that famous number 3 shirt, Milan actually decided to retire that number when Maldini called it a day. In terms of longevity at the highest level of European football, very few players, let alone defenders, have surpassed Il Capitano’s achievements.

Paolo Maldini for Italy

Caps
126

Goals
7

Assists
5/A

Honours
None

5Zinedine Zidane

France

Zinedine Zidane. The Greatest French footballer of all time? Quite probably – and that’s quite some list. He’s also in the mix when it comes to the best players to ever represent Real Madrid, which sums up just how good he was for both club and country.

The 1998 Ballon d’Or winner, scored with a winning brace in the 1998 World Cup and then added a panenka to his World Cup final collection in 2006. On top of that, his iconic volley in the Champions League final will never be forgotten. In short, Zidane was a man for the big occasions and that’s helped cement his legacy within the sport.

Zinedine Zidane for France

Caps
108

Goals
31

Assists
30

Honours
World Cup (1998), European Championship (2000)

4Ferenc Puskas

Hungary

Born in Budapest, Hungary way back in 1927, Ferenc Puskas is a name most football fans will be familiar with. However, they might not know much about the specifics of his playing style. Francisco Gento, a team-mate at Real Madrid, summed up his wand of a left foot best, saying it was “like a hand, he could do anything with it.”

It was in Spain where Puskas played some of his best club football, scoring seven goals in two European Champions Cup finals (winning three), while also lifting La Liga title on five occasions. He also bagged over 350 goals for Budapest Honved and captined Hungary’s Mighty Magyars side of the 1950s which beat then-footballing world powers England, Uruguay, Soviet Union, Brazil and Italy. That team was later voted by the BBC as the greatest team in the history of international football and would finish as runners-up in the 1954 World Cup.

Ferenc Puskas for Hungary

Caps
85

Goals
84

Assists
N/A

Honours
None

3Franz Beckenbauer

Germany

Franz Beckenbauer captained West Germany to glory in the 1974 World Cup and is probably the best defender to ever play the game. He made the sweeper role his own, pioneering the libero position as he dominated on the global stage, as well as with Bayern Munich.

Only three defenders have ever won the Ballon d’Or, and yet Beckenbauer was so good he managed to pick up the prestigious accolade twice. Der Kaiser is Germany’s finest footballer, and right up there with the very best when it comes to all of those from the continent to have ever played the sport.

Franz Beckenbauer for Germany

Caps
103

Goals
14

Assists
10

Honours
World Cup (1966)

2Johan Cruyff

Netherlands

Where do you even start with Johan Cruyff? If Beckenbauer was a pioneer for the defensive role, the Dutch legend was a pioneer for the entire sport – achieving monumental things as both a player and a manager with his ‘Total Football’ principles.

A three-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cruyff failed to win any major honours for the Netherlands – coming closest in 1974 as runners-up to West Germany. Silverware at club level was much easier to come by, though, as he won league titles with Barcelona, Ajax and Feyenoord as well as three consecutive European Cups with the club from Amsterdam. There are very few players and coaches in the modern game who have not been inspired by his brilliance.

Johan Cruyff for Netherlands

Caps
48

Goals
33

Assists
30

Honours
None

1Cristiano Ronaldo

Portugal

As the greatest goalscoring in the history of the game, Cristiano Ronaldo will be remembered as an undoubted legend. Were it not for Lionel Messi, he may well be the best player of all time but the Portuguese icon can at least settle for being Europe’s finest footballing product.

In the history of world football, he has scored more international goals and played more games than anyone else. That longevity has seen him lead Portugal to the only major honour in their history, going all the way in Euro 2016. Add to that all the countless awards he’s picked up individually and at the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr, and it’s easy to understand why he is the best footballer to ever come from Europe.

Cristiano Ronaldo for Portugal

Caps
206

Goals
128

Assists
46/A

Honours
European Championship (2016)