30. Francisco 'Paco' Gento
When Gento failed to score in his first season at Real Madrid in 1953, club president Santiago Bernabeu placed him under considerable pressure, with the then-20-year-old not living up to his potential at the club. Well, the Spaniard duly won Bernabeu over over the next 18 years until his retirement in 1971, winning the European Cup a record six times - making him the only Real player to feature in all of their triumphs on the continent during that period. He also added 12 La Liga titles to his incredible trophy haul.
Nicknamed The Gale of the Cantabrian Sea, due to his exceptional pace on the wing, Gento would often drift inside during games and link up with Alfredo Di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas, often to devastating effect. For a long time, he was heralded as the greatest Spanish player ever.
29. Luis Suarez
No, not that one. Though Spaniard Luis Suarez also enjoyed the best years of his career at Barcelona like his modern day namesake, the midfielder arguably had a greater impact during his time at the club. The only Spanish-born player to win the Ballon d'Or, awarded in 1960, Suarez enjoyed creating from attacking positions in his early career, before settling into a deep-midfield position across nine years at Inter Milan.
The Architecht had brilliant skill on the ball, expert vision and an unrivalled passing range. While at Inter, he helped the Italian side to two European Cups, and also won multiple league titles in both Italy and Spain.
28. Matthias Sindelar
Austria's centre-forward for their Wunderteam which competed at the 1934 World Cup, Sindelar captained his nation as the side revolutionsed tactics with their fluid style of play and approach to the game. Renowned as a great dribbler, Sindelar also scored goals in abundance for both the national team and Austria Vienna, his club for 15 years.
When the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938 and absored them into Germany's national team, Sindelar refused to play for the newly formed side in 1939, citing his old age of 35 as the reason why he couldn't continue. Sindelar unfortunately died that same year.
27. Sergio Ramos
Where there's a will, there's a way. At least, that's the mantra FourFourTwo expects Sergio Ramos lives by, such was his tenacity and desire to defend and win when at the peak of his powers. His disciplinary record isn't the best, true, but that aggression shown when defending perhaps points to why Real Madrid and Spain were so successful with Ramos at the back.
Indeed, he formed a crucial figure of Real's four Champions League wins while at the club - he scored a last-minute equaliser against Atletico Madrid in the 2014 final - as well as Spain's domination on the international scene between 2008 and 2012. Plus, the Spaniard could step up and score a goal or two - he has more than 140 over the course of his 1,000-plus appearance career. Not too bad, at all.
26. Stanley Matthews
A pioneer of wing play, Matthews is widely regarded as one of the quickest, trickiest and best dribblers of his generation - especially impressive considering just how heavy the balls he had to content with during the period.
Not many players manage to stay at the top level for just 10 years of their career, and far fewer manage 20. Matthews? Well, he somehow eked out 32 years playing professional football for Stoke City and Blackpool - alongside two loan spells at Toronto City - winning a First Division title and even having a FA Cup final named after, such was his dominance in the 1953 final.
25. Raymond Kopa
A playmaking forward who loved scoring, Kopa formed part of the legendary Real Madrid side that picked up five consecutive European Cups in the late 1950s. Though the Frenchma was only part of three of those victories, his influence on the team during 1958 earned him the Ballon d'Or award, with his performances deemed better than his considerably talented team-mates.
France Football's best young player in the calendar year is now named after Kopa, too, with Kylian Mbappe winning the first award at the same ceremony where the Ballon d'Or is handed out.
24. Sergio Busquets
Busquets isn't particularly quick, nor is he that strong despite his size. No, Busquets' main attribute is his brain, his speed of thought far superior to any other player on the pitch. Surround the Spanish midfielder with four opponents in a tight area, and don't expect him to escape with relative ease.
Without Busquets, Barcelona might not have dominated quite as much as they did under Pep Guardiola. While Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi earned the plaudits, their facilitator slipped into the shadows. As Spain manager Vicente del Bosque gushed: "If you watch the whole game, you won't see Busquets - but watch Busquets, and you will see the whole game."
23. Manuel Neuer
Positions on the pitch are often revolutionised, managers finding a new way to deploy their full-backs, rotate their wingers and find space for attacking midfielders. One position on the pitch that has stayed the same for eternity was at goalkeeper - that is, until Manuel Neuer came along.
The German's sweeping ability and technical proficiency has seen the position drastically change over the past decade, such is his influence on football. Neuer regularly rushed out of his goal to quell counter-attacks, while he regularly picked up positions high up the pitch to get on the ball and act as another option - scaring Bayern Munich fans in the process, not that he cared.
Neuer has earned plenty of individual accolades during his career, plus a ridiculous amount of silverware at club level. He also lifted the 2014 World Cup, too.
22. Roberto Baggio
The Divine Ponytail. Once you saw that scraggly bit of hair falling on the back of an Italy shirt, you invariably knew a goal was imminent. An offensive player who was comfortable operating anywhere in the final third, Baggio loved to create, finding passes that nobody else on the pitch could spot, let alone could execute.
Baggio took up dangerous positions at all times during games, so if he wasn't assisting then best belive he was scoring: over 300 goals during his career highlights his prolific ability. Many watchers of the Italian genius idiolise Baggio, with his style now replicated on a consistent basis across Europe by some of the best attacking midfielders.
21. Wayne Rooney
Determination. Hunger. Power. Wayne Rooney played his entire career like he was on the school playground, embarrasing defenders with his sheer strength, unappreciated balletic footwork and his thunderous shooting ability. Get the Englishman angry in his early career, and best believe a goal net is getting blasted a la Newcastle United in 2004.
Manchester United's record goalscorer was so much more than that, though. Rooney could lay a 60-yard pass on a sixpence, sprint past opponents with his underrated speed, and defend like his life depended on it.
While he ended his career at the top earlier than many would have preferred, the fact he burst onto the scene at just 16 and produced one of the Premier League's greatest moments for Everton against Arsenal perhaps highlights the unbelievable moments Rooney could produce on a regular and consistent basis.
