10 greatest strikers of all time
A genuine striker attacks, with a clear striking ability and responsibility to put the ball in the back of the net. They score massively from all angles under difficult situations. The strikers in this list have been chosen based on their fame, impact, career success, and goal scoring ability.
There were several contenders like Josef Bican, Thierry Henry, Gary Linekar, and others who did not make the cut as per the criteria. Legendary players like Diego Maradona, Johan Cruyff, and others were forwards/attacking midfielders hence did not qualify to be in this list.
These ten strikers were loved by their fans, and their major contribution is the fact they won the game for their team.
#10 Arthur Friedenreich
Arthur Friedenreich was a Brazilian football player. Some football experts say he scored the most number of goals in the history of football. He scored the most goals playing in the Liga Paulista for eight seperate years starting in 1912, till 1929. Even Pele could not achieve this feat.
At the time he started playing football, racism was quite prevalent. Despite all the odds, he rose like a tiger to set the tone of how football was meant to be played in Brazil. He was described as having dribbling skills to be far better than Garrincha and Pele, so much so, that the fans rose from their seats to watch him play. Reportedly he scored 1329 goals in 1239 games. Some experts say he scored 1239 goals in 1329 games.
The IFFHS placed him in 13th place as the 'South American Player of the 20th Century.'
#9. Marco Van Basten
Marco Van Basten was a Dutch football player known for his ball control, strikes and attacking intelligence. He is regarded as one of the leading strikers in the history of the football. His bicycle kicks and volleys were spectacular.
He played for A.C. Milan and Ajax, where he scored 267 goals in 356 matches with 28 assists. Van Basten played 58 matches for Netherlands and scored 24 goals. They nicknamed him "The Swan of Utrecht."
He was instrumental in winning two European Cups and three Serie A titles. Van Basten won the Ballon d'Or award three times, in 1988, 1989, and 1992. The IFFHS placed him sixth in the 'European player of the Century' polls.
"Marco van Basten was my favorite player," Thierry Henry said on Invictos. "[He is] one of the best strikers in history."