Players

Italy's last line for two decades, a World Cup winner between the posts.

Der Kaiser: the man who reinvented the sweeper and won the World Cup twice.

One shirt, one club: 25 years and five European Cups at AC Milan.

Liverpool's captain and Champions League rock, the first defender named UEFA's best.

The quiet genius who scored the goal that won Spain the world.

Manchester United and Portugal captain, and the Premier League's assist king.

Four goals in a half, a Golden Ball, and the coldest finisher in Chelsea blue.

United's No. 7, England's captain, and the finest crosser of his generation.

The number 10 who dragged Argentina and Napoli to glory almost single-handed.

Two Champions Leagues, a Goal of the Season, and Madrid's midfield engine.

The unbeaten double at Leverkusen, now the creative hub at Liverpool.

Euro 2024's joint Golden Boot, and Bayern's home-grown No. 10.

Champions League winner at 20, and England's midfield heartbeat.

Six Premier League titles, a treble, and 20 assists in a single season.

The 2018 Ballon d'Or, six Champions Leagues, and Croatia's most-capped player.

Euro 2024 champion, and the midfield metronome Barcelona built around.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or, and the metronome of Manchester City's treble.

Football's great entertainer, the man who made the game look like joy.

One club, one city, sixteen years as Liverpool's heartbeat.

The metronome who taught a generation how to pass.

The most complete number 10 of his generation, and the man who settled a World Cup final.

From St James' Park to Anfield, for a British-record £125m.

The Blond Arrow: five straight European Cups and the man who built Real Madrid.

Arsenal's homegrown winger, and England's back-to-back player of the year.

The all-time top scorer in men's international football, and the first to 900.

A Premier League record 36 goals, and the fastest hundred in history.

England's record scorer, Tottenham's greatest, a Golden Boot machine.

The mind behind Total Football: three Ballons d'Or, three European Cups.

A World Cup at 19, France's captain, and PSG's all-time top scorer.

The teenager rewriting the record books at Barcelona and Spain.

Inter's captain and Argentina's spearhead, a World Cup winner with the goals to match.

Eight Ballon d'Ors, a World Cup, and the numbers to end the argument.

Four Golden Boots, a Champions League, and Liverpool's modern records.

Brazil's all-time top scorer, and the world-record transfer.

The only man to win three World Cups, and football's first global icon.

Leeds' fan favourite turned Barcelona's captain and Champions League joint-top scorer.

Poland's record scorer, a treble, and a Bundesliga record that may never fall.

The Divine Ponytail: Italy's fantasista, undone by one penalty in Pasadena.

O Fenômeno: the fastest, most feared striker football has seen.

The highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history, and a Golden Boot winner.

Arsenal's greatest goalscorer, and France's for two decades.

Real Madrid's left-wing matchwinner, and the scorer in the 2024 final.

Manchester United's all-time top scorer, and once England's too.

Sweden's record scorer, and a league winner in four countries.