The Top 250 Players of All-Time: 240-231
In February 2013 up in the attic bedroom of our student house, Gareth Thomas, Ben Jones and Ollie Jackson after another prolonged football debate decided it was time we did something about the question, 'Who is the best player in the World?'. Housemate Liam suggested setting out to find the greatest 50 players of all time, this swiftly grew to 100, 150 and 200 before we settled on 250. Our original website www.top250.webs.com is still there to answer the debate but we furthered our work to blogging about the beautiful game starting up www.thefootballhistoryboys.blogspot.com.
If you missed 250-241 catch it here.
POSITION: Midfielder;
NATION: USA (275/158);
CLUB(S): North Carolina Tar Heels, Washington Freedom (Both USA)
CLUB HONOURS: 4x NCAA National Champion, 1x WUSA Founder's Cup Champion
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 2x FIFA Women's World Cup, 2x Olympic Gold Medal
NATION: Germany (86/8);
CLUB(S): HSV Barmbek-Uhlenhorst (GER), 1. FC Saarbrücken (GER), 1. FC Kaiserslautern (GER), Bayern Munich (GER), Internazionale (ITA), Zaragoza (SPA), 1. FC Kaiserslautern (GER)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Bundesliga, 1x DFB-Pokal, 1x DFL-Supercup, 1x Serie A, 1x Supercoppa Italiana, 1x UEFA Cup;
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup
POSITION: Forward;
NATION: England (17/5);
CLUB(S): Hayes (ENG), Queens Park Rangers (ENG), Brentford (ENG), Besiktas (TUR), Newcastle United (ENG), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), West Ham United (ENG), Leicester City (ENG), Bolton Wanderers (ENG), Reading (ENG), Watford (ENG)
CLUB HONOURS: 1x Turkish Cup, 1x TSYD Cup, 1x League Cup
If you missed 250-241 catch it here.
240. Robert PROSINECKI
NATION: Croatia (45/10) / Yugoslavia (15/4);
CLUB(s): Dinamo Zagreb (HVR), Red Star Belgrade (SER), Real Madrid (SPA), Real Oviedo (SPA), Barcelona (SPA), Sevilla (SPA), Croatia Zagreb (HVR), Hrvatski Dragovoljac (HVR), Standard Liege (BEL), Portsmouth (ENG), Olimpija Ljubljana (SVN), NK Zagreb (HVR)
CLUB HONOURS: 3x Yugoslav First League, 1x Yugoslav Cup, 1x UEFA European Cup, 1x Copa del Rey, 2x Supercopa de Espana, 1x Copa Iberoamericana, 3x Prva HNL, 1x Croatian Cup, 1x Croatian Supercup, 1x Slovenian Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship
For more info see our blog "Croatia and Australia: A Unique Footballing Rivalry"
"If this lad makes it as a football player i'll eat my coaching certificate" - Miroslav Blazevic (coach at Dinamo Zagreb)... I hope that certificate tasted good!
239. Victor VALDES
POSITION: Goalkeeper
238. Denis IRWIN
POSITION: Defender;
237. JUNINHO PAULISTA
CLUB HONOURS: 3x Yugoslav First League, 1x Yugoslav Cup, 1x UEFA European Cup, 1x Copa del Rey, 2x Supercopa de Espana, 1x Copa Iberoamericana, 3x Prva HNL, 1x Croatian Cup, 1x Croatian Supercup, 1x Slovenian Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x 1987 FIFA World Youth Championship
For more info see our blog "Croatia and Australia: A Unique Footballing Rivalry"
"If this lad makes it as a football player i'll eat my coaching certificate" - Miroslav Blazevic (coach at Dinamo Zagreb)... I hope that certificate tasted good!
239. Victor VALDES
POSITION: Goalkeeper
NATION: Spain (19/0) (Correct as of Jan 2014);
CLUB: Barcelona (SPA)
CLUB HONOURS: 6x La Liga, 2x Copa del Rey, 6x Supercopa de Espana, 3x UEFA Champions League, 2x UEFA Super Cup, 2x FIFA Club World Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1 x FIFA World Cup, 1x UEFA European Championships
The Guardian after Valdes stars against Real Madrid: "And then there's Valdés, passing his way out of trouble even after he has passed his way into it. As well as talent, that takes balls. Especially against a team as good as Real Madrid."
238. Denis IRWIN
POSITION: Defender;
NATION: Republic of Ireland (56/4);
CLUB(s): Leeds United, Oldham Athletic, Manchester United, Wolverhampton Wanderers (All ENG)
CLUB HONOURS: 7x Premier League, 3x FA Cup, 1x Football League Cup, 4x FA Charity Shield, 1x UEFA Champions League, 1x UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 1x UEFA Super Cup, 1x Intercontinental Cup
"It takes a certain kind of player to muster up the will and the hunger to carry on playing at the highest level past their 38th birthday. And in Denis Irwin, Sir Alex knew he’d found someone special… In 12 years at Old Trafford, Mr Dependable became the second most decorated player in the club’s history." Manchester United Website
237. JUNINHO PAULISTA
POSITION: Midfielder;
NATION: Brazil (49/5);
CLUB(s): São Paulo (BRA), Middlesbrough (ENG), Atlético Madrid (SPA), Vasco da Gama (BRA), Flamengo (BRA), Celtic (SCO), Palmeiras (BRA), Sydney FC (AUS);
CLUB(s): São Paulo (BRA), Middlesbrough (ENG), Atlético Madrid (SPA), Vasco da Gama (BRA), Flamengo (BRA), Celtic (SCO), Palmeiras (BRA), Sydney FC (AUS);
CLUB HONOURS: 1x Copa Libertadores, 1x Supercopa Sudamericana, 1x Intercontinental Cup, 1x Recopa Sudamericana, 1x Copa CONMEBOL, 1x Brazilian Champions Cup, 1x Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A, 1x Copa Mercosur, 1x Campeonato Carioca, 1x Football League Cup;
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup, 1x FIFA Confederations Cup
POSITION: Goalkeeper
NATION: Brazil (101/0);
234. Nobby STILES
POSITION: Midfielder;
NATION: England (28/1);
CLUB(S): Manchester United, Middlesborough, Preston North End (All ENG)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Football League Division 1, 1x FA Cup, 2x FA Charity Shield, 1x UEFA European Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup, 3x British Home Championships
"It seems preposterous now, but not so long ago the most exciting player in England played for Middlesbrough. The little Brazilian really seemed to care about the club. He cried on the pitch when Middlesbrough were relegated in 1997, the season the club lost the League and FA Cup finals. When he returned and won the League Cup with Middlesbrough, he said the achievement meant more to him than winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil." The Guardian voted Juninho in their 'Most Likeable Players XI', hard not to agree!
236. David TREZEGUET
POSITION: Forward;
NATION: France (71/34);
CLUB(S): Platense (ARG), Monaco (FRA), Juventus (ITA), Hércules (SPA), Baniyas (UAE), River Plate (ARG), Newell’s Old Boys (ARG)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Ligue 1, 1x Trophee des champions, 2x Serie A, 1x Serie B, 2x Supercoppa Italiana, 1x Premiera B Nacional
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup, 1x UEFA European Championships
For more info see our blog "1998 World Cup: A French Dream Team"
"It was the fault of David Trezeguet, who made me do one drink of vodka after another. I slept in the bathtub. Now I hold my vodka much better.” Zlatan Ibrahimovic after celebrating 'too hard' with Trezeguet in 2005.
For more info see our blog "1998 World Cup: A French Dream Team"
"It was the fault of David Trezeguet, who made me do one drink of vodka after another. I slept in the bathtub. Now I hold my vodka much better.” Zlatan Ibrahimovic after celebrating 'too hard' with Trezeguet in 2005.
235. Claudio TAFFAREL
POSITION: Goalkeeper
NATION: Brazil (101/0);
CLUB(S): Internacional (BRA), Parma (ITA), Reggiana (ITA), Atletico Mineiro (BRA), Galatasaray (TUR), Empoli (ITA)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Coppa Italia, 1x UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 1x UEFA Cup, 1x UEFA Super Cup, 2x Super Lig, 2x Turkish Cup, 1x Minas Gerais State League, 1x UEFA CONMEBOL Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup, 2x Copa America, 1x Olympic Silver Medal
234. Nobby STILES
NATION: England (28/1);
CLUB(S): Manchester United, Middlesborough, Preston North End (All ENG)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Football League Division 1, 1x FA Cup, 2x FA Charity Shield, 1x UEFA European Cup
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup, 3x British Home Championships
233. Mia HAMM
POSITION: Forward;
NATION: USA (275/158);
CLUB(S): North Carolina Tar Heels, Washington Freedom (Both USA)
CLUB HONOURS: 4x NCAA National Champion, 1x WUSA Founder's Cup Champion
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 2x FIFA Women's World Cup, 2x Olympic Gold Medal
For more info see our blog "The Crest Dissected US Women's Soccer, Mia Hamm & Kristine Lilly"
232. Andreas BREHME
POSITION: Defender / Midfielder;232. Andreas BREHME
NATION: Germany (86/8);
CLUB(S): HSV Barmbek-Uhlenhorst (GER), 1. FC Saarbrücken (GER), 1. FC Kaiserslautern (GER), Bayern Munich (GER), Internazionale (ITA), Zaragoza (SPA), 1. FC Kaiserslautern (GER)
CLUB HONOURS: 2x Bundesliga, 1x DFB-Pokal, 1x DFL-Supercup, 1x Serie A, 1x Supercoppa Italiana, 1x UEFA Cup;
INTERNATIONAL HONOURS: 1x FIFA World Cup
231. Les FERDINAND
NATION: England (17/5);
CLUB(S): Hayes (ENG), Queens Park Rangers (ENG), Brentford (ENG), Besiktas (TUR), Newcastle United (ENG), Tottenham Hotspur (ENG), West Ham United (ENG), Leicester City (ENG), Bolton Wanderers (ENG), Reading (ENG), Watford (ENG)
CLUB HONOURS: 1x Turkish Cup, 1x TSYD Cup, 1x League Cup
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