You know, I've lost count of how many times I've been asked that question at sports bars, family gatherings, and even during casual conversations with strangers who discover my football obsession. "Who are the best football players ever?" It's the kind of question that can either start the most fascinating discussion or ruin friendships, depending on how passionately people defend their favorites. Let me tell you about the time I tried to create my own definitive ranking - it was both enlightening and humbling.
I remember sitting down with my notebook one rainy Sunday, determined to finally settle this eternal debate. I started with the obvious modern greats - Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The numbers are just staggering when you really look at them. Messi has won 7 Ballon d'Or awards, which is absolutely ridiculous when you think about it. Meanwhile, Ronaldo has scored over 800 official career goals across all competitions. Those aren't just numbers - they're monuments to consistency and excellence that we might not see again in our lifetimes. But here's where it gets complicated - how do you compare them to legends from different eras? That's when my neat little ranking system started falling apart.
Take Pelé, for instance. The man scored over 1,000 career goals according to some counts, though the exact number is debated among statisticians. But can we really compare his achievements in the 1960s to what Messi does today? The game has changed so dramatically - the training methods, the equipment, even the football itself is different. I once watched old footage of Pelé playing in those heavy leather boots on muddy pitches, and it hit me - we're essentially comparing apples and oranges across different generations. Diego Maradona's 1986 World Cup performance, where he essentially carried Argentina to victory almost single-handedly, remains one of the most dominant tournament displays I've ever witnessed. Yet how do you stack that up against Mohamed Salah breaking Premier League records in the modern game?
This brings me to my biggest realization during that ranking attempt - the answer to creating a definitive list? A big no. It's impossible, and let me explain why through personal experience. I grew up watching Zinedine Zidane weave magic on the pitch, his elegance and grace making football look like art. My father, however, swears by Johan Cruyff and his revolutionary total football philosophy. Meanwhile, my teenage nephew thinks Kylian Mbappé is already among the greats. We're all watching the same sport, but through completely different lenses shaped by when we started following football and what values we prioritize in players.
I recall having a heated debate with my friend Mark just last month about whether modern defenders like Virgil van Dijk belong in these conversations. Mark argued that van Dijk's impact on Liverpool's championship-winning season was as significant as any striker's goal tally. He might have a point - during the 2018-19 season, van Dijk went entire campaigns without being dribbled past, which is mind-boggling when you consider he was facing the best attackers in the world week after week. But then I think about defenders from previous generations like Franco Baresi or Paolo Maldini, who redefined defensive excellence in their own ways. How do you create a fair ranking that accounts for such different roles and eras?
The more I researched, the more I appreciated the unique contexts of each generation. The Hungarian Ferenc Puskás scoring 84 goals in 85 international appearances sounds like video game numbers until you understand the historical context of his era. Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo's achievement of scoring in five different World Cups becomes more impressive when you consider the physical demands of modern football. Each generation produces its icons who push the boundaries of what we thought was possible in the sport.
What I've come to understand is that creating a definitive ranking misses the point of why we love football in the first place. The beauty of this sport lies in its endless debates and the personal connections we form with these extraordinary athletes. My list will always be different from yours, and that's perfectly fine. Instead of arguing about who's better, I've learned to appreciate the unique magic each great player brings to the beautiful game. Whether it's Messi's impossible dribbles, Ronaldo's aerial prowess, Maradona's rebellious genius, or Maldini's defensive perfection - they all contribute to the rich tapestry that makes football the world's most beloved sport. So the next time someone asks me for the definitive ranking, I'll probably just smile and say, "Let me tell you about my favorite players instead."