BBC Sport ranks Pele, Maradona and Messi in top 10 World Cup legends
The broadcaster’s editorial selection places Pele at number one, with Maradona and Ronaldo following, while noting the difficulty of narrowing down centuries of tournament history.
BBC Sport has published a subjective ranking of the top 10 World Cup legends of all time, a selection process the outlet acknowledges will inevitably spark debate given the breadth of the tournament's history. The list places Pele at number one, followed by Diego Maradona and Cristiano Ronaldo, while Lionel Messi is ranked fourth. Franz Beckenbauer, Kylian Mbappe, Zinedine Zidane, Paolo Rossi, Cafu, and Sir Geoff Hurst complete the top 10.
The article notes that the selection is inherently debatable, with other notable players such as Miroslav Klose, Garrincha, Roberto Baggio, Johan Cruyff, and Gerd Muller excluded from the top 10. Klose, the all-time top World Cup goalscorer, is noted to have narrowly missed the list at 11th place. The piece highlights that no individual from Spain’s 2010 winning squad made the list, reflecting the team’s collective style of play rather than individual dominance.
Pele retains the number one spot as the only man to win three World Cups, achieving the feat in 1958, 1962, and 1970. Maradona is ranked second, with the article describing his 1986 performance as arguably the best individual tournament in history, featuring the 'Hand of God' and a solo goal against England. Ronaldo is placed third, with the selection noting his redemption after a seizure before the 1998 final and his subsequent eight-goal performance in 2002.
Lionel Messi is ranked fourth after leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 final, a tournament in which he scored seven goals and converted a penalty in the shootout. Franz Beckenbauer is fifth, recognised as the only man to win the World Cup as both a player in 1974 and a manager in 1990. Kylian Mbappe is ranked sixth, with the article noting his legacy is still being written and suggesting he could challenge for the top spots in future tournaments.
The remaining spots are filled by Zinedine Zidane, who scored twice in the 1998 final; Paolo Rossi, who won the Golden Boot and Ball after returning from a match-fixing ban; Cafu, the only man to appear in three successive World Cup finals; and Sir Geoff Hurst, who scored a hat-trick in the 1966 final. The selection process acknowledges the difficulty of whittling down thousands of players from 22 tournaments spread over almost a century.
The ranking comes as FIFA prepares for the 2026 World Cup, which will feature the first-ever half-time show in a final, curated by Coldplay’s Chris Martin and headlined by Madonna, Shakira, and BTS. The event is scheduled for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with proceeds targeting $100 million for children worldwide through the Global Citizen Education Fund.
