List of More Famous Soccer Players
Johan Cruyff is revered as Holland’s best and joins the ranks of the world’s best due to his excellent performance as attacking midfielder. Earning 9 league titles with Holland, Cruyff joined his team in earning also three consecutive European Champions’ Cups. Retiring from active play, Cruyff went on to manage two of his former teams; leading them to win the European Cup Winner’s Cup for each.
Eusebio da Silva Ferriera is known to be the first player of African descent to achieve global recognition in the sport of soccer. Born in Mozambique, Eusebio played and gained fame with Portugal; nicknamed “European Pele”. His excellence on the field is unsurpassed even today in Portugal. He skillfully managed to make 41 goals through playing 64 international matches before injuries to his knees sidelined his European soccer career. Just as important as his talented play was his incredible sportsmanship on the field; even congratulating a competitor when his goal attempt was blocked.
Bobby Charlton can lay claim to 106 caps during a 17 year association with Manchester United in England, as well as 49 goals. Through the 17 years, Charlton earned every title available in the world of football, as well as the recognition as being England’s most famous soccer players. An airplane crash in 1958 took the lives of eight of Charlton’s teammates and nearly his own. He survived and endured to continue on to participate in the FA Cup final.
Stanley Matthews had a career that extended 33 years; the longest ever for any soccer player. He was 17 when he turned professional in England, and over the years, played with gusto; finishing his international playing in 1957. He played his last match at age 50; a tribute game with such fellow soccer greats as Lev Yashin, Alfredo di Stefano and Ferenc Puskas.
Ferenc Puskas was known throughout his career in Hungary as the Galloping Major, and later with Spain as “Little Cannon”. A formidable force on the field, Puskas had a record of 83 goals obtained over 84 international matches while in Hungary, and 4 goals in a 1960 match playing with Madrid, where he earned five Spanish title wins.
Alfredo Di Stefano may not have participated on an international level for various reasons, but was no slacker when it came to garnering titles. Eight Spanish league and five European Champions’ Cup titles accompanied Di Stefano through his 23 year career. Called the “Blond Arrow”, Di Stefano played in what is deemed the most famous European Cup final as Real Madrid beat Eintracht Frankfurt.
These men all represent some of the best of the best of football. There can be little doubt that other highly esteemed players, such as Ronaldo, Michel Platini, Marco Van Basten, Lothar Matthaus and Ruud Gullit, all deserve equal billing as famous soccer players on the international scene. Each person in their own perspective is likely to acknowledge one player as better as or more accomplished than the other, but they are all highly recognized within their sport.
Soccer, also known as football or association football, is the most popular sport in the world. It takes great perseverance, dedication, skill and concentration to rise in the ranks to become one of the world’s greatest, yet these men have achieved just that over their careers. The rewards are great for the sacrifices made; world recognition, fan appreciation, acknowledgement in history, physical awards and of course, memories that will last a lifetime.
Learning about the sport of soccer is not just learning the rudiments of the game, but must also include getting to know and recognize the names of those who have given the sport its vast following. It is through these famous soccer players that the game has risen to such a popular level across the world, and their names and accomplishments will go down in the history of the sport.