While soccer debates usually center on the never-ending argument over whether Messi or Ronaldo is the greatest of all time, many all-time greats are often overlooked in these conversations.
Although Messi and Ronaldo are undoubtedly two of the greatest players ever, there are many other players who deserve recognition at the top of the list but simply don't receive the same attention as these two GOATs.
ProfitDuel, matched betting experts, have looked into the history books and made a list of six of the best footballers of all time who aren't Ronaldo or Messi.
Diego Maradona
If football had a Michelangelo, it might just be Diego Maradona. The 1986 World Cup was his Sistine Chapel - he didn’t just play, he painted masterpieces on the pitch. Five goals, five assists, the infamous “Hand of God,” and the breathtaking “Goal of the Century” all came in that single tournament, where he dragged Argentina to glory almost single-handedly. But Maradona’s magic wasn’t confined to the international stage. At Napoli, he turned a mid-table Italian club into Serie A champions - twice - plus a UEFA Cup win, rewriting the club’s history and cementing himself as a folk hero in Naples. His dribbling was hypnotic, his free kicks deadly, and his creativity unmatched. Yes, he was a mix of genius and controversy, but that’s exactly what made him unforgettable. Maradona didn’t just play football; he embodied it, with all its beauty, flaws, and raw emotion.
Pelé
Before there were endless Messi vs. Ronaldo debates, there was simply Pelé - the gold standard everyone else chased. Most dream of winning a World Cup, and that would be their career highlight; Pelé won three. By 17, he was scoring in finals; by 30, he was already a living legend. His goal record, over a thousand in his career, only tells part of the story. Pelé played football like it was poetry: fluid, creative, and instinctive. He could outjump towering defenders, curl in a free kick, or thread a pass that split entire backlines. At Santos, he turned a Brazilian club into a world powerhouse, then brought the beautiful game to the U.S. with the New York Cosmos. Pelé was much more than just a player; he was football’s first global superstar, an icon whose name still defines greatness.
Zinedine Zidane
Some players dominate with speed or power; Zidane ruled with elegance. The French maestro seemed to have the ball on a string, gliding past defenders with a simple body feint and dictating the rhythm of the game like a conductor with an orchestra. His résumé is stacked - World Cup winner in ’98 with two goals in the final, Euro 2000 champion and Player of the Tournament, Champions League hero with that volley for Real Madrid in 2002. Three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ballon d’Or winner, and the definition of a “big game player.” But Zidane’s greatness didn’t end when he hung up his boots. As a manager, he guided Real Madrid to an unprecedented three straight Champions League titles, proving his football brain was as sharp from the touchline as it was on the pitch. Zidane wasn’t just class, he was class personified.
Johan Cruyff
On the pitch, Cruyff was the beating heart of “Total Football,” a style where positions were fluid, movement was constant, and creativity ruled. With Ajax, he collected three straight European Cups and eight league titles, then moved to Barcelona and instantly delivered their first La Liga crown in 14 years. Internationally, he carried the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final, dazzling the world with the now-iconic “Cruyff Turn.” But his true legacy may be as an architect: as Barça’s coach, he built the “Dream Team” and laid the foundations for the tiki-taka style that later defined an era. His footballing philosophy still flows through clubs like Barcelona, Manchester City, and even Spain’s national team. Cruyff wasn’t just a player or a coach - he was football’s great visionary, the mind that made beauty part of the blueprint.
Ronaldo (R9)
Explosively quick, frighteningly strong, and blessed with the kind of close control that made defenders question their career choices, R9 was the complete striker. At just 21, he had already won a Ballon d’Or and two FIFA World Player of the Year awards. His trophy cabinet holds two World Cups - most famously the 2002 edition, where he came back from career-threatening knee injuries to score eight goals and win the Golden Boot. From PSV to Barcelona, Inter Milan to Real Madrid, he was lethal everywhere, often racking up goals that seemed to defy physics. Stepovers, elasticos, and those trademark feints around goalkeepers became his signature. Injuries may have stolen some prime years, but his influence on modern forwards is still immense. Simply put, R9 wasn’t just a striker - he was football’s original phenomenon.
Andrés Iniesta
Iniesta wasn’t about stats or showboating - his magic was subtle, almost invisible until you realized he’d just dismantled a defence with one feint or a perfectly weighted pass. At Barcelona, he collected more silverware than most clubs manage in a lifetime - 35 trophies, including four Champions Leagues. With Spain, he was at the heart of their golden era, delivering the most famous goal in the nation’s history: the extra-time winner in the 2010 World Cup final. Iniesta thrived in tight spaces, gliding past markers with balletic control, keeping the tiki-taka heartbeat steady. Humble, unselfish, and deadly when it mattered most, he turned the game into an art form. For a generation, he proved you don’t have to be loud to be legendary.