50. Phillip Lahm
While small in stature, Lahm left a towering legacy with Germany and Bayern Munich and stands among the greatest full-backs the game has ever seen. Lahm’s list of honours doesn’t miss much; he conquered the Bundesliga, Champions League and World Club Cup for club and the 2014 World Cup with his country.
Lahm’s steady leadership was the foundation stone of a period of rich success for both Bayern and Germany. Versatile, smart and tireless, Pep Guardiola once described Lahm as “perhaps the most intelligent I’ve ever coached.” High praise indeed.
49. Gareth Bale
From gangly Southampton left-back to Champions League final-winning Real Madrid superstar, Bale’s rise was an astonishing success story. His jaw-dropping overhead kick in 2018 sealed one of an incredible five European crowns in Madrid, while his explosive Copa del Rey final goal against Barcelona in 2015 underlined his world class pace, power and technique at once.
For Wales, he was the talismanic leader behind their most successful period, leading his country to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, again reaching the knockouts five years later and then taking them to their first World Cup since 1958 in Qatar.
48. Eric Cantona
Where to start? From comments about seagulls following trawlers to karate kicks, the enigmatic Frenchman certainly kept everyone entertained. But let’s not forget that for all the swagger, Cantona was one of the most wonderfully talented players ever to grace the Premier League.
Capable of scoring dazzling individual goals, from deft chips to deadly scissor kicks, Cantona was blockbuster week on week. He may have retired young, aged just 30, but he left us with an unmatched highlight reel of memories – not to mention a whole host of trophies to place on his mantelpiece.
47. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Rummenigge’s name has become synonymous with German football and Bayern Munich in particular. As a forward he was prolific; his 217 goals for Bayern places him fourth in the storied club’s all-time ranking, while a taly of 45 strikes in 95 caps makes him the sixth-top scorer for Germany.
A two-time European Cup and Bundesliga winner, Rummenigge was a key man for the West Germany sides of the 1970s and ‘80s, winning the 1980 European Championship but falling heartbreakingly short of a World Cup winners’ medal when he captained his country to back-to-back runners-up finishes in 1982 and 1986.
46. Gianni Rivera
Italy's 'Golden Boy', Rivera captained AC Milan for 12 seasons in his career from attacking midfield, with the Italian leading by example through his elegance and creativity. Regarded as a player with plenty of class and respect, he was a highly intelligent playmaker who won the 1969 Ballon d'Or thanks to his exploits in helping Milan win the European Cup that season.
He also had a highly successful international career, winning the 1968 Euros before helping Italy reach the 1970 World Cup final with an extra-time winner against West Germany in the semi-finals, only to lose to Brazil in the final. Still, his leadership transferred in later life to a career in politics, where he eventually became a Member of the European Parliament.
45. Gordon Banks
Banks needs no introduction: England’s greatest ever goalkeeper, a 1966 World Cup-winning hero and the man responsible for one of the greatest saves ever seen. Over a 20-year career, Banks shot to international fame for his performances at international level, while finishing up his club career with League Cup winners’ medals for both of his most-represented clubs, Leicester and Stoke.
A six-time FIFA goalkeeper of the year, Banks himself knew the importance of his wonder save against Brazil's Pele in 1970: “They won’t remember be for winning the World Cup, it’ll be for that save,” he later said.
44. Fritz Walter
Walter was the pin-up star of post-war German football, firing his hometown club Kaiserslautern to two league titles and captaining West Germany to the 1954 World Cup.
A one-club man, the forward scored a remarkable 348 goals in 364 games at club level and Kaiserslautern’s stadium was renamed Fritz Walter Stadion in 1985 in his honour. His legacy remains in the German language too – ‘Fritz Walter weather’ is used to describe rainy conditions, as he was famous for playing better the worse the weather was.
43. Dino Zoff
Zoff is the oldest-ever winner of the World Cup, having lifted the trophy in 1980 at 40-years-old - 12 years after winning the 1968 Euros. As a result, he is the only Italian to have won both major international trophies, and that's no surprise considering the quality he possessed as a goalkeeper.
Highly-revered through his calming and imposing presence in between the sticks, Zoff was best-known for his positioning, handling and leadership. His discipline is also regarded as among the very best in history, helping him to enjoy a 22-year playing career at the top level.
42. Gaetano Scirea
Scirea stands in an elite club of six players to have one every UEFA and FIFA-recognised trophy – and that is no coincidence. The Juventus legend is considered one of the greatest defenders ever to do it and was ahead of his time in combining a strong reading of the game with excellent technical ability and composure on the ball that saw him excel in the libero role for club and country.
A model of sportsmanship, Scirea didn’t earn a single red card in a distinguished career crowned by his leading role in Italy’s 1982 World Cup win.
41. Kevin Keegan
King Kev was a big-haired 1970s sensation in two countries. He conquered England and Europe under Bill Shankly at Liverpool before joining Hamburg, a bold move that paid off big time with further domestic and continental glory and back-to-back Ballon d’Or gongs in 1978 and 1979.
The most prolific season of his career came later with a 30-goal rush at Southampton, before he helped fire Newcastle back to the top-flight. English football royalty indeed.
