Ranking the 5 most skillful players in football history
Skillful players are perhaps the most fascinating set of players to watch on a football pitch. Nothing beats the thrill of watching these amazing superstars entertain us with their incredible abilities, leaving opposition teams dumbfounded as they perform magic with the ball at their feet.
It goes without saying that many skillful players have made their impact felt in the sport in its long and illustrious history. Apart from putting a smile on the faces of fans with their mesmerizing displays, these players have also enjoyed very successful careers at club and international levels.
It is such a gargantuan task to rank the most skillful players in football history. This is because many exceptional names come to mind, thereby, creating a selection headache. Nevertheless, we've had a close look at these names and managed to come up with a list of five who stand out from the pack.
#5 Diego Maradona
The now late Argentina legend was a pure joy to watch during his days on the football pitch. He was easily the most skillful player of his generation, making many fall in love with the game with his exploits on the field.
53 - Diego Maradona completed 53 dribbles at the #86Mexico World Cup, 37 more than any other player. Mazy. vine.co/v/MXv9UFbOHmX
Diego Maradona was a pure magician with the ball at his feet, pulling off some of the most ridiculous moves ever witnessed in the sport. His close control, sharp turning and technique on the ball allowed him to single-handedly destroy opposition defenses almost at will.
The former Napoli star enjoyed a fabulous spell at the top of the game. Maradona's exploits at the 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico are part of football folklore. His performances, which included the iconic "Hand of God" and "Goal of the Century" goals, led Argentina to their second World Cup win.
On this day 35 years ago, Diego Maradona gave us two of the most iconic goals of all time, "The Hand of God" and the "Goal of the Century" 🙌
Fly high, Diego 🔟 🇦🇷
(via @FIFAWorldCup)
https://t.co/QGq2s5aOyz
He also won multiple trophies at club level, playing for the likes of Barcelona, Napoli and Sevilla.
#4 Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi is without doubt one of the most skillful players in football at the moment. The Argentine has been at the top of the game for almost two decades, running riot with his magical efforts on the ball.
Similar to Maradona, Messi has a low center of gravity that allows him to change direction swiftly, penetrating opposition defenses using his close control, sharp turning and amazing technique.
Lionel Messi is the highest-rated player on FIFA 22 🌟 https://t.co/1oioOtkm7V
The 34-year-old has written his name in the history books, winning the most number of Ballon d'Or awards (7). Lionel Messi has won everything there's to win at club level, including four Champions League crowns, 10 domestic league titles and many more.
He recently led Argentina to a Copa America win, further soldifying his reputation as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.