Who is the Best Football Player in the World? A Comprehensive Ranking

Who is the best football player in the world all time? Who has won more championships and awards over the past decade? Some people say Messi is the GOAT, others believe Ronaldo is the true king. But the truth is, football has many legends. There are new stars, too, who also deserve a place in this debate. Today, you will get all the answers right here on Parimatch.

Best Football Player in the World: Top Contenders

When people ask, “Who is the best football player in the world?” the debate usually starts with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Both players have broken many records. Messi has scored hundreds of goals, made many assists, and won the World Cup. Ronaldo has also scored many goals, won the Euro, and lifted trophies in different countries.

But football has more heroes than just Messi and Ronaldo. Thierry Henry was one of the greatest strikers in the English Premier League and scored 175 goals for Arsenal. Zinedine Zidane was a midfield legend who won the World Cup and Champions League. Luka Modrić is another great midfielder. He won the Ballon d’Or in 2018 and helped Croatia reach a World Cup final.

Best Player in the World: Football Rankings

Leagues and Competitions

There are several top football leagues around the world, and each league has produced its own best players. Who are they? Let’s take a quick look.

Who is Best Football Player in the World in the English Premier League

Thierry Henry is often called the best football player of his generation in the English Premier League. He played for Arsenal and scored 175 goals, and he also won the Premier League two times.

Harry Kane is the top player in terms of the most goals scored in the past 20 years, with 213. However, he failed to win any major tournament. Other big names are Rooney, Mohamed Salah, and Ashley Cole.

The Best Football Player in the World “Other European Leagues”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the best players in La Liga. They have scored 474 goals and 311 goals. Robert Lewandowski has the second most goals in the Bundesliga and the most this decade. He played for Dortmund and Bayern and scored 312 goals. Kylian Mbappé is the best player in Ligue 1. Playing for Paris Saint-Germain, he scored 191 goals with a ratio of 0.78 goals per match.

Player Awards and Recognition

The Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Player of the Year award are considered the most prestigious and valuable individual awards in football. Each year, these awards are given to the current best football player in the world.

While d’Or is presented by the French magazine France Football, the Player of the Year award is given by FIFA, again the governing body of football. Both are given annually to honour the overall best player of the season.

Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or award the most times. He won it eight times (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023). Messi is the current best football player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is at number two with five wins (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017). Here is the complete list of winners since 2000:

FIFA World Player of the Year

Lionel Messi has been named the Player of the Year by FIFA the most times. He won eight times(2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023). Messi is surely the all time best football player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is second with five wins (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017). In third place is Robert Lewandowski with two wins (2020, 2021). Here is the complete list of winners since 2000:

Top 10 Best Football Player in the World

Which is the best football player in the world? Here is the complete breakdown of the top 5:

Lionel Messi (Current: Inter Miami)

Lionel Messi is the best football player in the world all time. He has won 8 Ballon d’Or awards and many other honors. He won the World Cup, 2 Copa Américas, 4 Champions Leagues, 10 LaLiga titles, and 7 Copa del Rey trophies. Messi has scored over 770 goals in club football and is loved worldwide for his amazing skills.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Current: Al-Nassr)

Cristiano Ronaldo is the second best player in the world football. He won 5 Champions Leagues, 3 Premier Leagues, 2 LaLiga titles, 2 Serie A titles, Euro 2016, and the Nations League. Ronaldo is a global star with the most number of followers on Instagram.

Thierry Henry (Retired)

Thierry Henry was a top striker known for his speed. He has scored more than 350 goals in his career. He won the World Cup, Euro 2000, Champions League, 2 Premier Leagues, LaLiga, and Ligue 1. He also won many Golden Boot awards and was in FIFA FIFPro XI.

Zinedine Zidane (Retired)

Zinedine Zidane was a brilliant playmaker. He won the Ballon d’Or and was named FIFA World Player three times. He lifted the World Cup, Euro 2000, Champions League, 2 Serie A titles, and LaLiga. Zidane was an AM who scored more than 120 international club goals.

Luka Modrić (Current: AC Milan)

Luka Modrić is at number five in the list of top football player of the world. He won the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA Best award in 2018. He was one of the best playmakers for Real Madrid. Modrić has won 6 Champions Leagues and 4 LaLiga titles with RMA. He also helped Croatia reach the World Cup final in 2018.

The following are the other five players who are in the top 10 best players of this generation:

Top Players From Popular Teams and Clubs

Future of Football

The all-time greats of the game, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, are on the brink of retirement. And we are already into the next generation of football. If you have been following the top leagues from around the world, you already know that players like Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, and Jamal Musiala are on the rise. They are the future of football. Here are the top 15 in 2025:

• Kylian Mbappé
• Erling Haaland
• Vinícius Júnior
• Jude Bellingham
• Pedri
• Jamal Musiala
• Ousmane Dembélé
• Mohamed Salah
• Harry Kane
• Robert Lewandowski
• Florian Wirtz
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
• Lautaro Martínez
• Bukayo Saka
• Rodri

Statistics and Analytics: Football Best Player in the World

When we ask who the all-time best football player in the world is, there is always a cold war between two of the game’s greats: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. For proper comparison, check the table below:

FAQs

Who is the best football player in the world 2025?

As of 2025, Messi is the best football player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo is second, and Thierry Henry is third.

Who is the best player in the world in football?

Lionel Messi is the best player in the world in football. He has 882 club goals and 114 international goals.

Who is the best football player in the world all time?

Lionel Messi is the best football player of all time. He has won the FIFA Ballon d’Or and the Player of the Year award on eight occasions.

Who is best, Messi or Ronaldo?

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the greatest football players ever. Together, both have scored 2100+ goals at the club and international level.

Who is the king of football all time top 10?

Lionel Messi is the king of football. He has 882 club goals and 114 international goals, and he has assisted in 450+ goals over the years.

Who is goat in football?

Lionel Messi is considered the GOAT by millions worldwide. He has won the World Cup, two Copa Américas, four Champions Leagues, ten LaLiga titles, and seven Copa del Rey trophies.

Who is the world’s best man in football?

Lionel Messi is the world’s best man in football. He has received just three red cards in his professional career.

Who is the top scorer for Real Madrid?

The top scorer for Real Madrid is Cristiano Ronaldo. He has scored 450 goals.

Who is the best football player for Paris Saint Germain?

The best player for PSG was Kylian Mbappé. He has scored 175 goals for PSG.

Who is the best football player for Bayern Munich?

The best player for Bayern Munich is Gerd Müller. He scored 523 goals, and the next best is Robert Lewandowski with 344 goals.