Activities Sports & Athletics The 10 Best Soccer Players in the World Share PINTEREST Email Print Sports & Athletics Soccer Soccer Players Playing & Coaching Soccer Culture Baseball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Extreme Sports Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Skating Paintball Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Stewart Coggin Stewart Coggin Stewart Coggin has written about the sport of soccer since 2002. He is an expert, and his articles appear on many sports websites. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on 05/13/19 Every fan has an opinion about the world's best soccer stars, but nearly everyone agrees on the greatness of a few players. Many of these athletes play for the elite soccer teams—Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester figure prominently in this list—and a few are already considered legends, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Each one contributes to the global appeal of what soccer fans call the "beautiful game." 1:35 Watch Now: 10 of the Best Soccer Players in the World 01 of 10 Lionel Messi Manuel Queimadelos Alonso / Getty Images A multi-year winner of FIFA's Player of the Year Award, Lionel Messi is generally considered to be the best soccer player of all time. His ability to mesmerize defenders with a mix of skill and speed is unmatched, and it often appears as though the ball is glued to his feet. Messi led his home country, Argentina, to the 2014 World Cup final, losing 1-0 to Germany, and to the finals of the 2015 and 2016 Copa Americas. A serial winner with his club, the Barcelona star is versatile enough to play anywhere across the frontline. Teams: Argentina, F.C. Barcelona Position: Forward Team number: 10 (both teams) Birthdate: June 24, 1987 02 of 10 Cristiano Ronaldo Adam Pretty / Getty Images Cristiano Ronaldo is the only player in the same league as Messi. Ronaldo is stronger and taller than the Argentine, and his goals-to-games ratio is similar. In 2016, Ronaldo was named FIFA's Player of the Year, his fourth such honor. Since joining Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009, Ronaldo has been a revelation, making the world-record outlay of $131 million look less outrageous with every goal he scores. His famous stopover is imitated in parks across the world. Teams: Portugal, Real Madrid Position: Forward Team number: 7 (both teams) Birthdate: February 5, 1985 03 of 10 Luis Suarez Chris Brunskill Ltd / Getty Images The Barcelona striker is not everyone’s cup of tea, but his ability is not up for debate. Luis Suarez is a master at weaving his way into the penalty box, deadly in one-on-one situations, and an excellent free-kick taker. His link-up play with teammates is of the highest order, and he always gives 100 percent. A penchant for conning referees remains his Achilles heel, but that did not stop Barcelona from paying Liverpool $128.5 million for the player in July 2014. Teams: Uruguay, F.C. Barcelona Position: Forward Team number: 9 (both teams) Birthdate: January 24, 1987 04 of 10 Neymar Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images Neymar has been playing pro soccer since he was 17. As of 2018, he has scored more goals than Messi and Ronaldo had at the same stage of their careers and he has the capacity to be the very best once Messi's career begins to wind down. Alongside the Argentine and Suarez, he forms one of the best attacking lineups in the history of the sport. In 2016, Neymar was named the captain of Brazil's soccer team at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Teams: Brazil, F.C. Barcelona Position: Forward Team number: 10 (Brazil), 11 (Barcelona) Birthdate: February 5, 1992 05 of 10 Sergio Aguero Ronald Martinez / Getty Images A consummate finisher, Sergio Aguero was part of Argentina's run to the 2014 World Cup finals, where the team ultimately lost to Germany. Aguero was instrumental in securing two title wins under Roberto Mancini and Manuel Pellegrini, scoring that famous late winner against QPR in 2012 to seal the Premier League. Quick, with an excellent first touch and ability to bring others into play, the Argentine has few weaknesses. Teams: Argentina, Manchester City F.C. Position: Forward Team number: 11 (Argentina), 10 (Manchester) Birthdate: June 2, 1988 06 of 10 Manuel Neuer Matthias Hangst / Getty Images Hands down the best goalkeeper in the world, Manuel Neuer exudes confidence in everything he does. Bayern fans were not initially convinced when the club signed him from Schalke in 2011, but few doubters inhabit the Allianz Arena these days. Neuer is superb in one-on-one situations and capable of stunning reflex saves. He is also technically skilled and boasts excellent distribution. Neuer led his German national team to the 2014 World Cup title over Argentina. Teams: Germany, F.C. Bayern Munich Position: Goalkeeper Team number: 1 (both teams) Birthdate: March 27, 1986 07 of 10 Gareth Bale Stu Forster / Getty Images Gareth Bale, the Welsh attacker, is a supreme dribbler who boasts the speed and skill required to beat multiple opponents. Bale is also a great finisher and capable of scoring consistently from a long range. His performance in the 2016 UEFA Champions League title game against Atlético Madrid was a career standout, as was his goal against Barcelona in the 2014 Copa del Rey final. Teams: Wales, Real Madrid Position: Midfield/Forward (Wales), Forward (Real Madrid) Team number: 11 (both teams) Birthdate: July 16, 1989 08 of 10 Andres Iniesta Jean Catuffe / Getty Images Soccer fans of all stripes agree that Andres Iniesta is one of the classiest midfielders in the game. His short, eye-of-the-needle passes can pierce holes in even the most stubborn of rearguards. Iniesta is also very modest, never creating problems for his coaches. He scored the winning goal in the 2010 World Cup final against the Netherlands and helped Barcelona to two trebles in 2009 and 2015. Teams: Spain, F.C. Barcelona Position: Midfielder Team number: 6 (Spain), 8 (Barcelona) Birthdate: May 11, 1984 09 of 10 Zlatan Ibrahimovic Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images Expect the unexpected from the mercurial Swede. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is perhaps the moodiest player in world soccer, but completely unplayable when he is on his game. Just witness his stunning overhead kick against England in 2012. "Ibra," as fans call him, has won league titles in Holland, Italy, Spain, and France with six different clubs and is something of a lucky charm for those willing to invest in his considerable talents. One of Sweden's top stars, he has won that nation's Golden Ball award for the best soccer player a record 11 times. Teams: Sweden, Manchester United F.C. Position: Forward Team number: 10 (Sweden), 9 (Manchester United) Birthdate: October 3, 1981 10 of 10 Arjen Robben VI-Images / Getty Images This winger further enhanced his glowing reputation with some impressive showings for Holland at the 2014 World Cup. Robben's deadly combination of speed and trickery is a nightmare for defenders, enabling him to score more goals than the average winger. Robben has been at the top of the game for 10 years, having had stints with Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. Injuries held him back in the 2015–16 and 2016–17 seasons, but he re-signed for the 2017–18 season with Bayern Munich. Teams: Holland, Bayern Munich Position: Forward (Holland), Midfielder (Bayern Munich) Team number: 10 (both teams) Birthdate: January 23, 1984