SP. The 10 most inspirational players in football history have been named & ranked – in order

Football is an escape from life’s hardships and a sport that evokes joy and despair. Young fans will know the feeling of hitting the top corner of a drawn-on goal at the local park and producing their favourite footballer’s trademark celebration. An Alan Shearer arm raise or a Gareth Bale Eleven of Hearts comes to mind.

Many of football’s past and present heroes battled through humble beginnings to reach footballing nirvana. Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Pele are among those whose backstories, along with their career-defining moments, are an inspiration. From stories of poverty, parents passing away and bullying, there have been many hurdles for some of the all-time greats to overcome.

Here, we rank the top 10 most inspirational football players in history, taking into account their upbringing, style of play, individual abilities and success.

10 Steven Gerrard

Career span: 1998–2015

Steven Gerrard was the man for the big occasion with his leadership qualities and never-say-die attitude. He made a career of pulling the rabbit out of the hat for Liverpool, including his heroics in the Miracle in Istanbul and a hat-trick in the Merseyside Derby on his 400th Premier League appearance.

The former 114-cap England captain has often spoken about the ‘tough’ nature of his childhood playing on the council estate, which helped make him such a resilient character. He also had a father who ‘protected him’ despite getting into the Anfield outfit’s youth system at seven.

Gerrard’s teachers saw the potential in the 2005 UEFA Best Player of the Year winner from a young age. He’d more than live up to their expectations, becoming arguably Liverpool’s greatest-ever player and a legend of the English game.

9 Luka Modric

Career span: 2003 – Present

Luka Modric continues to roll back the years with his slick playmaking abilities at Real Madrid, and his career has been a fairytale story. The Croatian midfielder was the son of two knitwear workers, and his childhood came amid the Croatian War of Independence. His grandfather, Luka, who he’s named after, was sadly executed by Serb rebels and his home was burned to the ground.

Modric soon used football as an outlet to escape the horror of home life, and his family used the little money they had to get him into an academy. The 182-cap Croatia international started his professional career with Dinamo Zagreb and moved to Tottenham Hotspur, where he earned more prominence.

Madrid came calling in 2012, and he’s since forged his name in the history books of European football as a six-time Champions League winner at the Santiago Bernabeu. Fairytales require a happy ending, and winning the Ballon d’Or in 2018, the first Croat to achieve the feat, is a phenomenal chapter in his book.

8 George Weah

Career span: 1986–2003

George Weah is synonymous with African football, the only African to win the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year awards. What’s more impressive is that he’s become a head of state, having served as the 25th president of Liberia.

Weah’s early childhood was one of poverty, as he grew up with his grandmother in Grand Kru County, one of the poorest areas of Liberia, besotted by disease and overcrowding. He was the son of a mechanic and a merchant who separated while he was a baby.

Arsene Wenger spotted Weah playing for a club in Liberia, which kicked off his footballing ventures in Europe, where he won the hearts of fans. The former 75-cap Liberia international starred up front for AS Monaco, PSG, AC Milan, and Man City, scoring many iconic goals, including an astounding solo goal for the Rossoneri against Verona in 1996. Wenger once said:

“The life of this guy is a real film. It is unbelievable. It can make a fantastic film. I remember when I saw him the first time at Monaco, coming in a bit lost, not knowing anybody, not being rated by anybody as a player and becoming the best player in the world in 1995 and today becoming the president of his country.”

7 Ronaldo Nazario

Career span: 1993–2011

Ronaldo Nazario inspired young fans around the globe every time he took to a football pitch. His unique haircut donned at the 2002 World Cup, iconic No.9 Brazil shirt, and relentless goalscoring prowess are still rife in footballing culture today.

The Selecao sensation was a striker whose abilities in front of goal made him, quite possibly, the deadliest marksman in history. He won two Ballons d’Or during a trophy-laden career that saw him rip teams apart at Madrid, Inter Milan, PSV Eindhoven and Juventus.

Ronaldo was raised in Bento Ribeiro, a poor suburb in Rio de Janeiro, and his parents separated when he was 11. He used futsal to develop his footballing knowledge, saying it would always be his first love. Fans reflect on his journey to the pinnacle of world football with misty eyes, the poster boy of Ginga football, which is all about freedom of expression with the ball.

6 Lev Yashin

Career span: 1953–1971

Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper in history to win the Ballon d’Or, which arguably cements the Soviet as the most outstanding shot-stopper ever to grace the game. Nicknamed ‘the Black Spider’ because of his intimidating all-black attire and acrobatic saves, he was a pioneer for future generations of goalkeepers.

The former Dynamo Moscow goalkeeper, who died in March 1990, grew up in Moscow during World War II, which forced him to work in a factory. He suffered a nervous breakdown at age 18 and was sent to a military factory to work, where he played ice hockey.

Yashin’s extraordinary goalkeeping talents were spotted while playing in a factory team. The Soviet legend became an all-time goalkeeping great and won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1956. His remarkable career paved the way for sweeper keepers of today, and French magazine France Football‘s goalkeeping award, the Yashin Trophy, is named after him.

5 Johan Cruyff

Career span: 1964–1984

Johan Cruyff’s footballing philosophy was a cornerstone of the sport and helped develop Total Football, emphasising creativity, versatility, and all-around skill. The Dutch icon was one of the most influential figures in the game, and his impact is still clear today.

The three-time Ballon d’Or winner grew up in Amsterdam in a working-class neighbourhood. His father, who died when Cruyff was 12, encouraged him to play football. The Ajax and Barcelona legend used the sport to honour his father, and more than that, he did so by transforming the game.

Cruyff left his mark on the sport not only with his ideas but also with his sensational on-field abilities. The tricky attacking midfielder conjured several moments that took fans’ breath away. The ‘Cruyff Turn’ at the 1974 World Cup and his ‘impossible’ acrobatic goal for Barca against Atletico Madrid in the same year were two of many. The three-time Champions League winner passed away in March 2016, but his legacy lives on.

4 Diego Maradona

Career span: 1976–1997

Diego Maradona lived and breathed football during his childhood, which resulted in him growing into a once-in-a-lifetime footballing god. Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winner tackled the difficulties of a poor upbringing where he worked at an early age, selling scrap and cigarette foil to support his family.

When he was eight, the Napoli icon tricked the Argentinos Juniors youth team Los Cebollitas into thinking that he was older than he was. They benefitted from Maradona’s unbelievable ability, as he led the team to a 136-game unbeaten streak before debuting at the senior level at age 16.

Maradona’s life and legacy inspire fans, and his unique talent and iconic moments have made him a pillar of the sport. English fans won’t need reminding of his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal against England in a 2-1 quarter-final win in 1986, where he later netted one of the most incredible solo goals in World Cup history. The footballing world collectively mourned when he passed in November 2020 because of his dedication to the sport.

3 Cristiano Ronaldo

Career span: 2002–Present

Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest goalscorer in football history, finding the net a world record time at club and international level during a career many can only dream of. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner achieved his dreams and goals despite many obstacles, not least his father’s death.

The enigmatic Madrid icon grew up in a small tin-roofed home in Madeira, and his mother considered an abortion due to poverty, alcoholism and too many children to parent. His father pushed the former Man United forward towards football but sadly drank too much, passing in 2005 while the Portuguese hero’s career was just getting started.

Ronaldo more than made his father proud by becoming perhaps the most famous footballer in history. A five-time Champions League winner, history-making moments come to him like ducks to water. Fans wore a smile seeing him claim the European Championship in 2016 with his beloved Portugal.

However, Ronaldo then dealt with his son’s death in April 2022. He received an outpouring of support from the football community, who came together to help him through grief. Liverpool fans put aside their rivalry with the Red Devils to pay their respects at Anfield during a match weeks later. Ronaldo again showed resilience and continued breaking records, adding to his legacy that made him such a phenomenon around the globe.

2 Lionel Messi

Career span: 2004 – Present

Messi took the baton from Maradona to become, for many, football’s greatest-ever player. The Barcelona legend is the record-holder of the Ballon d’Or, winning the prestigious award eight times. He’s the most decorated footballer in history and capped off a dazzling career when he won the World Cup in 2022.

Born in Rosario, Argentina, Messi tested his footballing skills against his brothers in his youth. He was dealt a setback when he was diagnosed with a hormone deficiency at age 11, a disease that affects between 1 in 3000 children. That didn’t stop Messi from etching his name in football greatness, doing so with a remarkable spell at Barca, where he earned fans’ admiration worldwide and his peers’ respect.

Messi epitomises inspiration in football with a never-ending list of moments that have had commentators shout his name in awe. The Inter Miami hero’s exploits in captaining his nation to World Cup glory in Qatar didn’t just grasp the attention of football fans; they had the entire globe talking.

1 Pele

Career span: 1956–1977

Pele remains a cultural icon who took the sport to new heights and bestowed his name among footballing royalty on and off the pitch. Brazil’s three-time World Cup winner was like an artist with the ball at his feet and played an instrumental role in giving Black people a voice while highlighting poverty issues in his homeland.

The late great Selecao hero was born in poverty-stricken Sao Paulo and was taught football by his father. He had to practice with a sock filled with newspapers because he couldn’t afford a football. An unprecedented rise awaited Pele during his teenage years, and he was called up to his national team at age 16 after becoming the top scorer in the Brazilian league.

Pele was declared a national treasure at this time, which speaks volumes of the level of superstardom he’d obtained at a young age. The world set their sights on a footballing mega-power who then became Mr World Cup, winning it three times, including his first at the age of 17.

“I was born for soccer, just as Beethoven was born for music – Pele.”

The Santos icon’s influence on football extended beyond the grass as he became an ambassador for the sport. Rightfully nicknamed ‘The King’, his successful playing career helped black footballers become more accepted by the white community. A joint-winner of FIFA’s Player of the Century award with Maradona, Pele died in December 2022. The scale of tributes he received from all regions of the globe spoke of the enormity of his lasting legacy.

Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 27.10.24.