For countless reasons, football is the most popular and beloved sport in the world, with events drawing in around half of the total global population, more than any other event in the world. The major reason fans adore the sport is due to the players that pour their blood, sweat and tears into each and every game, tournaments and competitions, giving phenomenal performances that break records and make history.
With football being such a worldwide sport, there are so many players dotted around that it is hard to acknowledge them all, but some have made their mark, making themselves household names after gracing fans with their amazing skill and dedication to the sport. So we are going to take a look at the best in football and what exactly has made them so great, so much so that they are going to go down in history.
Cristiano Ronaldo
In the world of football, there is a rivalry between both fans and players as to which player is the best, often coming down to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but what makes Ronaldo so special? Beside his countless achievements for both himself and his club, Ronaldo has everything he needs to make him the best – speed, coordination, determination and amazing goal scoring stats that makes him often appear on tips over on FA.
Many players have skill, but what really sets ronaldo out from the crowd is the fame he has managed to accumulate over the years, he is one of the most famous athletes in the world, and possibly one of the most recognised names on the planet, evident by his social media following and he is now the most followed user on Instagram, with over 128 million followers, more than the Kardashians, Selena Gomez and any other athlete.
Lionel Messi
The 32-year-old player has shown the world what it truly means to be a football player and is often called the best in the sport, Messi has a very long list of records and achievements that he has accomplished throughout his career, a list that only continues to grow. His humble nature has made him even more popular with fans as his love and dedication for the sport is clear, without the underline desire for fame and fortune, which he has gained from his skill.
Messi became one of the youngest players to be signed to Barcelona, at the age of 17 and then became the youngest to score a goal, then signing as a senior player on his 18th birthday. To this day, Messi holds the record for the most goals scored in La Liga, with 423 and 50 of those in a single season, breaking another record. In total, he has scored 676 goals during his 831 appearances for his club as well as countless assists in which he also holds the record in La Liga for. As well as holding and breaking many records during his career, Messi has also won many awards for playing football, one of which being the Ballon d’Or award in which is one of the oldest and most prestigious individual awards a player can win, Messi has been awarded this numerous times.